What to know before visiting China
Headed to China for the first time? Prepare to be wowed. China's got it all: fascinating history, delectable cuisine, cosmopolitan megacities, and vast landscapes - not to mention, a wonder of the world.
Before you go, here are some useful things to know:
1. You have to have a visa.
If you're traveling to China for sightseeing and/or personal purposes, chances are you’ll be applying for the tourist L visa. This allows for visits up to 30 days at a time. If you're a US citizen, you may be eligible for a multiple-entry visa valid for 10 years.
China requires that you apply in person at an embassy or consulate general. It took 4 business days for mine to process, but you can expedite for a higher cost. The fee for normal processing is $140.
If you don’t live near a Chinese embassy/consulate, or if applying in person is inconvenient, you can pay a service to do it for you.
2. Carry cash.
It's likely you will encounter stores and restaurants throughout China that don’t accept Visa, MasterCard, or other common credit cards. This is especially true if you travel to smaller Chinese cities - but it'll happen in Beijing and Shanghai, too!
Unless you have Alipay or WeChat (two major mobile payment systems commonly used in China), I recommend getting cash out at the start of your trip and trying to use that wherever possible. This will also help in avoiding any unwanted foreign transaction fees.
3. Have your passport with you at all times.
It’s required by Chinese law to carry it. Law enforcement may do random checks and ask you for it. We never had this happen during our visit, and from my understanding it doesn't happen very often - but it's always better to be safe than sorry.
No matter what, you will need your passport in order to access sites like Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Mao Mausoleum. You will also need it to purchase high-speed train tickets.
4. Bring tissues/toilet paper and hand sanitizer with you wherever you go.
Not every public restroom will have these amenities. You should also expect squat toilets pretty much everywhere, although most major sites will usually have one or two stalls with Western toilets.
5. Expect security checkpoints before every subway entrance and at all major sites.
It’s generally nothing too excessive, just a bag check and a metal detector, but it can get a little tedious if you’re carrying around shopping bags. I will admit, I felt pretty safe having them everywhere! (To be fair, I never felt unsafe at all during my stay in China.)
6. When taking taxis, always ask the driver to use the meter.
If you don’t, you may end up getting ripped off. Case in point: when we first arrived in Beijing, we took a taxi from the central train station to our hotel. The driver charged us 250RMB (~USD$36) to go 4 miles.
When we took a cab from Shanghai Hongqiao railway station to Shanghai Disneyland, we asked to keep the meter on. We were charged 140RMB (~USD$20) - and it was 35 miles. Lesson learned!
7. Brush up on basic Mandarin phrases.
This is standard for anywhere you go - always try to learn some general phrases in the local language! China is no exception to this, as knowing even a little bit of Mandarin will prove useful.
Need a lil kickstart?
Hello - Nĭ hăo (你好)
Goodbye - Zài jiàn (再见)
Thank you - Xiè xie (谢谢)
That being said...
8. China IS an accommodating place for people who speak English.
The more I travel internationally, the more I'm reminded how much of a freakin' privilege it is to speak English.
At pretty much every historical or cultural site in Beijing and Shanghai, and at every major hub of transit between the two (including the airports, regional rail stations, and subway lines) things are written in Mandarin first, and then in English. This makes it extremely convenient for Westerners to find their way around Chinese cities.
While a language barrier will definitely exist (particularly with taxi drivers and restaurant staff or shop owners you encounter away from touristy areas) there are plenty of people who speak at least a little bit of English. Upscale and/or well-known hotel brands will almost definitely have English-speaking staff, and many restaurants will have English menus.
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Ready to start planning your trip to China? Let’s chat!
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