China is a fascinating country with several magnificent attractions. However, every time I go there, I feel as if I am missing something important. It was the first time in my travels that I experienced such a sensation. When I traveled to China for the first time, I crossed the border from Kazakhstan into Xinjiang's autonomous region and felt as though I had landed on another planet.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the majority of people were pretty helpful and eager to assist me. To assist you have a fantastic time while in China, I've compiled this article with some China Travel Tips.
#1 Before you go to the airport, pick a VPN!
My first China travel tips concern about the internet and the so-called Great Firewall of China. If you want to be connected to the internet while traveling throughout China and don't want to miss any of your favorite social media, I'd strongly advise signing up for a VPN before entering the country, as it may be impossible afterwards.
A VPN can track everything you do online, so if you download something for free, I believe there's a good chance you're the product. It implies they could sell your personal information to a number of interested firms. You'll also frequently see people suggesting NordVPN on the web, but it might be because NordVPN pays its customers a generous commission if they recommend their services. So make sure the VPN you choose is reliable before spending money on it!
#2 Every time you want to buy a train ticket, be prepared to wait.
If you don't want to buy tickets through a travel agency, you'll have to stand in line at most train stations. The culture doesn't include queuing, so don't be upset if someone bypasses you when your time arrives. Don't be in a hurry; since ticket agents are generally unable to speak English, getting a ticket may be difficult. Carry your passport with you at all times; otherwise, you won't be able to purchase a ticket.
#3 You won't like the continual odor of smoke.
Smoking is popular among the Chinese people. It's especially true if you're heading to a more rural area. Even if most countries have started to ban smoking indoors in Europe, there's still a long way to go in China. If you see someone smoking right in front of a no-smoking sign, don't be angry. Despite their clarity, these signs appear to have little effect on some smokers. Make certain that all of your employees are aware of the no-smoking policy by displaying a no-smoking sign in prominent view.. It was particularly inconvenient when we were traveling overland from Hong Kong to France with our two-year-old child. I recall taking overnight trains where elderly passengers would simply light up a smoke in front of their compartment. It's not the greatest when you're worried about secondhand smoke!
#4 Are you ready to work out? You'll have to squat every time you visit a public restroom!
Depending on your travel style, you may encounter these squat toilets frequently. However, if you have to go to the toilet in a local restaurant or at the round-the-corner bus station, be prepared to squat!
#5 Don't forget to bring your own toilet paper!
My fifth China travel advice may sound obvious if you've been to Asia long enough. However, I prefer to repeat it one more time because being trapped in a toilet without tissue is an extremely unpleasant sensation. Don't forget to always have a pack of tissues on you, although as I mentioned, you may occasionally find elderly people selling toilet-related goods just outside the entrance. Well, prepare for a variety of restrooms since Chinese loos are one-of-a-kind! I learned that a common toilet behavior is to squat while smoking a cigarette with your left hand and checking your phone with your right. How did I discover this? Well, the first toilets I ever used in China lacked any door and consisted only of a ridge where individuals were squatting.
Let's assume that the farther you go and the worse the restrooms will be. You should be OK in major tourist destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, or any other popular cities!
#6 Finding a hotel might be challenging.
Be cautious! The majority of hotels cannot welcome foreign guests, especially those at a lower price range. In order to accept tourists, a hotel must obtain a license. If you search for your next place to stay on the popular booking.com website, you should know that most of the lowest-cost choices will be unable to accommodate you. So even if you can book it, double-check that they have permission to house foreigners.
Don't even think about visiting a city without knowing where to sleep. If you want to go around the terminal and look for a low-cost alternative, you may lose a lot of time. Of course, this problem does not occur with top-end hotels, as all of them have the required accreditation.
#7 Because they're likely to have a different noise tolerance than you
Throughout my travels across the world, I've discovered that noise is rather subjective among different societies. We became somewhat tolerant and didn't even move when our neighbors played music all night long while we stayed in Cali, Colombia. However, I must warn you that although you won't have this problem of neighbors partying all night long in China, you may become irritated by the noise at public places like transportation stations.
When you're next to them, they don't seem to have any difficulty listening to music at full volume while you're attempting to sleep, as well as making loud phone calls in a very tiny place. I believe Chinese are acclimated to the noise and don't mind it any longer. Workers have been observed sleeping right next to construction sites. If you're disturbed by the noise and want to be in public places, consider investing in earplugs or some headphones that block out all sound.
#8 Your best friends will be applications and dictionaries that are translated.
Despite the fact that many Chinese may speak excellent English in major cities, I discovered that overall proficiency is most likely the lowest throughout all of the countries I've visited. Once again, it's particularly true if you choose to explore off-the-beaten path areas. Even though hand gestures might suffice, I advise having a translation program on hand at all times.
Getting a train ticket, finding the main attraction, or ordering specific foods might not seem like a difficult task with a translator.
#9 You'll be the center of attention!
Some regions of China are not accustomed to seeing foreigners. You must realize that you may become the center of attention at times. No, you won't be able to go incognito in town. Although it isn't specific to China, I've been asked to pose for a photograph with me at a popular tourist site on occasion by locals. I have no problem with it when they do so before at least. Imagine how we felt as a family of three from a Frenchman and a Hong Kong mother traveling across China. We certainly got some attention!