Ive just returned from a 15 day trip to China and wanted to share my experience and some things I wish I had known before going
I spent five days in Beijing five in Shanghai and five in Chongqing traveling completely on my own without any guided tours Looking back there were a few attractions where a tour probably would have made things easier but overall traveling independently was very manageable
This isnt meant to compare cities but rather to give a general overview from the perspective of a solo male traveler
Overall this was without exaggeration one of the best trips of my life China has become one of my favorite places in Asia and Ive been fortunate enough to visit many countries in the region I loved the history the culture the food the transportation and how incredibly convenient daily life is for travelers
The biggest surprise was just how digital everything is China is even more mobile oriented than I expected I exchanged cash before arriving and carried it with me throughout the trip but I never spent a single bill Everything from restaurants transportation attractions convenience stores shared bikes taxis and even small street vendors was paid through Alipay or WeChat Your phone becomes your wallet your map your translator your ticket and your travel planner all at once Because of that I highly recommend bringing a good power bank since youll probably use your phone constantly
The three apps I found absolutely essential were Alipay WeChat and Tripcom Together they handled almost everything including hotels high speed trains attraction tickets payments DiDi rides and much more I also found AMap much more accurate than Google Maps and Google Translate was extremely useful whenever I couldnt communicate
As for the people I found them to be very reserved Almost nobody I met spoke English even at airports and major transportation hubs I didnt find people rude at all but they were generally very practical and direct rather than openly friendly Once I accepted that cultural difference it stopped bothering me
The public transportation system deserves its own mention It is probably the best Ive ever used The subway systems are clean efficient inexpensive and incredibly easy to navigate High speed trains were punctual comfortable and made traveling between cities effortless Honestly I think Chinas transportation system is among the best in the world
The cities themselves were unbelievably clean Probably the cleanest large cities Ive ever visited Streets parks metro stations and public spaces were all very well maintained One thing that also surprised me was that during fifteen days I didnt see a single homeless person I honestly dont know whether they are simply less visible or if I just never happened to encounter any
Chinese architecture was another highlight Ancient palaces temples museums and even ordinary neighborhoods looked completely different from anything Im used to seeing It made every city feel unique
There were of course a few things I didnt enjoy Smoking was by far my biggest complaint People smoke almost everywhere including outdoor public areas and sometimes near restaurants or transportation which became tiring after a while Public restrooms can also be difficult to find and many do not provide toilet paper so carrying tissues or wet wipes is a very good idea Security checks are common when entering metro stations train stations and airports which eventually becomes routine but can slow things down especially if youre carrying a power bank
Walking around busy cities can also take some getting used to because scooters and electric bikes often use sidewalks If youre not paying attention they can appear very quickly from behind
As for the food I really enjoyed it although I quickly learned that asking for no spice often still means a little spice And yes this might be unpopular but I personally didnt enjoy Luckin Coffee
One thing I also noticed was that despite visiting major tourist cities I saw relatively few foreign tourists Even in winter everything was busy lively and full of people
If youre thinking about visiting China my advice is simple Download Alipay WeChat and Tripcom before you arrive set everything up in advance bring a power bank keep your passport with you and dont worry too much about carrying cash because you probably wont use it
Everyones experience is different but mine was overwhelmingly positive I cant wait to return one day and spend more time exploring the countryside mountains and smaller cities
Please remember this is only my personal experience If yours was different thats completely fine Travel is subjective and no two people will experience a country in exactly the same way