Welcome Forum - Recent Posts

Just got back from a 3-week trip in China and wanted to share some real “on-the-ground” tips based on my experience. Hope this helps anyone planning a visit!

Mayer Paul — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:42:14 +0000

I recently returned from an extremely enjoyable 3-week trip around China, and I wanted to share my full experience because I know many people preparing for a trip to China have similar questions and concerns. My route was: Beijing → Shijiazhuang (for a friend’s wedding) → Xi’an → Chengdu → Kunming → Xiamen → Shanghai → back to Beijing. I had read a lot of posts before leaving, and many were very helpful, so I hope my experience can help others planning a trip to China, travel to China, or join China tours in the future.

Before leaving, I set up both WeChat Pay and Alipay. I’m glad I did, because within 48 hours my WeChat account was blocked. This apparently happens quite often to travelers. The notification said I was blocked for “sending repeated greetings,” which made no sense, and although there is an option to unblock, two of my Chinese friends tried to verify me and still couldn’t unblock the account. Fortunately, Alipay worked flawlessly throughout my entire trip. I linked it to my Wise Visa card and had no problems scanning or being scanned. I also linked other cards, but since Wise worked consistently and felt safer as a prepaid top-up card, I used it for everything.

At hotels, my Wise Visa was accepted without any issue. Some places took deposit holds, but those were straightforward. As for cash, I know many people claim cash is dead in China, but that wasn’t my experience at all. I used cash at small shops, restaurants, tourist attractions, and taxis. Sometimes staff were surprised because it’s rare these days, but nobody refused it, and I always received change without difficulty. To be fair, I stayed mostly on the main tourist trail, which probably helped.

For transportation, I used trip.com for all my train bookings, and it was excellent. The app stores your passport details, and once your passport number is registered for one booking, it links automatically for all future bookings. At stations, just go to the manned desk, let them scan your passport, and you’re through. Chinese high-speed trains are fast, reliable, comfortable, and efficient. The atmosphere can be lively, but overall, the experience was great.

Metro systems in every city were easy to navigate. Everything is clearly labeled in both English and Chinese, and ticket machines accept both cash and QR payments. Interchanges are well marked, and the whole system is impressively intuitive. For buses, I only took a couple in Xiamen and paid by putting a one-yuan coin into the slot—simple and straightforward.

Taxis were easy to find and reliable, but I recommend using designated taxi stands, especially at stations, because I did see a few suspicious-looking touts. I always screenshot the hotel name and address in Chinese, which made communication simple. I paid in cash most of the time, and drivers always gave change. Many taxis accept QR payments, though more often WeChat Pay than Alipay. Since my WeChat was blocked, I avoided that option. As for Didi, which is China’s equivalent of Uber, my friend booked rides for me because my WeChat wasn’t working, but the service itself was cheap and dependable.

For mobile data, my friend lent me a Chinese SIM card, but I actually ended up using my AirAlo eSIM most of the time because it seemed to have an automatic VPN built in. It occasionally dropped for a few minutes, so I kept the Chinese SIM active as backup when making Alipay payments. Still, overall the eSIM was convenient for accessing Google services, Facebook, and other blocked apps. I tried using my actual VPN (Surfshark) once with hotel Wi-Fi, but it didn’t connect well, so I relied mostly on the eSIM.

For navigation, I used Apple Maps on my iPhone and found it surprisingly accurate, including public transport directions. For offline backup, I downloaded maps.me, which works once you manually download each city map—slightly inconvenient, but it does the job.

I booked only one official tour, a Great Wall trip through Klook, and it was extremely well run. However, booking attractions independently can be tricky. Many places require reservations in advance, often through WeChat mini-programs or QR code registration pages. My Chinese friend helped with this by submitting my name and passport number. Everything in China is linked to your passport, so keep it accessible and safe—it is your lifeline.

Public toilets in China are everywhere and free, which is a blessing, but many are squat toilets and don’t provide toilet paper. Always bring tissues or wet wipes. After a few days of spicy food in Chengdu, you'll be glad you did. Crowds are constant—if you dislike large crowds or chaotic queuing, prepare yourself. The best strategy is to visit major attractions right when they open. I reached Mutianyu Great Wall at opening time and enjoyed the first 20 minutes nearly alone, which was an unforgettable experience.

As for how people treated me, aside from one bored policeman in Beijing asking to examine every stamp in my passport, I encountered nothing negative. Quite the opposite—many families smiled, took interest in me, asked for photos, or practiced a bit of English. Customer service staff were patient and helpful despite the language gap. I felt far more welcomed than in some European countries. Even the immigration officer in Beijing was friendlier than the one I met at JFK.

A memorable moment happened on my last day. I miscalculated how much cash I needed for the taxi to the airport. When I arrived, I was short about 50 RMB, and Alipay suddenly decided not to work. The police approached, and I feared it might become a serious problem, but instead, the officer took out his own WeChat Pay and covered the difference. I later withdrew cash, found him, repaid him, and he simply shook my hand and wished me a safe flight. It was an unexpectedly warm experience. For context, I am a 39-year-old white British man, so others may have different experiences, but mine was overwhelmingly positive.

Overall, the trip far exceeded my expectations. China was much easier to navigate than I anticipated, incredibly modern, full of kind people, and endlessly fascinating. My biggest advice: absolutely set up both WeChat Pay and Alipay, and make sure Alipay works with your foreign card before arriving. Beyond that, relax and enjoy—it’s absolutely worth it, and I’m already planning my next visit.

RE: People who have travelled to China, what is your "WTF China" story?

JenkinsD — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 22:53:55 +0000

The first time I was in Beijing, back in 2010, I went to a restaurant with a local friend who invited me, so I didn’t even check if I had enough cash. The place was huge and pretty upscale—not some small family spot in a hutong.
When we finished, the bill came to about 350 RMB if I remember correctly, but apparently my friend only had around 180 on her. I was thinking, “Oh no, what now?” but she stayed calm and just said, “Um, well, dunno,” which didn’t exactly reassure me.
She tried calling a friend who lived nearby but couldn’t reach her. I could chip in about 50 RMB, and that was it. Then she talked with the waitress for a bit, handed over all the cash we had, and we just left. I was totally confused.
Later I asked what happened, and she said she could just come back and pay the rest another day. I was stunned — in China, I’d expected people to be way more competitive and trying to rip you off if you weren’t careful. And here we were, basically getting off the hook like that!
The funniest part was when I asked if the waitress got her details or something, and she said, “Yeah, she got my last name”—just the last name, in a country where it feels like there are only about ten surnames and they all sound pretty similar: Gong, Dong, Li, Zhang…
I’m sorry it’s not a more dramatic story, but this moment stuck with me because it felt so out of place.

RE: People who have travelled to China, what is your "WTF China" story?

BrumerPaul — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 22:29:57 +0000

I was working in Shanghai when my colleagues told me we’d have to work through the weekend to make up for the two days off at New Year’s.
I thought they were joking — I laughed.
They weren’t. They were dead serious.

RE: What on earth do I need to know about traveling to China?

BrumerPaul — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 22:29:28 +0000

I used to travel to China pretty often for both work and vacations, but I took a break between early 2015 and mid-2017 after changing jobs. When I left, cash was still king — but when I came back, WeChat Pay and Alipay had completely taken over, and I was totally thrown off.
Back then, foreign cards weren’t supported at all, so the only way I could use mobile payments was by giving a wad of RMB to a friend, who then “gifted” it back to me through WeChat. Super confusing at the time, but it worked.

What on earth do I need to know about traveling to China?

AmonCristina — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 22:28:15 +0000

I’m heading to China on a business trip at the end of next week. I don’t know anyone personally who’s been, so I’m a bit in the dark. Is there anything important I should know, bring, or avoid bringing? Any advice would be super appreciated!

RE: People who have travelled to China, what is your "WTF China" story?

WinnikMitchell — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:20:46 +0000

We got enough food to have a filling breakfast for four adults with plenty left over for ten yuan, or $1.67
I ate an entire pigeon, including its brain. I had cow lung, brain, heart, kidney... Weirdest dish I think was frog stir fry. This wasn't frog legs, this was just frogs cut in half and stir fried with a lot of szechuan seasoning. I also had silkworm cocoons, just living silkworms in the process of metamorphosis that you fry in some sesame oil. They tasted like prebuttered lobster honestly.
To answer the question, the sheer variety of meats was my wtf China moment

RE: People who have travelled to China, what is your "WTF China" story?

StephanDouglas — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:17:44 +0000

Donations handed to beggars or homeless individuals are sometimes collected by criminal organizations.

People who have travelled to China, what is your "WTF China" story?

KloppenborgJohn — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:16:02 +0000

Plz share your story.

RE: Can I bring a drone and a camera to China? Is it allowed to use them for aerial shots?

Abhishek — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 23:37:50 +0000

Yeah, bringing a drone and a camera to China is generally okay, but there are some rules you need to know. You definitely can bring them in your luggage, but flying a drone isn’t completely free—there are restrictions depending on where you are.
In big cities like Beijing or Shanghai, flying drones in public places or near airports is usually not allowed without permission. Some scenic spots or national parks may also have restrictions, so it’s a good idea to check local regulations before you fly.
Also, be prepared that some areas require you to register your drone with the authorities before flying. As for cameras, no problem at all—just be mindful of photography rules in certain sensitive places, like government buildings or military zones.
So, bring your gear, but make sure to research the rules for the places you want to visit. That way, you can enjoy your aerial shots without any trouble!

Are there places for worship in China, like Hindu temples or mosques?

Rahul — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 23:30:48 +0000

Hey, I’m curious—are there religious places like temples or mosques around China? I’d love to visit some while I’m there. Do you know if it’s easy to find them?