Top Tips: China

• 1. Do some research before you go

​​Much of the western internet is censored in China – including Google, Facebook, Youtube and many Wikipedia pages – making free research on China’s history difficult. Although I think a good tour guide is useful for most excursions, they either do not know the full uncensored history of the site or they are wise not to say too much about the less favourable aspects of the story.
For example, on a food tour in Chengdu, I made a comment about the Great Leap Forward - and the famine which killed an estimated 45 million people just 60 years ago - yet, my guide appeared to have little idea of what I was speaking about. Although I was not necessarily surprised by this, I was grateful to have some basic knowledge of Chinese history throughout my trip. Particularly in Beijing, a bit of background would really enrich your experience when visiting Tiananmen Square and the surrounding attractions. ​

• 2. Download a VPN

​Whilst you can probably last without Facebook and Instagram for your trip, it is still useful to have a VPN if you need to access email (Gmail is blocked), Whatsapp or home news websites. I used Express VPN but there are many different ones available.   

• ​3.  Always have the names of places written in Chinese characters (not just pinyin)

Many Chinese people don't read pinyin (Chinese using the Latin alphabet) so for getting around it is helpful to have the places you want to go written in Chinese - especially your hotel/hostel - for taxi drivers to read. 

• 4. English won't get you far

​Whilst I had been warned that English was not widely spoken in China, I had travelled around Southeast Asia just fine using simple English phrases and hand signing. However, upon my first cab journey in China, my ignorance as a native English speaker became apparent. Even in a 4 star hotel in Beijing the employees spoke very little English. Trying to overcome the language barrier is made more difficult by the four tones in Chinese which are hard to grasp at first without a proper lesson. 
Therefore, I'd recommend downloading a translator app - whilst I was in China HostelWorld conveniently released a 'speak the world' translator which came in handy. 

• 5. Domestic tourism is booming - be prepared

​With only 10% of Chinese people holding a passport, many choose to holiday in the mainland, and with such a diverse range of sights and landscapes to experience, why wouldn't they? However, this does mean during the summer months and other national holidays it is BUSY at every big tourist attraction. Expect a lot of crowds and the occasional photograph taken of you if you're not ethnically East Asian. My best advice would be to get there at the opening time, if not before, for whatever it is you want to see. 

• 6. Some cultural differences to note

​It is perfectly acceptable for Chinese people to spit everywhere and anywhere. On a domestic flight a woman next to me repeatedly hocked up ​phlegm onto the plane carpet and no one, staff or passenger, batted an eyelid apart from myself, sitting pressed against the edge of my seat for the rest of the journey. 
Also, don't be surprised if you see many young kids walking around wearing essentially crotchless chaps: this quirky clothing alteration eliminates the need for nappies when potty-training toddlers. But be careful to watch your step when walking outside, when the kid needs to go, they squat and go. 

• 7. The Chinese way: 'Yes, maybe' 

Although only there for a short time, I soon learned that plans in China are usually not concrete. When asking about the itinerary of a tour I was booked on, or if 8am was the right time to meet etc, I was usually met with the answer 'yes...maybe'. So, be prepared to just go with the flow when you're out there as you rarely end up doing exactly what you think you've signed up for. Plans are subject to change and are usually very last minute!

• 8. Take your passport everywhere with you

Many tourist attractions require you to show a passport, even some night clubs insist upon them for foreigners and you'll always need it to pick up train tickets.

• 9. If one ATM doesn't work, try, try again

Everyone in China either pays with WeChat or Alipay, but you can't use these functions unless you have a Chinese bank account so your main form of payment will probably be cash. ATMs can be very hit and miss for VISA and Mastercard. I found that if one ATM didn't work, the one right next to it in the same bank usually did so make sure to try all the ATMs before giving up. If you do find one that works it's a good idea to get a substantial bit of cash out!

• 10. China is amazing

Right, so this isn't exactly a tip but if you're still unsure whether or not to travel to China just bite the bullet and go! China has amazing national parks, bustling cities and travelling on my own I generally found it very safe. International tourism is already growing rapidly so now is your chance to go before it fully explodes as a western tourist destination. 

I hope some of this advice will come in handy!