China Travel and Tips for a Great Trip

The pace of change is China is hard to believe. Keep in mind that a guide book published this year was written a year ago, so places, prices, and hours may have changed so plan accordingly and don't be surprised if things are different than the book says.

Tipping in China :-

Tip jars have become ubiquitous in the United States, and many other countries, like India, are fiercely protipping. China, however, used to be tippingfree, and no doubt it was until recently. In fact, tipping used to be illegal! Tipping is not obligatory and is definitely not expected in small restaurants or taxis. However, baggage porters and other service people who come into frequent contact with American tourists have started to expect tips.
English Spoken Here

Chinese people are very friendly and welcoming to tourists. They have made tremendous progress at learning English. However, don't expect a European level of command of English, even at a four star hotel). Keep questions as simple as possible and be patient. Tour guides are likely to have the best English, so whenever possible have guides make translations. Many hotels and restaurants have business cards printed in English and Chinese, so the cards can be given to taxi drivers.


Bathrooms and Sanitation in China :-

Street food is generally safe to eat. If a place looks reasonably clean, it is probably okay to eat there. Tap water is not safe to drink, so bottled water should be used at all times though it is okay to brush teeth from the sink water in a good quality hotel. Often the only toilets are a hole in the ground style. As China modernizes, Western style toilets are becoming more popular, especially in large cities and tourist areas. Most public bathrooms have decent toilet paper, but it is a good practice to have a few tissues in a handbag just in case.

Visiting the Great Wall :-

Probably the most popular site in all of China is the Great Wall. The majority of tourists visit the section of the Wall at Badaling, which is closest to Beijing. It is a good choice for elderly visitors or for those who have trouble climbing stairs. However, it is the most crowded piece of the wall and at peak times can be positively jampacked. Other sections of the site are far less crowded, but they are also farther away and more costly to get to and can be rather challenging to climb. Anyone who is physically very fit should consider the 10 kilometer hike from Jinshaling to Simatai. It is a very challenging journey, but the reward is more authentic and the surrounding natural beauty spectacular.

When hiking the Wall, consider bringing along an old pair of gloves or even just a single glove. Many of the vendors who sell refreshments and trinkets along the Wall are wearing gloves. The gloves allow holding onto the Wall for balance while hiking without hurting the hands' palms.