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China Information Forecast - China Travel Tips
Travel Safety
Reservation
It would be mind-relieving to have a place to stay once you arrive at the new destination, especially dragging your heavy luggage after the long transportation in the middle of the night. If you happen to travel in the peak season or during festival, a hotel booking ahead may free you from hunting for a place to stay.
Travel Insurance
How easy and cheap the travel insurance might be, it will become essential when coming to cover for the slim chance of travel accident.
Make sure the insurance will cover your every activity that you are going to join in and delve into the excursion sated in the insurance.
Travel insurance can replace the stuffs that you suffer from the theft, but you 'd better keep your eye wide open any time to avoid the unnecessary loss.
Credit Cards & Travel Money
- Write down details of your credit cards including the contact phone numbers of the issuers.
- If you mainly depend on cards to withdraw money during your trip, bring more than one card( a credit card and a debit card). Bring along one of them and hide away the other one in you hotel room or other safe place, so you could have alternative access to money in an emergency.
- Ensure your credit cards are not about to expire.
- Keep an ever-wide-open eye on your credit cards to avoid fraud. Make sure the shop staff or waiter process any transaction right right in front of your eye.
- In the event of your credit card stolen or lost, inform your bank or card issuers as soon as possible.
- Better not put all the money together in one place. Bring a wallet with a bit cash and no crucial cards or documents, so that you can give up it if necessary.
Pickpockets/Petty Thievery
Pickpockets are rampant everywhere especially in China where the human traffic flow is so heavy that you can become a target anytime and anywhere at those crowded shopping area, train stations and etc.. During the trip your tour guide will probably keep reminding you now and then of the danger of pickpockets. It may save you troubles if you could dress in a conservative way and do not take along with too much cash, keep important documents and extra cash in the safe place, keep your bag zipped and hold on tight on a crowded subway or in other crowded places. And please don't carry valuables in a backpack.
Potential Dangers
- Avoid short cuts, narrow alleys or dim streets
- Try not to wander alone at night. If you are on your own wandering, consulting your guide first may save you lots of unnecessary troubles in the unfamiliar place.
Scam
Be wary of strangers who approach you and offer to be your guide or sell you something at unbelievably low prices.
Be way of the money left on the street for it may be a catch.
Water
Unlike many western countries, the tap water in China is undrinkable. In China, there are mainly three ways to gain safe and healthy drinking water: first, use water heater or hot pot to get boiled water or get boiled water for free in all Chinese hotels and restaurants; second, get drinkable water from water dispensers; third, buy bottled water. In China there are convenience stores everywhere and you may be able to find some high quality imported brands, but the cheapest options are Chinese bottled waters, you can refer to both its producer and expiration date. Usually in China, don't expect cold or ice water without specific request because Chinese people consider it unhealthy to drink the cold water.
Food
Street food in China is really something to sample especially when you travel in Beijing, Chongqing, shanxi and so on. It would be a great pity if you passed it for fear of getting sick. The snack stalls on many food streets are decorated simply or mobile. Lines of folks queuing for snacks are generally a very good sign that the stall has a good reputation. You may want to avoid meat snacks which get mould easily in the height of summer and snacks that include anything raw especially when you're in Guangzhou. But dumplings, wontons, pancakes and fried anything are fair game.
Shopping:
Bargain
Please keep your eye sharp to offer the price according to the quality of the items (maybe you know the quality and price range by comparing it with the genuine ones in the malls where also charge you higher price.).You are a tourist, and the vendors will overcharge you a little bit. Don't feel shy about haggling with local vendors. You can bargain with them by using the phrase we suggest in the language "Tai gui le" and "Pian yi dian". Or maybe you could try the pretending leaving drama that may promote a better price. Just decline the vendors with the "Buyao" if you do not want to buy the items. No need to feel obligated to buy the undesirable thing.
Currency
The fake Renmingbi in big par value frequents the market. You had better learn to tell the fake currency or let your travel guide handle this for you so you could focus on your bargaining battle.
Supermarket
- Many Chinese supermarkets need to keep your hand bag when you are shopping, please ask the counter prior to your shopping
- No need to feel offended for being followed by the market staff who intends to keep an eye on some shop lifters
Transportation:
- Only take the authorized licensed taxi for the safety's sake. Beware of unmarked ones
- Always tell the taxi driver to turn on the meter to avoid some drivers' overcharge
- Also be aware that most of the taxi drivers don't speak any English. Try to prepare the name of your destination in Chinese characters and show it to the driver
Accommodation:
Twin beds in China hotels, about 50 inches wide, are closer in width to the 54" double size beds in the U.S.A.
Tip:
- The servants in the upscale locations like the five star hotels, restaurants tend to expect the tip from the guests than those in common places
- In China, the taxi driver's tip has always been calculated in the total shown on the meter, it is up to you to decide whether to tip the driver or not
- If there is any host program in your itinerary and you are not sure how much to tip, a fine gift or sincere phrases "Xiexie"(thanks) will be a good choice