What can I learn from the locals?

There is a wealth of information that can be obtained from the local people once you arrive at a given destination. You will want to utilize every opportunity to talk to people and learn as much as you can about the area. Talk to people on your trains, on the street, in the hostel where you are staying, travel agencies, and anywhere else you can find. The more informed you are the less likely you are to run into problems. Below are a few items you may find useful to find out about once you arrive.   What to see and do             Though the most popular sites will be in a guidebook, you may find there is much more to do in a given city than the popular sites. One of the most useful resources for finding out what there is to do is the people who work at your hostel. They are accustomed to working with people traveling on a budget and are used to being asked what there is to do. Often hostels will even have some hand drawn maps of interesting sights near the hostel or other places in and around the city. You will probably want to buy your own map of each city, though, and have them refer to or even mark it when they tell you where to go so that you can remember it later.   Where to stay             Most likely a local person will not be as aware of places for travelers to stay. However, you are likely to run into other tourists traveling on their own and you can ask them where they stayed and what they thought of it. Also, hostels often have cards for hostels in other cities, so don’t forget to ask your hostel if they have any information on other cities you will be visiting.   Where and what to eat             One of the great experiences of China is being able to try the food. It seems every city has its own specialty food and the local people are usually very proud of it. Ask around and find out what the specialty is and where you can get it. Or if you’ve discovered a food that you already like, you could ask someone where you can find it. When you learn about new foods you might want to write them down (have someone help you write the Chinese characters for you if you can’t yourself) so that you’ll be able to order it later.   What you should be paying             One thing that will save you from being taken advantage of is to be informed about what things should cost. It is very common for instance for a taxi driver to charge you far more than the standard fare simply because he assumes that you won’t know what the standard fare should be. Generally guidebooks will provide information on the price of entrance fees and possibly give general ideas on what a taxi should cost in a given city, but prices can change. Talk to the locals and try to get a feeling for prices on taxis, entrance fees at certain sights, hostels, food, souvenirs, etc. For instance, if you were taking a train into a city and knew where the hostel was that you were planning to go to, you could ask your neighbor on the train how much they expect a taxi should cost to get there. Don’t forget to ask a couple of different people to make sure you are getting correct information.

How do I get around the city?

There are many options for traveling around China and with each there is generally a small tradeoff between the cost and the level of comfort and convenience. This section will focus on the options for travel within a city. For a discussion of how to move between cities refer to the Transportation section of “How do I make an itinerary?”.              Get a map One of the most important tools you will have for getting around is a map. Before you leave you will probably want to get a map of all of China, or use one inside of a guidebook. Once you get to a city, though, you will want to find a detailed map of that city. A map will help you to orient yourself and better estimate travel time, thus better helping you to decide what mode of transportation you want to take.   Maps are usually easy to find. Most guidebooks have maps of each city, but some may be too general to be useful. If you are taking a train into a city they will often sell maps on the train so that you can have it before you even get there. Generally no matter what mode of transportation you use to get into a city there will be a flock of people selling maps as soon as you step out into the streets. If not you can usually find maps at your hostel, bookstores, and sometimes even convenience stores.             Once you have your map, you will need to find out where you are on the map and where you want to go. You can ask anyone to help you, but try to avoid looking at your map too much on the street as it may draw attention to you as a tourist and make you a target for pickpockets. Once you know where you want to go, you can select from a few different modes of transportation to get there. Below are listed some options and considerations for each.   Take a taxi             Taxis are generally the most convenient way to move around a city, but they are also the most expensive. You can get a taxi just about anywhere on a busy street, and it will take you straight to your destination. You will need to know the Chinese name of where you are going, or at least a major street intersection, otherwise you may have trouble with the driver understanding where you need to go. If you are uncertain about your ability to communicate with the driver, you can have a local (such as someone who works at your hostel) write down the characters for where you need to go on a piece of paper and give it to the driver.             If you choose to take a taxi, you must be careful about not being charged too much. Taxis have a meter that starts at a base fee (different for every city) for so many kilometers and then a fee per kilometer after that. Some drivers may try to just tell you a certain price without starting the meter. Almost always, if they don’t start the meter, they will be charging you too much. Don’t take a taxi unless the driver agrees to start the meter. Also most taxis have a sticker in the passenger-side back window that says the price of the taxi so you can know if the meter price is accurate. Also, be aware the price changes after a certain hour at night.    If you ever suspect being charged to much, or if you have an uncooperative taxi driver, get a receipt from the meter and tell him that you are going to call in and report him. Each receipt has a number that corresponds to the driver to be used for reporting and a phone number to call for complaints. This often changes the driver’s attitude.   Hire a minibus             In most cities in China it is common to find minibuses that can be hired out and it is especially true for smaller cities. These cars can be hired for a single trip or for an entire day. This often offers a very comfortable way to see many different sights without having to worry about how to get there, but again it will be more expensive than other options. If you have more than 4 travelers, however, or can team up with other travelers in your hostel, you will save money this way over taxis.   The drivers of these minibuses are just entrepreneurs out to earn money and they are not regulated like taxis, so there will be no number to call for complaints. If you plan to hire a car you should be aware of how much it should cost or you will get overcharged. You can ask your hostel about costs as well as where you can hire a car. Be aware though, that some hostels may have their own drivers, and thus will be bias in their pricing. Never get into a hired car before having settled on a price.   Ride the Bus             Local buses are by far the least expensive way to get around a city, but often it takes much more work to be able to use them. The easiest way to use the bus is to ask at your hostel if there are any convenient bus routes nearby that will take you where you want to go. Often cards for hostels will have directions to and from the airport and train stations via local bus.   If you want to use the bus for more than to and from your hostel, however, you will need to get a bus map. On the street or in a bookstore you can buy a map that has all the bus routes for the city. These maps are often difficult to read, however, and may be too confusing to use if don’t have the time to figure them out. Once you do understand them, however, you can get to anywhere in the city for far less than a taxi ride. For shorter distances the difference in cost may not be worth the difficulty of using the bus. You should bear in mind, though, that if you take many slightly more expensive taxi rides throughout your trip, the cost will add up.   If you decide to take the bus, plan on longer travel time and be careful with your belongings. Crowded buses are especially dangerous for losing your wallet and it is often difficult to even board or get off the bus. Try to avoid riding the bus at peak times (morning and evening).   Ride the subway (metro)             For cities with a subway system, travel is often much easier. Subways offer a cheap and convenient way to move from to different parts of the city. If you get a map of the city find one with the subway lines marked or it will be difficult to know where you can and can’t get to by using the subway. You can also ask a local which stop you should get off for a certain sight. Often the main parts of a city that you will want to visit will be near the subway, but you may have to combine the subway with another form of transportation.   Rent a bike             Riding a bike offers an inexpensive way to move around a city, or to get out of a city, if that is what you are interested in. Bikes are probably best for smaller cities where you can use them to get to all the things you want to see, but they may be useful in larger cities as well. You can rent bikes at your hostel or a bike rental shop - usually for a full day. Make sure that you check the quality of the bike thoroughly before you leave so that you don’t encounter any problems. It will be worth the money to pay more for a quality bike. It may be difficult to find helmets in some places.   Walk             Obviously the cheapest way to travel is by walking. Don’t forget to consider this as one of options for moving around the city. Though it will take more time and effort walking through a city can afford you the opportunity to see things about people’s everyday lives that you wouldn’t see otherwise. Don’t forget your map and don’t be afraid to ask for directions. Just try not to look too much like a tourist.   Additional Resources: (see “What resources are available?” for additional details)               Lonely Planet – Transport (p906-925)             Eyewitness – Travel information (p624-633)             http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/china.html - maps of China

Where and what should I eat?

You will not have difficulty finding places to eat and opportunities to try a variety of foods in China. There are plenty of styles of restaurants to suit your taste and budget. To find out the specialty foods for an area ask the locals, and write down things that you like, so that you will be able to order them later. In more touristy areas you are likely to find English menus, but the prices will be much higher than a place that doesn’t cater to foreigners. Brush up on your food vocabulary and venture out to some of the smaller restaurants to save some money. Guidebooks often offer a selection of words to use when ordering if you need some help understanding a menu or talking to a waitress.   You should be careful about what you eat while in China, especially if you are not used to the local food, but you don’t need to be overly concerned. Be selective on the restaurants you chose, looking for places that are clean. If you stick with food that is cooked in a frying pan or wok (like a frying pan), it should be safe to eat.   Additional Resources: (see “What resources are available?” for additional details)                         Lonely Planet – Food and Drink (p80-92)             Eyewitness – Where To Eat (p574-597)

How can I avoid the crowds?

Probably one of the last things that you are going to China to see is crowds of tourists, but if you’re not careful you might run into them everywhere you go. Luckily there are a few things you can take into consideration to avoid running into too many people.   Don’t go during tourist season             If you really want to avoid other tourists, one of the simplest things to do is to go when nobody else wants to go. Spring and fall are the most popular times for people to travel to China, so if you were to go during the summer or winter you would miss most of the crowds. Obviously, however, there is a reason why most travelers choose to go during those times. Summer is very hot, and winter may be rather cold and snowy in some places.   Avoid the major sights in the morning             Most tour groups tend to go to the most popular sights first thing in the mornings. If you are going somewhere you think a tour group might be heading (such as the Great Wall or the Terracotta Soldiers) then you might try going later in the afternoon or closer to closing time so that you can miss all the tour groups.   Skip sights that are similar             If you’ve seen one Buddhist temple you’ve pretty much seen them all. So unless you’re really interested in learning all you can about Buddhism, you probably don’t want to spend your time looking at every Buddhist temple in every city you go to. Nearly every city in China will have temples and pagodas. Some may be very unique and worth a special visit, but many will be the same. Consider trying to find different types of things to see in the cities than what the popular sights are. Ask the locals and find the places that no one else knows about.   Get out of the city             If you are tired of seeing the tourist-packed sights and want to just see China, consider looking outside of the main city. One of the best ways to get out if you are in a smaller city is to rent a bike. Take a ride out into the country side and you’ll get a chance to see real people doing real things, without any tourists around. Cities close to mountains might have trails that you could go hiking on. Ask around and find out what there is to do besides look at the sights.

What are some common problems and annoyances?

China is one of the safest countries in the world but there are still plenty of problems that can arise for travelers. You’re not likely to run into a problem with physical confrontations but you might find your wallet missing if you’re not careful. Below are a few common problems and some suggestions for avoiding them.   Pickpockets             Pickpockets are common in China, especially at popular tourist destinations. Taking a few simple precautions, however, should help you avoid having any problems. One of the simplest things to do is to appear confident. The more you look like a lost tourist that doesn’t know what you’re doing, the more likely you are to become a target for a pickpocket. If you walk with confidence and avoid doing things like standing on a busy street corner looking at your map with a confused look on your face, you will have a better chance of avoiding problems.   You should also consider keeping your wallet in your front pocket at all times and never leaving any bags unattended. If you put your bag down, put one of the straps through your leg or somehow make it so that someone could not take your bag without you noticing. You should have a security pouch that you can wear inside your clothes, either around your neck or your waist, to carry your passport, credit cards, and most of your cash. Keep only a small amount of your money in your wallet and only pull out your security pouch in secure places away from a lot of people. You shouldn’t carry around your passport if you won’t need it.   Getting charged too much             Most likely you will have several occasions during your stay in China when someone asks you to pay a price that is much higher than it should be. One of the most important steps to avoid this is by knowing what the price should be. Whether you are taking a taxi or buying a fan you should try to find out what an appropriate price is from a local before paying anything. (For more considerations on taxis and hired cars see “How do I get around?”).   If you’re shopping in a market-type environment never buy at the first store. The more you shop around the better idea you’ll have of what the price should be. Often many shops sell the exact same items, so you will probably find what you were looking at more than one place. Always bargain for the price you want. Decide before you start how much you are willing to pay and then start lower than that. Vendors will often tell you a price 3 to 4 times what they are actually willing to sell their product for.  If you’ve seen a lower price somewhere else tell them so, and they’ll realize that you might actually know what the product should sell for. Shopping centers with prices on the products generally do not allow bargaining, but that is not always the case.   Counterfeit Money             Counterfeit money is a prevalent problem in China. You will see nearly everyone inspecting the money you give them to make sure that it is not counterfeit. You should do the same, but it will be more difficult to know what to look for. Ask someone to show you how to tell if a bill is real. Sometimes, though, even the locals have a difficult time knowing if a bill is counterfeit.   The best way to avoid getting counterfeit money is to avoid getting change in large bills. The largest bill in Chinese currency is the 100 Yuan note. The most common counterfeit bills are the 50 and 100 Yuan notes. So if you are making a purchase of 20 Yuan and use a 50 Yuan note instead of a 100 Yuan note you won’t have the chance of getting a counterfeit 50 for your change. If you need to break bigger bills to get smaller change, do it at a large store that looks respectable. Never use large bills with street vendors.