As a Chinese, I have to say that this is really the most practical and detailed explanation I have ever seen. I will save it and send it to my foreign friends who are about to travel to China.
As a Chinese, I recommend that tourists who come to travel avoid public holidays in China as much as possible. You definitely don’t want to compete with half of the Chinese people for scenic spots, transportation and hotel resources, and bear prices that are three times more than usual. There are three public holidays of more than 3 days in China, namely 1. The first week of May (Labor Day) 2. The first week of October (National Creation Day) 3. (Chinese New Year) Between January and February each year, a different calendar is used. The specific time varies every year. During this time, many shops will be closed (including restaurants and shopping stores, but public transportation, scenic spots and hotels will be open as normal). , need to focus on Of course, many people will take leave before and after holidays to pursue longer rest time for traveling, so when planning a trip, try to avoid the four days before and after these times.😜
@@seanqu1143 Oh, you can go to the north of China (Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Heilongjiang) or Tibet and Xinjiang in July and August, where it is quite cool due to the latitude and altitude; Of course, the urban construction there is not as developed as that in the coastal areas, and the population density is lower. As a foreign traveler: The advantages are that there are fewer people, the scenery is more magnificent, and you can experience a different China The disadvantages are that people there have less contact with foreigners, and your communication, travel (sparsely populated, public transportation is relatively scarce), accommodation (due to China's registration policy, many hotels are not qualified to receive foreigners), car rental, etc. will be more difficult (compared to Beijing and Shanghai) Here I recommend another UA-camr's video, he shows the magnificent scenery and difficulties encountered along the way in detail. Few people who travel to China for the first time can overcome the above complex problems and explore a different China ua-cam.com/video/lj3-RPKd-zM/v-deo.html
Specially in Chinese new year (Lunar New Year Festival) holiday, you can visit big cities, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen etc. These cities is not crowd as normal days. Because many people living there are back to home.😊🎉
Never before have I seen content from China that is as culturally uplifting and diverse as yours. And the fact you created it within a relatively short duration of your stay makes it truly remarkable. Bravo 👏
A tip for vegetarians or vegans, you can eat near a Buddhist temple. There are Buddhist temples in every Chinese city, and there are vegetarian meals available around them. Vegetarians in China are essentially the same as in other countries, but because it has more to relationship with traditional religion, they don’t call themselves “vegan” or “vegetarians.”
do note that some of these places are melli-lacto-ovo, so you may need to inform them when you're ordering to skip honey, dairy, and eggs. if it's a restaurant run by the temple monks, then they're more than likely fully vegetarian, but ones run by practising civilians, are likely okay with using non-kill animal products.
Would like to add more: 1. Although tap water in China is soft and of better quality than in most areas of the US & UK, it is still not recommended for direct consumption. Bottled water is super cheap, costing less than 0.2€/$0.2 per 500ml bottle + good quality. 2. The number of vegetarian restaurants in China is beyond imagination. However, unlike vegetarian restaurants in other countries, they often have various custom names and may not clearly indicate "we are a vegetarian restaurant" in their names. Additionally, many dishes in Chinese vegetarian restaurants are made from soy products (such as tofu), and while they may look and taste like meat dishes, they are 100% vegetarian. 3. Regarding "Dress Modestly" , it's possible that you may not be visiting China during the hottest season. Additionally, women in China, Japan, and Korea often favor white skin for its association with beauty. Health and UV protection are common purposes of them. 4. Food allergies are a significant concern. Peanut allergies are relatively uncommon in China, so it is advisable for tourists to prepare in advance with a translation of "Does this contain peanuts? I am allergic to peanuts" on translation apps to show when dining in restaurants.
I am afraid you had better stick to western restaurant when you visit China because peanut oil(not peanut butter) is quite a wide used oil for cooking in China and you can not even find a way of getting rid of peanut ingredients. @@ghost-crab
yall dumb, poisoned water is a planetary issue caused by agriculture, shit the state i live in has enough nitrates in the ground water to kill ya, they dont even want ya to bath in the shit.... there are very few untainted water sources left and most of those are springs in high altitudes and they are all owned by bottling companies... my water is cleaner that yours is just horse shit
China is more difficult to travel to than most other countries in Asia, and I think if you are not a patient person, you will not have a good experience; but for those who are more easy-going, and willing to give it more time, it is one of the best places to visit in the world right now. and yes: extremely safe, people are awesome, amazing cities and rural areas. it just takes time to learn how to make the experience more enjoyable.
I am Chinese, and I want to provide you with some tips. First of all, thank you for respecting our local culture. In terms of dressing, there are not many restrictions in China. It may be a habit, or it may be because we feel that the weather is a bit cold. In the hot summer, more people will wear shorts and short sleeves. So this is not a offense. As long as you respect local laws, don't expose the privacy parts. Finding vegetarian food is a difficult problem, mainly because it will not be marked with whether it is a vegetarian on the menu. But in fact, many restaurants have meat and vegetarian food. You can ask them "我不能吃肉，请问你有素食吗？ (I can't eat meat, do you have vegetarian food?) " If you are worried about eating wrong, you can eat at a nearby halal restaurant(清真饭店) or a restaurant near the temple.
We in Serbia dont need visa so i already watched lot off travel blogs in my language ,and is always young people ,i think older from my country would be lost with no cash and everything on apps,young people don't have that problem,they actually like it
Most significant countries in Europe, including the 3 biggest nations of Russia, France and Germany, enjoy visa-free travel to China. Plus many nations in the "Global South". The uploader was incorrect about that so "don't make this mistake"🤣
You're from Canada! You don't need to visit Jade Dragon Mountain! You should traverse the whole Tiger Leaping Gorge instead (by hiking or by car, it's at the back side of Jade Dragon Mountain), it got one of the most stunning scenery in China. It had the honor of National Geographic's Top Ten Hiking Trails. In Shangri-La, not far from Lijiang, there is the Meili Snow Mountain, which ranks third among the most beautiful mountains in China. This snow mountain is the prototype of the Karakal peak of Shangri-La in Lost horizon. The sunrise over the Meili Snow Mountain, known as the 'Golden Mountain' in the sun, is very famous, and it's exactly as described in 'Lost Horizon' (because it's the inspiration!). You can also find the prototype of the lamasery in Lost Horizon - Ganden Sumtseling Monastery there! You can also visit the former residence of Joseph Rock in the Stone Village of Lijiang, which is the inspiration for 'Lost Horizon' as the author referred to his travelogue, and he lived in Lijiang for 16 years! In the Lost Horizon book, traces of both Lijiang and Shangri-La can be found!
I'd say if you are not a tech savy person, you can still use your Chinese cash. If you're staying in a major international chained brand hotel, you should also be able to use your own Visa or Master card, but it's best to have cash to fall back to. If you have enough time, I'd say you should stop by Hong Kong because you can get a sim card for your phone easily and the sim card you get from Hong Kong does not confined by the "internet great-wall of China". A Hong Kong phone number is helpful in China. You may even be able to get a China mobile phone number in Hong Kong which is even more helpful. You don't have to worry about VPN, you can still use Google and Facebook. You can also set up your Alipay in Hong Kong before you go into China Mainland. Hong Kong Alipay has an English version.
That's a great addition and advice. Thank you. I will get a prepaid Shanghai Card, which is good for transportation in other cities as well, also minor purchases. And a SIM in Hong Kong. e-sim doesn't work with all smartphones.
@@classics39 if you want to get real SIM card in HK, there are a lot of vendors on the streets selling them, but if you want an e-sim, you probably have to go to a smartphone carrier in HK. If you travel a lot, it's best to have a phone uses a real sim.
@taotao98103 Thank you so much. My smartphone doesn't support e-sim. Briefly thought of getting another one. But no. In any case will be also check out electonics/smartphone prices in HK, first time, too. Staying near Nathan road in the Mong Kok area, Hilton Garden Inn. I live in Europe, can also order one from amazon, but they ship from the US and are therefore expensive. I'll stay two nights in HK, then Tokyo, which I know well, from there to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and back to HK from Shanghai with Cathey Pacific. I am also considering visiting Yunnan province in January 25.
Thanks for the tip... so if I just buy hk sim card.. it will work in guangzhou as well?? I didn't understand what you mean by China phone no in hk.. what does that mean? Do I have to ask them for this separately? And it will work everywhere?
There are also vegetarian restaurants in China. China can be considered a paradise for vegetarians, because Chinese people are very good at cooking vegetables, mushrooms and various soy products.
@@HTeo-og1lg In some of the bigger cities in China, there are restaurants that specialize in vegetarian food,no meat and fish. And now everyone can use a translating app to communicate each other ,no worries🙂
Nearly half of those troubles are because of BIG population. Since there are more than enough domestic tourists for all the big attractions, the whole tourism industry had developed wildly. They don't need to improve their service for more incomes. Either don't they need to internationalize their service. The English friendly thing almost only happens in major cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing, so make sure these cities are your first stop in China, which will help you blend in for awhile. These things not only are problem for foreigners but also for us local Chinese. So don‘t go to China in major holidays like labour's Day（5.1-5.4）, National Day（10.1-10.5），Spring Festival(Lunar 1st to 7th of Jan.). There is also too many people everywhere during summer vocation(July and August) and winter vocation(Jan and Feb.). So as a Chinese I highly recommend foreign friends travel to China during late Oct. to Jan, which has the least public holidays. Most problems triggered by too many people will not exists during this time.
As for me, your videos provide me with a new perspective to see those places I've been to. And also helped me to practice my English listening. Your vocabulary and pronunciation are very Chinese friendly.
100% true, China is a communist country with over 1,4 billion people, its tourism is already overcapacity, China welcomes foreigners but doesn’t need more tourists.
here’s so much to unpack when it comes to China, and we’ve found a lot of the narratives don’t reflect the reality on the ground. VVC has some eye-opening findings
here’s so much to unpack when it comes to China, and we’ve found a lot of the narratives don’t reflect the reality on the ground. VVC has some eye-opening findings
This is by far the most comprehensive and practical for those are interesting to visit China. I will book mark that and to whomever want that. Thank you for the exceptional work to put this together. Also if possible, get help from the local tour guide. It can cost some but avoid to blindly tumbling around and waste time.
China is actually a very secular society and has no special requirements for clothing. Chinese girls also dress very avant-garde in summer, so just dress casually.
@@AlinaMcleod Dressing in public places in China is relatively conservative, which shows respect for others, but there are no rigid rules. All clothes in the world can be worn casually.
@@cloudwithwind574 translate for him: "That's because it's now not yet summer, in summer many girls show their bodies." and I can verify that at least for girls in the South like Guangzhou.
Actually for vegetarian, it's the simplest. Every restaurant can cook you a vegetarian dish if you know what to ask for. For example, you can tell them "我只吃素---> I only eat vegetarian food“, they will cook you a vegetarian dish. Alternatively, you can order these dishes for safe: "Tomato with Stir-fried Eggs 西红柿炒鸡蛋", "Vinegar Glazed Potato 醋溜土豆丝"， ”家常豆腐“，”炝青椒“，”葱花炒鸡蛋“，”苦瓜炒鸡蛋“
True. You can also just say you don't eat meat - Wo bu chi rou. They will almost always oblige. You can point to a picture menu and say don't want meat - bu yao rou. For myself I don't eat spicy foods so I say bu yao la.
Nihao.booked with chinese travel agency a tour to 5 main cities. Bought the airplane tickets, got the visa, got the sim internet card and vpn, got the alipay, got the navigator offline nav app, got a list of best food. Even got tickets to a peking opera.Just need chopstick training and jetlag tolerance. Xie xie
My first trip in China without a translator was just hell. Fortunately someone introduced Immersive Translate that could translate all webpages even Baidu could be translated without me screenshoting so I didn't have to struggle the entire trip. But I'm definitely learning Chinese now😅
Regarding visa free countries, if you are from those 5 eyes countries yes you will need to apply for Chinese visas. For those living in traditional Western European countries China provides temporary visa exemption for 15 days till end of 2025. (Only UK and Portugal are not on that visa free list but Hungary is on).
As a Chinese, I think the reason why booking tickets for most popular attractions is complicated, is because of high volume of tourists in China, particularly during public holidays. It helps to regulate the flow of people, just like booking train tickets. As far as I know, some attractions have already adopted a convenient method of booking through a simple QR code scanning process.
yes totally agreed that most big attractions in China needed advanced booking, becuase of the over crowded tourists ,to prevent the long long line up that would take hours to get the tickets, and China is a communist country, safety for its citizens and society is very important, so cameras “everywhere” is good things, of course westerners do not like it ,becoz they have a mentality of being “watched”, they’re used to live with terrorists attack with bombs, machines guns, or trucks run over the crowded streets…
@AlinaMcleod This is mainly because the managers of the attractions are also ordinary Chinese, and they don't know too much English. WeChat applets are made by them, so there is no English.
The wechat réservation system is for locals. When we ( from Canada too)needed to book for the forbidden place and great wall etc, we just googled a tour for foreigners. It turned out that every Chinese popular destination reserved spots for these foreign guided tour groups(a little more expensive, but guides are fluent in English or French, you learn so much about the history and culture) I hope this will help your future travel.
That's great you were able to make it happen but I personally don't think tourists should be forced to hire a guide unless they want to. Also in Lijiang there's no English group tours. You can hire a private English speaking guide on your own, but it's very expensive.
@@AlinaMcleod Around the year 2000, there were so many foreigners in Lijiang, more than anywhere else in China, you can see more than 50 foreigners in every street in Lijiang. Now there are none left, maybe it's because of Russia war, Covid-19 or the losing of its originality, hopefully one day it can become its best self again.
That's worse to have guides fluent in English or French. It's better to take the normal guide locals do and get the tour in Chinese. If the goal was to just hear English or French, there's no reason to go to China.
@alchemist_one You are very wrong as going to China is not only about what you see . Without the french guide, my husband would not understand the history and culture of the each unique building in the forbidden palace. They go to same route as locals but it is so interesting to get to know more of the history , arts, and insights of these ancient architecture
There are absolutely a lot of vegan restaurants in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen. But it will be difficult to find vegetarian restaurants in small cities and towns.
Regarding visa, it is important to note that since November 2023 citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia, since March 2024 citizens of Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Hungary, since June 2024 Australia and New Zealand and since July 2024 Poland can go to China for up to 15 days without a visa. So it makes quite a number of countries whose citizens can come to China without a visa.
@@AlinaMcleod*Second most Internationally touristy place on Earth almost tied with the first place, only France received more International Traveler in 2019 with 116 million International tourists - - so it is not just domestic tourists*
Here are the number of foreign visitors going through customs, as registered by the Chinese 🇨🇳 government: 2019: 14,000,000 2023: 500,000 *96.9% drop.*
Our first experiences parallels yours. Your guide to China is so well done. We made a few mistakes but learned and prepared better for the next trips we took. Our biggest issue was translation Thank you so much for the info. It makes your trip much more pleasurable and less stressful. This series was outstanding from start to finish . Sending you much love❤️❤️❤️ from Harriet, Jim and Yuki
Looking forward to your next travel in china!Useful suggestions for people first coming to China ,also for chinese tourism administration to improve their service.
At 8:23 in the video, it needs to be corrected that it is not that Google’s applications are blocked in China, but that Google automatically withdraws from the Chinese market because it is unwilling to comply with China’s relevant Internet laws.
I went with a group - my Visa application was very smooth - from San Francisco - I just made the app with a local agent, gave my US passport and paid the fee - I got a 10 year multiple entry visa Did not use any app (2016) Since it was a organized tour group, we had no problems with food - as vegetarians - they always have the option, Worst case, go to 7-11 like shop and pick up a box of noodles and get Soy sauce - a friend of mine had a portable stove to cook veggies and pick up rice from a nearby restaurant. One important tip for guys , especially in big cities (Shanghai) - be careful with soliciting women for pleasure - they will drug you take your passport and blackmail you if you are left alive - I was approached by someone like this and just walked away and cautioned the hotel personnel (in Shanghai) thanks to advance tip by our guide
Yes if your are not an experienced traveller especially to China, then you should go with tourist group where they take care of most things, the only thing i don’t like go with tourist group ,is the schedules must including visit to the shops and markets where you are mostly be scammed, also you have to get up early,like 5AM to get ready for the day.
Chinese invented tofu and there are various kinds of tofu in China. There are more kinds of vegetable than other parts of the world too. As a vegan you are likely to have a lot more choices than in other parts of the world. And there are special vegan restanrants too.
That's a good point. 👍 Otherwise, hundreds of thousands of tourists would flock to the gate to queue up for a ticket simultaneously, which would be dangerous.
*Sign up to a touristy place with a fingerprint no not necessary to fill up the whole 5 page form go to hotel or go to a touristy place - of course for Chinese Nationals are much easier*
It takes a couple of days to figure these things out. But once you setup those apps and learnt how to use them, the travel became very easy and enjoyable. I would say much easier and enjoyable than anywhere else on the earth since everything is on your fingertip, and you don't need to worry about your safety.
By the way, why Meili Snow Mountain ranks 3rd in China? This mountain rises from an altitude of 2000 meters to 6700 meters, the elevation difference of this mountain is 4700 meters, which is very spectacular, and the more important reason that sets it apart is its stunning sunrise! it's called 日照金山 🌄🗻 (Tiger Leaping Gorge's altitude is between 1800 to 5596 and it's very steep, that's why it got the stunning view too🏞)
Citizens from these European countries are allowed to travel to China without a visa for up to 30 days are Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. European countries with 15-day visa-free travel to China are France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain ,Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland.
Since you speak Russian you can go to some parts of China which also speaks Russian. Many of the regions in the border of Russia the locals also speaks Russian.
yep. foreign SIMs on roaming works like a VPN and can generally bypass the Great Firewall. i use a physical SIM from CSL (a Hong Kong telecom company) and FB/IG/Twitter/Reddit works fine in China when i'm using my free daily roaming passes, no VPN necessary. i also turn on hotspot from my phone so my laptop can have all the access as well.
I think before mobile payment became omnipresent in China, it was very ok to just turn up at places like Forbidden City (those so called 5A destinations), Panda Research centre etc on the day itself or on the day before at the booth to purchase an entrance ticket. Same for high speed train though I usually do so on the first day I arrive for my next onward destination. The last time I was in China that was like 2015.
@@AlinaMcleod It may be because of Labor Day that it is difficult to book tickets for tourist attractions, and you just happened to catch up with this time. During this festival, hundreds of millions of people in China will choose to travel across the country.When it’s not a holiday, not many people choose to travel, and tickets are easy to book.
Vietnamese 🇻🇳 and Chinese cultures are very close. - Even the Forbidden City, a symbol of Chinese civilization in Beijing, was designed by a kidnapped Vietnamese and built by forced laborers from Vietnam.
As Chinese, there’s one missing suggestion and hidden pro-tip I’d recommend: don’t travel during big national holidays (Chinese new year, Labor Day, national day). It would be very crowded and everything will be sold out everywhere
Hi Alina. Indeed I feel safe when visiting Kun Ming Dali Li Jiang last month. However to pee I prefer to be selective & try to find out suitable clean toilet 😊😅
That's very kind of you, Alina. As always your videos are informative, beautiful in many ways just as you are. Looking forward next videos of your journey. May God Bless You
Also remember to bring your own toilet paper when going out. Almost never saw any in the public washrooms. Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Wuxi all were lacking TP!
i think this year is the real start of China's international tourism. the gov had alr given reports addressing the issues u mentioned and i hope you can have a better experience next time! I'm hoping to go to tibet next month, seeing the amazing plateau landscape and Mount Everest. Hope one day you can also vlog the beauty of tibet!
Very practical and useful tips for tourists. One more tip: Considering China is one of the most populated country, you'd better not visit China at peak time, especially during Chinese public holidays, such as Chinese New Year, the first week of May and October. It will save a lot of time and money for you. As for squat toilet, I don't think it's a big problem for male tourists. You'd better buy an interpreter machine or hire a local tourist guide for better understanding of local language and culture.
Important correction to your first point: the visa-free program has now included many European countries. I think there are 11 countries on the list and the program is valid through end of 25 (and could be further extended)
Some popular attractions require booking tickets, mainly for safety reasons. These popular attractions often attract a large number of people, which can exceed the reception capacity of the attractions and lead to many problems, such as traffic congestion. Therefore, this method can only be used to moderately control the number of visitors per day.
@@davidhlin3023no, China is not like Thailand, they do want foreign tourists but not too many,because with over 1,4 billions people and the locals are already crowded most of the attractions. they concerns most is security much much more than the “convenience” for foreign tourists.
@@davidhlin3023 You assume they need foreign tourists. Sometimes it is much easier to hire a local guide if you are not too adventurous. These are popular attractions. So I don't think they would change anybody minds who have biases.
@@AlinaMcleodyeah you are right about this point. Actually our local government have already noticed that and the process of booking tickets have more English options in just few months in our local cities.As China has large population and the domestic travel in china is very popular during the golden week(the national holiday) so many tourists' attraction places have to control the number of tourists during the holiday to avoid the stampede events.
Very comprehensive and detailed.about dressing,there is no limitation actually. Short pants and skirts are popular in hot summer.just many Chinese prefer white skin and they think sunlight uv is harmful to skin.but personally I love sunlight❤. So you can wear as casually as you can.
For all EU citizens, these countries will no longer require a visa from the beginning of 2024: Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands.
Thank you very much Alina for these important suggestions which can help us a lot in case we would like to visit China. Your videos are so nice. Take care🌷⚘️🪻
Did any Chinese visitors ever complain that when visiting North America, US and Canada, not all places has Chinese descriptions of everything, tourist attractions and restaurants menu ? What a biased complaint on lack of English translation. Learn the language before you go, should be my advice.
English is the international language. If you visit Japan, France or Brazil, what is the secondary language they would use to welcome tourists? It’s not ignorant, it’s being efficient because there’s no way everyone is going to be fluent visiting 40 different countries. If you’re making that comment I would hope you’ve learned all the languages of the countries you’ve visited 😊
FYI just a bit over a month ago China started its visa-free policy for tourists from France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg. This policy will last until the end of 2025 and will most likely continue for the foreseeable future since tourism boosted dramatically in the past month.
And it's only been recently (these past few years I believe) that reservations for access to major attractions through wechat has become a trend and since very few foreign tourists were traveling to China at that time I guess they didn't have foreign travelers' need in mind. I do hope and believe that it will change in the near future after the foreign travel boost.
Very nice and comprehensive video. About the dress code, unless you are in a temple or something, people don't care what you are dressing. Most people wear long sleeves because most Chinese don't like to be exposed to the sun. Feel free to wear tank tops and shorts. In China people consider pale skin colors as a sign of beauty regardless of genders, with a few exceptions like sporty person.
When I visited China last month, my phone did not work in China so I could not use Ali Pay or WeChat, at Bell tower in Xian, one of the customer service used her cell phone to get the ticket and I paid in cash to her, same as the boat tour on Tianjin river cruise, very helpful customer service.
just got back from China! It’s been since Covid that I visited. Had an amazing trip. Alternative, You can get a SIM card at the airport if you are visiting. But u need vpn if wanna use google
nicely thought out set of tips to lessen the travel shock of china lol. although it would have been interesting if you filmed some of the struggles 😅. as a foodie, I would have liked to see more food style clips, maybe next time 😉
As a Chinese myself I have to agree most your opinions especially squat toilets, but wandering alone around the city in like 2am should be absolutely safe for women, nothing to worry about.
A couple of things to remember if going to a toilet outside a city is to bring toilet paper and some toilets have semi open cubicles. The nice thing about toilets in cities is you don’t have to pay unlike in Europe. You also have Starbucks everywhere.
Thank you very much for sharing your travel videos in China to the world and showing the most authentic China. If you will visit China in the future, I will welcome you very much to Qingdao, Shandong Province. This is a coastal city, very beautiful. Finally, I wish you a happy trip!🎉🎉
what is your next destination Alina? Hope to see more of your videos soon! Thanks for showing us China and other places so far Chinese tourists to Europe and USA also complain that nothing is in Chinese and hence can only travel as a group
Regarding tickets section. It is geared for locals. Not tourist,foreigners, etc. No offense. There are some (many) places where it is only for local citizens to visit.
Most of what you said is very accurate and well-organized, but when it comes to attire, in the summertime, if you look around the streets, young women are very daring. Ladies wearing very short shorts and skirts are everywhere, to a degree not inferior to any country in the world.
lol well that’s great but I’m just giving practical tips to tourists. I don’t think most people want to be stared at more than we already do as tourists.
I think there's a recent change. To encourage foreign visitors to China, for visa application, they waived the requirements for air ticket booking and hotel reservation. Also, foreigners are no longer required to stay in selected hotels. They can choose to stay at any hotels that are available for regular Chinese.
I was studying aboard and recently came back to China after 4 years of COVID, and you are right, many things switched to "wechat public channel", it was not like this 4 years ago.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Alina, could it be that the weather there is still chilly that no one is wearing shorts or tank tops? I've seen some videos that women in China do wear shorts and tanks in the hot summer as their summer is much hotter than Toronto. I've been to China many years ago and it was so hot that I had to buy an umbrella so I don't fry lol. I want to go back to visit China so badly after seeing China's infrastructures and advanced technology.
@@AlinaMcleod Chongqing is called "the furnace of china" for being the hottest place in china. Chengdu is nearby. You think 25C is hot but here in Chinese Singapore & Malaysia and there, we think 25C is literally cold! We got a "cold weather alert" when it was 23C.
@@AlinaMcleod Sorry for the late reply, been very busy lately. Yeah 25C is not hot for them as they are used to the 35+ weather there. I know a girl from Thailand and when she came to Toronto for school and lived with my aunt, she worn knitted sweater with a t-shirt underneath in the middle of the summer. I felt boiling hot just by looking at her LOL. Also, women in China don't like to get tanned. Their beauty standard is white pale skin like Snow White so they will even wear sun protection jacket just to avoid getting a tan. Alina, are you going back to China in the near future? I've heard there is an island called "Hainan Island", I don't think you need a Visa to go to that island but don't quote me on that. People called that island, "Asian Hawaii". I am in the process of planning my trip there sometime next year + other cities in China. I just got my China Visa, good for 9 years, multiple entries with 60 days per entry! Yay!!!
For vegan/vegetarians, it’ll be helpful to save screenshots of some phrases ready to display. Such as “我吃素” I’m vegetarian, “我吃纯素” I’m vegan, “我不吃蛋” I don’t eat egg, “我不吃奶制品” I don’t eat diary. Buddhism temples and vegetarian restaurants need some research to find and maybe out of your way, but most restaurants can provide something that fits. Also watch out for pastries, Chinese pastries commonly use lard in doughs, be ready to ask if it contains lard.
Relevant to summary Point #13: The evening news just said that booking in advance for main attractions in Beijing would be terminated. Alina's summary appears great, and to the points.
Being the Luddite I found an issue with the getting a local phone number to receive calls. My phone doesn't accept esims. In my three months in Japan I thought I had the phone number covered by Viber but no. I could call North America but not locally in Japan. To get a Japanese phone number for three months would run between a thousand and twelve hundred Canadian, which for the few texts and calls was not an economical choice. I downloaded Line but it never worked, just suggesting I add devices to make it better? I made do with email and Instagram, but three or four times a month when I could not supply a local phone number, I couldn't book an activity. I had physical sim cards for data only which were more expensive than my previous trips, but at least worked. So when you mentioned a phone number that accepted texts how have you managed that? Rest of video extremely informative as always.
Mobal SIM cards are my top choice for Japan if you can’t do eSIM. You can get them at the airport or main areas of Tokyo! They do provide options for getting a Japanese number which is great, plus data for around $80 cad a month.
Download the Airalo app HERE: go.airalo.com/AlinaMcleod
Use code ALINA3 to get $3 OFF your next eSIM purchase!
รักนะครับ😊❤🎉
Sad to see you didn't get a chance to visit Xinjiang. Beautiful scenery and amazing culture.
Yep lots to see not enough time. Was there 5 days. The natives were happy and making a good living on the main streets.
India is also a very beautiful country. India is a country that respects women very much. At night, women can walk in the street with peace of mind.
@@hwe4600 Don't put her in danger lol.
As a Chinese, I have to say that this is really the most practical and detailed explanation I have ever seen. I will save it and send it to my foreign friends who are about to travel to China.
Aw thank you so much 😊
I also did it😂，easy for me. Thank you，Alina😊
There are travel warnings to China 🇨🇳, and they are not jokes!
@@AhmetTekin101 See you everywhere，work so hard😂
@@lanmei130😂😂😂
As a Chinese, I recommend that tourists who come to travel avoid public holidays in China as much as possible. You definitely don’t want to compete with half of the Chinese people for scenic spots, transportation and hotel resources, and bear prices that are three times more than usual.
There are three public holidays of more than 3 days in China, namely
1. The first week of May (Labor Day)
2. The first week of October (National Creation Day)
3. (Chinese New Year) Between January and February each year, a different calendar is used. The specific time varies every year. During this time, many shops will be closed (including restaurants and shopping stores, but public transportation, scenic spots and hotels will be open as normal). , need to focus on
Of course, many people will take leave before and after holidays to pursue longer rest time for traveling, so when planning a trip, try to avoid the four days before and after these times.😜
Avoid the holidays and avoid the weekends. lol
This is very informative... Thank you😊, really need to plan ahead for my trip to China.
also avoid the hot summer, July and August. 40+ degree in major China.
@@seanqu1143 Oh, you can go to the north of China (Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Heilongjiang) or Tibet and Xinjiang in July and August, where it is quite cool due to the latitude and altitude;
Of course, the urban construction there is not as developed as that in the coastal areas, and the population density is lower. As a foreign traveler: The advantages are that there are fewer people, the scenery is more magnificent, and you can experience a different China The disadvantages are that people there have less contact with foreigners, and your communication, travel (sparsely populated, public transportation is relatively scarce), accommodation (due to China's registration policy, many hotels are not qualified to receive foreigners), car rental, etc. will be more difficult (compared to Beijing and Shanghai)
Here I recommend another UA-camr's video, he shows the magnificent scenery and difficulties encountered along the way in detail. Few people who travel to China for the first time can overcome the above complex problems and explore a different China
ua-cam.com/video/lj3-RPKd-zM/v-deo.html
Specially in Chinese new year (Lunar New Year Festival) holiday, you can visit big cities, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen etc. These cities is not crowd as normal days. Because many people living there are back to home.😊🎉
Never before have I seen content from China that is as culturally uplifting and diverse as yours. And the fact you created it within a relatively short duration of your stay makes it truly remarkable. Bravo 👏
Aw thank you so much, happy you enjoyed it 😊
There’s a side of China that isn’t being discussed enough. We’ve been exploring it in detail at VVC. Worth checking out!
A tip for vegetarians or vegans, you can eat near a Buddhist temple. There are Buddhist temples in every Chinese city, and there are vegetarian meals available around them. Vegetarians in China are essentially the same as in other countries, but because it has more to relationship with traditional religion, they don’t call themselves “vegan” or “vegetarians.”
Thank you so much!🙏🙏🙏
do note that some of these places are melli-lacto-ovo, so you may need to inform them when you're ordering to skip honey, dairy, and eggs. if it's a restaurant run by the temple monks, then they're more than likely fully vegetarian, but ones run by practising civilians, are likely okay with using non-kill animal products.
Yes. Buddhist vegetarian diet is essentially vegan diet sans the smelly garlics, leeks, unions etc. 净素is literally "clean vegan".
把要吃素的需求写在一张图片上放在手机里，给餐馆看就行了，每个餐馆都可以素食
Ya they do call it vegetarian. Su 素菜。
Would like to add more:
1. Although tap water in China is soft and of better quality than in most areas of the US & UK, it is still not recommended for direct consumption. Bottled water is super cheap, costing less than 0.2€/$0.2 per 500ml bottle + good quality.
2. The number of vegetarian restaurants in China is beyond imagination. However, unlike vegetarian restaurants in other countries, they often have various custom names and may not clearly indicate "we are a vegetarian restaurant" in their names. Additionally, many dishes in Chinese vegetarian restaurants are made from soy products (such as tofu), and while they may look and taste like meat dishes, they are 100% vegetarian.
3. Regarding "Dress Modestly" , it's possible that you may not be visiting China during the hottest season. Additionally, women in China, Japan, and Korea often favor white skin for its association with beauty. Health and UV protection are common purposes of them.
4. Food allergies are a significant concern. Peanut allergies are relatively uncommon in China, so it is advisable for tourists to prepare in advance with a translation of "Does this contain peanuts? I am allergic to peanuts" on translation apps to show when dining in restaurants.
tap water better quality than most areas in UK and US? not even close.
@@JalomMatia Yeah, not even close in terms of lead content.
【这食物里面含有花生吗？我对花生过敏，如果误食花生制品我会有很严重的过敏反应。】
I am afraid you had better stick to western restaurant when you visit China because peanut oil(not peanut butter) is quite a wide used oil for cooking in China and you can not even find a way of getting rid of peanut ingredients. @@ghost-crab
yall dumb, poisoned water is a planetary issue caused by agriculture, shit the state i live in has enough nitrates in the ground water to kill ya, they dont even want ya to bath in the shit.... there are very few untainted water sources left and most of those are springs in high altitudes and they are all owned by bottling companies... my water is cleaner that yours is just horse shit
China is more difficult to travel to than most other countries in Asia, and I think if you are not a patient person, you will not have a good experience; but for those who are more easy-going, and willing to give it more time, it is one of the best places to visit in the world right now.
and yes: extremely safe, people are awesome, amazing cities and rural areas. it just takes time to learn how to make the experience more enjoyable.
China is safer than North Korea. That's all.
An open mind and a compassionate heart is all you need. China has it all, and so glad that you have fully enjoyed it.
I am Chinese, and I want to provide you with some tips. First of all, thank you for respecting our local culture. In terms of dressing, there are not many restrictions in China. It may be a habit, or it may be because we feel that the weather is a bit cold. In the hot summer, more people will wear shorts and short sleeves. So this is not a offense. As long as you respect local laws, don't expose the privacy parts.
Finding vegetarian food is a difficult problem, mainly because it will not be marked with whether it is a vegetarian on the menu. But in fact, many restaurants have meat and vegetarian food. You can ask them "我不能吃肉，请问你有素食吗？
(I can't eat meat, do you have vegetarian food?) " If you are worried about eating wrong, you can eat at a nearby halal restaurant(清真饭店) or a restaurant near the temple.
I use a translator, I hope the translation will not cause misunderstandings.
but halal means no pork. They serve beef and mutton...
每个城市基本都有专门吃素菜的地方（在地图上搜素菜就有了）
WOW, this was simple, and to the point, with no frills, no unnecessary hype and just information that travellers need. EXCELLENT. 🤓
You will definitely be back as China is so big that you can spend years travelling there
There’s a side of China that isn’t being discussed enough. We’ve been exploring it in detail at VVC. Worth checking out!
Fellow Canadian here. Glad to see that you had a great time and appreciate the guide, as always :)
We in Serbia dont need visa so i already watched lot off travel blogs in my language ,and is always young people ,i think older from my country would be lost with no cash and everything on apps,young people don't have that problem,they actually like it
Yeah older people would definitely struggle!
President Xi is visiting Serbia. his next stop is Hungary.
Welcome to China, dear Serbia friend.
Most significant countries in Europe, including the 3 biggest nations of Russia, France and Germany, enjoy visa-free travel to China. Plus many nations in the "Global South". The uploader was incorrect about that so "don't make this mistake"🤣
I love your image, I love Yugoslavia 🥰🥰🥰
I am Chinese.🇨🇳
You're from Canada! You don't need to visit Jade Dragon Mountain! You should traverse the whole Tiger Leaping Gorge instead (by hiking or by car, it's at the back side of Jade Dragon Mountain), it got one of the most stunning scenery in China. It had the honor of National Geographic's Top Ten Hiking Trails.
In Shangri-La, not far from Lijiang, there is the Meili Snow Mountain, which ranks third among the most beautiful mountains in China. This snow mountain is the prototype of the Karakal peak of Shangri-La in Lost horizon. The sunrise over the Meili Snow Mountain, known as the 'Golden Mountain' in the sun, is very famous, and it's exactly as described in 'Lost Horizon' (because it's the inspiration!). You can also find the prototype of the lamasery in Lost Horizon - Ganden Sumtseling Monastery there!
You can also visit the former residence of Joseph Rock in the Stone Village of Lijiang, which is the inspiration for 'Lost Horizon' as the author referred to his travelogue, and he lived in Lijiang for 16 years! In the Lost Horizon book, traces of both Lijiang and Shangri-La can be found!
Would definitely love to do the Leaping Tiger Gorge hike!
There’s a side of China that isn’t being discussed enough. We’ve been exploring it in detail at VVC. Worth checking out!
I'd say if you are not a tech savy person, you can still use your Chinese cash. If you're staying in a major international chained brand hotel, you should also be able to use your own Visa or Master card, but it's best to have cash to fall back to.
If you have enough time, I'd say you should stop by Hong Kong because you can get a sim card for your phone easily and the sim card you get from Hong Kong does not confined by the "internet great-wall of China". A Hong Kong phone number is helpful in China. You may even be able to get a China mobile phone number in Hong Kong which is even more helpful. You don't have to worry about VPN, you can still use Google and Facebook. You can also set up your Alipay in Hong Kong before you go into China Mainland. Hong Kong Alipay has an English version.
Correct entry method
That's a great addition and advice. Thank you. I will get a prepaid Shanghai Card, which is good for transportation in other cities as well, also minor purchases. And a SIM in Hong Kong. e-sim doesn't work with all smartphones.
@@classics39 if you want to get real SIM card in HK, there are a lot of vendors on the streets selling them, but if you want an e-sim, you probably have to go to a smartphone carrier in HK. If you travel a lot, it's best to have a phone uses a real sim.
@taotao98103 Thank you so much. My smartphone doesn't support e-sim. Briefly thought of getting another one. But no. In any case will be also check out electonics/smartphone prices in HK, first time, too. Staying near Nathan road in the Mong Kok area, Hilton Garden Inn. I live in Europe, can also order one from amazon, but they ship from the US and are therefore expensive. I'll stay two nights in HK, then Tokyo, which I know well, from there to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and back to HK from Shanghai with Cathey Pacific. I am also considering visiting Yunnan province in January 25.
Thanks for the tip... so if I just buy hk sim card.. it will work in guangzhou as well?? I didn't understand what you mean by China phone no in hk.. what does that mean? Do I have to ask them for this separately? And it will work everywhere?
I get accepted from Chinese university, after 2 weeks I will move to China, moreover I start feeling confident after watching ur video. Thank you!!!
That’s fantastic, hope you have a great time!
Appreciate your guidance about China tour trip. Really helpful video.
My pleasure!
There are also vegetarian restaurants in China.
China can be considered a paradise for vegetarians, because Chinese people are very good at cooking vegetables, mushrooms and various soy products.
是的，但前提是你需要有比较不错的中文水平，如果你有足够的中文能力或者身边有个了解自己饮食习惯的翻译人员，那将获得无与伦比的极致体验，利用豆制品模仿肉类口感和味道也是中餐比较擅长的
@@王金龙-x1r 豆类，菌类，蔬菜这些足够了
Only if you know Mandarin and able to communicate in Mandarin at the restaurants. Else eat at the Buddhist temples canteens.
@@HTeo-og1lg In some of the bigger cities in China, there are restaurants that specialize in vegetarian food,no meat and fish. And now everyone can use a translating app to communicate each other ,no worries🙂
Chinese government just announced 12 Europe countries can visit China 15 days without a visa until end of 2025❤
她是加拿大人，享受不到这个福利
Not many want to come to China.
@@AhmetTekin101 like to Rap*stan?
@@AhmetTekin101 so ridiculous,open your eyes
🤡🤡🤡@@AhmetTekin101
Nearly half of those troubles are because of BIG population. Since there are more than enough domestic tourists for all the big attractions, the whole tourism industry had developed wildly. They don't need to improve their service for more incomes. Either don't they need to internationalize their service. The English friendly thing almost only happens in major cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing, so make sure these cities are your first stop in China, which will help you blend in for awhile. These things not only are problem for foreigners but also for us local Chinese. So don‘t go to China in major holidays like labour's Day（5.1-5.4）, National Day（10.1-10.5），Spring Festival(Lunar 1st to 7th of Jan.). There is also too many people everywhere during summer vocation(July and August) and winter vocation(Jan and Feb.). So as a Chinese I highly recommend foreign friends travel to China during late Oct. to Jan, which has the least public holidays. Most problems triggered by too many people will not exists during this time.
As for me, your videos provide me with a new perspective to see those places I've been to. And also helped me to practice my English listening. Your vocabulary and pronunciation are very Chinese friendly.
100% true, China is a communist country with over 1,4 billion people, its tourism is already overcapacity, China welcomes foreigners but doesn’t need more tourists.
暑假寒假不算旅行高峰期，拥有暑假寒假的毕竟是少数人
@@华夏独领风骚 人多着呢...不要小看人口基数，那为啥每年夏天318都堵车
here’s so much to unpack when it comes to China, and we’ve found a lot of the narratives don’t reflect the reality on the ground. VVC has some eye-opening findings
So happy you enjoyed China Alina. It was a special experience to see it & you got to do it. A lifetime of memories for sure 😊.
It sure was 🙂
here’s so much to unpack when it comes to China, and we’ve found a lot of the narratives don’t reflect the reality on the ground. VVC has some eye-opening findings
This is by far the most comprehensive and practical for those are interesting to visit China. I will book mark that and to whomever want that. Thank you for the exceptional work to put this together. Also if possible, get help from the local tour guide. It can cost some but avoid to blindly tumbling around and waste time.
Very true, glad you liked it 🙂
China is actually a very secular society and has no special requirements for clothing. Chinese girls also dress very avant-garde in summer, so just dress casually.
For sure, but I just didn’t see anyone in skimpy clothing so if a foreigner wants to blend in, it would be better to be more covered.
@@AlinaMcleod it's true, over exposed clothing for adults doesn't seem to be common in China.
@@AlinaMcleod 那是因为还没有到夏天，夏天很多女孩穿的很少！
@@AlinaMcleod Dressing in public places in China is relatively conservative, which shows respect for others, but there are no rigid rules. All clothes in the world can be worn casually.
@@cloudwithwind574 translate for him: "That's because it's now not yet summer, in summer many girls show their bodies." and I can verify that at least for girls in the South like Guangzhou.
Actually for vegetarian, it's the simplest. Every restaurant can cook you a vegetarian dish if you know what to ask for. For example, you can tell them "我只吃素---> I only eat vegetarian food“, they will cook you a vegetarian dish. Alternatively, you can order these dishes for safe: "Tomato with Stir-fried Eggs 西红柿炒鸡蛋", "Vinegar Glazed Potato 醋溜土豆丝"， ”家常豆腐“，”炝青椒“，”葱花炒鸡蛋“，”苦瓜炒鸡蛋“
True. You can also just say you don't eat meat - Wo bu chi rou. They will almost always oblige. You can point to a picture menu and say don't want meat - bu yao rou. For myself I don't eat spicy foods so I say bu yao la.
Nihao.booked with chinese travel agency a tour to 5 main cities. Bought the airplane tickets, got the visa, got the sim internet card and vpn, got the alipay, got the navigator offline nav app, got a list of best food. Even got tickets to a peking opera.Just need chopstick training and jetlag tolerance. Xie xie
My first trip in China without a translator was just hell. Fortunately someone introduced Immersive Translate that could translate all webpages even Baidu could be translated without me screenshoting so I didn't have to struggle the entire trip. But I'm definitely learning Chinese now😅
Ooo thank you for that tip!
Immersive translate is the name of the app?
Regarding visa free countries, if you are from those 5 eyes countries yes you will need to apply for Chinese visas. For those living in traditional Western European countries China provides temporary visa exemption for 15 days till end of 2025. (Only UK and Portugal are not on that visa free list but Hungary is on).
Yeah just hearing about that now, very nice option for them!
Well well I hold Australia passport. Why do we need visas to enter USA or Canada? If not welcome then I don’t go
There are travel warnings to China 🇨🇳, and they are not jokes!
Also Poland since July. And recently also Australia and NZ got that exemption.
As a Chinese, I think the reason why booking tickets for most popular attractions is complicated, is because of high volume of tourists in China, particularly during public holidays. It helps to regulate the flow of people, just like booking train tickets. As far as I know, some attractions have already adopted a convenient method of booking through a simple QR code scanning process.
Nothing wrong with booking ahead of time but if they made the process more inclusive to foreigners that would be great!
yes totally agreed that most big attractions in China needed advanced booking, becuase of the over crowded tourists ,to prevent the long long line up that would take hours to get the tickets, and China is a communist country, safety for its citizens and society is very important, so cameras “everywhere” is good things, of course westerners do not like it ,becoz they have a mentality of being “watched”, they’re used to live with terrorists attack with bombs, machines guns, or trucks run over the crowded streets…
@AlinaMcleod This is mainly because the managers of the attractions are also ordinary Chinese, and they don't know too much English. WeChat applets are made by them, so there is no English.
中国就是应该减少英语的一些路名，英语服务，只放几个大城市就行了，中小城市，经典全部汉语话，谁想来就要跟团或者学习汉语
@@JJ-yg1sf 我只能说这不是大部分中国人的待客之道
The wechat réservation system is for locals.
When we ( from Canada too)needed to book for the forbidden place and great wall etc, we just googled a tour for foreigners. It turned out that every Chinese popular destination reserved spots for these foreign guided tour groups(a little more expensive, but guides are fluent in English or French, you learn so much about the history and culture)
I hope this will help your future travel.
That's great you were able to make it happen but I personally don't think tourists should be forced to hire a guide unless they want to. Also in Lijiang there's no English group tours. You can hire a private English speaking guide on your own, but it's very expensive.
@@AlinaMcleod Around the year 2000, there were so many foreigners in Lijiang, more than anywhere else in China, you can see more than 50 foreigners in every street in Lijiang. Now there are none left, maybe it's because of Russia war, Covid-19 or the losing of its originality, hopefully one day it can become its best self again.
That's worse to have guides fluent in English or French. It's better to take the normal guide locals do and get the tour in Chinese. If the goal was to just hear English or French, there's no reason to go to China.
@alchemist_one You are very wrong as going to China is not only about what you see . Without the french guide, my husband would not understand the history and culture of the each unique building in the forbidden palace. They go to same route as locals but it is so interesting to get to know more of the history , arts, and insights of these ancient architecture
There are absolutely a lot of vegan restaurants in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen. But it will be difficult to find vegetarian restaurants in small cities and towns.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and tips for more people to know. China is incredible.
Regarding visa, it is important to note that since November 2023 citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia, since March 2024 citizens of Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Hungary, since June 2024 Australia and New Zealand and since July 2024 Poland can go to China for up to 15 days without a visa. So it makes quite a number of countries whose citizens can come to China without a visa.
Thank you for the tips, Alina. Welcome back anytime ! : )
In 2019, China had almost 100 million inbound tourists - no small number !
Thank you! Will definitely be back 🙂
@@AlinaMcleod You can't escape for long ; )
Looking forward @@AlinaMcleod
@@AlinaMcleod*Second most Internationally touristy place on Earth almost tied with the first place, only France received more International Traveler in 2019 with 116 million International tourists - - so it is not just domestic tourists*
Here are the number of foreign visitors going through customs, as registered by the Chinese 🇨🇳 government:
2019: 14,000,000
2023: 500,000
*96.9% drop.*
Our first experiences parallels yours. Your guide to China is so well done. We made a few mistakes but learned and prepared better for the next trips we took. Our biggest issue was translation Thank you so much for the info. It makes your trip much more pleasurable and less stressful. This series was outstanding from start to finish . Sending you much love❤️❤️❤️
from Harriet, Jim and Yuki
Absolutely, thanks so much!
Looking forward to your next travel in china!Useful suggestions for people first coming to China ,also for chinese tourism administration to improve their service.
Thanks! And yes, would be fantastic if their tourism boards made getting online tickets easier for foreigners!
The Chinese regime never learns.
At 8:23 in the video, it needs to be corrected that it is not that Google’s applications are blocked in China, but that Google automatically withdraws from the Chinese market because it is unwilling to comply with China’s relevant Internet laws.
I went with a group - my Visa application was very smooth - from San Francisco - I just made the app with a local agent, gave my US passport and paid the fee - I got a 10 year multiple entry visa
Did not use any app (2016)
Since it was a organized tour group, we had no problems with food - as vegetarians - they always have the option, Worst case, go to 7-11 like shop and pick up a box of noodles and get Soy sauce - a friend of mine had a portable stove to cook veggies and pick up rice from a nearby restaurant.
One important tip for guys , especially in big cities (Shanghai) - be careful with soliciting women for pleasure - they will drug you take your passport and blackmail you if you are left alive - I was approached by someone like this and just walked away and cautioned the hotel personnel (in Shanghai) thanks to advance tip by our guide
Yes if your are not an experienced traveller especially to China, then you should go with tourist group where they take care of most things, the only thing i don’t like go with tourist group ,is the schedules must including visit to the shops and markets where you are mostly be scammed, also you have to get up early,like 5AM to get ready for the day.
Soliciting women for pleasure？That's very rare in China because it's illegal.
Dasar kau laki2 hidung belang sudah sepatasnya diperlakukan begitu.
This is excellent. I sent this to my friend who is visiting China and they found it very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Chinese invented tofu and there are various kinds of tofu in China. There are more kinds of vegetable than other parts of the world too. As a vegan you are likely to have a lot more choices than in other parts of the world. And there are special vegan restanrants too.
一些大的景点必须网上提前订票，是为了控制访问的数量。有的地方不控制的话，有的时候人多的难以想象，这样比较危险，为了大家的安全，大的景点必须网上提前订票
Yes that is fine, but it’s the booking platform that is not easy for foreigners to use.
@@AlinaMcleod You're right, the booking interface should be more user-friendly and internationalized.
That's a good point. 👍 Otherwise, hundreds of thousands of tourists would flock to the gate to queue up for a ticket simultaneously, which would be dangerous.
*Yes but it is unnecessary make it so much step they can just use sign in with a fingerprint or something takes half a second*
*Sign up to a touristy place with a fingerprint no not necessary to fill up the whole 5 page form go to hotel or go to a touristy place - of course for Chinese Nationals are much easier*
China is really beautiful and has a lot of beautiful scenery.👍
It takes a couple of days to figure these things out. But once you setup those apps and learnt how to use them, the travel became very easy and enjoyable. I would say much easier and enjoyable than anywhere else on the earth since everything is on your fingertip, and you don't need to worry about your safety.
Your shares is very useful for foreigners. thx.
We stayed in a place like that in Lijiang in 2017 with a view of the town from the rooftop. Beautiful destination, will definitely return.
Alina, thank you for sharing. The mountains and clouds behind you are beautiful
You should know the regulations and various knowledge of China, entry and exit very well. There will be no problems. and stay and travel happily
By the way, why Meili Snow Mountain ranks 3rd in China? This mountain rises from an altitude of 2000 meters to 6700 meters, the elevation difference of this mountain is 4700 meters, which is very spectacular, and the more important reason that sets it apart is its stunning sunrise! it's called 日照金山 🌄🗻 (Tiger Leaping Gorge's altitude is between 1800 to 5596 and it's very steep, that's why it got the stunning view too🏞)
The way you ve captured the touristic sites of China is absolutely mindblowing... superb vlogging ❤❤❤
Thank you 😊
Citizens from these European countries are allowed to travel to China without a visa for up to 30 days are Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. European countries with 15-day visa-free travel to China are France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain ,Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland.
Well done !! You did so well in preparing these very useful information !! Thumbs up Alina !!
Thank you Alina for the lovely videos
Since you speak Russian you can go to some parts of China which also speaks Russian. Many of the regions in the border of Russia the locals also speaks Russian.
Stolen land
@@AhmetTekin101 like the West stole Hong Kong, India, Hawaii, Native American etc?
yep. foreign SIMs on roaming works like a VPN and can generally bypass the Great Firewall. i use a physical SIM from CSL (a Hong Kong telecom company) and FB/IG/Twitter/Reddit works fine in China when i'm using my free daily roaming passes, no VPN necessary. i also turn on hotspot from my phone so my laptop can have all the access as well.
No freedom of speech
Which flavour of "freedom of speech"? the kind without any sort of responsibility? lol, no thanks. i'm not an unparented brat with a fake account.
I think before mobile payment became omnipresent in China, it was very ok to just turn up at places like Forbidden City (those so called 5A destinations), Panda Research centre etc on the day itself or on the day before at the booth to purchase an entrance ticket. Same for high speed train though I usually do so on the first day I arrive for my next onward destination. The last time I was in China that was like 2015.
Yes you can do that in some destinations but there’s very popular places that sell out days before so you can’t just turn up and get a ticket.
@@AlinaMcleod
It may be because of Labor Day that it is difficult to book tickets for tourist attractions, and you just happened to catch up with this time. During this festival, hundreds of millions of people in China will choose to travel across the country.When it’s not a holiday, not many people choose to travel, and tickets are easy to book.
Vietnamese 🇻🇳 and Chinese cultures are very close.
- Even the Forbidden City, a symbol of Chinese civilization in Beijing, was designed by a kidnapped Vietnamese and built by forced laborers from Vietnam.
@@AhmetTekin101 ？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？
@@AhmetTekin101Crazy boy (Anjing lu ).
As Chinese, there’s one missing suggestion and hidden pro-tip I’d recommend: don’t travel during big national holidays (Chinese new year, Labor Day, national day). It would be very crowded and everything will be sold out everywhere
Very true!
Hi Alina. Indeed I feel safe when visiting Kun Ming Dali Li Jiang last month. However to pee I prefer to be selective & try to find out suitable clean toilet 😊😅
That's very kind of you, Alina. As always your videos are informative, beautiful in many ways just as you are. Looking forward next videos of your journey. May God Bless You
Thank you very much!
Hi. Alina good to see you and have great day. Thanks for video and information for travel. You are very courageous woman. Bless your trip
Thank you so much!
You are the most classy vlogger ever with a small town vibe
Thanks Alina. Will be really useful when I go and trace my roots next year.
Hope you have a great trip!
Also remember to bring your own toilet paper when going out. Almost never saw any in the public washrooms. Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Wuxi all were lacking TP!
i think this year is the real start of China's international tourism. the gov had alr given reports addressing the issues u mentioned and i hope you can have a better experience next time! I'm hoping to go to tibet next month, seeing the amazing plateau landscape and Mount Everest. Hope one day you can also vlog the beauty of tibet!
That’s awesome!
Free Tibet!
@@AhmetTekin101Your is the DOG
This is a great summary and will be very useful for many who plan to visit China. Thank you so much!!
I traveled almost all around the Europe, North America, southeast Asia and East Asia, China is no doubt the safest nation
It is definitely safe!
1 million people disappeared in China 🇨🇳 every year.
@@AhmetTekin101 some people says 1 trillion 😂
@@AhmetTekin101Shameful Taiwan 1450
@@AhmetTekin101 oh you can say even a bigger number it still will hold true since obviously people are mortal and can die of all kinds of causes...
Very practical and useful tips for tourists. One more tip: Considering China is one of the most populated country, you'd better not visit China at peak time, especially during Chinese public holidays, such as Chinese New Year, the first week of May and October. It will save a lot of time and money for you.
As for squat toilet, I don't think it's a big problem for male tourists. You'd better buy an interpreter machine or hire a local tourist guide for better understanding of local language and culture.
Hi Alina, so glad to see you again ❤
Important correction to your first point: the visa-free program has now included many European countries. I think there are 11 countries on the list and the program is valid through end of 25 (and could be further extended)
Great episode with lots of information !
You can easily get a stir fried meatfree dish in most restaurants. Sliced potato, tomato&egg,......
Some popular attractions require booking tickets, mainly for safety reasons. These popular attractions often attract a large number of people, which can exceed the reception capacity of the attractions and lead to many problems, such as traffic congestion. Therefore, this method can only be used to moderately control the number of visitors per day.
Nothing wrong with that, just would be nice if they made it easier for foreigners to book them as well.
I totally agree Alina. If they want more foreign tourists to come see the real China they should make it hassle free!
@@davidhlin3023no, China is not like Thailand, they do want foreign tourists but not too many,because with over 1,4 billions people and the locals are already crowded most of the attractions. they concerns most is security much much more than the “convenience” for foreign tourists.
@@davidhlin3023 You assume they need foreign tourists. Sometimes it is much easier to hire a local guide if you are not too adventurous. These are popular attractions. So I don't think they would change anybody minds who have biases.
@@AlinaMcleodyeah you are right about this point. Actually our local government have already noticed that and the process of booking tickets have more English options in just few months in our local cities.As China has large population and the domestic travel in china is very popular during the golden week(the national holiday) so many tourists' attraction places have to control the number of tourists during the holiday to avoid the stampede events.
Alina thank you for your information 🙏
Love from Toronto Canada ❤
Thanks so much for this video, very informative
Glad it was helpful!
Some are facts. Some are options. You should come to see 👀 yourself. Welcome to China.
Very comprehensive and detailed.about dressing,there is no limitation actually. Short pants and skirts are popular in hot summer.just many Chinese prefer white skin and they think sunlight uv is harmful to skin.but personally I love sunlight❤. So you can wear as casually as you can.
For all EU citizens, these countries will no longer require a visa from the beginning of 2024: Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands.
Thought-provoking video! We’ve been uncovering a lot of angles that often go unnoticed. VVC offers an in-depth look at what’s really going on.
Thank you very much Alina for these important suggestions which can help us a lot in case we would like to visit China. Your videos are so nice. Take care🌷⚘️🪻
My pleasure 😊
you are bright and considered universal english teacher take good care from the philippines
Did any Chinese visitors ever complain that when visiting North America, US and Canada, not all places has Chinese descriptions of everything, tourist attractions and restaurants menu ? What a biased complaint on lack of English translation. Learn the language before you go, should be my advice.
English is the international language. If you visit Japan, France or Brazil, what is the secondary language they would use to welcome tourists? It’s not ignorant, it’s being efficient because there’s no way everyone is going to be fluent visiting 40 different countries. If you’re making that comment I would hope you’ve learned all the languages of the countries you’ve visited 😊
@@AlinaMcleod英语不是国际语言，只是以前英国殖民地多，导致用英语的国家多而已
No English, no tourist!
FYI just a bit over a month ago China started its visa-free policy for tourists from France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg. This policy will last until the end of 2025 and will most likely continue for the foreseeable future since tourism boosted dramatically in the past month.
And it's only been recently (these past few years I believe) that reservations for access to major attractions through wechat has become a trend and since very few foreign tourists were traveling to China at that time I guess they didn't have foreign travelers' need in mind. I do hope and believe that it will change in the near future after the foreign travel boost.
Also Poland, Australia and New Zealand added recently to that list.
Very nice and comprehensive video. About the dress code, unless you are in a temple or something, people don't care what you are dressing. Most people wear long sleeves because most Chinese don't like to be exposed to the sun. Feel free to wear tank tops and shorts. In China people consider pale skin colors as a sign of beauty regardless of genders, with a few exceptions like sporty person.
When I visited China last month, my phone did not work in China so I could not use Ali Pay or WeChat, at Bell tower in Xian, one of the customer service used her cell phone to get the ticket and I paid in cash to her, same as the boat tour on Tianjin river cruise, very helpful customer service.
just got back from China! It’s been since Covid that I visited. Had an amazing trip. Alternative, You can get a SIM card at the airport if you are visiting. But u need vpn if wanna use google
nicely thought out set of tips to lessen the travel shock of china lol. although it would have been interesting if you filmed some of the struggles 😅. as a foodie, I would have liked to see more food style clips, maybe next time 😉
Will definitely keep those suggestions in mind 😊
As a Chinese myself I have to agree most your opinions especially squat toilets, but wandering alone around the city in like 2am should be absolutely safe for women, nothing to worry about.
A couple of things to remember if going to a toilet outside a city is to bring toilet paper and some toilets have semi open cubicles.
The nice thing about toilets in cities is you don’t have to pay unlike in Europe.
You also have Starbucks everywhere.
Thank you very much for sharing your travel videos in China to the world and showing the most authentic China. If you will visit China in the future, I will welcome you very much to Qingdao, Shandong Province. This is a coastal city, very beautiful. Finally, I wish you a happy trip!🎉🎉
what is your next destination Alina? Hope to see more of your videos soon! Thanks for showing us China and other places so far
Chinese tourists to Europe and USA also complain that nothing is in Chinese and hence can only travel as a group
My pleasure! I’m in Indonesia now.
There are travel warnings to China 🇨🇳, and they are not jokes!
@@AhmetTekin101 Yeah, you are a joke :)
So Helpful!!!
Thank you very much for your tips! You look great! And looking forward to your next adventure!❤
Thank you so much!
Regarding tickets section. It is geared for locals. Not tourist,foreigners, etc. No offense. There are some (many) places where it is only for local citizens to visit.
Most of what you said is very accurate and well-organized, but when it comes to attire, in the summertime, if you look around the streets, young women are very daring. Ladies wearing very short shorts and skirts are everywhere, to a degree not inferior to any country in the world.
lol well that’s great but I’m just giving practical tips to tourists. I don’t think most people want to be stared at more than we already do as tourists.
@@AlinaMcleod What you said makes sense
I think there's a recent change. To encourage foreign visitors to China, for visa application, they waived the requirements for air ticket booking and hotel reservation. Also, foreigners are no longer required to stay in selected hotels. They can choose to stay at any hotels that are available for regular Chinese.
总结的真好，真的是用心旅行，用心体会。
I was studying aboard and recently came back to China after 4 years of COVID, and you are right, many things switched to "wechat public channel", it was not like this 4 years ago.
Chinese make the best vegan foods, foreigners just don't konw what to order in a restaurent.
In Toronto Canada you don’t need an interview when you apply for visa. The in-person part was super quick !
Thank you for sharing your experience. Alina, could it be that the weather there is still chilly that no one is wearing shorts or tank tops? I've seen some videos that women in China do wear shorts and tanks in the hot summer as their summer is much hotter than Toronto. I've been to China many years ago and it was so hot that I had to buy an umbrella so I don't fry lol. I want to go back to visit China so badly after seeing China's infrastructures and advanced technology.
Maybe partially but it was 25C in both Chongqing, Chengdu and Lijiang most days and I still didn’t see people lightly dressed.
@@AlinaMcleod Chongqing is called "the furnace of china" for being the hottest place in china. Chengdu is nearby. You think 25C is hot but here in Chinese Singapore & Malaysia and there, we think 25C is literally cold! We got a "cold weather alert" when it was 23C.
@@AlinaMcleod Sorry for the late reply, been very busy lately. Yeah 25C is not hot for them as they are used to the 35+ weather there. I know a girl from Thailand and when she came to Toronto for school and lived with my aunt, she worn knitted sweater with a t-shirt underneath in the middle of the summer. I felt boiling hot just by looking at her LOL. Also, women in China don't like to get tanned. Their beauty standard is white pale skin like Snow White so they will even wear sun protection jacket just to avoid getting a tan. Alina, are you going back to China in the near future? I've heard there is an island called "Hainan Island", I don't think you need a Visa to go to that island but don't quote me on that. People called that island, "Asian Hawaii". I am in the process of planning my trip there sometime next year + other cities in China. I just got my China Visa, good for 9 years, multiple entries with 60 days per entry! Yay!!!
For vegan/vegetarians, it’ll be helpful to save screenshots of some phrases ready to display. Such as “我吃素” I’m vegetarian, “我吃纯素” I’m vegan, “我不吃蛋” I don’t eat egg, “我不吃奶制品” I don’t eat diary. Buddhism temples and vegetarian restaurants need some research to find and maybe out of your way, but most restaurants can provide something that fits. Also watch out for pastries, Chinese pastries commonly use lard in doughs, be ready to ask if it contains lard.
most pastries in general contain either lard, butter, and/egg.
Thank you very much for the useful advice tips ,,, hope you have a nice trip to wherever you go .. thanks
Relevant to summary Point #13: The evening news just said that booking in advance for main attractions in Beijing would be terminated.
Alina's summary appears great, and to the points.
Happy to hear that!
Being the Luddite I found an issue with the getting a local phone number to receive calls. My phone doesn't accept esims. In my three months in Japan I thought I had the phone number covered by Viber but no. I could call North America but not locally in Japan. To get a Japanese phone number for three months would run between a thousand and twelve hundred Canadian, which for the few texts and calls was not an economical choice. I downloaded Line but it never worked, just suggesting I add devices to make it better? I made do with email and Instagram, but three or four times a month when I could not supply a local phone number, I couldn't book an activity. I had physical sim cards for data only which were more expensive than my previous trips, but at least worked. So when you mentioned a phone number that accepted texts how have you managed that? Rest of video extremely informative as always.
Mobal SIM cards are my top choice for Japan if you can’t do eSIM. You can get them at the airport or main areas of Tokyo! They do provide options for getting a Japanese number which is great, plus data for around $80 cad a month.
@@AlinaMcleod*Just get a Google Voice NUMBER and LETSVPN you can call anywhere include from inside China*