Holidays in China on your own. Tips for tourists in China. Additional costs: the mentality of local residents

For me, preparation for an independent trip to China followed a well-established scheme that I have been using for many years.

There was no big difference for me. Since I don’t know Chinese or other languages, (so it doesn’t matter to me where to fly - to China, Brazil or the USA), in any case, I have to prepare carefully for the trip, not missing anything, so that on the spot, problems no longer arise no questions or problems.

1 . We need to decide How many days You eat and make up route around the country.

For myself, even before the trip, I decided that it was impossible to embrace China in one go and therefore, I divided it into two trips (and maybe more). Therefore, on the first trip (after all, you never know whether there will be a next one), the places that I wanted to see first were chosen. These were basically the most important historical cities, which almost all were at one time or another the capitals of China and are of historical interest (I love history, especially ancient and medieval)

The route was designed so that I would descend from the north to and further to the south (this saves money, no need to go back.)

Here's the full route.

Beijing (5 days) - Tianjin (1 day) - Great Wall of China (1 day) - Xi'an (2 days) - Huashan Mountains (1 day) - Nanjing (2 days) - Suzhou (2 days) - Shanghai (2 days) - Hangzhou(3 days)-Guangzhou(2 days)-Shenzhen(3 days)

Total 24 days in China. Well, here everyone is free to choose their own time and route.

Since I can’t imagine a summer vacation without relaxing on the warm sea, Thailand was added as such a vacation for two weeks, especially since a ticket from the last city of China, Shenzhen, cost only 120 US dollars to Bangkok.

2 . Now we need to deal with that how to get there to China.

Usually I buy tickets 10 months in advance (but even before that, a year, sometimes two years in advance, I monitor this route in different months on search engine sites such as Skyscanner.ru and Momondo.ru and install the best prices and the best options for yourself) When flying to China, there is no point in buying tickets so early, so I bought a Moscow-Beijing ticket in just 5 months. I look for tickets using search engines, but I almost always buy tickets on the websites of airline companies.

It was the same here - I found the cheapest flight - went to the company’s website Hainan Airlines, bought a one-way ticket for $282. The flight takes 7 hours - departure from Sheremetyevo on July 14 at 19.55, arrival in Beijing on July 15 at 09.05 local time.

From China, as I already said, I flew to Thailand (a ticket for AirAsia is a low-cost budget ticket - the ticket is only 120 US dollars - I bought it 5 months in advance)

3 . The next step was to understand how to get around between cities in China.

This is by far the most ideal way to travel - railway transport. In China, it is one of the best and most modern in the world!

The photo shows one of the Beijing train stations - Tskntralny

How to buy train tickets - this question arose even before the trip. Now (this happened not long ago) you can buy tickets for Chinese trains on the Internet; or rather, book them in Russia on the website chinahighlights.ru, pay and receive them using the reservation number that will be sent to you at any train station in China.

Here in the photo is Beijing South Station

I had 10 trips by rail, including two night trains). Everything went great (I’ll tell you in detail about the specifics of trains and stations in the next tip)

I also had one flight within China from Hangzhou to Guangzhou. I bought the ticket through the website - expedia.com (this site has never let me down either in the USA or in South America)

4 . Next step. Figure out how to get to airports and railways stations.

It couldn't have been more difficult.

In Beijing at the airport there is a metro line; I sat down and went to the desired station, in Hangzhou the metro did not reach the airport yet, and for the first time I could not understand and find information where the shuttle stop was and I had to order a taxi from the hotel to the airport (the first and last time in China)

Railway stations (there are several of them in almost all cities, like in Moscow (you also need to figure this out, which station you are going from and which one you are arriving at) - but all of them that I needed were connected by metro lines, so it’s difficult to get there did not arise before them (this will be discussed as a separate council).

5 .Now it was necessary book hotels.

I used two sites - Booking.com (you can only pay cash in the hotels themselves in China) and the Agoda.ru site (money is withdrawn immediately upon booking and you don’t have to pay anything in China) Everything went with a bang! there were no problems. In the future I will give an overview of all the hotels (the price range was from 30 to 40 US dollars, once 50). I chose hotels near railway stations so as not to have to walk far.

6 . Visa.

I ordered a visa to China through a travel agency - they gave it for 3 months (it cost 6 thousand rubles) - it does not require any hotel reservations or tickets. If I lived in Moscow, I would do everything myself for 2 thousand rubles.

7. Attractions.

The next step is to figure out what to see in each city, that is, choose the attractions.

What I do now is simple - I go to the website - tripadvisor.ru

I type the city that I need in the search and then - “Entertainment” section and the entire list of attractions of this city drops out, with reviews of tourists and their photos, you can understand whether you need this attraction or not. It is important that all attractions are arranged according to the tourist rating and basically it is always correct, with the most outstanding ones going first.

Open the attraction you need - on the right side there will be a small map, and under it an important function - “Name and address in the language of the region” - open it and print out this name in Chinese and you can safely show this printout to the Chinese (I did this several times), if you can’t find the attraction, do the same through this site with the name of the hotel (have their address in Chinese).

You also need to make printouts of the names of the cities you will be moving through in China.

But just in case, I also check by typing a phrase in the Yandex search - for example, “Sights of Xi’an” and read there and select.

8. Chinese transport in cities.

We have chosen the attractions for each city - now we need to figure out how to get to them.

There were no problems here either, since all cities have a metro, you need to navigate by stations. To do this, download or print metro maps of all the necessary cities in English - in the Chinese metro, everything is duplicated in English. (About the Chinese metro, I will give separate advice)

And in some cases, we plot a route using the Google Maps website - select a city. A routes window will appear in the right corner - for example, enter the name of your hotel and the name of the attraction and select the function public transport) Google will give you bus route numbers

We check on the map where the attraction is located, and for greater peace of mind we also prepare printouts in Chinese). I made printouts of the desired part of the city on a printer and marked my walking route around the city. Although I also had a tablet.

9. . Upload to tablet.

Offlan (simplified Chinese) translator - works without the Internet and produces the necessary hieroglyphs (the Chinese understood me - I used it several times), and just in case, I bought a simple Russian-Chinese phrasebook in our bookstore.

You also need to download Google maps of China (offline), which work without the Internet - everywhere

10. Money.

I changed the money back in Orenburg at Sberbank, something like 1 yuan 9 rubles.

For 24 days, 4 thousand yuan, or about 40 thousand rubles, were spent on food and sightseeing and local transport (not including railways).

I will give the remaining prices for trains and hotels in the following tips.

Well, we are ready to travel around China!!!

There's nothing wrong with it - you just need to figure it out.

12 . Made it in a few days medical insurance on the Internet in Ingostrakh for 24 days in China - I printed it out and took it with me.

How to organize an independent trip to China in 2020! Visa, tickets, hotels, food, transport, security. How much does it cost to travel to China? Cost calculation, tips and observations.

The material is prepared on the basis personal experience independent travel to China by the author of the text: three months of living in Shenzhen, as well as trips to Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

China is huge and very diverse, so it is impossible to clearly say where prices and conditions are. I will start from Shenzhen - the center of all electronics, a young and rapidly growing city in the very south of China, which borders on Hong Kong. I will tell you what a tourist can find useful when planning an independent trip to China in 2020, and I will also give my own observations about the country and tips for travelers.

How to get a visa to China yourself

A visa to China is required for Russians, except in rare cases. A regular single entry costs 1,500 rubles, a double entry costs 3,000, and a multiple entry costs 4,500 rubles. Plus a bank commission of 2.5% per person is charged.

Urgent single entry - 2400, urgent double entry - 3900, urgent multiple entry - 5400. There is also an express review, which costs more.

It is better to stay in chain hotels, as they care about their reputation. A night in such a hotel costs from $30-40 for two local number. Chain hotels in Shenzhen: Greentree Inn, Sheraton, Novotel, etc.

Adviсe:

Look for a hotel with good soundproofing - the Chinese are noisy.
Photos of hotels do not always correspond to reality.
Sometimes a room may be clean and comfortable, but have foreign odors, such as dampness. Or the windows look out onto the courtyard, where there is a landfill or a Chinese street cafe (which produces no better smells).

Rent. If you want personal comfortable housing, look for a room, apartment or house on Airbnb. The choice of housing is huge. Renting an apartment in Beijing costs approximately $30-50 per day, in Shenzhen - from $27. You can rent an apartment on Airbnb for $600-$1,500 for a month (rooms cost $500-$900). The price depends on the city, area and condition of the house. For example, in Shenzhen near the beach in resort area An excellent apartment was rented for $600. At long term rental There are discounts.

Entrance to Shenzhen Novotel Watergate (Photo: booking.com / Shenzhen Novotel Watergate)

Food and cuisine of China

Another difficulty you will encounter when independent trip to China in 2020 is food. It is very specific here, so going to a cafe can cause problems, especially if you don’t know the language. But here McDonald's and KFC come to the rescue. There are also many well-known European chains where you can order food from pictures. However, their prices are much higher - for example, a side dish with meat costs from $6. Sometimes tea is included in the price. At McDonald's, a Big Mac (potatoes, cola, double cheeseburger) will cost about $5.

In general, you can eat in a cafe for $5 or more; in restaurants, a simple dish costs from $10.

Where you can eat inexpensively and deliciously in China:

Cafe for locals. You can eat a hearty meal there for $1.50, but no one guarantees the quality of the products and compliance with sanitary standards. The downside is that it is difficult to order dishes, since there are often no pictures or there are few of them, and if there are, it is not clear what it is.
"Muslim women"- these are local cafes run by Chinese Muslims. The food there is prepared in compliance with all standards and is really very tasty. I really love their noodles and recommend you try them. They cook it in front of you, and it’s interesting to watch this process. Cost from $1.5 for a huge portion.
Supermarket. A kilo of bananas costs $1-2, apples $2-3, tangerines $1-2. I do not recommend buying sausages. This is not at all what we expect: Chinese sausages are made from soy with a bunch of spices and additives. They taste sweet and have a specific smell, but for the sake of curiosity you can try them once.

(Photo: Jo@net / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Internet and cellular communications in China

All SIM cards are sold only with a passport in specialized places. Price mobile communications quite high - from $20 per month, plus for purchasing a card and choosing tariff plan they charge the same amount. To purchase a normal tariff and understand everything, you need to know Chinese. If you need internet in China, it's easier to use Wi-Fi while traveling - in big cities it can be found everywhere.

There is another problem that many people face - blocking all Google services, YouTube, Instagram. To access them you need to install a special VPN program.

China Mobile is the largest mobile operator in the world (Photo: Open Grid Scheduler Grid Engine / flickr.com)

Transport in China

Transport in China is excellent. The infrastructure is very developed. Planes, ferries, trains (including high-speed), buses, subways and taxis. You can get to any point without any problems. Travel on buses - from $0.3, in the metro - from $0.5.

If you are going to China for a month, buy a travel pass. The plastic card can be topped up and used in the metro and buses, and then returned and received money back. Cost $4. This is very convenient: you don’t need to find out the cost of tickets, buy tokens, or stand in lines. Accordingly, the problem of language disappears. For trips within one city, $10-30 per month is enough.

A very common type of transportation is electric mopeds. Essentially this is a taxi, only less comfortable, more extreme and cheaper - from $2. The main advantage is the absence of traffic jams, since mopeds go wherever they want. The only negative is the language. You need to agree on the price and destination.

(Photo: Lαin / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

ATMs and cards

Be prepared that many stores may not accept your Visa or MasterCard card, since in China there is another payment system - UnianPay. This card can be issued at any bank for free. If you need to withdraw money from yours, there are many ATMs for this.

Chinese mentality

Don't be surprised if in China you feel like a monkey that everyone wants to take a photo with. For a Chinese, having a photo with a European is an indicator of coolness and status, so you will always be the center of attention. They will always turn around and stare at you without hesitation. In addition to increased interest, the Chinese will try to make money on the “white man”. For them, we are walking money, so bargain in all stores. For example, we once reduced the price of a shirt from $35 to $5.

We can talk for a long time about the culture and upbringing of the majority of Chinese. Giving way to a girl, letting her go ahead, letting people exit a vehicle, throwing garbage in the trash bin - this is not about them. They also have no sense of tact. Don’t be surprised if at the first meeting you are asked about your personal life, salary and health. The Chinese themselves are very cunning and enterprising, but at the same time good-natured.

Useful words in Chinese for a traveler:

Security in China

Do you know where the tradition of wearing a backpack on the front came from? From China. Petty theft is very common there. In big cities you can find a policeman everywhere who will gladly help in any situation. Also, there are cameras on all buses, subways, shopping centers, and even just on the street, so in big cities there is nothing to be afraid of when walking along the streets in the evening. From personal experience: I walked with photographic equipment, and not once did anyone try to pester me.

Also in China there is an unspoken rule that animals, children and laovayam(for foreigners) anything is possible.

(Photo: Today is a good day / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

How much does an independent trip to China from Russia cost?

Let's calculate how much a trip to China costs for two for 10 days when departing from Moscow:

Single entry visa - $52.
Flights from Moscow to Beijing and back - from $586. Find a ticket >>
Hotel in the center of Beijing in low season- $130. Find a hotel >>
Meals in eateries for locals - $120.
Insurance - $23.
Transport and attractions - approximately $200.

So, how much does it cost to travel to China on your own? The minimum cost of the trip, if you are ready to save, is approximately 1111$ for two for 10 days.

If you are used to living comfortably, then the trip will cost approximately 1711$ for two (accommodation in a 3* hotel - $250 and meals in cafes and restaurants - $600). We spent $1,500 a month for two of us.

Fragment of a 100 yuan bill (Photo: super.heavy / flickr.com)

Take advantage of our useful tips on an independent trip to China in 2020:

Before you travel, watch how the Chinese count on their fingers. The match with our score is only up to 4, then everything is different.
Be sure to download a translator to your phone.
Take the necessary medications, as you are unlikely to find anything familiar in Chinese pharmacies. You are more likely to encounter dried toad than activated charcoal.
Download the Baidu program and maps of the cities where you plan to live on your phone. This program will help you choose the route, time and type of transport, determine the best option ways. You won't get lost with her. I highly recommend it!

I hope you have a general idea of prices and conditions. And the problem of language, as you see, is not so terrible. Travel, because there are so many interesting things in the world!

(Photo: monkeylikemind / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

First photo: mandylovefly / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The Chinese mentality is very different from what we are used to. Of course, the Chinese are ready to turn a blind eye to many of the peculiarities of the guests, but the guests, for their part, must take into account the logic of a foreign country. So we have put together 10 tips for you, following which you can spend your time in China comfortably and not get into trouble:

1.Traditions of eating in China are centuries old. Popular all over the world, rice sticks are a real art, behind which there are many features. Moreover, with the help of all kinds of rituals associated with eating, respect for each other is conveyed. For example, you cannot pass food from chopsticks to chopsticks. You cannot stick chopsticks into rice; the Chinese associate this with sudden death. Why is that? But because it resembles smoking sticks in temples, which are precisely associated with all sorts of funeral rituals. A large piece of food must be held with chopsticks and bitten off. You also cannot point at something with chopsticks or move plates with them. After eating, they should be placed on the edge of the plate or on coasters, but not just on the table. And even without chopsticks, there are many peculiarities of food culture. For example, if someone hands you something, including a plate or cup, take it with both hands. Keep in mind that the dishes here are large and not designed for one person. However, they can cost very little, and it will be a shame to leave two-thirds of a huge portion of food on the plate.

2.Photo and video shooting in churches and museums is prohibited. In some places, filming is only permitted for an additional fee. Photograph government agencies and strategic objects (even bridges and dams) are not recommended. Follow the icons; most often there will be a symbol of a crossed out camera, but even without it you should be careful.

3. There are no firm rules for vaccination before traveling to China. But we recommend prior vaccination against cholera, Japanese encephalitis, polio, typhoid fever and hepatitis A and B. There is a risk of contracting rabies, tuberculosis, diphtheria and bilharzia (blood schistosoma). And if you decide to visit the southwestern regions and Hainan Island, you should get vaccinated against malaria.

4.Drinking water from the tap and, especially, from sources and reservoirs is highly not recommended. In any hotel, your room will have either a thermos with boiling water or an electric kettle. Use for drinking mineral water from plastic bottles. When ordering chilled drinks, avoid ice. There is a risk that water for ice will be taken from the nearest river, and no one will boil it.

5. Most regions of Tibet are closed to tourists. And not only because there are nature reserves here. The main reason for this is religious issues. To travel to Tibet, a special additional permit is required, which is issued by the receiving party in advance. It is possible to visit Tibet with a group along a pre-agreed and agreed route; for this purpose, separate tours are created.

6. A foreigner in China should always carry with him a hotel business card with an inscription in Chinese or a card with his data filled out by any Chinese translator. The more such guidelines you have with you, the easier it will be for you in any situation, and the faster they will help you.

7.CNY, or yuan, is the only official means of payment in China. In general, some stores may also accept USD, but it will be more profitable for you to exchange currency. This can be done at the main branches of the Bank of China, hotels, international airports, on railway stations, in large shopping centers. You should keep the receipts received during the exchange; the remaining yuan can be exchanged back at the end of the trip only upon presentation. American Express, JCB, Visa, Master Card and Diners Club credit cards are accepted in international hotels and restaurants, and large state department stores. You can withdraw cash from them only at Bank of China branches (commission is about 4%). When purchasing at credit card a fee of 1-2% of the purchase price will apply and no discounts will apply to such purchases.

8. Take with you what you will need on your trip. This is especially important for the prevention and treatment of diseases. If you use any injections, take syringes with you; if you need antipyretics, stock up on all these medications in advance. It’s better to plan for everything, including a possible upset stomach and a cold, than to then try to explain to local pharmacies what you need. This also applies to other items related to hygiene, nutrition, and travel comfort. Think through everything as much as possible so as not to look for goods in huge supermarkets with Chinese signs. It’s not a fact that they will be dubbed in English even where there are a lot of tourists.

9. It is not customary to tip everywhere in China, but a maid or porter at a hotel will not refuse 1-2 CNY. By the way, in restaurants there are two menus, one for the Chinese, the other for you, and prices here will be 2-3 times higher. It's hard to do anything about this if you don't look Chinese, but you can try to ensure that they bring you the Chinese version of the menu.

10.China, as a more than densely populated country, can hardly be called safe for tourists. And this is especially true for megacities, of which there are a great many. Try to provide yourself with all hotel contacts, transport lists, maps and atlases of the city, contact numbers of translators and guides. Take care of your belongings and try not to walk alone, especially in unfamiliar areas and away from the hotel. Focus on your tourist group, and do not move too far away from it. Of course, nothing particularly terrible will most likely happen. China is quite civilized, and they will help you if you contact the police or just passers-by, in most cases. And, perhaps, even with joy and interest, the Chinese are responsive and curious. However, it is better to be on the safe side here.

Article text updated: 05/29/2018

In November 2011, together with my wife Ekaterina, we made our first full-fledged trip on our own, without travel agencies. We visited several popular places in China, spent one day in Hong Kong and then flew off to the Philippines for adventure. We really liked the country: kind, friendly people, a sense of security, cheap transport, food, hotels and excursions, great amount attractions. I knew I would return to China again. In March 2014, my dream came true: we flew to the Middle Kingdom for the second time. And today I begin a very long and detailed account of our journey as savages through China and Thailand.

General questions regarding preparing a trip to China

When I wrote a report on my first trip to China on my own, I did not dwell on general issues related to this country that may be of interest to travelers. Let's talk a little about Chinese People's Republic. We all know that the Motherland of Mao Zedong is by far the most densely populated country - more than 1.3 billion people, i.e. every 5th inhabitant of the planet out of 10 is Chinese. We don’t think much about it, but an equally rapidly growing country in terms of demographics (and economy) is India with 1.22 billion hungry mouths. So, every 4 out of 10 people are representatives South-East Asia. The territory of China is 6.5% of the earth's landmass. Only Russia and Canada have more land. Imagine how many tourist attractions this country can fit!

Most of the Celestial Empire has a temperate climate. In the South - tropics or subtropics. In the North - continental climatic conditions. On average, the winter temperature in the northern provinces of the country is -7 °C (but also up to -20 °C) in the center - 5 °C, in the south from +5 °C to +15 °C. In summer - +20.22 °C, +25 °C in the North, Center and southern regions, respectively.

They say that you can fly to Hainan Island for vacation all year round, since the air there is always warmed up to +28 °C, and the water - up to +25.6 °C. We didn’t go to Hainan but we condemn it...;), After a close acquaintance with Chinese hotel service, I am sure that for the same money in Thailand or, for example, the Philippines, you will be able to relax more fun and pleasantly. After all, the Chinese neighbors, like us, have a socialist past with all that it implies.

Time difference with China

The Celestial Empire is a huge country located in 5 time zones. But the party said that it did not want to bother - everyone should live according to Beijing time, i.e. in summer it is ahead of Moscow +4 (the difference with Yekaterinburg is +2 hours), and in winter it is +5 hours to Moscow (+3 to the capital of the Middle Urals).

How to talk to Chinese

In general, the Chinese generally do not speak foreign languages. And they write in hieroglyphs. People often ask me: “How did you communicate in China? What to do if you need to ask for directions? How can you explain to a taxi driver where your hotel is?” In the first story about a trip to China as a savage, I described this moment in detail: pantomimes of a deaf-mute plus printouts with a dictionary and names existing places in Chinese – to Kyiv, i.e. They will take you to the most remote Chinese village. This year we were luckier: in Shanghai, in natural park Zhangjiajie (张家界), Fenghuang Ancient City (凤凰县) and Guilin (桂林) and even in the village of Ma'an (马安寨) the hotel staff spoke passable English (they could speak although at least one person in the hotel).

How to change currency in China

Take some euros with you in cash (as a last resort). But there was no such need (to change the currency). They withdrew money from debit cards Visa and MasterCard at ATMs (everywhere in the menu you can select English and sometimes Russian). The exchange rate was 6.3 rubles per yuan (including a bank commission of 150 rubles for each transaction). Before the trip, we bought 500 yuan from Sberbank (in Yekaterinburg - this is a branch on Tveritina Street, 34) so that we would have money for a taxi from the airport in Shanghai to our New Asia Hotel. And in the morning they withdrew money from an ATM... The procedure for exchanging cash currency in Chinese banks, according to independent travelers, long and tedious. On our first trip to China on our own, we exchanged dollars for yuan in hotels a couple of times. They officially issue a receipt, i.e. this is legal.

Amazing and multifaceted, ancient and at the same time ultra-modern, hectic and incredibly peaceful... A trip to China will reveal this country to you from a variety of angles, and decide for yourself which one to love. One thing we can say for sure - each of you will find a fragment close to you in this Asian mosaic!

What to see in China: the most interesting cities

Beijing

Visit the Gugun Palace complex, previously closed to commoners

You should start your trip to China from the capital Beijing. Its symbol is rightfully considered the world's largest palace complex, Gugun or Forbidden City. During the reign of the Ming and Qing dynasties, which is about five centuries, entry here was closed to commoners, so today one can consider it a great success to be able to visit this incredible masterpiece of architecture. The huge Tiananmen Square looks no less monumental, where the solemn ceremony of raising the national flag takes place every morning. The best way to take a break from Beijing's gigantomania is in the Yiheyuan Gardens of Peace and Harmony, where the summer imperial palace is located among ponds and openwork pavilions. And, of course, a trip to China is impossible without admiring the pagodas: in Beijing these are the elegant Temples of Heaven and Confucius, which look more like precious boxes. And also! Just 60 km from the capital passes the famous Great Wall. Need I say that not a single trip to China is complete without visiting her?!

Shanghai

View of Shanghai at night from the Bund of the Bund ©

Shanghai is a kind of Chinese Greece, where you have everything! Climb on dizzying heights the local Oriental Pearl TV Tower and marvel at the reflections of the sky in the mirrored skyscrapers, then explore the intricate designs of the Longhua Pagoda and the Jade Buddha Temple. Stroll along the popular Bund and go on a mega shopping spree on Nanjing Road, or spend a few hours in the tranquil atmosphere of the Yu Yuan Garden of Joy. Immerse yourself in the world of Eastern culture in museums of ancient art and traditional Chinese medicine, or wax nostalgic for old Europe in the elegant French Quarter. And also! In the suburbs of Shanghai there is a local branch of Venice, a town called Zhujiajiao. Be sure to plan to stop by during your solo trip to China!

Guangzhou

See the most flourishing city in the Celestial Empire with your own eyes! ©

Guangzhou is the most prosperous city in the Middle Kingdom and the embodiment of everything we know about Chinese cuisine. Thanks to his southern location, this metropolis is more reminiscent of a huge garden, where, due to some misunderstanding, skyscrapers suddenly grew. Yuexiu Park with the ancient Zhenhai Tower and the annual exhibition of chrysanthemums, the Orchid Garden with cozy tea houses and Baiyun Mountain, surrounded by greenery, are the main things worth visiting China and Guangzhou for. But there are also the temples of the Six Banyan Trees and the Five Spirits, the Mausoleum of King Nanyue, the Cheng Clan Academy and the futuristic hyperboloid TV tower. As for local delicacies, it is in Ganzhou that you can taste snake meat and dog meat, fried grasshoppers, frogs, worms and other miniature inhabitants of China. And also! An hour's drive from the city center, the rugged and beautiful Lotus Mountains rise above the mouth of the Pearl River, like giants carved from stone by an inept craftsman.

Chengdu

Must visit ancient city in Sichuan province near Chengdu

Chengdu - like an extract of real China, combines ancient architecture and breathtaking natural landscapes. In the city itself you will find colorful temple complexes Black Goat and Wuhoutsi, visit the imperial residence of Bishushanzhuang and stroll along the ancient streets of Wenshufang and Jinli. If you decide to travel to China with children, then a must-see itinerary in Chengdu is the Giant Panda Sanctuary. And another 50 km from the city are the oldest dam in the world, Dujiangyan and mountain range Qingchengshan with many Buddhist monasteries hidden in the mysterious forest thickets.

Where to go in China: the best attractions

In addition to the main cities, when traveling around China you should also visit remote attractions that you should never miss!

Terracotta Army

The number of clay warriors is amazing

According to ancient tradition, Chinese emperors were buried along with their entire living (!) army, and only the first ruler of the Qin dynasty decided to distinguish himself with humanism and, instead of real warriors, took about 8,000 clay figures with him to the next world. The giant mausoleum was excavated only two millennia later, revealing an entire terracotta army with horses and weapons. There are no two soldiers alike here: each of them has his own facial features, and differences in rank and nationality are also visible. Without exaggeration, this is the most incredible archaeological complex in China!

Yuanyang Rice Terraces

Rice plantations make up one of the most alluring landscapes you can see while traveling in China. The best point for viewing these magical panoramas is in Yunnan province, where a whole network of observation platforms. IN different time The rice terraces look different every year. in winter and in early spring they are filled with water and look like mirrored staircases; in summer they are painted in emerald shades, and in autumn they explode with bright golden colors.

Huanshan Mountains

Must visit: mountain panoramas in the Huanshan region

What should mountain lovers see in China if they don’t want to get a special pass to Tibet? The most mesmerizing high-altitude panoramas await you in the Huanshan region. Sharp stone peaks, almost always shrouded in haze, which is constantly pierced by the sun's rays, create an incredible mystical atmosphere. laid through the mountains walking routes different levels of difficulty, on some slopes there are also cable cars. And the best way to relax after tiring descents and ascents is at the foot of Huanshan in the hot springs, where the water temperature is always the same - 45°C.

By the way, many of these places can be visited without a visa during!

The best places to relax in China by the sea

Hainan Island

Incredibly, holidays in China in winter are possible not only in thermal baths, but also at sea! Go to tropical island Hainan, where it is sunny and warm all year round. Resorts in this region will suit everyone. Tourists with children will appreciate the well-equipped sandy beaches with a gentle entrance into the water. Young people will enjoy a variety of entertainment: from bars and discos to diving and surfing. Those who want to spice up their holiday in China with an eventful experience won’t get bored either. cultural program, going to a folk village, Monkey Island and Butterfly Gorge.

The most active and popular resort Hainan - Sanya, where it is always fun, interesting and inexpensive. Yalongwan is more suitable for lovers of quiet fashionable holiday. And if you are into surfing, we recommend staying in the Dadonghai area.

The holiday season is October-November and from March to May.

Baidahe

Until recently, this resort was closed to foreigners; mainly politicians and the wealthiest residents of the Middle Kingdom vacationed here. Need I say that Baidahe has everything that can attract people of this level? Excellent infrastructure, wide golden beaches, clean sea, as well as mountains and healing pine forests. Moreover, this the best place, where you can relax in China near the capital: the train to Beijing takes only 3 hours. True, there is also plenty of entertainment in Baidahe itself: a water park, a safari park and a dolphinarium, the palace of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and the Dove's Nest park, where colorful sunrises are shown. And 35 km from the resort, the Dragon’s Head rises directly from the sea - this is what they call the very beginning of the Great Wall of China.

Holiday season – from May to September

Dalian

Better consider local beauties the cable car will help you

Another resort where it is better to relax in China with children or a group of young people. The main attraction of Dalian – 200 km gorgeous beaches. The most popular of them is Xinghai, with paid sand and free pebble sections. And for those who are looking for peace and solitude, we advise you to go to the distant Banchuy beach. After sunbathing, take a walk around the city and find the ancient Russian and Japanese streets. If you are young and energetic, you will definitely appreciate the stormy nightlife cities with many bars, where both tourists and local students relax. Little holidaymakers won’t be bored either: they can be taken to an unusual forest zoo, an amusement park and an aquarium, but the main thing is to visit the longest glass underwater tunnel in Asia, located in the Dalian Aquarium.

The holiday season is from June to September.

Where to go shopping in China

Our guide to China would be incomplete without talking about the country's most popular shopping spots, because shopping is one of the local tourist entertainment! If you are not looking for something special, but are betting on low prices and a large selection of goods, go shopping at such big cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Best places for shopping in Beijing:

Wangfujing Street is one of the central shopping streets Beijing

Wangfujing Street - where there are many brand stores with the highest quality items;
Qianmen Dajie Street is a shopping promenade where you can find not only clothes and shoes, but also equipment, souvenirs and handicrafts;
Xidan District - here you will find various shopping centers, supermarkets and souvenir shops;
Yabaolu District - specializes in trade with Russia and often “speaks” Russian;
The silk market is one of the most popular in Beijing, you can find almost everything here;
The pearl market speaks for itself - pearls in all its forms are sold here;
Panjayuan Market is the largest swap meet countries where you can find unique works of art, antiques, fabrics and much more.
The Place shopping complex - where the most expensive and luxurious things are sold.

In Shanghai, all trading responsibilities are clearly divided between different areas:

Shanghai also boasts its “trade list”

Longhua Street and the Bund are responsible for the sale of branded items;
Near the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum metro station you can find the same brands, but much cheaper and no longer original;
Quipu Market sells general clothing and shoes;
The First Asian Market and Sunshine Bazaar specializes in jewelry;
Dong Tai Market is worth a look for antiques;
Tien Shan market offers the best choice tea;
Cybermarket, as the name implies, is focused on the sale of equipment and electronics;
And all goods are collected in one place in the Raffles City Shanghai and Shanghai New World malls.

What interesting things can you buy in China?

In addition to clothes and shoes of various quality, from well-known brands and their counterfeits to good market items, it is worth bringing various gadgets from China, because, most likely, your smartphone or tablet is made in the Middle Kingdom! The most popular souvenirs are items made of nifrite, legendary Chinese porcelain and pearl jewelry. And, of course, it is impossible to leave here without a box of real Chinese tea, for example, Puer, Baihao, Maofeng or Tie Guanyin.

Transport for independent travel in China

Moving between cities

If your travel route in China runs through the entire country, it is best to use air travel to move around. The cheapest flights are provided by numerous Asian low-cost airlines, but when purchasing such tickets, pay attention to free rate hand luggage. For those traveling with luggage, it may be more profitable to fly with non-budget airlines, of which there are also many in China.

An alternative to flying is to travel in China by train. Railways cover almost the entire eastern part of the country, and in the west they connect the main cities. Trains are divided into high-speed (up to 300 km/h), high-speed (up to 200 km/h), fast (up to 150 km/h) and regular trains. There are sleeping places (in a soft or hard compartment) and seats (also soft or hard). The most extreme thing is tickets without seats, which we strongly do not recommend buying. Sales are carried out only at the box office, since for using the site railways you must have Chinese bank card and local phone number. Most cashiers don't know English language, therefore, there are special cash desks for foreigners, where, however, an additional fee is charged for “special services”.

If you are organizing a trip to China on your own and have a small budget, it is worth considering the option of moving around the country by intercity buses. On popular routes between megacities, new comfortable cars are most often found, while very old and very overcrowded buses sometimes go to the outback.

Traveling in China by car is extremely inconvenient, since international laws do not apply here. To rent a car, you need to obtain a special document, but this procedure is long and difficult.

Urban transport

As in many countries, popular transport Tourists use taxis to get around

Most quick way moving inside major cities- this is the metro, because ground transport stuck in traffic jams comparable in scale to those in Moscow. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office at the entrance to the subway, and on buses and trolleybuses - from the conductor. In addition to one-time travel cards, there are also special cards that work on the principle of an electronic wallet.

Taxis in China are the most popular form of transport among tourists. Payment is made according to the meter: the initial tariff (from 90 rubles) already includes the first 4 km of the route, then approximately 20 rubles are added. per km. At night and outside the city the tariff may be higher. In addition, there are also pedicabs that are traditional for Asia. They are usually more expensive than taxis, but they don’t cost you in traffic jams and will add a unique flavor to your trip to China!

What you need for a trip to China

Be sure to stop by a couple of Chinese villages along the way

Do you need a visa to China?

When is the best time to go to China?

The most comfortable months for traveling to China (including Beijing and Shanghai) are April-May and September-October, when throughout the country it is no longer cold, but also not too hot. No less good weather in China in November and December it is also found in the south of the country, so you can safely plan a trip to Guangzhou at this time. If we talk about resorts, then at north coast(Dalian and Baidahe) it’s better to go in the summer, but beach holiday in China in winter it is possible only on Hainan Island.

And if you are planning to escape in this direction from the Russian cold, then be sure to use ours.

It might be useful to read: