WikiHow works like a wiki, which means that many of our articles are written by multiple authors. To create this article, 41 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time.
Visiting China will bring many delicious and unforgettable experience... To take the maximum from the visit program, you need to take into account local peculiarities, and the following tips will help you pack your bags for a successful trip.
Steps
- Having your own toilet paper is especially important for those traveling by train.
- Railway toilets in China can only be used in the "countryside" outside the urban area.
-
Take Pepto Bismol and Loperamide in a chewable dish. The quality of tap water is terrible in China. Problems can arise even if you brush your teeth by rinsing the paste off with tap water, or eat vegetables that have been washed and not cooked. To prevent bowel problems, chew 2 tablets before meals.
- Poor water quality is characteristic mainly of rural areas rather than “urban” areas.
-
Prepare your clothes for the season. It is very hot in summer in China and very cold in winter. Bring plenty of clothes, and remember that you can always use the hotel's laundry or self-service laundry service if parts of your wardrobe need cleaning. However, some laundries use detergents that can cause allergies, so it is safer to use dry cleaning.
- China is a lot like the United States. Summers in the south are very hot and humid, while winters in the north are frosty and dry.
-
In most Chinese establishments, the dress code can be described as reasonable informal, but if you are planning formal meetings, it is better to wear a suit or formal outfit.
Make sure that no water gets into your mouth when you shower. Her taste is normal, but there is a danger of picking up some kind of infection. Therefore, it is best to use bottled table water for rinsing your mouth and brushing your teeth.
- In small towns, they can sell cheap table water, which has undergone only coarse filtration. It is safer to use water from supermarkets when buying well-known brands.
-
Visit your GP (s) or travel clinic. Experts will help you determine which vaccinations you need based on your health condition, vaccination history, the region you plan to visit, and the proposed activities during your trip. All of these prescriptions must be followed before traveling. To buy any psychotropic drugs in China, you must show a prescription certified by a doctor. Bring any antibiotics and other prescription medications you may need during your trip so that you can last for your entire stay in China (plus a few pills in reserve). Transport medicines in their original packaging. US travelers can get all the information they need about medicines in China at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
-
Prepare a small travel kit for each family member. Place a mini roll of toilet paper and a bottle of hand sanitizer in your hip bag. It is better to choose a non-alcoholic antiseptic, since in some provinces (especially Guangzhou) it can be confiscated at customs. Add in a high-calorie sweet cereal nut bar, cough drops, and gum. It is also worth putting on a flashlight to avoid being stuck in the dark during the blackouts that happen in China.
- Don't forget that you are in China and not anywhere else! To reduce environmental pollution, toilet paper is usually not available in toilets. Always have paper napkins on hand, which can be purchased at any store for 1-2 yuan.
-
Always carry some cash and travelers checks as most restaurants and shops credit cards do not accept. Prepare a purse with money, traveller's checks, air and train tickets. It must be firmly and safely fixed on itself, and it is advisable to cover it with clothing. This will be safer than leaving these items in your hotel room.
- The main banks of large and medium-sized cities have ATMs that accept debit cards. You can use your USAA Federal Saving Bank and North American East Asia Bank cards without any problems. In small towns, some banks do not even exchange dollars for Chinese yuan.
-
Other must-have items include a raincoat and / or an umbrella, a hat, summer time - sunscreen and glasses, insect repellent, as well as a plug adapter (power converter) required for powering and recharging electrical appliances.
- Always carry the business card of the hotel you are staying at. This will transport you back in the event of any unforeseen situations. In case of emergency, you must have a copy of your passport, the original of which can be left in a safe place at the hotel.
- Don't eat everything. It is better to know what you are offered and how this dish was prepared. In places like the Wanwujing Market in Beijing, light meals are often prepared in violation of technology. If you are not sure about the quality of the food you eat, drink beer - it will help you digest incompatible foods, as long as you do not overuse it.
- If you are African, European or Latino, don't be surprised if the Chinese ask permission to take a photo with you.
- Once you've decided where you're going, do some research. Learn about climatic conditions in the area. There is nothing worse than being dressed for the weather. At the same time, a certain conservatism is needed. Long pants and tidy shirts / jackets are great for any terrain.
- Take the time to study maps of the places you are staying or planning to visit. This will help you stay on course while walking around town. You are also unlikely to get lost if you equip yourself with a handheld GPS navigator.
- Before traveling, it is worth preparing a listing of all hotels in the areas where you will be traveling. Be sure to prepare a printout in Chinese as well (you can use the Chinese pages of the websites of these hotels or translate the text using an online translator). This will make it easier for you to communicate with taxi drivers who often do not speak English. For the same purpose, you can ask the hotel concierge to write in Chinese the names of the attractions you plan to visit.
- Even cheap hotels have a potable water heater on every floor. Use a clean bottle to cool the 97.22 C boiling water to an acceptable temperature.
- Control the amount of cash you have with you. Just in case, you should have a NZ, which is enough to return to the hotel by taxi. Most airports have ATM machines and it is best to collect cash immediately upon arrival.
- Read a few reports from other travelers to better understand the attractions and what to look out for. Find a travel brochure to review on your flight or in your hotel room.
- China has introduced internet censorship. To access Facebook or YouTube you will need a proxy address replacement service.
- Chinese mobile operators use different standards. If you want to use the same device in China and the USA, you will need a phone with a quadraphonic frequency range. Also make sure you don't have a local SIM card. To work in China too, it must be nationwide.
- Find a Chinese audio course and also grab a dictionary. Knowledge of the Chinese language is essential, but there is no need to be upset about its difficulty. You just need to memorize a few key phrases and general grammar rules. Remember that outside of 5-star hotels and fashionable restaurants people's knowledge of English is usually limited to the word "hello!" If you want to move freely, you need to learn the basic phrases. You can also ask the concierge to write down the names of the places you plan to visit during the day on paper. Thanks to this, you can explain to the taxi driver where you need to get. In urban areas, the chances of finding someone speaking English are higher.
- Chinese currency is sold only in China, so you need to find out where the exchange offices are. Add information about major banks to the list of major hotels that you prepare for your trip. This will allow you to find the nearest location as soon as you need to exchange dollars or travelers checks for yuan.
Collect all documents required to travel to China - passport, all required visas, international air tickets etc.
Take everything you need to China. Although there will be shops on every corner, they will not always sell the things you are used to at home. Most toilets do not have toilet paper, so it is best to have your own stock on hand. Large rolls are inconvenient to carry, so even before the trip you need to put aside a part of the roll that has been used more than half. For a family of four, 6-8 of these mini-rolls will be enough for a two-week trip. Of course, in 5-star hotels, toilets are decorated in European style, and in international airports there are necessarily Western-style toilets. Stock up on what you need. Better to take with you only one key to the house and the car.
China attracts tourists with its flavor, an amazing combination of modern and ancient architecture... In the cities of the PRC, chic skyscrapers coexist with Buddhist temples, there are shops with amazing goods, restaurants with traditional Chinese cuisine. In order to plunge into the atmosphere of the country, it is better to organize a trip to China on your own, go interesting routes and enjoy the local traditions to your heart's content.
What documents are required for the trip?
To visit the country, tourists initially need to apply for a visa. If the trip is planned for up to 30 days, then a single entry visa is suitable for such purposes. Its cost is 1500 rubles.
A package of documents for a visa:
- a foreign passport is liquid within six months from the date of travel;
- a copy of the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
- a questionnaire with a photo in color;
- insurance policy;
- bank certificate to confirm financial solvency;
- round trip tickets;
- invitation.
If the invitation is of a personal nature, then you must provide the passport details of the inviter.
You need to apply for a visa at the consulate.
Transport to destination and within the country
You can get directly to China itself not only by airlines, but also by bus or train. True, for this, you first need to go to Vladivostok, and from there you can choose any land transport and cross the border. Internal movement also remains diversified. You can choose from motor transport, plane, bus, train or taxi. However, in large metropolitan areas, it is better to stop by the subway in order to move quickly. The trip is carried out with a pass, which can be bought at the beginning of the trip and returned at the end.
How to find accommodation?
Obtaining a visa obliges you to provide a reservation for the entire time that the traveler plans to stay in China. Such a long-term reservation is fraught with many unknown surprises. It is recommended to make a reservation for several nights and, if necessary, extend it, and if the room does not suit you, then move out and look for another. Many tourists complain about the disadvantages of hotels.
Poor soundproofing
The walls in the rooms are made of a material that transmits sound to the maximum extent. This fact delivers a lot of inconveniences, since it is almost impossible to provide comfortable accommodation due to good audibility from the next room. And if the hotel is located near a road or a crowded place, then everything in the room will be heard.
Room conditions
The hotel is selected by photo, but arriving there you can be very disappointed. The sizes of the rooms can be radically different from the declared ones, the furniture and cleanliness in the room also may not correspond. When booking a hotel, it is better to pay attention to the rating and reviews, but its cost will be much higher than a hotel with a low rating. So a night in a good hostel will cost about $ 30, and on average about $ 15. Short-term apartment rentals in China are not very popular, but if you wish, you can find a company that will provide accommodation for several nights.
The bulk money here it will be spent on living, from here and it is necessary to start planning the budget.
Food
What people in Russia are used to thinking of as Chinese food is actually very different from real food. Traditional is an unusual combination of products, an abundance of spices and sauces. However, a tourist can easily eat at the famous McDonald's chain, but the price will be higher than the average lunch in Russia. Local restaurants and public catering do not pay due attention to sanitary standards, food there is more budgetary, so there is a chance of getting food poisoning or an upset stomach.
You should not deprive yourself of the opportunity to enjoy traditional snacks; it is enough to find a restaurant or cafe where the owner will be a Chinese Muslim. Such establishments are kept clean, but when planning a trip to China on your own, it is better to look in advance for information on the location of such establishments.
Many travelers choose the self-catering method. You can find all the necessary products in supermarkets, but without knowing the language it will be difficult to do this, for this you need a dictionary. Many exotic fruits cannot be found in Russia, but they can be tasted in China.
It is worth refusing to buy sausages, since soy is used in their preparation, and the taste is fundamentally different from the usual taste.
What you need to know when traveling to China
- When explaining the number from 1 to 9, the fingers of one hand are used, in contrast to the European method.
- To purchase tickets at train stations, you should use the destination written in advance on the sheet, since employees do not always speak English.
- Many social networks are banned in China, and those in use are heavily censored.
- Public toilets are equipped with floor-standing toilets and there is no toilet paper, so it is best to carry it with you. Toilets in China have star status as hotels.
- The traditional color in China is red. The lucky number is 8, and the unlucky number is 4. The Chinese are a very superstitious people. Therefore, some houses may well not have a 4th floor.
- The Chinese vernacular contains many dialects. Each city has its own. Only the hieroglyphs are the same.
- The most important application in China is the one that can quickly translate all the inscriptions from the phone camera.
- Banknotes in China need to be checked well, as there is a possibility of running into a fake.
- They enter public transport at the front door. Payment is made either by transport card or in cash.
- Washing clothes in China is very expensive. Therefore, it is better to look for apartments equipped with a washing machine.
- Additional costs: mentality local residents
Local residents can be characterized as noisy and noisy. These are lovers of bargaining in the markets. By the way, it is quite natural for merchants, bargaining tourists can buy the necessary goods cheaply, sometimes the price can be brought down several times. Payment must be made in cash, since non-cash is not acceptable everywhere. For security reasons, you need to carefully look after your belongings, as theft is developed in China.
The culture of behavior of many Chinese people is very different from the European one, such simple rules as giving up a seat in public transport, or clean up after yourself, are not performed here.
The Chinese are very fond of doing with Europeans, this fact should not be surprised.
Phone and Internet
You can buy a sim card in China only with a passport. Mobile communication is expensive here, about $ 30, and you need to pay the same for the card and tariff. However, many tourists use only Wi-Fi, it is freely available and practically throughout the entire territory. Popular social networks and subject to blocking.
ATMs and cards
The most common MasterCard or Visa system for paying for goods or services in China is not suitable, since the country has a different payment system. The UnianPay card must be issued to the bank absolutely free of charge. You can withdraw cash from your own card at any of the many ATMs.
Safety
In the country, keeping track of your belongings is the main and main task. Because petty fraud is common. The streets of the city are protected by policemen, of whom there are quite a few in every block. Cameras are installed in public transport, crowded places, so there is nothing to fear. However, you should travel carefully.
Prices for flights to China from Moscow
Air links between China and Russia are well established. Many airlines fly to China, some of which are very budgetary. The average cost of a round-trip ticket varies within 25,000 rubles, the most low price will be about 20,000 rubles.
The factors on which the price depends are:
- season;
- how many transfers will there be;
- departure time;
- direction of flight.
Airlines very often hold promotions where the cost of the flight can be significantly reduced and you can get from your destination inexpensively.
Prices in hotels in China
The cost of staying in a hotel in China will differ depending on where the hotel is located. So in large cities accommodation is more expensive, and in small towns it is quite cheap to rent a hotel room.
If you choose a hostel for living, then the cost of a bed-place will be inexpensive about 40-60 yuan.
For a room in a 3-star hotel, you can pay about 150 RMB. For comfort and convenience in the room, and accommodation in 4-5 star hotels, you will have to pay more than 200 yuan.
Rental housing in China
For those who do not want to overpay for hotel services, renting an apartment from the owner will be quite suitable. There are a lot of such options. Apartments will also differ in value depending on the distance from the center, metro, number of rooms, living conditions. Decent accommodation is available for rent starting at RMB 200. It is possible to rent a separate room, then the rental price will be on average 130 yuan.
Visa to China 2019, documents
A visa to China for residents of the Russian Federation is provided on a paid basis. There are two types of visas: single entry and urgent. They differ from each other in cost. For the first option, you need to pay 3,300 rubles, for the second - 4,600 rubles. For self-registration, you should contact the consulate of Moscow. Its branches are located in major cities of the Russian Federation. For Russians, there is the possibility of a 72-hour visa-free visit to China, only in this case it is necessary to fly.
Documents for applying for a visa to China
Visa processing requires preliminary collection of documents. A standard package of documents looks like this:
- International passport.
- Color photo.
- Round-trip tickets.
- Invitation or hotel reservation for the period of rest.
Main attractions
Going to China, it is better to draw up the route of excursions and places to visit in advance. There are quite a lot of attractions in the country, if the travel time is limited, then it is better to go to the main historical monumentswhich are included in all tourist destinations.
The great Wall of China
This monument deserves to be on the list of must-see places. Its length is several tens of kilometers. This historic site has a difficult and sad history, as tens of thousands of people died during its construction. The wall served as a defense against Mongol troops.
Terracotta Army
This is the burial place of statues of Chinese warriors made of terracotta clay. The exact number is still unknown; different sources record different numbers. This item is listed world heritage and is very popular among travelers everyone wants to get here.
The banks of this river are famous for their amazing and varied landscapes. She is herself long river in Eurasia Some parts of the river have the right to be called protected.
Chengdu nature reserve
In this territory live rare species animals. It is worth going there if you want to watch animals in their natural habitat. There are also temples and a monastery of the Tang Dynasty in the reserve.
Hong Kong is a favorite city among tourists. It is worth going there for good shopping, all kinds of entertainment and varied nightlife... Hong Kong is home to chic nightclubs and giant shopping malls. It is also worth visiting the statue of Buddha, temples, Victoria Peak. Aberdeen Harbor will be an unforgettable excursion.
Shanghai
This city is similar to the previous one with its rhythm of life and modernity. You should go here for shopping and soak up the spirit of a giant metropolis.
Tibet
Tibet amazes with tranquility and tranquility. Tours are organized here that help to heal from mental wounds, as well as improve their health. Amazing nature, sincere people, an atmosphere of tranquility, all this will be found in Tibet.
How much is an independent trip to China from Russia?
Before traveling to China, you need to know the approximate amount of expenses for planning your travel budget. Should be considered:
- air tickets from Moscow and back (for two people 40,000 rubles);
- rent a hotel room for 7 days (22,000 for two);
- excursion fees (12,000 rubles for two);
- fare (3000 rubles);
- buying souvenirs, food and other minor expenses (18,000 rubles).
The average cost of a trip to China is about 100 thousand rubles.
Budget travel to China
The travel budget can be reduced by staying not in hotels, but in hostels that can accommodate up to 6-8 people. If you take care of the tickets in advance, then the probability of buying them for a promotion early booking will increase. You can buy last minute deals through travel agencies and fly with a profit.
How to save
It will be possible to save money on tickets, accommodation, as well as on moving around the city, if you do it mainly on foot or by renting a car. It will be much more profitable to eat in inexpensive cafes, but you should not chase after cheapness despite your health. A trip during the low season, when there is not a large influx of tourists, will help to save the budget. Prices for all services and goods fall. Even in China, there is an opportunity to use free housing, just take care of this in advance.
Conclusion
In order to travel to China on your own, it is enough to study the necessary information before leaving, determine the route and plan the travel budget. Taking a little time to read traveler reviews can help you refine your trip and make it fun. It is imperative to fly to the PRC! Do not forget that from China you can bring a lot of amazing souvenirs and gizmos with the famous "Made in China" inscription.
How to organize an independent trip to China in 2019! Visa, tickets, hotels, food, transport, security. How much does it cost to go to China? Cost calculation, advice and observation.
The material was prepared based on personal experience independent travel to China of the author of the text: three months of life 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 what prices and conditions are. I will build on Shenzhen - the center of all electronics, a young and rapidly growing city in the very south of China, which borders Hong Kong. I will tell you what is useful for a tourist when planning an independent trip to China in 2019, as well as give my own observations about the country and tips for travelers.
How to make a visa to China on your own
A visa to China for Russians is needed, except in rare cases. Regular single entry costs 1,500 rubles, double entry - 3,000, multiple entry - 4,500 rubles. Plus a bank commission of 2.5% per person is charged.
Urgent single - 2400, urgent double - 3900, urgent multiple - 5400. There is also an express review, it is more expensive.
Better to stay at chain hotels, as they care about their reputation. A day in such a hotel costs from $ 30-40 per double Room... Chain hotels in Shenzhen: Greentree Inn, Sheraton, Novotel, etc.
Advice:
- Look for a well soundproofed hotel - the Chinese are noisy.
- Photos of hotels are not always true.
- Sometimes the room can be clean and comfortable, but have foreign odors, such as dampness. Or overlook the windows courtyardwhere a dump or a Chinese street cafe (which produces no better smells).
Rent. If you want personal comfortable accommodation, look for a room, apartment, or house on Airbnb. The choice of housing is huge. Renting an apartment in Beijing costs about $ 30-50 per day, in Shenzhen - from $ 27. You can rent an apartment for a month on Airbnb for $ 600-1500 (rooms - $ 500-900). The price depends on the city, area and state of the house. For example, in Shenzhen near the beach in resort area an excellent apartment was rented out for $ 600. When long-term lease there are discounts.
Entrance to the Shenzhen Novotel Watergate (Photo © booking.com / Shenzhen Novotel Watergate) Chinese food and cuisine
Another challenge you will face when traveling to China on your own in 2019 is food. It is very specific here, so there are problems with going to a cafe, especially if you do not know the language. But here McDonald's and KFC come to the rescue. There are also many European well-known chains in which you can order food from pictures. However, prices in them are much higher - for example, a side dish with meat costs from $ 6. Sometimes tea is included in the price. At McDonald's Big Macs (potatoes, cola, double cheeseburger) will cost about $ 5.
In general, in a cafe you can eat for $ 5 or more, in restaurants a simple dish costs from $ 10.
Where you can eat inexpensively and tasty in China:
- Cafe for locals. You can eat in them for $ 1.50, but no one guarantees the quality of products and compliance with sanitary standards. The downside is that it is difficult to order dishes, since often there are no pictures or there are few of them, and if there is, it is not clear what it is.
- "Muslim women" are local cafes run by Muslim Chinese. The food there is prepared in compliance with all standards and is really delicious. I love their noodles very much and I advise you to try it. They prepare it in front of you, and it is interesting to watch this process. Cost from $ 1.5 for a huge portion.
- Supermarket. A kilogram 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 soybeans with tons of spices and additives. They taste sweet and with a specific smell, but just for the sake of curiosity, you can try it once.
(Photo © [email protected] / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0 License)
Internet and cellular communication in China
All sim cards are sold only with a passport in specialized places. The cost of mobile communication is quite high - from $ 20 per month, plus they charge the same for buying a card and choosing a tariff plan. To get a normal tariff and understand everything, you need to know Chinese. If you need internet in China, it is easier to use Wi-Fi while traveling - you can find it everywhere in big cities.
There is another nuisance that many face is blocking all Google, YouTube, Instagram services. To access them, you need to install a special VPN program for yourself.
China Mobile is the largest mobile operator in the world (Photo © Open Grid Scheduler Grid Engine / flickr.com) Transport in China
With transport in China, everything is fine. The infrastructure is very well developed. Airplanes, ferries, trains (including high-speed trains), buses, metro and taxis. You can get anywhere without any problems. Travel in buses - from $ 0.3, in the subway - from $ 0.5.
If you are going to travel to China for a month, buy a travel card. A plastic card can be replenished and used in the metro and buses, and then returned and received back. Cost $ 4. This is very convenient: you do not need to find out the cost of tickets, buy tokens, stand in lines. Accordingly, the problem of language disappears. For trips within the same city, $ 10-30 per month is enough.
A very common type of movement is electric moped. In fact, this is a taxi, only less comfortable, more extreme and cheaper - from $ 2. The main advantage is the absence of traffic jams, as mopeds go wherever they want. The only negative is the language. You need to agree on the price and destination.
(Photo © Lαin / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
ATMs and cards
Be prepared that in many stores your Visa or MasterCard may not be accepted, as in China another payment system is UnianPay. This card can be issued at any bank for free. If you need to withdraw money from your own, then there are many ATMs for this.
Chinese mentality
Don't be surprised if in China you feel like a monkey everyone wants to take a photo with. For a Chinese, having a photo with a European is an indicator of coolness, status, so you will always be in the spotlight. They will always turn at you and, without hesitation, look straight at you. Besides the increased interest, the Chinese will try to make money on the "white man". We are walking money for them, so bargain in all stores. For example, once we knocked down the price of a shirt from $ 35 to $ 5.
We can talk about the culture and upbringing of most Chinese people for a long time. To give way to a girl, to let her go ahead, to let those who get out of the transport, to throw garbage in the trash can - this is not about them. They also have no sense of tact. Do not be surprised if at the first meeting you will be asked about your personal life, salary and health. The Chinese themselves are very cunning and enterprising, but at the same time good-natured.
Useful Chinese Words for the Traveler:
Safety in China
Do you know where the tradition of wearing a backpack in front came from? From China. Petty theft is very common there. In big cities, you can find a police officer everywhere who will be happy to help in any situation. Also, in all buses, metro, shopping centers, and just on the street there are cameras, so in big cities there is nothing to be afraid of, walking along the streets in the evening. From personal experience: I walked with photographic equipment, and no one ever tried to pester me.
Also in China there is an unspoken rule that animals, children and laoyam (to foreigners) everything is possible.
(Photo © Today is a good day / flickr.com / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 License)
How much is an independent trip to China from Russia
Let's calculate how much a trip to China for two for 10 days costs when departing from Moscow:
- Single entry visa - $ 52.
- Flights from Moscow to Beijing and back - from $ 586. Find a ticket \u003e\u003e
- A hotel in the center of Beijing in low season - $ 130. Find a hotel \u003e\u003e
- Eating out for locals - $ 120.
- Insurance - $ 23.
- Transport and attractions - about $ 200.
So how much does it cost to go to China on your own? The minimum cost of the trip, if you are ready to save, is about 1111$ for two for 10 days.
If you are used to living in comfort, then the trip will cost about 1711$ for two (accommodation in a 3 * hotel - $ 250 and meals in cafes and restaurants - $ 600). We spent $ 1,500 a month for two.
Fragment of a 100 yuan bill (Photo © super.heavy / flickr.com) Take advantage of our useful tips on an independent trip to China in 2019:
- Look before the trip how the Chinese people 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.
- Get the medicines you need, as you can hardly find anything familiar in Chinese pharmacies. More likely to come across a dried toad than activated charcoal.
- Download Baidu software and city maps where you are going to live on your phone. This program will help you choose the route, time and type of transport, determine the best route option. You won't get lost with her. I highly recommend it!
I hope you have a general idea of \u200b\u200bprices and conditions. And the problem of language, as you can see, is not so terrible. Travel, because there are so many interesting things in the world!
(Photo © monkeylikemind / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Introductory image source: © mandylovefly / flickr.com / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 license.
Several years ago, I had the opportunity to make a trip to China on my own. In this article I will tell you about all the intricacies of this way of visiting this wonderful country. Of course, if you already have paid travel voucher to China, then it is not necessary to fence a garden. In this case, feel free to go with a tour group.
If you don't have a lot of money…. Or the spirit of adventurism lives in you…. Or you just happened to be by the will of fate not far from China…. Then .. Then it might be worth trying to go on your own. So read this article. I hope it helps you ..
How I decided to go to China
In fact, the thought of visiting this interesting country I had it a long time ago. There are several reasons for this.
First, I have been to Europe quite a lot, but have never been to Asia. I wanted to compare.
The second - when I was on military service (for a very long time :) I served literally on the border with China and ... of course I also wanted to see it since then.
Well, the third kind of work. At that time, our company transported a lot of goods from China. And I had to communicate a lot with the Chinese. I even started learning Chinese a little bit :). Well, the Chinese were actively invited to visit.
By the way, all the photos in the series of articles about China are mine :) And they are clickable (increase by clicking).
Well, now ... The bosses (and then I was still a hired worker), instructed me to open branches in the Far East. Vladivostok. Khabarovsk. Blagoveshchensk. And again the old idea of \u200b\u200ban independent trip to China was revived. Why not? After all, here he is - near ..
Options for "getting" to China
In general, if you live in the European part of Russia. Or, like me, in the Urals, then a trip to China will be quite expensive. Of course, the main expense item is air tickets. Anyway, any tickets to China. What are the options to get to China on your own?
and. Train Moscow-Beijing... This is the most exotic option. For those who have nothing to do, it is interesting to travel a lot. The train goes only across Russia for about a week. And even in China then for several days. To be honest, I don't know who in their right mind would make such a trip :).
b. Direct plane to China... Well, or with transfers. This is probably the best option for most independent travel lovers in China. Despite the fact that the air ticket is quite expensive, sometimes there are very good discounts. And you can fly (or fly) from China two or three times cheaper than the usual price. By the way, I flew back from Beijing. For such a sale ticket. Also look for flights not to Beijing, but to other cities in China. Sometimes (sooooo rarely) it is more profitable to fly to other cities and then get there by train or buses. But there are ambushes, about which below ...
Flights are very inexpensive - tynts here!
in. If you somehow ended up in Kazakhstan, then try to drive from Almaty to Urumqi. You can get there by regular minibus. I myself saw how Chinese migrant workers got into a minibus (by the way, a stop near the main market in Almaty) and left for China. Most likely there are more civilized buses and trains. But then you have to go to Guangzhou. And from there to Beijing. I myself have not traveled that way, so see similar options elsewhere.
g. Well, if you somehow ended up in the Far East or near... That's bingo! From here opens the easiest way to China for independent travel! Simple enough cut the barbed wire at the border, put on shoes with hoof prints and under cover of night ... drive just a few kilometers and you are in China!
Yes. And I consider exactly tourist trip... And it basically assumes that you will somehow get to Beijing. At the beginning of the journey or at the end. I do not consider options for rest on Hainan Island…. This one is from another opera :)
How did I get to China?
At the expense of the company where I worked, I had a chance to get to Blagoveshchensk. Again, for the business. I came to Blagoveshchensk from Khabarovsk. By the way, you can get to China directly from Khabarovsk. As far as I remember, there is a bus from Khabarovsk to the local border Chinese town (I forgot the name, it seems to start at F). But he travels about another hundred kilometers. It was uncomfortable for me then.
So that's it. For a trip to China, I myself chose the border crossing in the Blagoveshchensk-Heihe region. Fortunately, these cities stand on two opposite banks of the river at a distance of 5 kilometers from each other. In summer, small boats go there. In winter ... I don't know. I was in the fall. And we were transported by hovercraft. But that was three years ago. Now they say that the bridge has already been built.
From Heihe, I took the train to Harbin. And from there by train to Beijing. From Beijing I flew directly to Yekaterinburg by plane. This is in brief. I will tell you more about each stage further….
3. A little bit about China ... Tedious necessary info
So. Read some information about China before you travel. I will write here "all in a heap". What will I remember. So, don't scold me great :)
Car rights.
As far as I know, European rights to China are invalid. Although, of course, I can and inadvertently lie. Better check it yourself. But ... I would not advise you to drive on the roads of the Middle Kingdom on a rented car on your own, even you will have such an opportunity. Why? It's all about traffic ..
Road traffic.
For the independent traveler to China, road traffic at first glance will resemble hell! A huge number of cars and everyone is going somewhere! Everyone honks with and without ... Veselukh! And, oddly enough, there are no accidents. A European driver in such a "mess" will be uncomfortable.
By the way, pedestrians are also cool. The fact is that Chinese car owners are NOT required to let pedestrians pass at pedestrian intersections. That is, first cars pass by, and then pedestrians in small dashes .... :). Despite this, I have not seen pedestrians injured. Moreover, several times I had to cross a huge road of 10 lanes with no traffic light. And nothing ... Cars honk, but let them pass ...
Yuan
During my trip, the RMB exchange rate was 5: 1. Now .. now higher. You can change Yuan for a trip to China on your own without any problems right at the border. I don’t know about airports, but in Heihe city they change right at customs without any problems. The course is much more profitable than in Russia. By the way, in Russia it is still often not possible to find yuan in exchangers.
About using bank cards. And cash withdrawals. I have not used. But acquaintances who tried to pay for purchases russian cards Visa complained that there were ambushes. So, you better look for information on this topic on other resources.
Language.
The Chinese language, oddly enough, is quite easy to learn. More on this below. More precisely, in another article ... I recommend ... highly recommend ... stock up on cards on which the main "tourist" phrases will be written in hieroglyphs on one side (and in Russian words on the other, so that you don't get confused :)). And the name of the cities where you will go (to buy tickets).
Yes. The Russian language is perfectly understood and is spoken in the border towns. The Chinese will no longer understand you further from the border. And even in Beijing, very few people speak English. In Russian - and even less. So, independent travelers to China, learn Chinese!
Mentality
The Chinese are mostly simple open people... They helped me constantly. Prompted. They are very polite. In general, the Chinese are quite clean :). What they think is what they say. Of course, if you are not bargaining with you at this time!
By the way, if the Chinese is an official, then be ready to express your respect and respect to him. It is necessary! Even if it seems that he (the official) is talking to you a little condescendingly, do not pay attention. This is a kind of "bureaucratic" style of conversation. How to find out an official? Very simple! He will be dressed "in full dress". Even the train conductors resemble appearance our generals :).
Well and more. There are many Chinese! There are a lot of them! Even where it seems that they should not be - they are! And they move in small groups of 100-200 people! :) But oddly enough, even if there is a large (in the opinion of a European) queue, it moves very quickly!
Attitude towards Russians
Very good. But ... Many Chinese of the older generation did not hesitate to express to me their negative attitude towards what is happening in Russia now. Like: "We looked up to you as older brothers, and you ...". Young people are increasingly focused on America and Europe. And tries to teach english language, not Russian.
In cities where there are not many "white people", many will come up to take a picture with you :). So it was with me in Harbin. In the "Russian village". But more on that later.
But .. all the same, remember that the Chinese consider themselves to be "center". That is, "the most important". No wonder that the self-name of China is translated as "Central State"! And other foreigners will still be, let's say, less equal than the Chinese ...
Prices
After the appreciation of the yuan, prices in China are not that low. And especially in Beijing. I would say that prices there are at the level of Russia. Maybe just a little bit lower. There are, of course, options to save money, but ... Don't expect to buy an ultra-modern smartphone much cheaper ... Or clothes and shoes. It is cheaper, but practically at the same price you can buy it in Russia ...
Or buy it very cheap - that's bullshit! :) As well as with us!
But ... keep in mind that you can and should bargain with the Chinese! Especially in the markets. As a result, you can bring down the price several times!
Chinese salary
This is not surprising given that wages in China have caught up with and surpassed the average wages in Russia. The days when a Chinese lived for $ 1 a day are long gone! Pensions in China are also commonplace. And they are constantly growing. And the retirement age is going down!
Trains
There are several categories of trains. Please note that there are no seats available! At the same time, over sufficiently long distances! In a bad scenario, you can stand on your feet for 8-10 hours! Therefore, buy in a regular reserved seat or coupe. These tickets cost about 30% less than ours.
By the way, there are also high-speed trains. Very comfortable and confortable. But also quite expensive!
Please note that the train stations are usually soooooo crowded. And you will not always find seating. So, if possible, come to the station as close to the train departure as possible. By the way, sometimes some dark personalities sell seats :) at a not very expensive price. I didn't use these "services", so I can't say anything ...
You will be released to the platform literally 10-15 minutes before the train departure. Hurry up to get into the car! For orientation, right at the exit, the board shows where the head is and where is the tail of the train. Very comfortably!
Buses
For an independent trip to China (more precisely, in China), you can consider the option of traveling by bus. Unlike our buses, the Chinese buses have reclining seats. It turns out the bus option reserved seat car.
Aircraft
I won't say anything about them. I don’t know… I didn’t fly on the internal Chinese airlines. Better look elsewhere
Timezone
China is located in 5 time zones. But the time is the same everywhere - Beijing! The difference with Moscow is + 5 hours.
Help
Often in border towns after you have passed customs, so-called "help" can approach you. They speak Russian well and are ready to take you wherever you want. Well, tell me what and where. In principle, there is nothing wrong with that. I myself used the services of one "helping" to find the right address. The prices are not very high (although, of course, it will be cheaper for you to get there by yourself on a "regular" taxi). But then there are no problems with the language barrier. Just before using their services, you need to discuss the price in detail! Otherwise, you can "hit"!
Communication
No one from Russia called me (and I did not call) during the trip. But in China, I had to make several calls. To do this, they bought me (more on this later) a local SIM card for 200 rubles. That was enough.
the Internet
With the Internet for those who went to China on their own, an ambush. The fact is that wi-fi is everywhere, but only registered users can enter it. And you can register only with your passport. The registration interface is only in Chinese ... In short, I was able to access the Internet only at the hotel. There they gave a password to Wi-Fi and I was able to connect.
But this is not everywhere.
By the way. Some “foreign” sites (not Chinese) can be blocked. For example, facebook. Or YouTube. Please keep this in mind.!
Food
There is no problem with food in China for the independent traveler! There is a lot of it. It's cheap! And there are eateries wherever you can have a bite! The food is delicious! I recommend the Chinese beer! Very cool and cheap!
Don't worry about exotic things like fried grasshoppers or dog meat! The overwhelming majority of "canteens" do not have them. Unless you want to try it yourself. Although I still recommend to learn the hieroglyph "dog" .... For everyone ...
By the way, not far from where I spent the night (more on that in the next article), there is a large exotic food market. I would not recommend eating it. But it's interesting to see!
I draw your attention to the fact that you can often find very spicy food. Learn these hieroglyphs too. I was saved several times by locals from ordering such dishes!
By the way. It is in the nature of things to bring your own water to the "cafe" and order only food.
In cafes and restaurants, it is customary to take an advance payment from a visitor, so do not be surprised ... About tips ... Fig knows him. I read, before the trip, that like you can't leave a tip, otherwise the Chinese will be offended. Other sources wrote that on the contrary, you need to leave. But only to waiters and porters. In Harbin, I left no tip for fun. And nothing ... Nobody said anything. In Beijing, on the contrary, I left it. We took it without any problems ...
Well ... there are no forks anywhere! Learn to eat with chopsticks!
By the way, all kinds of McDonald's appeared in China. So if you want, you can eat there too. But why do this, you can go there at home!
Buying tickets
If you are an extreme in life, and a trip to China on your own is a common thing for you, then you can try to buy tickets at the box office on the spot. At the same time, you should not be confused by the huge (really huge!) Queues and the lack of knowledge of the Chinese language. In this case, be prepared either not to buy tickets at all or to go to hell :)
I have acted wisely. More expensive though. But not much. I ordered tickets in advance from a Chinese "assistant" through a travel agency in Blagoveshchensk. The Chinese "assistant" bought tickets in advance and handed them over to me in Heihe. That's all! But more on this in my other article ...
Crime
I have never even met hooligans. I didn’t notice that the Chinese were disturbing the order. In general, there are a lot of police in China. And it is not particularly noticeable. But if there is some bad-boom, then they are right there ....
Toilets
Concluding this enchanting article, I could not ignore such a "delicate" topic. But ... I'll make a couple of points.
First, there are many toilets in China. They everywhere! And they are free .. And clean enough! That is, in China, an independent traveler can eat or… without any problems. on the contrary ...
The second - in many toilets there is no toilet bowl :) How to put it mildly ... "Toilet-type toilet" :) Just a hole in the floor. Well, this is what I am writing so that it would not be a surprise. :) Although in hotels and hostels "for foreigners" everything is fine! Toilets are there!
Fuh. Okay. You can continue indefinitely. It seems that I told the main thing. Well, if you have more questions, just write to me .. I will answer.
Your Traveler Online
Alexander Bessonov
Several bloggers I know visited Blagoveshchensk last year. They wrote a lot about the capital of the Amur Region, but for some reason almost nothing about the Chinese side. When I asked why, each named different reasons, but I was even scared that the flash drives were forcibly formatted on the road and the memory was erased. After all, it can’t be so that a person who first appears in another country will not write anything about it!
Fear is fear, but interest is stronger. I captured the stages of crossing the border, despite the fact that photography is strictly prohibited there.
Residents of Blagoveshchensk constantly travel to China, they do not need a visa. Previously, and at all for every weekend, now it has become more difficult due to the increased yuan exchange rate. For some reason, Russians from other regions are convinced that only those who have Amur registration in their passports can travel without a visa.
In fact, enter the border heihe city Any resident of Russia can, if he has a passport. In theory, you can even get to Beijing without a visa, or arrange a trip throughout China. In practice, this gamble will most likely end in failure - when you board a train or plane, your documents will be checked by border guards. But Heihe will have enough color for you, especially if you have never been to China.
1 Getting ready to go, the first thing I did was to change rubles for yuan. I did this in Blagoveshchensk, fearing that the course on the Chinese side would be worse. Do not repeat my mistake: while the situation is such that the Chinese will give you more: the ruble has become twice cheaper, they are happy to come to us to buy their own goods. In general, if we are talking about a small one - change where you want.
2 The trip to China starts from the river port. In winter and summer, the only difference is where you will be transported to the other side: in winter it is a bus, in summer a boat.
3 Prices bite. A regular ticket costs 2150 rubles. Not much cheaper in summer, maybe 200 rubles. The whole embarrassment of the situation is that the trip will take a maximum of five minutes, the bus will simply be transported to the other side of the river and dropped off at the Chinese customs.
4 It's still on our shore. Chinese beauty does not freeze at -25!
5 The waiting rooms of the river station could certainly be repaired, with the money they receive for travel. And now there are so few people, before the jump in the course to China, large crowds roamed, people missed two or three buses, they could not get there. The income is huge. there is duty freewhere the cat cried.
6 Buses run every 15 minutes. It is made in China, of course. But the numbers are Russian. And the driver is Russian. And me with russian passport also on this bus.
7 For some reason, the Chinese have their own transport. Apartheid in the Far East. They say that in a Chinese transport company travel is several times cheaper. But we can't go there.
8 Hovercraft are not used. Apparently, they are simply not needed, the flow of people moving is minimal. After all, if I have not confused anything, can these ships move on the ice?
9 We go down to the floating bridge. These are five barges chained together. In winter, they block the Cupid with themselves, and people can ride on them. Private transport is prohibited, only buses and occasionally Chinese trucks.
10 Generally speaking, with such a flow of passengers and active trade, a normal bridge suggests itself. In addition, our neighbor is China, which is famous for its ability to build roads and bridges in the shortest possible time. The first shuttle traders began to travel en masse in the early nineties, twenty years ago. And ten years ago, in 2004, our countries agreed on visa-free entry through this border crossing. There are even more people. Time to build a bridge? No, it's time to buy new boats and buses.
They say that every time Moscow asks why there is still no bridge across the Amur in Blagoveshchensk, representatives of the local authorities go to the capital and somehow settle the issue. Too profitable business, to take two thousand rubles for five hundred meters of the road. This is what the people call her - “the golden mile”.
Probably, business will get off the ground by next year, when they promise to build a cable car here. Although this, too, is not at all an easy way, and you can take the same two thousand for a journey. Isn't it easier to build a bridge? No, we have a special path.
11 The arrivals hall is heavily smoked. This is the first thing that catches your eye. They smoke inside the station and are not shy. The interior looks like small airport, everything is much more decent than in the port of Blagoveshchensk.
Border formalities are quick, but you have to pay a little more. On their side, the Chinese are asking for another 100 yuan (today about a thousand rubles) for two tickets. One seems to be the visa fee and the other is entrance ticket... Yes, a ticket for entering China.
12 As soon as you leave the border zone, a million Chinese rush to you, who begin to compulsively offer their taxi services, assistance in accommodation. If you are Domodedovo airport at rush hour, then you must understand what I mean. Only here they bombed ten times more, and they pester ten times more actively. I didn't even know how to fight them off.
Suddenly the hall was filled with uniformed men armed with shields and clubs. Military police. The coolest guys from Chinese law enforcement. They began to cut circles around the room, banging their boots on the tile floor and batons on their asses. So it is necessary to deal with obsessive bombing, learn! - I thought.
In fact, they just walked in a circle and went to another room. Such security measures were introduced by the Chinese authorities after a bloody attack on railway station last year. They have no frames at the entrance.
13 Here I am free. The Ferris wheel, which so attracted from Blagoveshchensk, turned out to be unfinished nearby. The builders screwed up, and he was not accepted for safety reasons. Or maybe on purpose? Is this a Potemkin village?
14 A city that fully lives by trade with Russia is now experiencing better times... We need to change the schemes: Heihe is the very north, and by the standards of China, a distant province. And they brought in a lot of goods.
15 The closest building to the customs office is the Ostrov shopping center, the hottest place in the city. By the way, we are really on the island, moreover, it once belonged to Russia. At what moment and how the Chinese got there, I don't know, tell us. After all, they fought for the uninhabited Damansky in the sixties, and this one was given without a fight?
16 Inside, at first glance, is an ordinary shopping center with all sorts of junk. The main thing, as I understand it, is not to rise above the first floor. They say that a tourist can be beaten there if you stop to look at the window and then buy nothing. It is especially dangerous now when there are no Russians in the city. Or maybe they do it.
17 Funny Chinese signs in Russian start here.
18 Although what awaits us in the city itself is much more fun. There will even be a separate post about them!
19 Vodka shop is my favorite!
21 There is another shopping center just outside the Island. The same Yuan dong that is so clearly visible from the Annunciation shore. There are buses near it that go to the center. Usually everyone uses taxi services: it is inexpensive even now, within a hundred rubles in the city. But the bus costs ten.
22 What is the first thing to do in China? It's time for breakfast. In the morning the stomach is empty. Even if the noodle shop is not working yet, but is open - come in, you will not be left hungry.
23 Igor met me in Heihe. He lives in China, is fluent in the language and does business, helps to transport goods across the border, and then send them transport companies all around Russia. Igor is the king of shuttle traders :) And I, a cudgel, will never learn to take pictures properly with goPro - people turn out differently from what they are in life.
24 Now I'll tell you about the way back, it is also interesting. I will definitely tell you about the two days I spent with the Chinese.
25 The border guards will ask for 35 yuan. It's a ticket to get out of China, yes. Not a bribe, an official fee. I think I like taking photos with my phone - the quality is lame, but it's not as bad as it used to be. But stealth is the best weapon of a spy and photo blogger. In summer, you can even take pictures of border guards if you put your phone in your shirt pocket.
26 The same “Russian” bus and cheerful driver, who said that the cable car, it seems, would really be built, and then he would not have work. Because in the summer the same driver is the captain of the boat.
27 I was driving back in good weather, I was able to shoot this wonderful bridge. Such a normal bridge. You cannot go quickly along it, but it is several hundred meters long. The pontoons were built half of Chinese barges, half of Russian. This is the Chinese part.
28 And this is ours. The difference is noticeable, right? And the point is not that the barges themselves are older and narrower, although this too. But couldn't the road be cleaned normally? No. Just like you can't build a bridge.
29 Such is the trip. Nothing extreme, as you can see. But how terrible China is, how it is painted - I will tell you in the next report.
