General Travel Tips
General travel tips for first-time visitors to China. Plug adapters (Type A, C, I), best months to visit (April-May, September-October avoid Golden Week Oct 1-7), tipping etiquette (not customary), and the small habits that make day-to-day travel smoother. Practical answers from people who actually live and travel here.
55 answers
What practical tips matter most for a short Beijing and Shanghai trip using TWOV?
Fill the arrival card online via the immigration app or WeChat/Alipay mini-program, and keep flight and hotel proof ready.
What should a solo older woman prepare for a long China trip?
Set up Alipay and ideally WeChat Pay with an international card; both take foreign cards and Alipay allows large single payments.
What should I prepare before an overland Xinjiang and Qinghai trip entering China from Kyrgyzstan?
At the border, state your first hotel, next stops, and exit plan clearly; onward proof is not required but a clear plan is.
Which Chinese apps do locals use for travel, restaurant, and attraction recommendations?
Use Xiaohongshu (RED) for travel notes, itineraries, cafes, hotels, and attraction tips.
What apps and essentials should I set up before visiting Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong?
Buy and install a travel eSIM before departure; it bypasses the Great Firewall automatically, so Google and WhatsApp work without a VPN.
What should I prepare before moving from the US to Kunming/Yunnan for two years, especially for sending money home?
Send up to about 500 USD a day on your passport alone at a major Bank of China or ICBC branch; larger monthly transfers need your tax records and contract.
For a first solo female China trip in September, what route and preparation make sense?
September is a good month, but avoid Mid-Autumn (Sept 25-27) into National Day (Oct 1-7) in 2026.