Solo Travelers: 12 Tips for You!

-

I know traveling alone can be a little intimidating, especially for those first-timers to a huge country like China. There are safety concerns, hygiene issues, travel plans, single supplement, and more to worry. However, you can enjoy a fulfilling trip with the right preparations and realize your solo travel dream. Here are ten tips I offer you as a Chinese friend.



  • #1 Do Your Homework

Whenever you go, always do your homework in advance. You need to know everything you can collect about your destination, especially about your fellow travelers' complaints during their trips. China is a vast country with many hot travel destinations. For a first-timer, big cities are recommended, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Xian, Chengdu, Guilin, etc.. The advantage of choosing one of these cities to start is that you will have an international-level of travel experience without worrying. However, you still need to understand the cultures, customs, sights, food, and the best places to stay.


  • #2 Let Your Friends Know Your Plan

When you decide to have your personal pilgrimage to China, a country hundreds of thousands of miles away from your homeland, it’s highly suggested that you inform your families or friends about your plan. You must be honest with them about your hotels, flights, train info., itineraries, and more. Of course, your embassy will have your travel information when you apply for the passport and visa. 


  • #3 China is A Safe Country to Solo Travelers

I’m not saying that China is a crime-free country; it’s comparatively safer than most countries in the world. Chinese government cares a lot about its international image that the sentences about hurting foreigners are a bit high. Nevertheless, it would help if you still took some precautions about where you are visiting. For example, don’t go to the less-traveled places, avoid taking the cabs that charge insanely cheap, and don’t trust those who intercept your way and offer help. 


  • #4 Don’t Travel the Off-the-beaten Path

China is a populous country. Almost all the major sights are jammed with people, especially on holidays. It could be frustrating if you are looking for a nice and quiet trip. You may think about going to someplace off the beaten path. My advice is: don’t. There is always a reason that place is off the beaten, either too remote or not that appealing. For those who visit China for the first time, city sights are beautiful enough. If you’ve been a city several times and you are bored with the things you always see, then you can do something a bit differently and explore the less-traveled places.


  • #5 Always Carry Toilet Paper

As China is catching up in many aspects, the bathroom services are still a little behind. Only some big shopping malls are equipped with toilet paper. Therefore, you must always carry toilet paper. You probably knew that most Chinese bathrooms only have squatting type toilets, which can be very troubling. However, most hotels and malls also have sitting toilets. 


  • #6 Buy Travel Insurance

Travel is a beautiful word, but you have to know the danger behind it. For solo travelers, insurance is essential. It can help a lot if anything terrible happens.


  • #7 Don’t Take Too Many Valuables

Sure, it feels good to own brand things. It’s not if you are stalked or observed by someone with intention. For a solo traveler, the first thing is to stay safe and lay low. Besides, you can’t take much luggage on your own. Otherwise, you won’t have much fun during the trip.


  • #8 Be Careful about the Street Food

Chinese street food is world-famous. Every city has its specialty to offer. It’s ok if you want to taste some of them, but it’s not wise to cover your meal with street food. Generally speaking, the sanitary conditions of Chinese restaurants are mostly good, but you need to avoid the small food stands. They may be delicious, but there is no guarantee about hygiene. The last thing you want is diarrhea during travel.


  • #9 Look Out for Invitations

China is safe, but there are always local scammers out there looking for the opportunity to rip you off. Just be careful when a young, beautiful girl is approaching and exchange pleasantries with you. She may claim to be a college girl who wants to practice her English speaking skills and then invite you for a cup of drink or tea. If you accept the invitation, you will be facing a high bill of over 1,000 RMB typically. The best way to avoid such an occasion is to refuse the invitation politely.


  • #10 You can Get By without Knowing Chinese

Don’t be stressed if you know nothing about the Chinese language. It turns out many people, especially the urban people of China, understand some English. Of course, speaking a little Chinese shows your respect for Chinese culture. But if you can’t say it right, it only creates more frustration.


  • #11 Prepare VPN and Chinese Apps

Apps like Google, Facebook, Youtube, and Whatsapp don’t work in China. To maintain communication with your families and friends, a VPN is necessary. If you plan to take a trip longer than a week, a Chinese phone might do a lot of good. You can download some useful apps, like Didi (like Uber) and Wechat. 


  • #12 Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

No matter how detailed you prepare, there is always something unexpected during your travel. At such moments, ask for help. Chinese people are warm and enthusiastic, especially so when a foreigner asks them. You just need to be polite.   


Have you traveled alone? What’s holding you back? Your families or job? It will be a real pity when you want to travel and you simply can’t. Let’s pack up and accomplish our pilgrimage!


Recommended Itineraries:


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Timeline of Modern Chinese History

-
Image
Modern Chinese history refers to the history between the founding of the People’s Republic of China and today. It's divided into the new democratic society and the socialist society. During this time, China has evolved from establishing and consolidating its regime to leading the Chinese people to a prosperous, democratic, and self-reliant path. The timeline below illustrates the difficult past and the outstanding achievements that have been made by today. Phase One: The Founding of the People’s Republic of China and the Consolidation of the New Regime On April.23rd, 1949, the Chinese People's Liberation Army built its first navy in the east China military area. In September 1949, the first Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference was held in Beijing. Founding Ceremony On October 1st, a founding ceremony was held, indicating the official founding of the People’s Republic of China. From October 1950 to July 1953, China sent the Chinese People's Volunteer Army t
Read more

A Complete Guide to Xian Food and Snacks

-
Image
Xian is one of the food paradises in China. In the past thousands of years, Xianese invented many food and snacks. Here is a list of must-taste food for you! 1.Rou Jia Mo Rou Jia Mo is one of the very popular snacks in the Xi'an area. It means "bread with meat stuffed in it." The meat put inside is most commonly pork belly, stewed for a few hours in the soup with lots of spices and seasonings, which will eventually make the meat quite flavorful. The hours-stewed meat and fat will be minced and chopped and then stuffed in those fresh-made plain taste bread together with small amount soup, and chili sources will present people a perfect combination. It is a remarkable equivalent to the Western hamburger and meat sandwiches. Rou Jia Mo 2.Guan Tang Bao (Soup Dumplings) While talking about soup dumplings, the one in Shanghai will come to mind for most people. However, Xi'an locals would like to tell you that their lamb or beef dumplings are much better.  The soup dumplings
Read more

Culture of “Face” in China

-
Image
Chinese people are very concerned about face-saving. But what is "face"? Of all the idiosyncrasies, the concept of "Face" in China is perhaps the most difficult to comprehend. In the context of Chinese culture, the concept of "Face" is rich and subtle. It could be dignity, honor, prestige, authority, or personal connections. It's more subjective and personal. "Face" is most emphasized in front of acquaintances (family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc.). Chinese people won't give too much about the "Face" problem in a completely unfamiliar environment. However, if a Chinese is surrounded by acquaintances, he or she will be extra concerned about saving face.  How to Define “Face”? Over a hundred years ago, an American named Arthur Henderson Smith traveled to China as a missionary. He lived in China for 54 years and authored the book "Chinese Characteristics," which summarized more than 20 aspects of Chinese culture.
Read more