The 9 best tips to travel to China for the first time

Traveling to China for the first time might seem like an adventure even for the most experienced travelers. China is a very big country and if you decide to know it, you could live one of life’s most impressive journeys. There are many barriers that could arise along the way for the Asian giant, but with some of the best tips to travel to China for the first time, you can pass those barriers and you will surely get the best vacation of your life.

The 9 best tips to travel to China for the first time

The planning

Planning your trip well will help you to be prepared for everything. For that reason, you must take into account a series of factors that will complicate you with your arrival in a country of the red dragon and giant pandas. Plan everything ahead of time, so keep this in mind:

Do you need a visa?

Many nationalities need a visa to travel to the kingdom of the dragon. Therefore, you should have prepared this procedure that could take a few weeks. Make the visa process at least 2 months before your trip. Failure to do so could result in sanctions such as immediate deportation to your country of origin.

What destinations are you going to visit?

China is an incredibly big country. So, you must be clear about all the destinations that you visit. This means planning transportation very well since you will have to travel long distances. Traveling by train, bus, plane, the means of transport you choose should fit your itinerary. For this reason, one of the tips to travel to China for the first time is to be clear about the places to visit and to reserve in advance the means of transport.

If you still do not know which cities to visit, we can recommend visiting the enigmatic temple of heaven in Beijing, the Great Wall, the eight thousand terracotta warriors of Xi’an and the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai. All these destinations you can enjoy in one of the best tourist circuits in China. Enjoy the Great Wall, Warriors and Shanghai.

Now that you know where to travel, what transportation to use?

This is one of the best tips for traveling to China for the first time. Transportation is essential in such a large country and knowing how to mobilize could make the difference between a trip full of stress or a quiet trip. Do not even think about renting a car, the traffic in China is hellish and mobilizing could be very difficult.

Due to traffic, buses would not be a good option either. They are usually old and are not very safe. Unless the trips are very short, we do not recommend using a bus. Airports, on the other hand, are very new and have excellent maintenance, so flying could be the best option. Another good option is to take the train.

The language could represent a strong shock

One of the main barriers that you face in China is the language. The percentage of Chinese who speak English is very low. So, one of the tips to travel to China for the first time is to use translators that allow you to communicate calmly. Download applications with which you can communicate and understand your needs.

Cultural Clashes

Our western culture completely clashes with Asian culture. It is very different a trip to Europe or America, where we may have more similarities, than a trip to China. If you are not ready for this meeting of worlds and cultures, you could take a few surprises. If you want, here you can meet and keep in mind some Chinese customs and traditions that will surprise you.

Do not be prejudiced

In general, we have some ideas that do not allow us to try new things, new activities, new food. We have a preconceived concept of a place, some people, some customs and we tend to judge before knowing. The best way to know a place and its people is to leave behind these prejudices and try all the good things you can. The Chinese food may seem strange, the customs a crazy thing, but if you give them the opportunity, they will surely surprise you. So, leave behind prejudices and let yourself be impressed by a journey that will alter your senses.

Prepare for everything

China may be so different from what we are used to that the smallest change could surprise you. Therefore, this is perhaps one of the best tips to travel to China for the first time. Always keep an open mind, a lot of traffic, a lot, but a lot of people, strange customs, extremely rare food. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve found in another country? Well, we assure you that, from your trip to China, everything will seem very normal.

Enjoy the life

In the end, the most important thing is to enjoy, leave behind the worries and enjoy a trip that will bring many learnings. You will be a new person and all thanks to a trip full of adventure.