Interesting things on the web! Traveling to China: tips Independent travel to China from Beijing

If you decide to explore the culture of Asia and spend your vacation in China, then the surest way to do it on a budget is to go on your own, without the help of tour operators. We have put together an interesting 9-day itinerary that will allow you to see all the interesting things.

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From Russia the cheapest way is to fly to Beijing, and then to Xi'an.

As a rule, the first and second terminals are used for domestic flights, but departures can also be from the third. It is better to purchase air tickets in advance. Flights are operated by Air China. If you are not a big fan of flying, you can get from Beijing to Xi'an by train. Tickets can be purchased at chinatraintickets.net.

You shouldn’t waste time trying to buy tickets at the station, as you’ll have to wait in line in the evening. You can use the services of a travel agency, whose offices are not difficult to find. They may sell you tickets at a small markup, but this way you can save quite a lot of time. The cheapest way to get from Beijing to Xi'an is by bus, which departs from Liuliqiao Bus Station.

So, for example, a double room in the Suba Hotel Xi'an Dongmen 2* per night costs 428 rubles, a room in the Xi'an Forest City Hotel 4* 1309 rubles per night, a room in the Golden Flower Hotel Xi'an by Shangri- La 5* for 2783 rubles. In general, the choice is huge, and the prices are quite affordable.

The first day. On your own in Xi'an

Xi'an is an amazing city that has more than 3,000 years of history. It is rightfully considered one of the oldest cities in China. This is where the Great Silk Road began. You will spend two days here. We begin our tour of the city with the most famous sights.

We catch a taxi and go to the Big Goose Pagoda, which is located in the Qien Temple. Here you will see beautiful gardens and unique architectural buildings. Many of which have been restored after repeated destruction. The Pagoda itself, 64 meters high, has 7 tiers. From the top there is an excellent panoramic view of the entire city, where many other unique attractions are concentrated. An observant tourist will notice that the Pagoda is at an angle that increases over time. This is how the pagoda received the unspoken name “Chinese Leaning Tower of Pisa”.

Big Goose Pagoda is a great place for walking and contemplating beauty. Be sure to check out the Peony Pavilion. Near the Pagoda, the fountain show begins in the evening. A very beautiful sight. Not far from the fountain garden is the Narru New Year shopping center, where you can have a snack at the Hot Pot restaurant. In these restaurants, food is prepared right at your table, which has a heating element built into it.

After a short rest, we again use a taxi and go to the inspection of the Fortress City Wall, the main task of which was to protect the city. Here are the most famous and significant sights of Xi'an - the Drum and Bell Towers, the Muslim Quarter, and the Great Mosque.

We recommend starting your inspection from the southern gate. Here you can see the Drum Show, which takes place daily. After the show, you will be able to take a photo with its participants dressed in national costumes and even knock on these same drums. Tourists are treated with respect here.

The length of the wall is 12 km, so you can rent a bicycle on site. Paid entrance. In close proximity to the South Gate there are the Bell and Drum Towers. The Muslim Quarter is also close. The Silk Road directly influenced the fact that two religions are practiced here - Islam and Buddhism.

In the Muslim Quarter you will see the Grand Mosque, which is one of the four largest in China, and which was built in the 18th century. The Muslim Quarter is a fantastic place, colorful and a must-see.

The shopping streets in the quarter deserve special attention. Here you can buy souvenirs made of stone, wood, and silk.

Second day

To visit Xi'an and not see the eighth wonder of the world - the Terracotta Army - would be simply an unforgivable mistake. You can get there from Xi'an by one of the buses that depart from the railway station every five minutes. Look for the inscription on the bus “Terracotta army”. The journey will take no more than an hour. The bus will stop near the ticket office, which is where you need it. Local guides who speak reasonable English also offer their services here.

Before you get to the entrance, you will have to pass by souvenir shops, eateries and other places that will try their best to get you to spend money.

Now that the path has been completed for you, three pavilions will be open on the territory of the museum. To see the Terracotta Army, go to the first pavilion. The height of each warrior in the army reaches about 195 cm, and the weight of the sculpture is 135 kg. The faces of all the sculptures are directed to the east, towards the defeated states.

After visiting the eighth wonder of the world, go to the bus stop, get on the bus and after three stops ask the driver to stop in Lintong. The Huaqing hot springs will be interesting here. Don't forget to prepare a note with hieroglyphs for the driver or explain yourself in English. Just let us know that you need Hot springs. Why is this place a must visit? It is here that the garden and park assembly is located, which occupies an honorable place among the hundred best in China.

You will have to pay about 110 yuan to enter. This place is associated with a romantic but sad love story between the beautiful Yang Guifei and Emperor Xuanzong. It was for his beloved that the emperor built a beautiful park and baths.

Today, next to the Lotus Pond, you can see the Tree of Love, to which thousands of ribbons are tied. The hot springs are also operational, so you can wash your face with healing water. Now is the time to appreciate the place from the observation deck on Mount Lishan, which is located close to the park.

Now you can return to Xi'an with a sense of accomplishment to taste the famous local dumplings. We recommend checking out the restaurant, which is located between the Bell and Drum towers. You definitely won’t pass by this place, because at the entrance you can see a huge dumpling.

Don't stay up late, because tomorrow you will have a flight to Guilin.

The third day. On your own in Guilin

How to get there

In order not to worry about the transfer, contact the administrator of your hotel and order a taxi. The flight to Guilin takes 1 hour 50 minutes. What is remarkable about this place? Unique nature, unique landscapes, the Lijiang River, karst mountains. In addition, it was here that the third episode of Star Wars and the film The Painted Veil were filmed.

From Guilin Airport you can take an express bus to the city. If your hotel is further away than the final stop, then after the bus, take a taxi.

Where to stay

Budget accommodation options include the following hotels:

• Guilin Ling Hong Express Hotel (RUB 427 per night)
• Guilin 68° Hotel North Train Station Branch (RUB 517 per night)
• Guilin Muslim Hotel (RUB 662 per night)
• Yu Long Hotel (RUB 669 per night)
• Guilin Hetai Hotel (RUB 675 per night)

If price doesn’t really matter to you and you don’t want to skimp on comfort, then we recommend the following hotels:

• Grand Bravo Hotel (RUB 4,045 per night)
• Guilin Golden Oriole Hotel (RUB 4,052 per night)
• Sheraton Guilin Hotel (RUB 4,390 per night)
• Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin (RUB 4,587)
• The White House Hotel Guilin (RUB 8,442)

Now that you have checked into your hotel and rested a little, we recommend visiting the iconic site of Guilin - Elephant Trunk Mountain (Xianbishan), which is located in the southern part of the city center. This place, whose height is 100 meters, received this name because the outline of the mountain resembles an elephant that seems to have lowered its trunk into the river. A very interesting place. This is where the Lee River joins the Peach Blossom River.

According to legend, in this place a herd of elephants descended from heaven to earth. The beautiful views and picturesque nature so impressed the elephants that they wanted to stay here, but this thereby angered the Jade Emperor, who ordered them to return immediately. The herd returned, but the emperor was missing one elephant.

Enraged, he took out his sword and stabbed the animal in the back. The elephant turned to stone. Today, tourists can visit this place by taking a ferry. The ferry departs from the terminal on the street. Nanhuanlu. At the top of the hill you can see a brick pagoda. Its shape resembles the hilt of that same sword.

Near the park you can see the Hezhong tourism travel agency. We recommend stopping by here to purchase a tour to the rice terraces. Of course, you can get to them on your own, but then you will have to make a transfer, and the journey itself takes more than three hours. In general, many tourists prefer an organized excursion. You will have to pay about 170-180 yuan. The bus will pick you up from your hotel and then take you back. Don't forget to leave the hotel's business card with the employee to avoid any misunderstandings, as English will not help you here.

Waterfall at the Lijiang Waterfall Hotel

Don’t rush to leave the park, because an evening walk along the picturesque complex of ponds and unusual bridges will bring a lot of pleasure. Be sure to go to the hotel
Lijiang Waterfall Hotel, which is located in the center. In the evening, whole crowds of tourists and locals gather here to see how the wall turns into an amazing waterfall for ten minutes. Another moment and the waterfall again becomes the wall of a five-star hotel.

If you are planning to extend your stay here for a couple of days, then be sure to visit the Reed Flute Cave and the Seven Stars Park. In the cave you will be able to contemplate not only magnificent halls, the beauty of which is difficult to describe, but also one of the most beautiful underground lakes.

Fourth day

Today we go to Yangshuo to see with our own eyes all the beauty of the karst hills and take a walk along the Li River. To get to the city you can purchase a cruise for 420 yuan per person. You won’t find anything cheaper; there is only one company that organizes them. The journey will take four hours.

Independent tourists can get there by bus in an hour. We recommend not to waste your money and time and choose this option.

According to local residents, the area between Yangdi and another village of Xinping is the most picturesque and fascinating. If you look closely at the Chinese 20 yuan note, you will notice the Li River, karst hills and lush vegetation.

To get there, go to the bus station to buy tickets to Yangshuo. The fare is about 15 yuan. Having reached the city, you will need to change at the same bus station to a bus that will go to Xinping or Yangdi.

The bus that goes to Yangdi will take you to the pier, where you can rent a raft designed specifically for tourist trips. Such rafting will cost a tourist about 300 yuan.

Be careful, because for less money, cunning guides reduce the walking time from an hour and a half to 30-40 minutes and drop you off far from the end point. So, if you fall for a scam, you will have to get to Xinpin on your own and spend a lot of time and effort on this. In general, we recommend not saving too much on your trip and paying money for a full-fledged rafting trip. The price usually includes a transfer from Xinping Pier to the bus station.

The guide can also stop for lunch at one of the local cafes. No one promises that it will be presentable, but they will feed you tasty and inexpensive. In general, if you feel slightly or not very hungry, then agree.

A three-hour walk from Yangdi to Xinping will delight you with beautiful scenery and a unique atmosphere. To return to Yangshuo, take a regular bus, the fare is about 7 yuan.

Moon Hill

Before leaving for Guilin, do not deny yourself the pleasure of seeing the miracle of nature - Moon Hill, which has a unique shape. You can get to Moon Hill by bus, just 15 minutes and you’re there. A ticket to Moon Hill costs 15 yuan.

You will have to make the climb yourself, since there is no lift, but for the money, a stunning view awaits you at the very top of the hill. It's worth it! Also, prepare 5 yuan for the grandmothers, who will accompany you until you buy water or any other drink from them. Now go back to the train station and take the bus to Guilin.

Fifth day

We are going to the ethno-village of Huanglo to the long-haired Yao

We use this day to see the Longji rice terraces, especially since we thought of everything in advance and bought a tour from the Hezhong tourism agency. In the morning, a bus will pick you up and go to the Huanglo ethno-village, where representatives of the Yao people live.

In this village, girls never cut their hair, and yet their hair is really beautiful and thick. For residents, this is the key to long life and wealth. What is also surprising is that rich hair color can be found even among elderly representatives of Yao; gray hair is unheard of here. One can only envy this.

Representatives of the Guinness Book of Records recorded the maximum hair length of one lady living in Huanglo, which was 2.1 meters. In general, when travelers get to this village, they envy silently, and sometimes they don’t even restrain their emotions.

Previously, traditions were strictly observed here, so only the girl’s husband could see her loose hair. Today, this tradition is rarely remembered, so for a fee, village residents will not only let your hair down for you, but will also happily pose for the camera. It’s not for nothing that they say that money spoils people.

All the girls are talented needlewomen, so the souvenir business is developed. Here you can buy handmade items. Here, next to Juanluo, you can already see rice fields.

Trip to Ping An village (rice terraces)

The next village you will visit is called Ping An. If you go on your own, you will have to pay for entry. For organized tourists, admission is usually included in the price of the tour, so there is no need to pay anything additional. The distance from Guilin to the village is about 100 km. To get to the place, you will have to transfer to another bus, designed specifically for driving along mountain serpentine roads; a specially trained driver is included with the bus.

This concerns the program of the purchased tour. If you are persistent and decide to explore the area on your own, then you need a bus that goes to Heping. It’s easy to find one at the bus station. From Heping you can get to the village entrance by car. When you reach the entrance, you will have a difficult choice between two routes.

Packet-goers have only one option - to transfer to a bus that goes to the Ping An rice terraces. Local residents gave them the name Dragon Ridge. The land for rice fields began to be cultivated more than 800 years ago. At that time, the Yuan Dynasty ruled.

To say that it was a titanic work is to say nothing. It took centuries for the plan to be realized, and today a unique landscape opens up to travelers. There is even something unearthly about it. On the terraces you can find two viewing platforms - Nine Dragons and Five Tigers and the Landscape of the Seven Stars accompanying the Moon. You will have to get to the observation decks on your own, climbing the steps.

In addition to rice, tea is grown here, so do not deny yourself the pleasure of purchasing it at a local stall. Freshly picked tea leaves will be dried and packaged right in front of you. After exploring and purchasing souvenirs, you will be asked to board a bus and be taken back to the hotel in the evening.

Sixth day. On your own in Shanghai

How to get there

It's time to go to Shanghai. It is better to purchase tickets in advance. You can easily get there on board a Shanghai Airlines plane. There are several ways to get from Pudong Airport to the city center: taxi, bus, Maglev Train, which reaches speeds of up to 430 km/h. Maglev goes to LongYang Road Subway Station Line 2. Perhaps this is the best option. The fare is 50 yuan, but there is an opportunity to save.

Present your air tickets when purchasing and you will receive a 20% discount. You will be there in 7 minutes. Once you arrive at the final stop, you will need to change to the metro or take a taxi to get to the center itself. If you choose the metro, after 5 meters you will see metro line 2. The trip will take about 10 minutes. If you prefer a taxi, then ask the driver to turn on the meter, it will be much cheaper. If the meter refuses to turn on, the fixed amount should not exceed 80 yuan.

Where to stay

• Baolong Homelike Hotel (Zhongshan Branch) 2* from 1039 RUR. per night
• Shanghai Amersino Hotel 3* from RUB 1,240 per night
• Jitai Hotel (Shanghai Train Station South Square) 3* from 1353 rub. per night
• FX Shanghai Liuying 4* from 2006 rub. per night
• Golden River-view Hotel Shanghai from RUB 2,884. per night
• Grand Mercure Shanghai Central (Formerly.Grand Mercure Shanghai Zhongya)5* from 4500 rub. per night
• JI Hotel Shanghai Railway Station West Tianmu Road 4* from 7153 rub. per night

These hotels are located very well. Nearby there is the Shanghai Railway Station metro stop and the central train station.

After checking into the hotel and some rest, we recommend heading to the Old Town. To get to the place, use the metro. You need purple line 10, Yuyuan Garden. In the Old City, we recommend visiting the Garden of Joy (Yuyuan Garden). The entrance ticket costs from 30 to 40 yuan, depending on the time of year.

This garden, located in the old part of Shanghai, was founded more than 400 years ago by the Pan Yundan family, or rather by a son who wanted his parents to spend their days in complete peace and happiness. The rich have their own quirks, but the idea was a success, although it took more than 20 years and all the savings. Later, the guild of Shanghai merchants would buy this garden. Today this park is one of the main attractions of Shanghai and causes indescribable delight among visitors.

In the park you can leisurely enjoy the pond with blooming lotuses, gazebos, terraces and, of course, the picturesque “Bridge of Nine Turns”. According to legend, by walking across it, you can cleanse yourself of evil spirits, whose entry to the bridge is prohibited. The Usintin Tea House is located right on the bridge. We also recommend visiting the Temple of the City Gods.

Spend today in this park and leisurely enjoy its charm, beauty and splendor. Near the park you will find many cafes and souvenir shops.

The Bund embankment and the Pearl of the East TV tower

If time permits and you have the desire, you can get to The Bund embankment and the Oriental Pearl TV tower. On the waterfront you can take stunning photos of the city's skyscrapers. It is located near metro line 10, East Nanjing Rd station. From the metro, move towards the river. Huangpu.

The Oriental Pearl Tower is located one subway stop from the embankment, near Lujiazui Station Line 2. You can also visit the famous aquarium here. On the way back, we recommend stopping by the railway station at the pre-sale ticket hall, especially since the hotel is located in close proximity.

You can buy tickets to Suzhou here tomorrow. Take the G train, it will get you there in just 25 minutes and the ticket costs about 40 yuan. There are cheaper options, but the journey will take longer than an hour. Keep in mind that you will need to present your passport at the ticket office, as tickets are issued in personal names.

Seventh day. To Suzhou on your own

Why is Suzhou a must-see? Yes, because here you can enjoy the splendor of the famous gardens, of which in the 16th and 17th centuries there were about 280. Today there are much fewer, about 69, but this is more than enough for one day. The city itself is more than 2.5 thousand years old, and its historical part is part of the World Heritage Sites. In general, there is a lot to see and be impressed by. Suzhou is also a silk center. Well, how can we resist here?

After arriving at the station in Suzhou, we transfer to bus No. 5, which departs from the station and goes to the Panmen Gate (“Gate of the Curled Dragon”). Travel time is about 50 minutes, ticket price is 1 yuan. Panmen was once part of the wall. Today we can see the already restored landmark.

A huge amount of work was done and at least $2 million was spent. Thanks to these investments, the area was also beautified: trees and flowers were planted, the pond where carp live today was cleaned, and lighting fixtures were installed. While walking, you will easily find the Ruiguant Pagoda, which in ancient times housed a Buddhist stupa made of pearls.

Fisherman's Garden and Wangshiyuan

Wangshiyuan is one of the most popular gardens in Suzhou. Here architecture and nature, impeccability and grace come together. In the pavilions you can see the interiors of previous centuries, and in the center of the garden, visitors can admire the beauty of the picturesque pond, which is framed by beautiful plants and stones. In Wanshiyuan, you can also take beautiful photos in the bansai tree garden, on the arched bridge, which has the lyrical name “Leading to Serenity.” In summer you can visit the garden even at night, so don’t miss this opportunity.

The next must-see garden is Lion Grove, the distinctive feature of which is a pile of stones that have a certain appearance (taikhushi). Several decades are needed to “grow” such stones. To achieve a certain look, it was necessary to make holes in ordinary stones and place them in the lake. Over the years, these stones took on very unusual shapes. In general, there is something to see and be surprised by. The Lion Grove Garden is definitely a must see. Ticket price is 30 yuan.

Now is the time to go to the Garden of the Humble Official or Administrator, which covers an area of ​​5 hectares. Of course, a few hours are not enough to explore it; it’s better to set aside a whole day, but if you don’t have much time, then during this time you can see quite a lot here.

Construction of the garden was started more than 600 years ago by an official removed from government affairs for corruption. He worked on its creation for about 20 years, and today it has a unique design and unique beauty. If you visit the garden in summer, you will find a lotus festival, and in the spring, an azalea festival. The entrance ticket costs 70 yuan.

If you’re not in a hurry to catch the train, you can walk to the train station and be sure to stop by the “85” confectionery to brighten up your day with delicious pastries and aromatic coffee.

Eighth day

Travel to Chinese Venice on your own - Zhouzhuang

Today we will go to explore the Chinese Venice - the city of Zhouzhuang, which has a history of almost a thousand years. You can get to it by bus from Suzhou, so first we’ll take the comfortable G train. There is a bus station not far from the railway station. The fare is 17 yuan. Travel time from Suzhou to Zhouzhuang is about an hour.

If the road is not tiring and you are full of energy, then from the final stop to the Old Town you can walk or take a taxi if you are not considering this option. You need to pay 100 yuan for access to the attraction. The old city, after the noisy and dynamic Shanghai, will surprise you with its regularity and silence, especially if your trip takes place on a weekday. Unlike Venice, the local canals are narrower, and the passing boats are steered by local women.

We recommend not to miss the opportunity to explore the city from the water. The cost of renting a local gondola is 100 yuan. That's how much a 25 minute walk costs. If you're lucky, they'll even let you steer and sing something folk and very sad, about love, probably. But for love, or rather for singing, you will have to pay extra. No romance.

After enjoying the walk, you can go explore the city and the life of the local residents. Be sure to check out the Key Bridge. If you are observant, you will understand that local residents receive their main income from private transportation along canals, the restaurant and souvenir business. The most interesting thing is that men here are engaged exclusively in intellectual work. Women get the hardest part – physical work. Maybe that's why they sing such sad songs?

If you want to eat, you will find many places, but whether you dare to try something is another question. Keep in mind that water for cooking is taken from the same canal where clothes are washed and other household chores are done. No, of course, the water is first boiled, and, as the locals say, after that it acquires a unique taste (who would doubt it), but the choice is always yours.

If you have already seen everything and don’t want to stay overnight to see the stunning sunset, we recommend that you hurry up, because the last bus to Suzhou leaves at 17.10, and to Shanghai 40 minutes earlier.

Ninth day. Self-guided walks in Shanghai

Today you can take a walk in the French Quarter. You can get there via Red Line 1, Shanxi Road. This place is very atypical for a metropolis; here you can stroll peacefully and feel its romantic atmosphere. If you have been to Europe, you will recognize its appearance - cozy cafes with the cutlery we are used to, and pastry shops, paving stone roads and nicely decorated balconies. Despite the name, not only the French lived in the quarter, but also Russian emigrants.

The remaining time can be spent exploring the sights that you have noted for yourself, but have not yet had time to see or go shopping. We recommend viewing and visiting the Shanghai Circus and Zoo, the Temple of the Jade Buddha, the Pushkin monument, and the Museum of the Chinese Communist Party.

If you are interested in items from fashionable global and local brands, we recommend Grand Mall. On 7 floors you are sure to find something for yourself and your loved ones. There is also a supermarket where you can buy delicious fruits and vegetables, and the choice is simply huge. Grand Mall is located nearby Lujiazui Subway Station.

China... The idea of ​​seeing the Celestial Empire came to me a long time ago and has been ripening for several years.
China seemed very unusual to my imagination.
Some things have been stereotypically stuck in my head since childhood, some were shocked from the news and the Internet...
In short, let's go and figure it out on the spot!
A trip as part of a Ukrainian tourist group was out of the question right away - I didn’t like the standard programs, and the individual tour was simply off the charts in cost and did not fit into the framework of my prudent pricing.
An attempt to order a program from Chinese tour operators (the most famous are CYTS and CITS) was also not inspiring. Either it was necessary to select a group of 5-6 like-minded friends in order to get a Russian guide and a relatively reasonable price, or to adapt to a group recruited by the Chinese side itself from all over the world, accompanied by a standard English-speaking Chinese.
Doubts peaked after studying a two-week tour offered by Beijing operator BEIJINGTOURGUIDE (website www.BEIJINGTOURGUIDE.com). There was practically no day in the program without visiting various factories and medical centers; for example, 40 minutes were allotted to the Beijing Zoo, and 2 hours to the Great Wall of China.
For a two-week program with an English-speaking Chinese guide, the company wanted 2396 bucks per nose (without external flights).
It was at this moment of tossing and torment that I came across someone’s wise saying that freedom has 2 degrees: the lowest - when you do what you want, and the highest - when you don’t do what you don’t want.
This moment was decisive.
Even the panic fear of hieroglyphs could not suppress the insatiable desire to create a route on my own and depend only on my own desires and preferences.
Almost six months before the trip, tickets for an external flight were purchased, documents were prepared for the Chinese Embassy, ​​a visa was obtained and hotels were booked according to our movements. Airplane tickets within China were purchased on the first day, immediately upon arrival in Beijing.
So, I will briefly describe the technical details of preparing an independent trip to this country for those who want to follow our example.
1. Create a travel itinerary based on what you want to see.
2. Select the time of year when you want to go, taking into account possible natural disasters, the specifics of the regions chosen for inspection and Chinese holidays.
3. Get a Chinese visa.
There are 2 possible ways here:
a) contact any Chinese travel agency that has a license (this is mandatory, it is provided to the Embassy).
You will be emailed the program of your trip and an invitation. In this case, only insurance, a completed application form with 1 photo, international air tickets and, in fact, a passport will be enough.
The disadvantage of this method is that after sending the invitation and tour program, the Chinese will ask you to transfer some kind of prepayment to their account. But you can delay this almost until the moment of departure, and then politely refuse, citing the high cost of the tour or something else. :) The visa does not depend on prepayment; it is issued based on the invitation, travel program and agency license provided.
b) do everything yourself:
- book hotels along the entire route on the website www.elong.com, booking is free, a notification letter is instantly sent to your email address. Payment for accommodation occurs at the hotel at the time of check-in. If you try to pay with a card immediately on the website, you can get even lower prices. But my payment card data stubbornly could not be read, so we settled on the first option - pay a little more at the hotel upon arrival and not worry about where the money was written off from the card. :).
- write letters to the first and last hotel of your route requesting confirmation of the reservation, which are provided to the Embassy;
- take a certificate of income from your place of work (in option a) it is not needed);
- fill out a form with 1 photo;
- do not forget to include insurance, external air tickets and a passport in the package of documents.
That's it, you get your visa in a week.
Information for Ukrainian tourists: visa (one-time) is obtained in Kyiv - 850 UAH + 34 UAH (bank services). Rate: 1 dollar - 8.10 UAH approximately.
A Chinese single-entry visa is valid for 3 months. The dates of your trip should fall into this corridor.
4. Now that you have a visa, tickets and hotel reservations, you need to carefully prepare for the trip.
China is not Europe. Even if you know English perfectly, this can only help you in some hotels, and in the subway, where next to the hieroglyphs there is an English inscription in dubbing.
In all other cases, communication with people occurs at the level of gestures and pre-prepared pieces of paper with Chinese characters.
Therefore, a Russian-Chinese phrasebook is very desirable (especially in catering places). Names of cities, train stations, attractions, etc. Every morning we asked hotel staff to write in hieroglyphs depending on what we wanted to see and where to go. This is very convenient, because you don’t ask all the time “Do you speak English?”, but poke the necessary little finches at any Chinese, who is happy to explain with gestures what you should do.
5. Domestic flights and transfers.
It is not possible to book a bus or train in advance without being in China - only at railway stations or bus stations in the country itself. You don't have to worry about communication. In large cities there is always one cash register where the cashier speaks English.
In small ones, a piece of paper prepared in advance with hieroglyphs will save you. There was not a single case where we were unable to get a ticket and explain where we needed to go.
It is possible to book flights on the same website elong.com, but keep in mind that these will be the maximum fares.
I wouldn't recommend doing this.
When you arrive at Beijing Capital Airport, go to the 3rd floor of Terminal 3 (all external flights arrive at this terminal) and buy the necessary tickets (each Chinese airline has its own counter, the staff speaks English).
I previously wrote down the numbers and departure times of the flights we needed (from the website elong.net) for the required dates, and the purchase process went quite quickly. There were tickets for all flights, we asked for the lowest possible (discount) price).
As a rule, airlines offer discounts on prices a few days before departure. For example, we saved almost 300 bucks on six tickets (2 people, three flights) than if we had ordered them in advance from Ukraine.
Domestic tickets are only in Chinese, so Arabic numbers are very helpful (Thank God the Chinese didn’t think of translating them into their badges). Where should we fly - we were guided by the date on the ticket, and by the flight number (English letters + numbers are stored there) - which gate to board at.
Don't worry that there won't be any tickets. China is a big country, there are countless people, the transport infrastructure is at a high level, and there are a lot of local airlines. The only tension may be if the dates of your trip coincide with some Chinese holiday. But this tension will be everywhere - both in hotels and at attractions. Therefore, my advice is to plan your trip around Chinese holidays - at this time the whole country travels and travels with entire families, and the Chinese always travel in organized tourist groups.
Now about our route.
The more you immerse yourself in China in preparation for your trip, the more your head swells with how you can fit everything you would like to see into 2 weeks. We initially planned a trip in April to see cherry blossoms and spring China in general.
We started from the cherry blossom festival held annually in Beijing's Yuyutan Park (it runs from the end of March to the end of April).
Therefore, we chose travel dates from April 10 to April 24.
Since this was our first visit to China, the route was quite standard:
Beijing (4 days) - Xi'an (3 days) - Guilin (1 day) - Yangshuo (1 day) - Longzhi (1 day) - Shanghai (1 day) - Suzhou (1 day) - Zhouzhouan (1 day) - Hangzhou (1 day ). Since the first day in Shanghai we spent half a day in the hotel room due to the tedious long rain and nasty haze, we decided not to go to Hangzhou, but leave the last day to Shanghai.
Hotels were booked in Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin and Shanghai.
We bought international air tickets with a connection in Helsinki (UIA + Finair), which we did not regret at all. Convenient departure time, excellent service, even the 5-hour wait in Helsinki (there) passed unnoticed and not burdensome - very comfortable lounge chairs in the waiting rooms for passengers.
And now, actually, about the trip itself.
At 6.55 in the morning on April 11, we set foot on the land of the capital of one of the most ancient civilizations.
There are several ways to get to the city from Beijing Capital Airport: the easiest way is to take a taxi, or you can take a bus going to the Central Railway Station. There is a possibility of getting stuck in Beijing traffic jams, so we chose the third option - take the Air Express high-speed train (ticket 25 yuan) and get to DONGZHIMEN station (terminal) - line 2 or 13, and then take the desired line for 2 yuan to get to your hotel (the price of a ticket in the Beijing subway is fixed, 2 yuan, regardless of the number of stops, transfers and color of the line).
In Beijing, we booked the Beijing Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel, which turned out to be not only the best of our Chinese hotels, but also, perhaps, one of the best I have ever stayed in, despite the stated 3 stars. The cost of a day, by the way, exceeded other fives.
It is located a 10-minute walk from DONGSI metro station (line 5) in the Beijing hutongs area.
Hutongs are an ancient type of urban development in China, narrow streets of one-story houses practically glued to each other. The lowest classes of Chinese society lived here. After the Chinese Communist Party came to power, hutongs began to be mercilessly demolished and built up with identical high-rise buildings, very similar to Soviet microdistricts of the 70s of the last century (remember the beginning of the film "The Irony of Fate..."). When we were driving from the airport, the picture outside the window was painfully familiar, only the hieroglyphs gave some kind of novelty. And only in the central part of Beijing there remained colorful hutongs, on one of the streets of which our hotel was located. The spirit of the hutongs, preserved for a long time, gives a feeling of natural China, the true everyday life of ordinary people, without popular tourist flowery and gilding. Every year there are fewer and fewer hutongs, and I think that very little time will pass when hutongs can only be seen in pictures...
The Beijing Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel is designed in the style of a Chinese courtyard - a cotyard. Several courtyards are blocks of rooms. The courtyard itself is very national: lanterns, blooming magnolias, old furniture, pebbles - and absolute silence. The guests do not interfere with each other at all. The rooms have furniture from the Ming Dynasty. We slept on a 19th century wooden stucco bed, with a red canopy and an embroidered peacock on the wall. The rooms have a safe, TV, telephone, Wi-Fi, a wardrobe with the obligatory dressing gowns and slippers, an electric kettle, packet coffee, but loose tea, in painted Chinese jars - two types - green and green with jasmine. On the day of arrival we received a welcome plate of fruit, and on subsequent days we received 2 half-liter bottles of water and small bars, which were nicely placed on our bed.
Bathroom: instead of a washstand - a painted Chinese deep plate, all bath accessories (in China you don’t need to take toothpaste and a brush - they are provided in every hotel), a shower with hot and cold water (it was fun to watch how the water swirls counterclockwise as it flows - Asia, friends!).
Breakfast is wonderful, a wide selection of both European and Asian food, juices, coffee, tea, regular and soy milk, fruit, a large selection of pastries and sweets.
The staff is well trained, speaks good English and is very friendly. Upon check-in, they give you a map of Beijing with a metro map (free of charge), answer any question, and are well oriented in the streets of the city and where everything is. You can change money at the hotel (the dollar exchange rate corresponds to the bank exchange rate), which greatly simplifies and speeds up the process of receiving yuan. But this procedure is only for hotel guests. Not all hotels allow you to change money. If you live in a hotel where there is no exchange, another hotel will not change your money. Then you need to go to the bank, be sure to bring your passport (here, too, not all banks change dollars - we changed them in two: Bank of China and ICBC, it seems). Banks are open from 9 am to 5 pm, which is not always convenient since you arrive at the hotel late in the evening.
The exchange procedure takes 20-30 minutes, depending on the queue. They give you a slip with the queue number, you fill out a declaration with your passport details and the required amount of currency. A bank employee makes a photocopy of your passport, tells you the current exchange rate and, if you agree, the actual exchange process takes place.
At the Beijing Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel you can book any excursion, tickets to the circus, opera, etc. I don’t know the prices, since we went everywhere ourselves.
Reading reviews on websites about this hotel, I did not see a single rating below 5. And this is true. There's just nothing to complain about.
We hardly saw other hotel guests, except at breakfast. A very quiet hotel, especially mesmerizing in the evening - the red lanterns turn on, you sit down at a moving table with a cup of aromatic jasmine tea and share your impressions of the past day...
Travel budget:
- air flights Kyiv-Helsinki-Beijing, Shanghai-Helsinki-Kyiv - 750 USD
- 3 domestic flights: Beijing-Xi'an, Xi'an-Guilin, Guilin-Shanghai - 500 USD.
- hotels - 725 USD
- transport (taxi, trains, buses), food, tickets to attractions and performances, tea, souvenirs and gifts - 925 USD.
The amount can be reduced due to lower star rating of hotels and cheaper food (I’ll talk about this later).
To be continued...

China is a huge and interesting country. Are you planning your first trip to China? This article can provide a general understanding of the language barrier, travel routes, weather, trade and food culture in China.

Tourist features of China

The language barrier

The language barrier is often considered the number one obstacle when visiting China. In fact, many Chinese, especially young people, learn English in urban schools. Therefore, if you speak English clearly and slowly, people in Chinese cities will be able to understand you.

However, the language barrier still remains a problem because travelers cannot always count on finding someone who speaks English. Listed below are top tips for overcoming the language barrier when traveling to China.

– Start learning Chinese before you go to China, it will give you more confidence;

– It is not at all necessary to try to learn the language perfectly, it is enough to learn a few simple basic phrases. In addition, you can prepare and turn on an audio recording where you ask how to get to a specific place.

Tourist destinations

China is vast and has many spectacular natural landscapes, including the world's tallest mountains, large deserts, vast grasslands, and graceful examples of karst landforms along the Li River.

It is impossible for tourists to cover everything in a few days. For your first trip to China, the most recommended travel destinations are Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an and Guilin.

• Beijing– the capital of China, the city has numerous world-class attractions. There you can climb one of the Eight Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of China; visit the grandiose imperial palace, the Forbidden City; enjoy a large-scale place of heaven worship, the Temple of Heaven and see the Summer Palace, one of the most famous in China.
• Shanghai has several historical monuments (Jing'an Monastery, Jade Buddha Temple, Yuyuan Garden), masterpieces of modern architecture (Jin Mao Tower, Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center), and chic water towns (Zhujiajiao). Near Shanghai is the town of Hangzhou (it's only forty minutes by high-speed train). You can arrange your Shanghai-Hangzhou tour to visit the famous West Lake.
• Xi'an is the birthplace of Chinese culture, so the city has many historical monuments and ancient architectural structures, including the Terracotta Army, the ancient city wall and the amazing Hua Mountains.
• Guilin has one of the world's most beautiful national parks and the scenic Li River region, which offers graceful watery wonders of karst formations and hills. Guilin has magnificent rice terraces.

Route around China, taking into account annual weather conditions

China has the greatest range of weather of any country on the planet. Since climatic conditions vary greatly from region to region, when planning a trip to China you need to take into account the weather conditions and calculate the best time to travel.

Where is the best place to go in China, depending on the time of year?

January: Northern China (Harbin and Jirin)

The Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival is held annually from January 5 to February 5, during which time you can admire ice sculptures almost everywhere in Harbin.

February: Hainan Island

Most Chinese tourist spots are still cool in February. However, Hainan welcomes its guests with the warm rays of the sun of a leisurely bay.

March: regions south of the Yangtze

In early spring, the first spring flowers appear, making the regions of Shanghai, Yangzhou, Suzhou and Hangzhou more graceful and worth visiting.

April: Guilin, Xi'an and the Yellow Mountains

April is flowering time. A visit to Guilin in April will allow you to appreciate the blossoming of peach trees and enjoy the unique karst landforms framed by the vibrant greenery along the Li River.

May: Yunnan Province (Shangri-La-Lijiang and Kunming)

Yunnan Province is a place where you can explore different periods of ancient life, enjoy clear blue skies, visit mysterious Tibetan monasteries and appreciate the beauty of blooming azaleas and massive snow-capped mountains.

June: Zhangjiajie

The highlights of Zhangjiajie are the distinctive hills (prototype of the mountain in Avatar) in the Wulingyuan scenic area.

July: Dalian, Qingdao, Weihai, Yantai

Coastal cities are an excellent choice for a trip to China in the heat of summer. Please note that Qingdao hosts the International Beer Festival every year in mid-August.

August: Tibet

Experience a real adventure tour to Tibet: visit the magnificent Potala Palace, take a horseback ride through endless meadows and pay a guest visit to a local family.

September: Xinjiang and Beijing

Melons and fruits in Xinjiang are ready to eat in September, and the weather becomes less hot this month.

October: Jiuzhaigou

The entire Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area is decorated with colorful trees. Foliage colored gold, red, blackish green or yellow reflects spectacularly against the light blue background of the pools.

November: Guizhou

One of the reasons to visit this region is the ceremonial celebrations held in Miao village and the festival in Lushen. The weather in November around Beijing becomes cool, but quite comfortable.

December: Hong Kong

December marks the peak season of discounts and shopping. During this month, you can save a lot of money by making many pleasant purchases.

Shopping the Chinese way

In almost all tourist destinations in China, you will find many vendors selling souvenirs or food. If you are not planning to buy any of these items, do not ask about the price. If you ask, sellers may follow you around for a long time, persuading you to buy. As a rule, when bargaining, it is possible to reduce prices by 2/3.

When traveling in China, you should know some simple Chinese options for refusing a purchase or for bargaining. Remember, it is recommended to say these words with a warm smile.

If the seller doesn't agree with your price, pretend to walk away and refuse the purchase. They may immediately change their mind and sell you the product at your price.

Some bargaining phrases:

不要了, 谢谢 (búyàolē, xièxiè): no, thank you.

这个多少钱 (zhègè duōshǎo qián): how much does it cost?

太贵了 (tàiguì lē): it's too expensive.

少点吧 (shǎodiǎn bā), or 便宜点 (piányì diǎn): can you lower the price a little?

Chinese cuisine

China has a deep food culture. Each region of the country has a distinct style of cooking. For newcomers to the Celestial Empire for the first time, we recommend not to miss roast duck in Beijing (北京烤鸭), pork buns in Shanghai (上海灌汤包), dumplings and hamburgers in Xi’an (西安饺子&肉夹馍), rice noodles in Guilin (桂林米粉). You definitely need to learn how to use Chinese chopsticks.

Try Chinese street food. Street food is part of city culture.

For example, in Beijing it is worth trying egg cakes, which are found only in the morning hours, as they are offered for breakfast at a price of 5 yuan each. In the evening hours in Guilin you can eat barbecue for about 1 or 2 yuan.

Chinese cuisine is roughly divided into eight categories, which represent eight different regional cuisines. In addition, the country offers a large amount of fantastic food that is not suitable for a normal person. We have listed some of them below.

Normal Chinese food

Bamboo rice(竹筒饭, zhútǒng fàn). Rice, meat and some water are placed in green bamboo shoots, then the bamboo is heated over the coals of a fire. The dish turns out very fragrant.

Five Color Sticky Rice(五色糯米饭 wǔsè nuòmǐfàn) is a classic food of the Zhuang people. During each festival, the people of Qingming and Zhuang cook rice of five colors as a sign of worship to their ancestors: black, red, yellow, white, and purple.

Bean curd(臭豆腐, chòudòufū) has a strong odor. This food really stinks, but it tastes really good. Changsha's bean curd is the most famous throughout the country.

Food for the brave (not quite normal)

You might never even think you could eat it. Most Chinese people absolutely do not eat this.

Fried bees' bellies(蜂蛹, fōng yǒng);

Snake meat(蛇肉, shéròu)

In Hong Kong they offer to try snake soup;

Dog meat(狗肉, gǒu ròu) and cat meat (猫肉, māoròu)

Dog or cat meat is cooked in a pot. In China, food containing dog meat is a more common dish than cat meat.

A trip abroad planned by yourself can be much more interesting than offers from travel agencies. The main problem is lack of knowledge of the language, so at the preparation stage it is worth taking into account all the nuances of the trip.

An independent trip on a tourist visa to China must be arranged in advance so that the traveler has confidence that his vacation will be as comfortable as possible.

Officially, Russian citizens require a visa to travel to China on their own. The cheapest single-entry visa will cost a traveler 1,500 rubles for 2018. At the same time, he gets the opportunity to stay on the territory of the Celestial Empire for a total of 30 days out of a corridor of 90. Similar conditions apply when processing documents at the consulate.

To obtain a visa you will need to provide:

• international passport with a reserve of 6 months before expiration;
• a copy of the internal passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
• application form with color photo;
• insurance;
• confirmation of financial solvency for citizens who do not work;
• round trip tickets;
• invitation.

The invitation can be issued by a citizen of the receiving state or a travel agency. In the case of a personal invitation, you will need to provide the details of the host party (copy of passport and ID). An invitation from a travel agency is confirmed by a hotel reservation for the entire duration of your stay in the country.

An exception to the official visa rules is made for residents of border areas, who can obtain the necessary documents directly at the land crossing point. Also, other conditions are provided when applying for a visa at the airport at the place of arrival, but it is worth checking whether this is possible at all. Without a visa, you can only visit Suifenhe and the border trade zone for up to 15 days, with the obligation not to leave the city. This is where many entrepreneurs go to buy goods.

For those who have previously visited the Celestial Empire, they are additionally required to provide a copy of their old passport with the appropriate notes. And confirmation of financial solvency consists of an account statement. Regardless of the expected expenses, the account must have an amount of no less than $100 per day of stay in a foreign country.

Transport to your destination and within the country

Most travelers prefer to travel to China from Russia using airlines, although you can cross the border by any means of transport. There are frequent buses from Vladivostok, as well as border areas, which provide fairly fast border crossing for residents of the respective regions.

Before purchasing a ticket, you need to roughly outline a travel plan if you need to visit several cities. However, it is best to enter and exit from the same airport.

You can travel within the country using any convenient transport: planes, trains, ferries, buses and even taxis. In large cities, the best way to get around is by bus or metro. To do this, it is enough to buy a travel card, which you can return at the end of the visit and get a cash deposit back for it. The travel card is a plastic card that needs to be topped up periodically. The cost of one trip on public transport will be about 30-50 cents.

Advice from an experienced traveler! Taxis are quite cheap in China, and tourists who come here for the first time prefer to use this type of transport. However, after about a month of living, Russian residents often realize that they have to spend too much on transport. In many cities it is more convenient to get around on foot or on a rented bicycle.

How to find housing?

When applying for a visa through a travel agency, a hotel reservation is required for the entire duration of your stay in China. But often hotels do not meet the traveler's expectations, so long-term bookings have unpredictable consequences. It is much more convenient to book it for just 1-2 nights. This will provide an overnight stay in a hotel, but it can be changed if the conditions are not to your liking.

Most often, travelers face the same problems when choosing a hotel:

Poor sound insulation

In some buildings, you can easily hear the conversation of people in the next room, even if they do not raise their voices.

Bad location. Often the point is not that the hotel is not located in the center or is difficult to find. The problem is what is in close proximity, for example, you can find a hotel opposite a landfill.

Conditions in the room

Foreigners choose their place of residence based on the room description and photographs, but they often do not correspond to the real state of affairs. The rooms may be much smaller than advertised, and sometimes there is only a bed inside the room.

Those who do not want to face such inconveniences are advised to pay attention to the reputation of the establishment before booking. The best service is provided by network companies that operate in several cities. However, their housing costs will be an order of magnitude higher, so you need to prioritize: price or quality.

For most citizens, booking a hotel is the only available accommodation option if you are planning an independent trip to China. If there are no restrictions in this direction, you can look for an alternative. Short-term rental of apartments is not practiced in Asian countries, since the standard contract is drawn up for a year. But if you wish, you can find specialized websites with intermediaries through which you can rent an apartment for a shorter period.

A double room in a mid to low quality hotel will cost around $10-$15 per night. In chain hotels, the minimum price tag is set at approximately $30. Renting an apartment for a month will cost approximately 400-500 dollars.

This expense column most influences how much it costs to travel to China. The final vacation amount will range from $1,000 to $2,000 for two adults for 10 days. The difference lies mainly in the payment for housing.

Nutrition

It is important to know! Chinese food is very different from what people in Russia order for home delivery. Be prepared for a bright and very unusual taste, which will lead to an upset stomach. The aroma from most street cafes is quite unpleasant without getting used to it.

Be prepared for the fact that Chinese food is very different from what we are used to.

There are several food options:

• in establishments under a well-known brand;
• in local cafes;
• self-cooking from products purchased in the supermarket.

In the Celestial Empire, you can easily find world-famous establishments. For example, McDonald's. Many tourists are accustomed to eating in such restaurants, since the employees carefully monitor sanitary standards, and the menu is identical almost everywhere. The disadvantage of this method is the rather high prices.

You can have a hearty meal in eateries for just $1.50. However, unlike food chains, the language barrier needs to be mentioned here. Not all cafes have menus with names written in Latin or photographs, so ordering food is at your own peril and risk. In addition, small restaurants serving local cuisine hardly adhere to hygiene standards, which has a negative impact on the health of visitors.

There are many street cafes in all Chinese cities. But finding an English-speaking waiter is almost impossible.

Nevertheless, it is worth trying the local cuisine, as it is an integral attribute of the Celestial Empire. Surprisingly beautiful and interesting snacks can be bought even from street vendors. And if you have concerns about your health, you should find out about the restaurants run by Chinese Muslims. These are the cleanest establishments. If you decide to travel to China on your own, you first need to find out the address and reviews about them on the Internet.

Eateries sometimes provide an interesting way of serving food: like a buffet or churrasco. However, even in a simple cafe the portions are very large. Some dishes are only served for two.

Tourists who are not suitable for these methods need to take care of their own nutrition. Buying groceries in Chinese supermarkets without knowing the language will be a difficult quest, so it is recommended to go food shopping with a dictionary downloaded to your phone. Without clues, only some types of fruit can be identified. By the way, vegetables and fruits may differ depending on the area, because the area is very large. Tourists should try exotic fruits, especially from the southern part of the state. Some of them cannot be tried in Russia, since they cannot be transported. It is not advisable to buy sausages or sausages, as they are made from soy and taste completely different from regular food.

Externally, Chinese supermarkets differ little from ours. But it is difficult to buy anything without a dictionary.

Not all travelers have the opportunity to prepare hot meals themselves. Not all apartments even have a kitchen. Most ordinary residents use portable stoves that run on gas or electricity.

By the way, the price of traveling to China from travel companies does not always include meals at the hotel. Because of this, an independent trip can be much more profitable than exorbitant prices in agencies.

Additional costs: the mentality of local residents

All Chinese are very emotional and noisy, so on the streets of big and small cities the rumble does not subside for a minute. You can get used to this quite quickly, especially since visitors often join in with everyone’s shouts with pleasure.

Chinese streets are always very crowded and noisy by our standards

The Chinese make the most noise in the markets, where even an inexperienced tourist can bargain. Local residents are in a hurry to cash in on foreigners, so do not hesitate to reduce the price several times. Such actions are the norm for all Chinese stores. The Chinese show numbers on their fingers differently than in other countries, which means you should familiarize yourself with the rules of the account before trading.

It is best to pay in cash, since Visa or Maestro cards are not accepted in all shops and cafes. There is a different system here that simply cannot complete a transaction with a foreign card. You can withdraw money from ATMs. Cash and valuables must be constantly monitored, as petty theft is very common here.

Yuan is the national currency

In the Middle Kingdom, it is rare to find Chinese who speak English well, so you should definitely take a phrasebook with you and download several translation programs. Even without basic knowledge of the language, these tricks will help you communicate with other people. In addition to phrase books, it is worth downloading several applications with maps of the cities you plan to visit.

Visitors use the Internet only via Wi-Fi. It can be found everywhere. Mobile Internet and communications when traveling for several days will be too expensive, both with a native SIM card and a local one. Buying a foreign SIM card will cost more than $40 and will require language skills to understand its terms and conditions. If you wish, you can buy a SIM only in specialized communication stores.

A self-prepared trip to China with children or a loved one will be an interesting experience. This is the only way to truly see the country from the inside, so don’t be afraid to experiment!

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

1) Bargaining in markets and with taxi drivers naturally comes from your fingers. The main thing to know is that the Chinese show numbers differently than Europeans - they show numbers from 1 to 9 on the fingers of one hand, not two.

2) At bus and railway stations, often no one speaks English. It is better to write in advance on a piece of paper the name of the final destination and the desired time period of departure; this is done with the help of an online translator or dictionary. Just stand in line at the cashier and hand over a piece of paper. The exact time and price will be shown to you on the computer screen or written on a piece of paper. Of course, they will be on the ticket - everything is in Chinese:
In this case, March 7, 14 at 15-40, seat 3, bus number K0935, price 17 yuan, goes to Mengla city

The most important words:
Today – 今天
Tomorrow – 明天
day – 天 (order execution time is 1 day) or 日 (day of the month)
month – 月
year – 年
morning – 上午
noon – 中午
evening – 黄昏
and cities: Guazhou (广州), Shenzhen (深圳), Hong Kong (香港), Guilin (桂林), Kunming (昆明), Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海)

3) In China there is censorship on the Internet, to the point that messages on social networks are manually moderated!
Facebook and You tube are prohibited and inaccessible, RenRen is used instead of the first, Youku is used instead of the second. For instant messages they use the network and WeChat. Google may be available, but Baidu is much more popular. VKontakte works without problems.

4) Almost all public toilets will not have a traditional toilet. Instead, there will be a floor-standing toilet, familiar to many from our school toilets. You should also carry toilet paper with you. But tourist toilets have a star rating, like hotels.

By the way, you should also carry a supply of napkins with you. Cafes and restaurants do not have them or sell them for a fee.

5) 4 - purely unlucky, it comes to the point that sometimes houses do not have a 4th floor.
8 is a lucky number. Phone numbers of large companies often end in eight.
The main Chinese color is red.

6) Chinese is the name of a large group of languages, often mutually incomprehensible. Each city may have its own dialect. The government is trying to lead a campaign to popularize a common language - Putonghua or Mandarin. In Hong Kong, Macau, Canton (Guangzhou) and overseas diasporas, the vast majority of the population speaks Cantonese. One good thing is that all dialects use the same hieroglyphs, which, by the way, are partially used in the Japanese language. So the spelling of words is the same. If true, there are difficulties with having two writing systems: traditional Chinese characters and simplified Chinese characters. If you do not plan to read ancient texts, the latter will be enough for everyday needs.

This all works until you get into areas with Tibetan, Mongolian, Thai-Lao, Burmese or Arabic languages. On top of that, in some villages many people cannot read.

7) The most useful phone application is Waygo, which can translate inscriptions on the fly, without the Internet, using a camera.

Google maps help you not get lost, and the navigation mode can give you the best route for ground transport and tell you which bus to go where, although you need the Internet.

A SIM card can be purchased using your passport. Mobile Internet is very expensive: 300 MB for 96 yuan per month.

Hotels can be booked on Booking, but local players give better prices, it’s worth comparing on RoomGuru

8) A couple of years ago, there were a lot of counterfeit 100 yuan bills circulating in southern China. Until now, such banknotes are carefully checked in any store. Fraudsters may try to replace your real bill and return a counterfeit one to you; they say the best defense against this is to wrinkle the corner or fold it so that the crooks do not have the opportunity to repeat the same thing with a fake quickly.

For the same reason, when paying in a taxi, transport cards are handed over in a case - there is no possibility of quickly replacing them with another card with a zero balance.

9) Speaking of transport. Entry to buses is through the front door. Payment at the entrance either by transport card or in cash without depositing in a special box. The fare can be fixed or stepped. For example 1 or 2 yuan in Kunming depending on the type of bus. The exact cost can be seen on the money box, although in Chinese: 一元 (one yuan) or 二元 (two yuan). While in Hong Kong you need to check the fare from stop to stop in advance at the stop, or if you are using a transport card, do not forget to lean it again at the exit, otherwise the maximum fare will be debited.

Transport cards can also often be used to pay in stores and to enter museums and parks (for example, 7-11 and McDonald's in Hong Kong)
Payment maps of world cities