Traveling in any foreign country will always have its pitfalls, and China is certainly no different. When you are maneuvering in a foreign space, using a foreign language, there are bound to be snags along the way, and it is easy to become frustrated and discouraged when things just don’t seem to be going your way. But you can make your travels in China a lot easier by heeding certain warning signs and avoiding certain people and places. Here are some of the more common mistakes that travelers make while on the road in China.

Photo: James Jin

1) Do not pay for extra services you didn’t ask for

Do not ever give money to anyone offering a service, or demanding a “fee” for something that they cannot provide a receipt for, in writing and do not agree to pay more for any service because you are a foreigner. There are many tales of foreigners being fleeced by con artists who will, for example, get aboard a bus and collect a ‘luggage fee.’ If something like this happens, and someone is trying to claim that you have to pay extra for a service or a tax that you never asked for, first look around and see whether or not Chinese people are paying up. There are laws in place in China which prohibit a dual pricing system, and if foreigners are being charged for something, Chinese people should be too. Aside from that, Chinese people will have a better idea of what is a scam and what isn’t, and following their example is never a bad idea. Follow your instinct when it comes to bargaining and paying for things – if it feels like too much, it probably is. Never get in a cab without having the cabbie run the meter, especially in larger cities. Bargain for better prices on hotel rooms, and feel free to go elsewhere if a hotel or hostel won’t come down on the price. Keep in mind that during peak times – the first week in October, the first week in May, Summer holidays (between July and August) and Winter holidays (between January and March) – you can expect prices everywhere to rise and tickets, rooms, and cabs to be harder to catch. Avoid traveling during peak times if possible, but if you must travel, keep in mind that during these times large numbers of people are on the move and be extra aware of your surroundings. The last few weeks leading up to Chinese New Year in particular usually see a rise in crime and scams as people get desperate for money to bring back home on their once a year visit. The police are also out in full force at this time, so be extra careful to make sure you’re carrying your passport with a valid visa on you at all times while traveling during Chinese New Year.

2) Don’t get lured into a teahouse by new “friends”

Aside from the obvious scammers, also be aware of the less obvious. Although it might be tempting to make some new local friends, beware of students or young people who try and lure you into a teahouse to “practice English,” or make friends. Many an unsuspecting foreigner has learned the hard way that this is an excellent way to find yourself out a wad of cash. The way the scam works is this – your new friends bring you into a teahouse and order up the absolute most expensive stuff in the place. You’d be surprised how much Chinese teas can end up costing! In the end, your “friends” will disappear and leave you stuck with the bill. These people are actually employed by teahouses (karaokes, etc) to run these scams. If you meet locals and want to make friends, simply go someplace nice and neutral to chat, like a park. While meeting locals and making friends can be a great experience, you also don’t want to end up feeling like a fool and having a nice experience spoiled by being taken advantage of.

3) Don’t buy tickets from unlicensed sellers

Another common way to get ripped off while traveling is when buying tickets. Never buy tickets from unlicensed sellers. While it may be tempting to bypass the line and buy train tickets from the guy standing outside the station, many of these people are selling counterfeit tickets, and you will only find out once you try to board the train. When purchasing airline tickets online go with a well known dealer, preferably one that can deliver actual tickets to your address in China. There is no need to go through your hostel or an agent to book train tickets unless you don’t mind paying extra for convenience, and while travel agents can often offer cheap deals on plane tickets, nowadays most of the best deals can be had online. Purchasing plane tickets online also means that you will be in charge of the name printed on your ticket – it will appear as you typed it in, leaving less room for error. Having been victim to creative Chinglish spellings of my name (substituting an “i” for an “e” is a common error), trust me when I say you don’t want the added hassle of sending the ticket back to be reprinted on top of your already hectic travel schedule.

4) Don’t assume trains or buses will always be cheaper than airplanes

As for methods of travel, don’t automatically assume trains or busses will be cheaper, especially if you plan to travel by soft sleeper. You can often get some incredible deals on plane tickets in China, making a plane trip affordable for even budget travelers. While Chinese trains can be fun, especially if you’ve never taken one before, they will eat up a lot of your travel time, as China is a huge country. When deciding whether to fly or take the rails, consider what you might be able to do with the extra day or two that would be spent on the road. Train tickets also require a lot more advance planning than plane tickets. While seats on a plane can often be purchased even a day in advance, train tickets, especially for popular routes, sell out quickly. During peak travel times it is necessary to buy your tickets between five and ten days in advance, which is something that is not always feasible for travelers whose itineraries are not set.

5) Do keep your itineraries flexible

Speaking of itineraries, keep yours flexible. You might find that you’ve seen all there is to Xi’an in two days, but you had planned on staying three. What should you do? Ask locals and find out if there are any smaller towns or villages between the city you’re in and your next destination. Sometimes taking a detour off your planned path can yield unexpected surprises. As a general rule, China’s countryside, while it can be intense, is a lot more aesthetically pleasing than China’s cities. If you are first time traveler to China, try and branch out from the well trodden Beijing-Xian-Shanghai trail and make room for some smaller cities. Don’t feel like you need to pack in every sight on your trip to China either. My parents have been to China twice and have yet to see the Great Wall, yet they managed to have a great time anyhow. Both times they’ve visited us here, the highlight of their trip has been some of the smaller, less expected places that we’ve visited, from Dai villages in Xishuangbanna to the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. While China has loads of what the Chinese call “scenic spots” that have been marked and marketed for tourist consumption, some of the best travel experiences happen when you least expect them.

Every so often I’ll hear people talk about being intimidated by the idea of traveling in China. For most western travelers, the country is more foreign, and therefore a much more daunting travel possibility than say, France or Spain or the United States. China has a reputation as being a “difficult” country to travel through, which, in actuality, isn’t the case. Traveling through China can be fun, rewarding, and even easy, but you have to be flexible, be prepared, and expect the unexpected – armed with these qualities, there’s nothing to stop you from enjoying travel anywhere in China.
 

Related Links
An Introduction to Planning Your Trip Around China
China Travel Necessities: Seven Forget-Me-Nots for China
Common Scams in China (Pt. 2): Airport Taxis

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.