No one ever wants to feel like a number. This is especially true while traveling. China, like most destinations, has a well-worn travel circuit. While this circuit does provide convenience and access to places which would otherwise be near impossible to get to on your own, it can also leave you feeling like your big adventure is really nothing more than a stock experience doled out by the thousands to people just like you. To make matters worse, travel in China can be daunting. Fatigue and unfamiliarity can take a toll on your outlook and increase your natural inclination to seek out the creature comforts from home rather than make new discoveries. Here's a few pointers to keep in mind which can help you get off the beaten path, keep your enthusiasm up and have the kind of unique travel experiences you can call your own.

 

1) Make learning the language a priority
Language opens doors. It doesn't matter how long or short a trip you are planning, or if you don't expect to ever use the language again. Picking up even a bit of Chinese will heighten your awareness, show respect to the locals and win you experiences you never would have imagined. It provides the impetus for paying attention to what's going on around you. If you concentrate on learning the language, you'll find yourself observing locals, their mannerisms and their conversations rather than tuning them out.

2) Travel alone
China is a very safe country. The concerns that traveling alone can raise in other parts of the world just aren't a factor here. Although challenging at times, traveling alone gives you freedom and flexibility. Most importantly, it gives you the space to develop your own impressions. It also forces you to meet and talk to more people. Traveling with another person is a great way to test the relationship between you two, but it often detracts from the trip itself. You'll likely return home with a better understanding of your travel partner than of China. Visiting a friend can be handy for making arrangements and getting advice, but spending time in China with a resident expat can result in repetition. Expats tend to carve out a niche for themselves and rarely venture beyond it. Also, they usually have very firm opinions about China that will overshadow your impressions.

If you have the misfortune of traveling in a group, be sensitive to the group dynamics. It doesn't take much to turn what could have been a great adventure for all into a seemingly endless stint of unpopular compromises. Don't be shy about breaking off on your own if you feel other people's personalities or agendas are getting in your way. Planting a seed before the trip is a good way to diffuse any misunderstandings. Let the people you're traveling with know before you leave that there will be days when you will want to be on your own. Remember, this is your trip.

3) Travel longer
For most people, a trip to China is a rare opportunity. Give it the time it deserves. Although work and family obligations make it difficult to get away for extended periods of time, an extra week or two can make the difference between a run of the mill vacation and a life-altering experience. Having extra time means more options and the ability to take advantage of unexpected opportunities. If you try to cram an entire trip into a short period of time, you will spend your journey worrying about the logistics of what's next instead of focusing on what's happening around you.

Many people fail to plan for the likely possibility of illness occurring while in China. Pollution, lower sanitation standards and poor hygiene do cause many Westerners to get sick. Air travel deludes us into thinking that coming halfway around the world has minimal effects on the body. Circadian rhythms are real, and if you're not accustomed to international travel, you should allot some time to adjust to the local clock.

4) Read! Read! Read!
You don't have to become a sinologist, but the more you know about China before you arrive, the more unique your ideas will be about where to go and what to do. With just a little background knowledge, you become a far better witness than the vast majority of people who visit China. Reading up will enable you to draw meaning from sights that you may otherwise have walked right past.

5) Chat people up
Don't be shy. You are going to have to get over the inevitable awkwardness that comes from language barriers and cultural differences. Expect it and don't let it stop you from trying to meet and talk with the locals. What China lacks in an abundant bar scene is made up for ten fold by well-intended people who are enthusiastic to meet and chat with foreigners. Although a bit contrived at times, English corners are a time honored way for Chinese and non-Chinese to get together. University campuses not only give you an insight into college life in China, you’ll find plenty of friendly students who would love to show you around town. Beware of any "art students" who approach you saying they want to show you some paintings. This is a common scam.

6) Leave home at home
Hard to do, but putting domestic concerns on hold while you're in China is a must. Checking in with the folks back home can break the psychological momentum of a trip as well as make demands on your agenda. Increasingly, travelers are navigating their trips towards WiFi hotspots and net bars instead of tea houses and mountain tops. While keeping in touch has benefits, it can also be one of the surest ways to leave you feeling like you never really left home. It will all still be there when you get back. This time is for you and China.

7) Don't bring a laptop
Unless you need it for work, or simply cannot live without artificial intelligence, a laptop serves mainly as a time waster and a barricade between you and the place you're at. Unplug and get back into gathering information the old fashioned way – meet people!

8) Put down that guide book
Guide books are an essential part of international travel. Nonetheless, basing your entire trip on the opinions of travel writers denies you the opportunity to go and find out for yourself, and lands you smack dab in the middle of the tourist scene. Recommendations are useful, but guide books often prejudice travelers before they even arrive at a location. Choose your destinations according to what piques your interest. If you put what other people say out of your mind and come with few expectations, more often than not, you'll find something to like about everywhere you go.
 

Related Links
How to Travel China on the Cheap
15 Essential Travel Items for China
China Travel Dos and Don'ts

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