10 Things to Know Before Your First Trip to China

1. Set up payment before you fly

China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay. Both now accept foreign Visa and Mastercard, and both require identity verification that is much easier to do at home than in a hotel lobby. Install one, add your card, verify your passport, and test it before departure.

2. Cash is backup, not primary

Carry a few hundred yuan for small vendors and temple donations, but do not expect to use it much. Some stalls will genuinely struggle to give change for a 100-yuan note.

3. Sort out your internet access

Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and most Western news sites are not reachable on Chinese networks. Either buy an international eSIM that routes traffic outside China (easiest), or install a VPN before you arrive — app stores inside China do not carry them.

4. Download a map app that works

Google Maps is unreliable here. Apple Maps works well on iOS. Amap (Gaode) is the local standard and has an English mode. Your hotel’s front desk will write addresses in Chinese for taxi drivers — always take that card.

5. Do not tip

Tipping is not customary and can cause awkwardness. Restaurants, taxis and hotels do not expect it. Guides and drivers are the exception in the tour industry, and even there it is discretionary rather than expected.

6. Carry toilet paper

Public toilets frequently do not provide it. Carry tissues and hand sanitiser. Squat toilets are common outside major cities and hotels; shopping malls and newer stations have Western-style cubicles.

7. Expect security checks everywhere

Train stations, subway entrances, museums and many attractions scan bags. It is quick and routine — budget an extra fifteen minutes at stations and do not carry a Swiss Army knife.

8. Learn four phrases

• Nǐ hǎo — hello
• Xièxie — thank you
• Duōshao qián? — how much?
• Bù yào — I do not want it (useful in markets)

9. Book the big attractions in advance

The Forbidden City, the Potala Palace and several museums sell timed tickets that run out days ahead, especially in summer. This is the single most common reason people miss something they came for.

10. Slow down

The most frequent mistake in a first China itinerary is trying to see five cities in ten days. Three cities in ten days, with two nights minimum in each, is a far better trip — and the one people recommend to their friends.