Your Ultimate China Travel Guide: Everything You Should Know
First time in China? Born‑and‑raised local May reveals which cities to visit, how much to budget, and 6 risks to avoid. Your trip starts here.
1. 15 Chinese Phrases You’ll Actually Use🍜 Eating & Ordering🚇 Getting Around🆘 When You Need Help💡 Three Easy Ones to RememberMy local tip2. Scam Avoidance 101: What to Watch Out For🚖 Ignore Random Drivers at Airports & Train Stations📸 Be Careful With Costume & Photo Packages🎫 Don’t Buy Tickets From Random People🍜 Be Careful With Restaurants That Pull You Inside🔥 If Something Goes Wrong3. Finding a Western-Style Toilet in China 🚽🔍 Your Best BetsWhat About Public Toilets?🎒 Carry These Every Day📱 A Useful Map Trick4. Power Bank Rules: Read This Before Your Domestic Flight 🔋✅ Before You Fly, Check Your Power Bank⚠️ Don’t Confuse CCC With CE✈️ What About International Flights?💻 What About Your Laptop and Phone?One Last Piece of Local Advice
If you’re visiting China for the first time, you probably have a few practical questions that don’t always show up in guidebooks:
How do I order food? What if I can’t speak Chinese? How do I avoid tourist traps? Where can I find a Western-style toilet? Can I bring my power bank on a domestic flight?
I’m Chinese, and these are the kinds of questions I get from foreign friends all the time. So here’s my no-nonsense China travel cheat sheet — the practical stuff that can make your trip a whole lot easier.
1. 15 Chinese Phrases You’ll Actually Use
You don’t need to learn Chinese before your trip. Seriously.
My biggest tip? Save these Chinese phrases on your phone and screenshot them. If your pronunciation goes completely off the rails, just show the Chinese characters to the waiter, driver, or shop assistant.
The characters matter more than the pinyin.
🍜 Eating & Ordering
不要辣
bù yào là — No spicy, please.
If you’re not good with spicy food, learn this one first. And if you really can’t handle spice, you can say:
一点辣都不要
yì diǎn là dōu bú yào — No spice at all.
我要这个
wǒ yào zhè ge — I’ll have this one.
Point at the dish, photo, or menu item while saying it.
打包 / 带走
dǎ bāo / dài zǒu — Take away / Pack this to go.
Useful when you have leftovers or want takeaway food.
买单
mǎi dān — The bill, please.
You’ll hear this a lot in restaurants.
🚇 Getting Around
地铁站在哪儿？
dì tiě zhàn zài nǎr? — Where’s the metro station?
洗手间在哪儿？
xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎr? — Where’s the restroom?
This is the natural phrase to use in China.
去这里
qù zhè lǐ — Go here.
Show the driver your destination on your phone.
等一下
děng yí xià — One moment.
Perfect when you need a second to open Alipay, pull up a translation, or find your ticket.
这个多少钱？
zhè ge duō shao qián? — How much is this?
可以便宜一点吗？
kě yǐ pián yi yì diǎn ma? — Can you make it a little cheaper?
Useful at markets and small independent shops. Don’t bother trying this at Starbucks or a shopping mall.
我用支付宝
wǒ yòng Zhīfùbǎo — I’ll pay with Alipay.
🆘 When You Need Help
能帮我一下吗？
néng bāng wǒ yí xià ma? — Could you help me?
Then show them your ticket, map, or phone screen.
我不会说中文
wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén — I don’t speak Chinese.
💡 Three Easy Ones to Remember
你好
nǐ hǎo — Hello.
谢谢
xiè xie — Thank you.
不好意思
bù hǎo yì si — Excuse me / Sorry.
My local tip
Don’t worry about sounding perfect.
If someone doesn’t understand you, don’t just repeat the same sentence louder. 😂
Show them the Chinese characters, point at what you need, and use your phone if necessary.
In China, a screenshot + pointing + a smile can get you surprisingly far.
✈️ Before you dive in, check flight deals first👇
2. Scam Avoidance 101: What to Watch Out For
China is generally a very safe country for tourists. The problems you’re more likely to encounter are tourist traps and overcharging, rather than serious crime.
A little common sense goes a long way.
🚖 Ignore Random Drivers at Airports & Train Stations
If someone approaches you in the arrival hall saying:
“Taxi? Taxi?”
Just keep walking.
They may be perfectly legitimate — but you have no easy way of knowing what you’ll actually pay or whether the vehicle is properly licensed.
Better options:
- Use the official taxi queue.
- Use DiDi and check the price in the app.
- Arrange a hotel transfer in advance.
Don’t follow a stranger who approaches you inside the terminal.
📸 Be Careful With Costume & Photo Packages
Hanfu photos are one of my favorite things to recommend to visitors, especially in places like Xi’an, Beijing, and ancient towns.
But ask for the full price before you sit down for makeup.
Check whether the price includes:
- Makeup
- Costume rental
- Number of photos
- Retouching
- Extra photos
- Different costumes
- Photographer fees
If the price suddenly changes after you’ve already started, that’s your cue to walk away.
🎫 Don’t Buy Tickets From Random People
At popular attractions, you may see people offering:
“I can get you a ticket.”
“No queue.”
“Special price.”
Just say no.
Buy tickets through the attraction's official channels or a reputable travel platform.
And never hand your passport to a random ticket tout.
🍜 Be Careful With Restaurants That Pull You Inside
This is especially relevant around busy tourist streets.
If someone is aggressively trying to get you into their restaurant, you don’t have to be polite and explain yourself.
A simple:
“No, thank you.”
and keep walking.
Before ordering, check the prices carefully — especially for:
- Seafood
- Tea
- Seasonal dishes
- Private rooms
- Dishes sold by weight
If you’re unsure, take a photo of the menu and use a translation app before ordering.
🔥 If Something Goes Wrong
Don’t spend half your holiday arguing over a small amount of money.
Instead:
- Leave if you feel uncomfortable.
- Keep your receipt and payment record.
- Take a photo of the shop name.
- Ask hotel staff or attraction staff for help.
- Report problems through the payment or ride-hailing app.
- If it’s a relatively small amount, sometimes it’s simply better to walk away.
Your holiday is worth more than winning an argument over ¥100.
3. Finding a Western-Style Toilet in China 🚽
This is one of those things nobody tells you before your first China trip.
Yes, Western-style seated toilets are common.
But they’re not guaranteed everywhere.
If you really don’t want to use a squat toilet, know where to look.
🔍 Your Best Bets
Look for:
- 🛍️ Modern shopping malls
- 🏨 Hotels
- ✈️ Airports
- 🚄 Large high-speed railway stations
- 🏛️ Museums
- ☕ Modern cafés
- ♿ Accessible toilets
Accessible toilets are often your best bet if you specifically need a seated toilet.
Shopping malls are especially useful. If nature calls while you’re sightseeing, find the nearest mall.
What About Public Toilets?
Older public toilets and toilets in smaller scenic areas are more likely to have squat toilets.
You may also find that:
- Toilet paper isn’t provided.
- Soap isn’t available.
- There’s no Western-style toilet.
- The restroom is much more basic than you’re used to.
None of this means the place is unsafe or dirty. It’s simply a different setup.
🎒 Carry These Every Day
I always recommend having:
- Pocket tissues
- Wet wipes
- Hand sanitiser
- A small plastic bag
You’ll thank yourself later.
📱 A Useful Map Trick
Search for:
洗手间 = restroom
or simply search toilet / restroom in your map app.
But there’s one problem: the map usually won’t tell you whether it’s a squat or seated toilet.
If you specifically need a Western-style toilet, search for a shopping mall, hotel, museum, or modern café instead.
4. Power Bank Rules: Read This Before Your Domestic Flight 🔋
This is the one section I’d definitely check again before your trip, because Chinese aviation rules can be strict and are subject to updates.
For flights within mainland China, power banks are subject to specific certification, labeling, capacity, and carry-on requirements.
✅ Before You Fly, Check Your Power Bank
Look for:
CCC certification — the China Compulsory Certification mark.
Also check that:
- The capacity information is clearly readable.
- The rating information hasn’t been damaged or rubbed off.
- The power bank meets the airline and aviation authority’s current requirements.
- It is packed in your carry-on luggage, not checked baggage.
For lithium batteries, capacity is generally expressed in Wh (watt-hours) rather than just mAh.
As a rough guide:
- Up to 100 Wh: generally allowed in carry-on.
- 100–160 Wh: usually requires airline approval.
- Over 160 Wh: generally prohibited for passenger travel.
Your airline may have additional restrictions, so check its current baggage rules before flying.
⚠️ Don’t Confuse CCC With CE
You might see several certification marks on your electronics.
For Chinese domestic aviation requirements, CE is not a substitute for CCC certification.
If you're buying a power bank specifically for your China trip, buying a compliant model in China can be the simplest option.
✈️ What About International Flights?
Don’t assume that the rules for domestic flights automatically apply to every international flight.
Different airlines and countries can have different requirements.
If your itinerary includes a domestic flight within China, check the rules for that flight specifically.
And remember: power banks belong in your carry-on, never in checked luggage.
💻 What About Your Laptop and Phone?
Your phone, laptop, and camera batteries generally don't need CCC certification just because you're bringing them into China.
The important thing is to follow the airline's current lithium-battery rules.
For your charger, I recommend bringing a compact GaN charger with enough power for your phone and laptop. One small charger can save you from carrying half a bag of adapters.
One Last Piece of Local Advice
You don't need to know everything before visiting China.
If you can handle these four things, you'll already be much more prepared than most first-time visitors:
🗣️ Know a few Chinese phrases
🚖 Know how to avoid obvious tourist traps
🚽 Know where to find the restroom you need
🔋 Check your power bank before flying
The rest?
You'll figure it out.
China can feel overwhelming when you're planning your first trip because there are so many little differences. But once you're here, you'll probably find that most everyday situations are much easier than you expected.
So save the phrases, keep some tissues in your bag, double-check your power bank, and don't be afraid to ask for help.
And most importantly — eat everything. 😋
Have a great trip, and say hi to the pandas for me. 🐼
Travel rules and airline requirements can change. Always check the latest official requirements before your flight, especially for power banks and lithium batteries.
Made with Bullet