Things to Do in China

About China

Shanghai greets you with shaokao smoke curling from alleyways wedged between glass towers. A night of lamb skewers and beer runs 35 RMB ($5). Dice clatter on tin tables, echoing against the Lujiazui skyline. Beijing's hutongs are narrower than your outstretched arms. Grandmothers hawk jianbing from windowsills at 6 AM. The 2 RMB ($0.30) breakfast crepe arrives with egg, cilantro, and the crunch of crispy wonton skin. In Chengdu, the air itself tastes of chili oil and the numb tingle of Sichuan peppercorns. Hotpot isn't dinner—it's endurance sport. The serious places on Yulin Road charge 80 RMB ($11) per person for the privilege of burning your face off. The train from Beijing to Xi'an slices through provinces in four hours flat. Suddenly you're staring at 8,000 terracotta warriors with different faces, built by an emperor who couldn't take his army with him. The country runs on WeChat. You'll use it to pay street vendors, unlock shared bikes, and order bullet train tickets. The trade-off is real—some days the smog in Beijing will make your throat burn. The crowds at West Lake during Golden Week will test your patience. But when you're eating hand-pulled noodles at 2 AM in Lanzhou while watching the cook slap dough against the counter with the rhythm of a drum solo, you'll understand why people who visit China once tend to come back changed.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Grab the 12306 app before you land—it's the only way to lock in high-speed trains at real prices. Beijing to Shanghai in 4.5 hours runs 553 RMB ($77) for second class, far cheaper than flying once you count airport transfers. The catch: your passport is required for every booking, and station queues can swallow an hour. Subway cards work in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, but you'll still need cash for the shared bikes that charge 1.5 RMB ($0.21) per ride and handle the last mile better than any taxi.

Money: China now runs on mobile payments—cash is becoming a real problem. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before arrival. You'll need a Chinese bank account, so get your hotel to help or use the Tour Card feature. ATMs charge 20-30 RMB ($3-4) per withdrawal and often run out of cash on weekends, in smaller cities. Always carry 100 RMB notes for street vendors who spot't gone digital. Don't accept torn bills—banks won't take them back.

Cultural Respect: Sticking chopsticks upright in rice mimics funeral incense — don't do it. In temples, walk clockwise around pagodas. Remove hats before entering prayer halls. The concept of 'face' matters — never call someone out publicly, even if they're clearly wrong. Tipping isn't expected and can be offensive in restaurants. Rounding up taxi fares is normal. If someone offers you a business card, take it with both hands and read it before putting it away — not reading it implies you don't value the connection.

Food Safety: Hot water arrives at every table—locals won't touch the tap either. Bottled or boiled: that's it. Street food rule? Dead simple. Locals queuing, oil bubbling—safe bet. Xi'an Muslim Quarter and Chengdu's Jinli Street night markets? Spotless by developing-world standards. Hotpot broth nukes germs, but skip raw veg in smaller towns. Pack Imodium. Food can be pristine; your stomach might still revolt at spice levels. Sichuan waiters ask "la bu la"—spicy or not—and they aren't kidding around.

When to Visit

April and October crush it. Beijing sits at 20-25°C (68-77°F) under clear skies while the mountains around Chengdu explode into emerald. Hotel prices jump 50-70% during Qingming Festival (April 4-6) and Golden Week (October 1-7) when half China hits the road. June through August? Brutal humidity in Shanghai and Beijing at 32-35°C (90-95°F) with sudden downpours. But beach towns like Qingdao and Xiamen shine—28°C (82°F) water and beer festivals. Winter is merciless. Beijing plunges to -10°C (14°F) while pollution gets trapped under temperature inversions. The payoff: you'll have the Great Wall nearly to yourself and hotel rates drop 40%. September flies under the radar. Still warm at 25°C (77°F) but crowds vanish after summer holidays. The Harbin Ice Festival runs January 5-February 5. Ice castles glow against -20°C (-4°F) nights. Entry costs 330 RMB ($46). Budget travelers: target November or late February. Flights from the US drop under $600 roundtrip. Hotels? Negotiate 30-50% below listed prices.