So, you are going to go to China. And they did it right! This country is famous for its centuries-old culture, inventions, natural landscapes, food and much more. Now there are many offers on the tourist market, but they are all of the same type and run along the same well-trodden routes. In addition, they don’t give freedom: look to the right, look to the left ... How about entering a country where they look at you with genuine childish interest, like an alien, where the whole car gets up when they see you)). Or chat with the locals and get to know the life of the country from the inside. All this is provided by independent travel.

Below are the main practical issues related to independent travel in China.

1. Visa to China

The first thing you need for such a trip is a Chinese visa. Visas are of several types, respectively, require different documents, different costs. The simplest is a one-time tourist. You can issue in a travel agency, which naturally will take an additional fee for their work. You can make a visa yourself by taking the documents to one of the consulates of the PRC: in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.

2. How to get to China and move around within the country?

There are several ways to get to the Celestial Empire from Russia: by plane, train or bus, and hitchhiking. It all depends on your budget, where you are going from and what places in China you are going to visit. China, as you know, borders on Russia in the Far East, from there the path to Beijing is the closest. You can cover this distance by train. From Moscow, St. Petersburg, the European part of Russia, the easiest way is to fly by plane. There are both direct flights and with transfers in Astana, Almaty, Dubai, depending on the airline. Cheap tickets can be found on the website .

Inside China, you can also move in different ways, which is more to your liking. We traveled on trains, bought tickets ourselves at the box office a few days before departure.

3. How much money to take to China?

It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer here - everyone has their own requirements and preferences. I can only provide a link to our

It is better to exchange cash in advance in Russia for dollars, since rubles in China are not changed. Dollars to yuan are changed mainly by the Bank of China, the exchange rate in the spring of 2013 was 6.1 yuan per 1 dollar. You can also use Visa and MasterCard bank cards. A fee will be charged for withdrawing money from the card. It is different for different banks, check with your bank before traveling.

Anya and I applied for ISIC youth cards, and in some places they give a good discount. For example, we saved 90 yuan (450 rubles) on Mount Emeishan.

4. What to take with you to China?

Experience is the son of difficult mistakes)) It’s not clear why we dragged sleeping bags with us, but it turned out that China is full of cheap and comfortable housing.

When collecting, pay attention to what kind of weather awaits you in China. For example, in the spring in the southwestern regions there is a lot of rain and dampness, while in Xinjiang it can be cool but dry. From here, choose what to take. For an independent trip, a backpack is an indispensable and convenient thing that you must have =).

In extreme cases, buy what you need in China, all the clothes are made there anyway!

5. Accommodation in China - where to sleep?

As mentioned above, the choice of accommodation is huge, especially in places popular with tourists. And competition keeps prices affordable. You can book a hotel or inn in advance - this is easy to do on the site. If you prefer to improvise, you can decide on housing already on the spot. I just strongly advise you not to do this if you are traveling on holidays: in early May and in the first half of October.

If you want to stay in an apartment or rent a room from the hosts (often cheaper than a hotel), try Airbnb (follow and get a free $25 on your first booking).

6. Where to go in China, attractions

Here the choice is simply endless, China is an amazing country! At every step waiting for the discovery =).

We visited 4 provinces, or rather , and province , Yunnan and Manchuria. The rest of the districts were simply passed by train.

7. Food

People in China love and know how to eat! Local residents have adopted the rule "War is war, but lunch is on schedule")). The choice of food is very large, although the main products for the Chinese are rice and noodles, as well as additives to them. You can have a bite to eat in local chifans or by buying products in the market or in supermarkets.

It should be noted that Chinese food is very spicy - be careful, especially in the early days.

When organizing an independent trip, mobile applications are very helpful. We wrote .

That's all I wanted to say about traveling to China on my own. Come to China, you will definitely be satisfied! Easy roads!

Behind dozens of Chinese cities. The road from the border with the Russian city of Zabaikalsk, which I crossed by train, to Laos, where I entered on foot. (Don't worry, then I got on the bus).

It was experimentally established that, firstly, China is a wonderful country for independent travel, and secondly, it is possible to travel abroad without even knowing the language, although it is still not clear how I managed to do it. The golden rule of any “take it and do it” business also applies to “take it and go” free travel.

Don't let the language factor bother you (they don't speak English in China), but you shouldn't relax either. Phrasebooks, guidebooks, the basics of English (at least to communicate with other foreign travelers) will come in handy. And the rest are details.

How to travel to China on your own?

Visa

Personally, I made a Chinese visa through an agency, simply giving my passport to specially trained people, while still in Russia. I won’t say that it was very difficult to submit the documents myself (although at that moment I lived in Kamchatka and agents, among other things, sent documents to Vladivostok, to the representative office), but I had one rule - the start should be easy. China is the first country of the first trip, and even independent, also alone. I decided to free myself somehow. Therefore, a passport, photo and money - all it took for 30 days to the People's Republic of China. But I extended it on my own, on the spot. The next 30 days were marked by the submission of the same documents.

Weather

China is a country so big that you can't get off with generalized conclusions about the weather. Decide on the exact location, and then check with eyewitness accounts for that region. Where are you planning: to the Himalayas or to Hainan? By the way, I have been to Hainan twice, and both times in October. Rumors about local typhoons are not exaggerated. I witnessed coconuts flying and palm trees uprooted the next morning. Although, if now someone asks whether it is possible to go to Hainan in October, I will not dissuade. Both times I had a great time. The industrious Chinese planted all the palm trees in their place literally the very next day after the hurricane.

Where to live

In hostels. This will provide you with pleasant (read "low") checks for accommodation, excellent acquaintances from among foreigners from all over the world and people who still speak and understand English, which is very important during a long stay in the country. According to my personal observations, hostels in China are some of the best in Asia, with the right atmosphere for the general drive of life and new discoveries. Stories like “I worked as a lawyer, and then I decided to change everything” or “We sold the car and drove around the world” are the norm in them. In addition, your travel colleagues also missed white faces and English speech, just like you. In China, a white man is a close friend to a white man, if not a relative. And don’t even worry about stupid things like “how can you live in a room for four?” The main thing is not for fourteen (anything happens), but otherwise you even like it. I guarantee.

Popular destinations

It’s also a limitless topic, so I’ll highlight my TOP places in the most “other” Asian country: Beijing and Shanghai - a look at the world from the top floors of skyscrapers sets you in the right mood; (Huangshan and others), Hainan is the same banal tropical island that one so dreams of from home; Guilin and Yangshuo with their karst hills and lulling rivers, as well as Yunnan province as a whole.

Transport

The experience of riding Chinese trains can be inserted into your resume as proof of courage and fortitude. How to read in Chinese, namely hieroglyphs, where your train is and when it leaves, if you are at a Beijing station the size of a small city and the wrong direction chosen can lead very far not only from the place of departure, but also from the truth in general? One fact is that you can travel on Chinese trains no matter what, I would even say: contrary. Each time, I was the only white face in the whole car and they constantly brought me some kind of food, trying to somehow satisfy my curiosity and stare at a white girl, without being able to otherwise compensate for the language barrier.

survive

To survive in China, and by survival, as you guessed, I mean getting to the right station and the right train, you need to clearly remember the “three people” rule, which reads as follows: “If you ask a Chinese how to get to the place you need (and , whether he suddenly answers you in English or reads your phrasebook and gestures), do not go in the indicated direction until at least three people point in the same direction. Simply put, ask at least three people “how to get there”, even if the first one knows exactly where you need to go and is ready to take you personally. Saying "I don't know" in China means losing face, this is a traditional feature. It is better to show it wrong, especially to some foreigner, than to goof off like that and show your ignorance. Ask again always and in everything, especially if you are in a hurry.

Otherwise, the safety rules are no different from other countries - stay vigilant and you will be happy on Chinese soil.

Do you want to confess? I still don’t understand how I managed to travel through all of China with a backpack on my back. As a result, the longer I lived in the hospitable countries of Southeast Asia, the more mysterious this Chinese “phenomenon” became for me. Everything in life is simpler than it seems. But this can only be found out experimentally. Good luck!

How to organize an independent trip to China in 2019! Visa, tickets, hotels, food, transportation, security. How much does it cost to travel to China? Cost calculation, tips and observations.

The material was prepared on the basis of the author's personal experience of independent travel to China: three months of living in Shenzhen, as well as trips to Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

China is huge and very diverse, so it is impossible to clearly say where what prices and conditions are. I will start from Shenzhen - the center of all electronics, a young and rapidly growing city in the very south of China, which borders on Hong Kong. I will tell you what is useful for a tourist when planning an independent trip to China in 2019, as well as my own observations about the country and travel tips.

How to apply for a visa to China

A visa to China is required for Russians, except in rare cases. A regular one-time ticket costs 1,500 rubles, a double-entry ticket costs 3,000 rubles, and a multiple-entry ticket costs 4,500 rubles. Plus, there is a bank commission of 2.5% per person.

Urgent single entry - 2400, urgent double entry - 3900, urgent multiple entry - 5400. There is also an express examination, it costs more.

It is better to stay in chain hotels, as they care about their reputation. A day in such a hotel costs from $30-40 for a double room. Chain hotels in Shenzhen: Greentree Inn , Sheraton, Novotel, etc.

Adviсe:

• Look for a hotel with good soundproofing - the Chinese are noisy.
• Photos of hotels do not always correspond to reality.
• Sometimes a room can be clean and comfortable, but have extraneous odors, such as dampness. Or windows overlooking the courtyard, where there is a dump or a Chinese street cafe (which produces smells no better).

Rent. If you want personal comfortable housing, look for a room, apartment or house on Airbnb. The choice of housing is huge. Renting an apartment in Beijing costs about $30-50 per day, in Shenzhen - from $27. You can rent an apartment for a month on Airbnb for $600-1500 (rooms - $500-900). The price depends on the city, area and condition of the house. For example, in Shenzhen, near the beach in the resort area, an excellent apartment was rented for $600. There are discounts for long term rentals.

Entrance to Shenzhen Novotel Watergate (Photo © booking.com / Shenzhen Novotel Watergate)

Food and Cuisine of China

Another difficulty you will face when traveling to China on your own in 2019 is food. It is very specific here, so there are problems with going to a cafe, especially if you do not know the language. But here McDonald's and KFC come to the rescue. There are also many well-known European chains where you can order food from pictures. However, their prices are much higher - for example, a side dish with meat costs from $ 6. Sometimes tea is included in the price. At McDonald's, a Big Mac (potato, cola, double cheeseburger) will cost about $ 5.

In general, in a cafe you can eat for $5 or more, in restaurants a simple dish costs from $10.

Where you can eat inexpensively and tasty in China:

• Cafe for locals. You can have a hearty meal in them for $ 1.5, but no one guarantees the quality of the products and compliance with sanitary standards. Minus - it is difficult to order dishes, as often there are no pictures or there are few of them, and if there are, it is not clear what it is.
• "Muslim" are local cafes run by Chinese Muslims. The food there is prepared in compliance with all norms and is really very tasty. I love their noodles and would recommend trying them. They cook it in front of you, and this process is interesting to watch. Cost from $ 1.5 for a huge portion.
• Supermarket. A kilo of bananas costs $1-2, apples $2-3, tangerines $1-2. I do not recommend buying sausages. This is not at all what we expect: Chinese sausages are made from soy with tons of spices and additives. They taste sweet and have a specific smell, but for the sake of curiosity, you can try it once.

(Photo © [email protected]/ flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)

Internet and Cellular in China

All sim-cards are sold only with a passport in specialized places. The cost of mobile communications is quite high - from $ 20 per month, plus the same amount is charged for buying a card and choosing a tariff plan. To purchase a normal tariff and understand everything, you need to know Chinese. If you need internet in China, it's easier to use Wi-Fi while traveling - in big cities you can find it everywhere.

There is another nuisance that many people face - this is the blocking of all Google, YouTube, Instagram services. To access them, you need to install a special VPN program for yourself.

China Mobile is the world's largest mobile operator (Photo © Open Grid Scheduler Grid Engine / flickr.com)

Transport in China

With transport in China, everything is fine. The infrastructure is very developed. Airplanes, ferries, trains (including high-speed ones), buses, subways and taxis. You can get to any point without problems. Travel by bus - from $ 0.3, in the subway - from $ 0.5.

If you are going to go to China for a month, buy a travel card. A plastic card can be topped up and used on the metro and buses, and then returned and the money back. The cost is 4$. It is very convenient: you do not need to find out the cost of tickets, buy tokens, stand in lines. Accordingly, the problem of language also disappears. For trips within the same city, $ 10-30 is enough for a month.

A very common form of transportation is electric mopeds. In fact, this is a taxi, only less comfortable, more extreme and cheaper - from $ 2. The main advantage is the absence of traffic jams, as mopeds ride where they want. The only downside is the language. We need to agree on a price and a destination.

(Photo © Lαin / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

ATMs and cards

Be prepared that in many stores your Visa or MasterCard may not be accepted, since in China another payment system is UnianPay. This card can be issued at any bank for free. If you need to withdraw money from your own, then there are many ATMs for this.

Chinese mentality

Don't be surprised if in China you feel like a monkey that everyone wants to take a picture with. For a Chinese, having a photo with a European is an indicator of coolness, status, so you will always be in the spotlight. They will always turn around and, without hesitation, look at you point-blank. In addition to the increased interest, the Chinese will try to make money on the "white man". For them, we are walking money, so bargain in all stores. For example, once we reduced the price of a shirt from $35 to $5.

You can talk about the culture and upbringing of most Chinese for a long time. To give way to a girl, to let her go ahead, to let people out of the transport, to throw garbage into the bin - this is not about them. They also have no sense of tact. Do not be surprised if at the first meeting you will be asked about your personal life, salary and health. The Chinese themselves are very cunning and enterprising, but at the same time good-natured.

Useful words in Chinese for the traveler:

Security in China

Do you know where the tradition of wearing a backpack in front came from? From China. Petty theft is very common there. In big cities everywhere you can meet a policeman who will gladly help in any situation. Also in all buses, subways, shopping centers, and just on the street there are cameras, so in big cities there is nothing to be afraid of, walking along the streets in the evening. From personal experience: I walked with photographic equipment, and not once did anyone try to pester.

Also in China there is an unspoken rule that animals, children and laovayam(foreigners) everything is possible.

(Photo © Today is a good day / flickr.com / Licensed CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

How much does a solo trip to China from Russia cost?

Let's calculate how much a trip to China for two for 10 days costs when departing from Moscow:

• Single entry visa - $52.
• Air tickets from Moscow to Beijing and back - from $586. Find a ticket >>
• Hotel in the center of Beijing in the low season - $130. Find a hotel >>
• Meals in eateries for locals - $ 120.
• Insurance - $23.
• Transport and attractions - approximately $200.

So, how much does it cost to go to China on your own? The minimum cost of the trip, if you are ready to save - about 1111$ for two for 10 days.

If you are used to living in comfort, then the trip will cost approximately 1711$ for two (accommodation in a 3 * hotel - $ 250 and meals in cafes and restaurants - $ 600). We spent $1,500 a month for two.

Fragment of a 100 yuan banknote (Photo © super.heavy / flickr.com)

Check out our helpful tips for self-guided travel to China in 2019:

• See how the Chinese count on their fingers before traveling. The match with our score is only up to 4, then everything is different.
• Be sure to download the translator to your phone.
• Take the right medicines, as you can hardly find anything familiar in Chinese pharmacies. More likely to meet a dried toad than activated charcoal.
• Download the Baidu program and maps of the cities where you are going to live on your phone. This program will help you choose the route, time and mode of transport, determine the best way. You won't get lost with her. I highly recommend!

I hope you have a general idea of ​​​​prices and conditions. And the problem of language, as you see, is not so terrible. Travel, because there are so many interesting things in the world!

(Photo © monkeylikemind / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Intro Image Source: © mandylovefly / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Despite the fact that China is becoming more and more popular with tourists from all over the world every year, the reviews on the Internet of our compatriots about trips to China are, to put it mildly, ambiguous, so let's talk about those features of the country that may be unacceptable for some travelers.

1. If your passport is valid for less than 6 months from the end of the planned tour, choose another country

The Chinese consulate strictly observes all documentary formalities, therefore, in order to avoid problems with obtaining a visa and disrupting the trip, it is better not to take risks and take care of a new passport in advance.

2. If you are not ready for the extra hassle of obtaining a Chinese visa

There is nothing fundamentally difficult in preparing documents for obtaining a Chinese visa - no extra certificates are required, only a passport, an application form, copies of a Russian passport, a photograph and an invitation from the Chinese side. Consular fee for a tourist trip - 1500 rubles. Moreover, if you are planning a vacation in Hainan, then when you take a direct flight from Moscow, you do not need a visa at all!

Mountain lake in China

3. If you basically fly only on charter flights, then - alas!

You can get to China only by regular flights of Hainan Airlines, Aeroflot, etc. Airplanes fly from St. Petersburg to Beijing on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Accordingly, the duration of the trip should be "customized" to the schedule of the airline. Flight time is about 7 hours.

China

4. If when traveling by train you are used to buying a full compartment to feel comfortable, then in China you will have to fly by plane

In China, it is impossible to redeem a compartment in whole or in part, that is, if the program of the sightseeing tour includes train travel between cities, then you will have to share a four-seater compartment either with tourists from your group or with the Chinese. There are no double compartments. As a rule, transfers between cities are overnight and last about 12 hours, for example, between Beijing and Xi'an.

One of the entrances to the Forbidden City

If this issue is fundamental for you, there remains the option of moving on domestic flights. By the way, China has a very developed air service and a fairly high level of flight safety. Carry-on baggage regulations are even stricter than those accepted around the world.

China

5. If you cannot tolerate tobacco smoke, choose another country or stock up on a respirator

The Chinese smoke a lot. Accordingly, almost everywhere it smells of tobacco, smoky rooms come across in hotels, and guests also smoke in hotel lobbies. It is forbidden to smoke in train compartments, in restaurants you can choose a room for non-smokers.

Chinese outback

6. If you are on a special diet or are very selective about food, take your favorite (preferred) foods with you

A lot has been written and told about the fact that Chinese cuisine is very peculiar, but how much it suits you personally, you will understand only, so to speak, “on the spot”. Someone lacks meat - indeed, the basis of the Chinese diet is steamed, boiled, stewed vegetables, noodles and rice. Someone does not tolerate spicy and salty. If in Beijing, Shanghai and other large cities you can still find food adapted for a European, then in the provinces this will be a problem. You will find cutlery familiar to us only in large cities, in the outback you will have to eat with chopsticks. Of course, in China there are places chosen by the British and Americans, where both the cuisine and other amenities are at the highest level, for example, the panda nature reserve, but this is rather an exception.

Giant Buddha statue, Leshan

7. If you experienced culture shock when visiting public restrooms in the former Soviet Union (or in modern India) and no longer want to see them again, then choose another country to travel.

All public toilets in China are free. Tourists who have found Soviet "conveniences", seeing Chinese ones, think "scoop". Indeed, very similar: two soles and a metal bowl at floor level, no toilet paper and a corresponding smell. So for those tourists who still go to China, advice is to take toilet paper and wet wipes with you.

8. If you prefer silence and solitude, and your personal psychologically comfortable space is one and a half meters - choose another country

There are many people in China. Even not so - there are VERY MANY PEOPLE in China! This fact actually entails a wide variety of consequences, namely: everyone constantly touches each other with elbows and other parts of the body, they talk quite loudly, therefore very noisily, they look at everything interesting and unusual with sincere, but completely unceremonious curiosity, for example, you

Against the backdrop of the Great Wall of China

9. If the budget of your trip involves an amount of less than 50 thousand rubles per person, then you need to choose another country or take a loan

The most budget option for exploring China is a week-long tour to Beijing. Today it costs from 50 thousand rubles per person. If you want to see more Xi'an (terracotta army) and Shanghai within a week's stay, count on the amount of at least 70 thousand rubles per person. In order not only to see the main cities, but also to relax on Hainan Island for a week, budget from 100 thousand per person. Treatment in China is very popular among the stars of domestic and international show business - both in the central part and on the island of Hainan.

In order to feel comfortable when planning a tour and directly on a trip, you can use the installment payment service offered, for example, by our company for up to 7 months at 0% per annum.

Village with rice fields, China

10. If your vacation falls during the Republic of China Day or Chinese New Year celebrations, go to another country

In China, there are two grandiose holidays - the day of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese New Year. During these periods - from 28.09 to 04.10 and the last decade of February-early March (celebrated according to the lunar calendar, so there are no exact dates) - China has official public holidays, and all Chinese begin to travel in droves within the country. Hotel prices are tripled, and pandemonium begins at tourist sites. So it is better to plan a trip for other dates. The ideal time, especially for combined tours, is spring and autumn, when the mainland is warm and Hainan Island is still not very hot.

Among other tourists, China

In conclusion, I want to say: I am sure that a trip to China will not leave anyone indifferent. Our tourists return from this diverse country with invariably positive impressions.

Panda

If you have any questions, write to: [email protected]

China attracts tourists with its color, amazing combination of modern and ancient architecture. In the cities of China, chic skyscrapers with Buddhist temples coexist perfectly, there are shops with amazing goods, restaurants with traditional Chinese cuisine. In order to plunge into the atmosphere of the country, it is better to organize a trip to China on your own, travel along interesting routes and enjoy local traditions to your heart's content.

What documents are needed for the trip?

To visit the country, tourists first need to apply for a visa. If the trip is planned for up to 30 days, then a single entry visa is suitable for such purposes. Its cost is 1500 rubles.

Package of documents for visa application:

• foreign passport liquid within six months from the date of travel;
• a copy of the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
• questionnaire with a photo in color;
• insurance policy;
• a certificate from the bank to confirm financial solvency;
• round-trip tickets;
• invitation.

If the invitation is of a personal nature, then it is necessary to provide the passport details of the inviting person.

You need to apply for a visa at the consulate.

Transport to destination and within the country

You can get directly into China itself not only by airlines, but also by bus or train. True, for this you first need to go to Vladivostok, and from there you can choose any land transport and cross the border. Movement within the country also remains diverse. You can choose transport, plane, bus, train or taxi. However, in large metropolitan areas, it is better to stop your choice on the metro in order to quickly move. The trip is carried out on a travel card, which can be bought at the beginning of the trip and returned at the end.

How to choose housing?

Obtaining a visa obliges to provide a reservation for the entire time that the traveler plans to stay in China. Such a long-term reservation is fraught with a lot of unknown surprises. It is recommended to make a reservation for several nights and, if necessary, extend it, and if the room does not suit you, then move out and find another one. Many tourists complain about shortcomings in hotels.

Poor soundproofing

The walls in the rooms are made of a material that transmits sound to the maximum extent. This fact causes a lot of inconveniences, since it is almost impossible to provide a comfortable stay due to good audibility from the next room. And if the hotel is located near a road or a crowded place, then everything will be heard in the room.

Conditions in the room

The hotel is selected by the photo, but when you arrive there you can be very disappointed. The dimensions of the rooms may differ radically from those declared, the furniture and cleanliness in the room may also not correspond. When booking a hotel, it is better to pay attention to the rating and reviews, but its cost will be much higher than a hotel with a low rating. So a night in a good hostel will cost about 30 dollars, and on average about 15. Short-term apartment rentals in China are not very popular, but if you wish, you can find a company that will provide accommodation for several nights.

The bulk of the money here will be spent on living, hence it is necessary to start planning the budget.

Nutrition

What people in Russia are accustomed to consider Chinese food is actually very different from the real thing. Traditional is an unusual combination of products, an abundance of spices and sauces. However, a tourist can easily eat at the famous McDonald's chain, but the price will be higher than the average lunch in the Russian Federation. Local restaurants and catering do not pay due attention to sanitary standards, the food there is more budgetary, so there is a chance of getting food poisoning or indigestion.

You should not deprive yourself of the opportunity to enjoy traditional snacks, it is enough to find a restaurant or cafe where the owner is a Muslim Chinese. Such establishments are kept clean, but when planning a trip to China on your own, it is better to look for information about the location of such establishments in advance.

Many travelers choose the self-catering method. You can find all the necessary products in supermarkets, but without knowing the language it will be difficult to do this, you will need a dictionary for this. Many exotic fruits cannot be found in Russia, but you can try them in China.

It is worth refusing to buy sausages, as soy is used in their preparation, and the taste is fundamentally different from the usual taste.

What you need to know when traveling to China

1. When explaining the number from 1 to 9, the fingers of one hand are used, unlike the European method.
2. To purchase tickets at railway stations, you should use the destination written in advance on a piece of paper, as employees do not always speak English.
3. Many social networks are banned in China, and those that are used are heavily censored.
4. Public restrooms are equipped with floor-mounted toilets and there is no toilet paper, so it's best to bring it with you. Toilets in China have stellar status as hotels.
5. The traditional color in China is red. The lucky number is 8, and the unlucky number is 4. The Chinese are very superstitious people. Therefore, some houses may well not have a 4th floor.
6. The Chinese vernacular contains many dialects. Each city has its own. Only the hieroglyphs are the same.
7. The most needed application in China is the one that can quickly translate all the inscriptions from the phone's camera.
8. Banknotes in China need to be well checked, as there is a chance of running into a fake.
9. Get on public transport at the front door. Payment is made either by transport card or in cash.
10. Laundry in China is very expensive. Therefore, it is better to look for apartments equipped with a washing machine.
11. Additional costs: the mentality of the locals

You can characterize the locals as noisy and noisy. These are lovers of bargaining in the markets. By the way, this is quite natural for merchants, bargaining tourists can buy the necessary goods cheaply, sometimes the price can be brought down several times. Payment must be made in cash, as non-cash is not acceptable everywhere. For safety reasons, you need to carefully look after your belongings, as theft is developed in China.

The culture of behavior of many Chinese is very different from the European one, such simple rules as giving up a seat in public transport, or cleaning up after yourself, are not followed here.

The Chinese are very fond of doing with Europeans, this fact should not be surprising.

Phone and internet

You can buy a SIM card in China only with a passport. Mobile communication is expensive here, about $30, and you have to pay the same amount for a card and a tariff. However, many tourists use only Wi-Fi, it is freely available and almost throughout the territory. Popular social networks and subject to blocking.

ATMs and cards

The most common MasterCard or Visa system for paying for goods or services in China is not suitable, since the country has a different payment system. The UnianPay card must be issued to the bank absolutely free of charge. You can withdraw cash from your native card at any of the many ATMs.

Safety

In the country, keeping track of your belongings is the main and main task. Because petty scams are common. The streets of the city are protected by policemen, of which there are quite a few in every quarter. Cameras are installed in public transport, crowded places, so there is nothing to fear. However, you should still travel carefully.

Airfare to China from Moscow

Air communication between China and Russia is well established. Many airlines fly to China, among which there are very low-cost ones. The average cost of a round-trip ticket varies within 25,000 rubles, the lowest price will be about 20,000 rubles.

The factors on which the price depends are:

• season;
• how many transfers will there be;
• departure time;
• flight direction.

Airlines very often hold promotions where the cost of a flight can be significantly reduced and you can get from your destination inexpensively.

Prices in hotels in China

The cost of staying in a hotel in China will differ depending on where the hotel is located. So in large cities, accommodation is more expensive, and in small towns, you can rent a hotel room very cheaply.

If you choose a hostel for accommodation, then the cost of a bed will be inexpensive, about 40-60 yuan.

For a room in a 3-star hotel, you can pay about 150 yuan. For the comfort and convenience in the room, and accommodation in 4-5 star hotels, you will have to pay more than 200 yuan.

Rental housing in China

For those who do not want to overpay for hotel services, renting from the owner will be quite suitable. There are many such options. Apartments will also differ in cost depending on the distance from the center, metro, number of rooms, living conditions. Decent housing is rented at a price of 200 yuan. It is possible to rent a separate room, then the rental price will be an average of 130 yuan.

Visa to China 2019, documents

A visa to China for residents of the Russian Federation is provided on a paid basis. There are two types of visas: single entry and urgent. They differ from each other in cost. For the first option, you need to pay 3300 rubles, for the second - 4600 rubles. For self-registration, you should contact the consulate of Moscow. Its branches are located in large cities of the Russian Federation. For Russians, there is the possibility of a visa-free visit to China for 72 hours, only in this case it is necessary to fly.

Documents for obtaining a visa to China

Applying for a visa requires a preliminary collection of documents. The standard package of documents looks like this:

1. International passport.
2. Color photo.
3. Round trip tickets.
4. Invitation or booking of hotels for the period of rest.

Main attractions

Going to China, it is better to make an itinerary of excursions and places to visit in advance. There are quite a lot of sights in the country, if the travel time is limited, then it is better to go to the main historical monuments that are included in all tourist destinations.

The great Wall of China

This monument rightfully deserves to be on the list of must-see places. Its length is several tens of kilometers. This historical object has a complex and sad history, as tens of thousands of people died during its construction. The wall served as a defense against the Mongol troops.

Terracotta Army

This is a burial of statues of Chinese warriors made of terracotta clay. The exact number is still unknown, different sources fix a different figure. This object is included in the World Heritage List and is very popular among travelers who want to get here.

The banks of this river are famous for their amazing and diverse landscapes. It is the longest river in Eurasia. Some sections of the river have the right to be called reserved.

Chengdu nature reserve

Rare species of animals live in this area. It is worth going there if you want to watch animals in their natural habitat. Also in the reserve are temples and a monastery of the Tang dynasty.

Hong Kong is a favorite city among tourists. It is worth going there for good shopping, all kinds of entertainment and a varied nightlife. Hong Kong is home to chic nightclubs and giant shopping malls. It is also worth visiting the Buddha statue, temples, Victoria Peak. An unforgettable excursion will be the harbor of Aberdeen.

Shanghai

This city is similar to the previous one with its rhythm of life and modernity. You should go here for shopping and soak up the spirit of a giant metropolis.

Tibet

Tibet strikes with peace and tranquility. Tours are organized here that help to heal from mental wounds, as well as improve their health. Amazing nature, sincere people, an atmosphere of calm all this will be found in Tibet.

How much does a solo trip to China from Russia cost?

Before you go to China, you need to know the approximate amount of expenses to plan your travel budget. Should be taken into account:

• air tickets from Moscow and back (for two people 40,000 rubles);
• rent a hotel room for 7 days (22.000 for two);
• tickets excursion fees (12.000 rubles for two);
• fare (3000 rubles);
• buying souvenirs, meals and small expenses (18,000 rubles).

The average cost of a trip to China is about 100 thousand rubles.

Budget trips to China

The budget of the trip can be reduced if you stay not in hotels, but in hostels that can accommodate up to 6-8 people. If you take care of tickets in advance, then the probability of buying them with an early booking promotion will increase. You can buy last-minute tours through travel companies and fly profitably.

How to save

You will save on tickets, accommodation, as well as on moving within the city, if this is done mainly on foot or by renting a car. It will be much more profitable to eat in inexpensive cafes, but you should not chase cheapness in spite of your health. A trip in the low season will help save the budget, when there is no large influx of tourists, prices fall on all services and goods. Even in China, there is an opportunity to use free housing, but you should take care of this in advance.

Conclusion

In order to travel to China on your own, it is enough to study the necessary information before leaving, decide on the route and plan the budget of the trip. If you spend a little time reading traveler reviews, you can adjust the trip and make it fun. Flying to China is a must! Do not forget that from China you can bring a lot of amazing souvenirs and gizmos with the famous inscription "Made in China".