Walking to China (traveling alone). If you are not ready for the additional hassle associated with obtaining a Chinese visa

How to organize an independent trip to China in 2020! Visa, tickets, hotels, food, transport, security. How much does it cost to travel to China? Cost calculation, tips and observations.

The material is prepared on the basis personal experience independent travel to China by the author of the text: 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 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 a tourist can find useful when planning an independent trip to China in 2020, and I will also give my own observations about the country and tips for travelers.

How to get a visa to China yourself

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

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

It is better to stay in chain hotels, as they care about their reputation. A night 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 may be clean and comfortable, but have foreign odors, such as dampness. Or the windows look out onto the courtyard, where there is a landfill or a Chinese street cafe (which produces odors 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 approximately $30-50 per day, in Shenzhen - from $27. You can rent an apartment on Airbnb for $600-$1,500 for a month (rooms cost $500-$900). The price depends on the city, area and condition of the house. For example, in Shenzhen, near the beach in a resort area, an excellent apartment was rented for $600. At long term rental There are discounts.

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

Food and cuisine of China

Another difficulty you will encounter when independent trip to China in 2020 is food. It is very specific here, so going to a cafe can cause problems, especially if you don’t 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 (potatoes, cola, double cheeseburger) will cost about $5.

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

Where you can eat inexpensively and deliciously in China:

• Cafe for locals. You can eat a hearty meal there for $1.50, but no one guarantees the quality of the products and compliance with sanitary standards. The downside is that it is difficult to order dishes, since often there are no pictures or there are few of them, and if there are, it is not clear what it is.
• "Muslim women"- these are local cafes run by Chinese Muslims. The food there is prepared in compliance with all standards and is really very tasty. I really love their noodles and recommend you try them. They cook it in front of you, and it’s interesting to watch this process. 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 a bunch of spices and additives. They taste sweet and have a specific smell, but for the sake of curiosity you can try them once.

(Photo © Jo@net / flickr.com / Licensed CC BY 2.0)

Internet and cellular communications in China

All SIM cards are sold only with a passport in specialized places. Price mobile communications quite high - from $20 per month, plus they charge the same amount for purchasing 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 it can be found everywhere.

There is another problem that many people face - blocking all Google services, YouTube, Instagram. To access them you need to install special program VPN.

China Mobile - largest operator mobile communications in the world (Photo © Open Grid Scheduler Grid Engine / flickr.com)

Transport in China

Transport in China is excellent. The infrastructure is very developed. Planes, ferries, trains (including high-speed), buses, subways and taxis. You can get to any point without any problems. Travel on buses - from $0.3, in the metro - from $0.5.

If you are going to China for a month, buy a travel pass. The plastic card can be topped up and used in the metro and buses, and then returned and received money back. Cost $4. This is very convenient: you don’t need to find out the cost of tickets, buy tokens, or stand in lines. Accordingly, the problem of language disappears. For trips within one city, $10-30 per month is enough.

A very common type of transportation is electric mopeds. Essentially this is a taxi, only less comfortable, more extreme and cheaper - from $2. The main advantage is the absence of traffic jams, since mopeds go wherever they want. The only negative is the language. You need to agree on the price and destination.

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

ATMs and cards

Be prepared that many stores may not accept your Visa or MasterCard card, since in China there is another payment system - UnianPay. This card can be issued at any bank for free. If you need to withdraw money from yours, 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 photo with. For a Chinese, having a photo with a European is an indicator of coolness and status, so you will always be the center of attention. They will always turn around at you and, without hesitation, look straight at you. In addition to 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, we once reduced the price of a shirt from $35 to $5.

We can talk for a long time about the culture and upbringing of the majority of Chinese. Giving way to a girl, letting her go ahead, letting people exit a vehicle, throwing garbage in the trash bin - this is not about them. They also have no sense of tact. Don’t be surprised if at the first meeting you are 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 a traveler:

Security in China

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

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

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

How much does an independent trip to China from Russia cost?

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

• Single entry visa - $52.
• Flights from Moscow to Beijing and back - from $586. Find a ticket >>
• Hotel in the center of Beijing in 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 travel to China on your own? The minimum cost of the trip, if you are ready to save, is approximately 1111$ for two for 10 days.

If you are used to living comfortably, 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 of us.

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

Take advantage of our useful tips on an independent trip to China in 2020:

• Before you travel, watch how the Chinese count on their fingers. The match with our score is only up to 4, then everything is different.
• Be sure to download a translator to your phone.
• Take the necessary medications, as you are unlikely to find anything familiar in Chinese pharmacies. You are more likely to encounter dried toad than activated charcoal.
• Download the Baidu program and maps of the cities where you plan to live on your phone. This program will help you choose the route, time and type of transport, determine the best option ways. You won't get lost with her. I highly recommend it!

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 CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Introductory image source: © mandylovefly / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

“Do you want to go to China alone, without a group of tourists?” the Khabarovsk travel agency worker looked at me with undisguised horror. “You’ll get lost there, if only because you don’t know the language!” “I assure you, everything will be fine, just help me get a visa!” - I insisted.

The desire to see the Celestial Empire was so strong that the instinct of self-preservation was dulled, and an inner voice persuaded me to fly, because “there are so many interesting things there!” At the same time, I wanted to move around the country on my own, without the standard tourist “look left, look right.” It turned out that this is not at all difficult. Moreover, in my opinion, this is the most correct way to see the country in all its diversity. Of course, it would be nice to have friends in China - this automatically solves the most difficult issue - with the language. Moreover, knowledge local color and the advice of “insiders” can significantly reduce not only your transportation costs, but also insure against monetary losses, and in some cases, save your stomach.

Towards the language barrier!

Before traveling, you need to be aware that in China everyone speaks only Chinese. English is used very little, mainly in big cities - Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong. At first, of course, it’s difficult to get used to: all signs, announcements, schedules and menus consist of hieroglyphs, which are rarely duplicated in English. At first, I was saved by a phrasebook, which contained not only a transcription of Chinese words, but also their spelling. After much practice, I, of course, learned to correctly pronounce basic expressions like “hello” and “how much is it,” but I realized that it is better to show more complex phrases by pointing a finger at a book. The fact is that there are so many dialects in Chinese that a Chinese from the north will never understand a southerner, and vice versa. For example, “forty-four” in northerners will be “si shi si”, and residents of the south say “si si si” - something like “shorok setyre”. The official language is Putonghua - translated as "common language". To teach its citizens to speak the same way, the government is making many efforts. You turn on some radio, and instead of music all the way there there are only conversations in Mandarin.

Where and how to go

Southern China is good at any time of the year. It’s better not to travel to the north in winter - the weather is practically no different from our Central Siberian weather. When choosing a route, you need to take into account your financial capabilities and the duration of the visa. For those who want to start their trip from Beijing, it makes sense to take a direct air ticket (about five hundred and fifty dollars round trip), and from there move around the country by train. If you have limited time, you can fly from city to city by plane - fortunately, in China they are affordable. I’ll tell you more about the railway service. Tickets for any destination can only be purchased at station ticket offices. The only problem is to explain which ticket you need and where you need it. Moreover, it is advisable to do this in Chinese, since even if the station has a window with a “Foreigners” sign, it is not a fact that the cashier girl speaks English.

You need to arrive at the station 20-30 minutes before the train departs - this way you will pass control relatively calmly. The train will leave minute by minute, and as soon as you get into a traffic jam of Chinese people who want to leave with you, all hell breaks loose.

There are several classes of Chinese carriages:

The cheapest ones are without seats. In them, passengers stand or lie on the floor - on newspapers, on anything; Sedentary. It’s better not to take risks if you’re traveling far and your back is acting up; Hard-slippers, reminiscent of our second-class seats, only with three tiers of shelves, the bed is already made, but there are no side seats; The compartments are similar to Russian ones, only the carriages are much cleaner, the beds are ruffled, and there are carpets on the floor. Every train has a dining car - after all, the Chinese are constantly eating something. On all trains, washbasins are located in plain sight, separate from the toilet, and thus morning queues for the toilet are a rare occurrence. But you can, for example, enjoy the spectacle of the morning washing of dentures, which an unfamiliar Chinese grandmother does with special care.

I traveled from Beijing to Jinan in a hard sleeper (about 6 hours), and the ticket cost me 73 yuan - translated into about 200 rubles in our money. The price of a ticket from Beijing to Shanghai (overnight on the road) is 250 yuan, that is, about 685 rubles. Inexpensive, but for me, for example, it was difficult to get used to Chinese trains. Mainly due to the fact that passengers constantly smoke, eat Doshirak noodles, talk loudly and without embarrassment - both men and women - walk around the carriage in long johns.

Where to live and what to take with you

A room with breakfast in a four-star hotel in the center of Harbin cost me 300 yuan per night (eight hundred and twenty rubles). The hotel was not bad, but only Chinese lived in it, and the staff did not understand a word of English. Attempts to ask where their gym was looked like helpless flapping of hands - with the purpose of gesturing to show “exercise machine”, and requests to wake up at a certain time caused confusion in the receptionist.

Hostels - youth hostels - can be a more economical accommodation option for young people. One bed in a double room at the International Youth Hostel, which is located right next to the central station in Beijing, can cost 70 yuan (200 rubles) per night. Everything you need for life is available: a shower, a 24-hour bar and an Internet cafe. By the way, you can save even more if you stay in a “dorma” - a room with 3-12 beds and amenities in the hallway. Depending on the city, such housing costs 20-60 yuan (55-175 rubles) per night.

To this standard set of hotel search tools I will add one more - touts - an option to stay in private apartment. People offering “cheap apartments in the center of Beijing” crowd the train stations and ask for very little money. I haven’t tried it myself, but knowledgeable travelers assure me that there is no need to be afraid of them - here, unlike, for example, India, there is no danger that there will be any problems with these apartments.

When traveling, I advise you to take a comfortable backpack, good sports shoes - for long hiking, a thermos (boiling water is available everywhere and for free) and more of some small souvenirs such as nesting dolls - the Chinese love to receive gifts and may even help you somehow as a thank you.

What to see in China

Of all the cities, Beijing is, of course, the most impressive. Or, as foreigners call it, Beijin. After I visited it, it’s easy to understand Quentin Tarantino, who came here to film his film “Kill Bill” but was never able to leave. He bought an apartment in Beijing and, according to rumors, eventually plans to move to the Middle Kingdom completely. The city shocked me with its monumentality. I expected to see crowds of Chinese rushing somewhere with crazy eyes, a crush on the streets, traffic jams. But none of this happened. The flow of people moved smoothly and without hysterical bustle, as in Moscow.

In architecture, two main directions are connected here: eastern and western. The first is represented by pagodas, with easily recognizable, curved roofs and the obligatory dragons as a design element. Secondly, skyscrapers, which do not block the space here at all.

Everyone who comes to Beijing for the first time begins their exploration of the city with the famous Tiananmen - Square of Heavenly Peace. It is the largest in the world, accommodating one million people! It's always crowded here - not only because foreign tourists, but also because of the Chinese, residents of distant provinces, who come to be sure to take pictures at the mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Both adults and children fly kites in the square. Here you can also buy your own kite - in the form of a shark, butterfly or other monster.

On the square, I noticed a small child - about 3-4 years old, who had a hole in the back of his pants and his bare butt was blown by the wind. I thought it was my parents' oversight. But then I saw several more kids with the same strange cut of their pants. It turned out that thrifty Chinese do not like to spend money on diapers. The child wants to go to the toilet, sits down - and you're done!

In the mornings, around six o'clock, the Chinese go out to the square and practice group taijiquan - a melancholic exercise, the meaning of which consists of sluggish hand passes and careful steps from side to side.

Not far from Mao's mausoleum is the entrance to the Forbidden City - huge complex palace buildings where the great emperors of the Qing and Ming dynasties lived. Hundreds of pagodas, thousands of courtyards - the spectacle is amazing in its scale. Previously, mere mortals were forbidden to enter here, but now they can - for only 10 yuan (27 rubles).

Leaving the Forbidden City, you find yourself in the wonderful Beihai Park (Park north sea), where the crowned persons rested, apparently indulging in thoughts about the fatherland. Needless to say, the Chinese know a lot about landscape architecture. Half of the area is occupied by a lake, around which incredibly beautiful weeping willows grow. This park is loved by couples and calligraphers. The first - because here you can calmly kiss on the benches, the second - because you can draw hieroglyphs with water right on the asphalt.

From the park you can walk to famous Temple Heaven. Now China is probably the most unbelieving country in the world (ninety-five percent are atheists). And before they believed in Heaven and other deities. The road to the temple is already a test. You have to walk along a narrow stone path for about half an hour. It was very edifying when, panting and wheezing, I was overtaken at the last stage of the climb by a wizened Chinese old woman who covered the path easily and naturally.

There is a Wall of Whispers on the temple grounds. It is semicircular in shape, and this allows you to hear your interlocutor, even if he is standing a hundred meters away from you and muttering something under his breath. The Chinese love to have fun by standing at a distance from each other against the wall for hours and talking.

Fewer discoveries awaited me in Shanghai. Maybe because it’s very modern, or maybe because I didn’t stay there for long. This city has been called at various times: the “Paris of the East” and the “Whore of China”... It is a city of adventurers, gamblers, sailors, opium traders and opium addicts, a city of child prostitution and slave child labor, a city of socialists, communists and revolutionaries , the birthplace of the Chinese Communist Party, the cradle of the Revolution and the birthplace of the Shanghai Commune. It is home to 6.5 million people - one of the highest population densities in the world. There are a huge number of skyscrapers here. And they, unlike the Beijing ones, put pressure. Fashionable buildings easily coexist with old buildings, from which lines with laundry strung on them stretch in all directions. There is no shame in hanging old faded panties and leggings for everyone to see.

In the city center there is a wide asphalt space called People's Square. Processions and demonstrations were held here. In 1969, 2.5 million people gathered in the square to protest against Soviet Union. And now the walkers peacefully feed the pigeons.

On the streets you can see both young yuppies and informals. During the walk I had a chance to meet real Chinese punks. They had a very shabby look, despite the traditional skinny hair, spiked jackets, grinders and guitars on their backs. They themselves are skinny and unkempt. When they tried to play some Sex Pistols stuff in front of a department store, I wanted to go over and give them a hot lunch.

Walking in Shanghai is a must. Better - along Nanjing Lu, the main street. Bright shop windows, neon advertising everywhere. And shops, shops, shops. Nanjing Lu leads to the embankment of the Huangpu River. Once upon a time in colonial times, there was a famous sign at the entrance: “Dogs and Chinese are not allowed.” Today, crowds of Chinese and foreigners wander around here, admiring the view of Banda at night.

Rotten eggs and duck skins

It is often joked about the Chinese that they eat everything that flies, except airplanes, everything that moves on land, except a tractor, and everything that floats in water, except a submarine.

Chinese chefs profess the principles of culinary art that developed five thousand years ago. They love unexpected combinations of products: meat with sugar and fruit, seaweed with nuts, flower petals with hot pepper, hedgehogs with spices. In order to cook broth, for example, they can take beef, poultry and fish at the same time.

There are about 14 culinary schools in China, the most famous of which are Shandong, Sichuan, Jiangsu-Zhejiang, Beijing and Guangdong. The last one is the most “extreme”. It uses snakes, field mice, wild cats, dogs, fur seals, crocodiles, bear paws, monkey brains, and bird tongues. The technology of some dishes is simply savage. When preparing a dish" Fried carp from Kunminghu Lake, scraping the scales, cutting, frying and serving takes only four minutes. When the fish is served, its mouth is still open and the gills are moving for thirty minutes. This agony continues even when the fish is eaten to the bone. The secret is this survivability lies in the fact that the fish's head is not fried and the central nervous system is preserved.In general, Greenpeace is resting.

"Queen of the Chinese table" - Peking duck. Instead of duck, however, they bring duck skins, which tourists are very surprised by. But if you come to a fish restaurant, it’s hard to make a mistake: everything swims in aquariums. You come up, choose, and ten minutes later they bring you the dish. True, it was difficult for me to come to terms with the fact that the selected fish was being killed with a shoe before my eyes, causing its entrails to scatter throughout the restaurant.

The Chinese also love rotten duck eggs. To prepare such an egg, you need to keep it in lime for 30 days! Its yolk is black and has an indescribable taste. The protein is like rubber, almost transparent in appearance.

In a restaurant of average level and below, the Chinese "of average level and below" behave absolutely, from a European point of view, like pigs: they blow their noses and spit directly on the floor, throw napkins, bones and scraps there, and yell at the whole room, especially when drink. By the way, they also cough on the streets - loudly, wiping their nose and mouth with their hand. Even women.

The Chinese love to put food on each other's plates. And when they bring the bill, a serious dispute breaks out between them: who will pay. Everyone strives to do this for everyone else in order to prove their privileged position. Our compatriots enjoy going to restaurants with the Chinese...

Behavior Observations

The Chinese are very loud people. Their guttural voices are one of a kind. Once in the USA, an anecdotal incident occurred. Two men from Guangdong province were having a peaceful conversation, but passing Americans thought they were about to get into a fight and called the police. The police demanded clarification, but the two interlocutors replied that they were talking “in a whisper.”

Why are they screaming? The Chinese believe that the stronger and higher his voice, the more convincing his arguments look.

In a country with a population of nearly 1.3 billion people, more than a quarter of the population regularly engages in sports. Everyone is covered by mass physical education educational establishments, enterprises and institutions, villages, units of the People's Liberation Army of China, the elderly and disabled. The Chinese habit of doing group exercises is known throughout the world. Moreover, they do it at different times of the day. Many people study in groups and to music, but there are also individuals. There are athletes with sticks. They wave them like Shaolin monks right on the streets.

It is very common to see people walking backwards. This is probably an exercise for developing the vestibular apparatus. In every city there are courtyards equipped with shaping equipment, available to everyone, and free of charge. Old men dashingly throw their legs over the tall railings, and sometimes do the splits. And with millions of Chinese pedaling bicycles to and from work every day, they have toned legs.

Amid the craze for sports, the Chinese smoke and drink a lot. Vodka and cigarettes are sold everywhere, although their quality is terrible. There are 320 million smokers in China, twenty million of whom are women. Hence the large number of “nicotine deaths”. But no one indulges in this addiction on the streets - the Chinese prefer to do it in a quiet environment: in a restaurant or bar.

Overall, I'm happy with my trip. Maybe I didn’t see this country from the most romantic and glossy side, but, in any case, the trip left a lot of impressions and memories.

Yes. I agree with the previous comment that Beijing has long faded in comparison to Shanghai and Hong Kong, and is reminiscent of Moscow in the 80s, where the author saw so many unusual things, it’s incomprehensible, for me Beijing is always, on the contrary, just a transshipment base, others are much more interesting Chinese cities, V in this case I do not mean cultural monuments, of which there are many in Beijing.
25.07.11 Natalia

Indeed, the comment is very detailed. but it feels like the author visited China 10 years ago (the description of Shanghai is definitely 10 years ago, the spirit of communism is not in the air there, that’s for sure). although, perhaps, if you ride around the country in a reserved seat carriage, it won’t seem so.
05.06.10 Olga

Good afternoon, thank you very much for such a detailed comment, because... I myself am planning to travel without a guide and it was important for me to understand how possible this is, and your review turned out to be more than decisive in favor of traveling without a guide, thank you again!
01.03.10 Yana

In the early 2000s, Chinese citizens took only 10.5 million trips. By 2017, the number of such trips had grown to 145 million - an incredible 1,380%!

In less than 20 years the market international tourism China has reached the highest position in the world, ahead of even the United States. According to the World tourist organization, in 2016, Chinese tourists spent $261.1 billion in other countries; in 2000, this amount was about $10 billion. According to preliminary data, in 2017 their spending amounted to about $300 billion. American tourists spent a relatively small $123.6 billion in 2016.

It is noteworthy that only 7% of Chinese people - 99 million people - actively travel. For comparison: the share of such citizens among the US population is 40%, and in the UK - 76%. Thus, the potential for growth tourist market China, with a population of 1.4 billion, is staggering. China predicts that by 2030, more than 400 million Chinese will travel.

According to the institute, this means that of the 600 million trips that will be added to the current number by 2030 (1.2 billion people currently travel, in 12 years their number will grow to 1.8 billion) almost half will be made by the Chinese. The Chinese international tourism market will account for almost a quarter of the world's.

It is not surprising that tourism departments of various countries are already trying to attract a growing army Chinese tourists. For example, the advertising campaign for the Visit Britain website started back in 2014. Tour operators, hotels and attraction management were required to provide information in Cantonese or Mandarin, as well as adapt products to the Chinese market and culture.

Where do Chinese tourists go?

The figure of 145 million overseas trips can be misleading: the calculations took into account China's special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, as well as the island of Taiwan, which the state considers its territory. In 2017, 69.5 million tourists visited these regions.

Domestic tourism is also very popular among the Chinese. A lot of tourists travel to Beijing and Shanghai. Due to the influx of guests on weekends, they even block car traffic on the main streets. According to Telegraph Travel expert Sally Peck, who formerly lived in China, destinations related to modern history countries. For example, many people visit the Three Gorges Dam in a poor industrial region of China. Young thrill-seeking tourists are heading to the mountainous Yunnan province, which borders Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam and is one of China's most ethnically diverse regions.

The Great Wall of China sometimes looks like this

Other Asian countries are also benefiting from increased tourism among the Chinese. Top ten popular destinations these include Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and Singapore. The USA and Italy close the ranking.

Height tourism industry in Thailand

1990 - 5.3 million tourists annually
1995 - 7 million tourists annually
1998 - 7.8 million tourists annually
2005 - 11.6 million tourists annually
2010 - 15.9 million tourists annually
2014 - 24.8 million tourists annually
2015 - 29.9 million tourists annually
2016 - 32.6 million tourists annually
2017 - 35.4 million tourists annually

The most popular locations are Phuket in the south of the country and Chiang Mai in the north.

As tourism has grown in popularity in China, the reception rates of travelers in neighboring countries have also increased.

Thailand, the leader after Hong Kong and Macau, received 35.4 million foreign tourists last year - 668% more than in 1990 (5.3 million tourists). 28.4 million tourists came to Japan in 2017 (887% more than 3.2 million in 1990). Only 250 thousand travelers arrived in Vietnam in 1990; in 2017, 12.9 million people visited the country - an increase of 5,160%! All these indicators would not be possible without Chinese tourists.

Development of China's airports

The tourist activity of the Chinese has provoked the rapid expansion of the country's airports. In 2017, nine of them were included in the list of the 50 busiest airports in the world, and three were in the top ten. In 2010, these figures were, respectively, six airports on the long list and one in the top ten.

Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, for example, is one of the fastest growing hubs in the world. In 2017, it received 65.8 million passengers, while in 2000 it received only 12.8 million.

What do Chinese tourists look like and behave like?

A recent European Commission report states that for the Chinese, “time is the most valuable resource.” They prefer to travel efficiently - not to linger at sights for long. Chinese tourists in Europe are most interested in its arts and culture, as well as small towns. They save on food, housing and transport, but are willing to shop.

According to Sally Peck, when the Chinese come to Europe, they try to visit every largest capitals and go shopping there. The British boutique town of Bicester Village, consisting almost entirely of shops, is no less popular among Chinese tourists than Buckingham Palace.

“The Chinese prefer popular attractions - Big Ben in London or vineyards in Bordeaux,” notes Peck. They are not too interested in little-known places.

Concerning appearance, the Chinese prefer baseball caps or visors with the logo of their tour operator, and also invariably wear visible photographic equipment, says Pekk. Also, according to her, many Chinese women choose completely inappropriate shoes when traveling. For example, in the mountains you can often find tourists wearing high heels.

Risks of overtourism

Cities such as Venice, Barcelona and Dubrovnik are currently suffering from an influx of tourists. Experts fear that the rise of Chinese tourism could make staying there unbearable.

How and where is it better to travel to China?

China is the pearl of Asia. A country that accommodates not only a billion people, but also all kinds of tourist diversity. Considering that China is quite big country, the first thing you need to do is designate your route and what you should see. In the Celestial Empire you can find both megacities and protected areas, ancient cities.

Beijing - trip to the capital

The main starting point when traveling to China is Beijing. We must remember - this is the most expensive city in China. Its pricing policy is several times higher than prices in other cities. This is due to the fact that it is one of the main tourist areas.

You should not visit tourist places during national holidays. Since they will be crowded not only with tourists, but also with the Chinese themselves. If you are interested in the natural resources of China, Beijing is definitely not the place for you. Despite the fact that the capital is a fairly expensive city, there will be no problem with budget housing. For a small amount of money you can easily stay in a three-star hotel near the city center.

If you find yourself in Beijing, you can see such attractions as Summer Palace, the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City and adjacent Beihai Park, the Temple of Heaven, the Yonghegong Buddhist Temple and Tiananmen Square. These tourist attractions will cost you quite little. At the same time, visiting the Great Chinese wall, you will be able to visit several adjacent museums for free.

The main thing to remember in Beijing is that it is the main center of tourist scams. One of the popular schemes is when you are invited to a small teahouse, some unfamiliar Chinese becomes interested in the fact that you are a tourist. He wants to get to know your culture and tell you about China. Such people often know English quite well and, most likely, the establishment to which he will lead you will be practically empty. The Chinese will offer you to place an order, regardless of the prices, and will recommend what to order. So be sure to look at the menu.

As a result, they will bring you a bill for a large amount, and your new friend will offer to pay most. But at the same time, your part will still cost more than according to the menu. Such people often negotiate with the owners of such tea establishments to deceive tourists. Therefore, always look at the prices and do not trust the Chinese.

Shanghai

Another city in China that is definitely worth visiting is Shanghai. What to watch here? For example, the Pearl of the East is the name given to a huge television tower 468 meters high, which has long become the hallmark of this city. It’s worth climbing this tower to admire the views of the city at night - there are Observation deck and even a revolving restaurant for special connoisseurs.

If you are looking for entertainment, then take a walk along Nanjing Lu Street, which stretches 14 kilometers from the embankment into the city. Part of the street is a pedestrian zone, here you will find restaurants, shops, street vendors and other entertainment that always attract tourists. However, car roads and the multi-tiered interchanges here are also striking in their scope and scale.

Shahai is also known for Yuyuan Park, also known as Joy Park. If you like traditional Chinese park style, then you will definitely not be indifferent to this park. There are rocks, picturesque bridges, various plants of unusual shapes and types, and pavilions that decorate the park and create an atmosphere of good mood.

Even in Shanghai, you can go to the Jade Buddha Temple, which was built back in 1882, or visit the Longhuase Monastery, which is both the oldest and largest monastic complex.

But it’s not just luxury shops and skyscrapers of millionaires; there are also poor neighborhoods in China. And if you want to get to know this country better, you should look not only at the front side, but also at the back side.

Hong Kong

This is not China itself, but its special administrative region. But here you can learn no less about its culture than in its other provinces. An important point is the fact that Hong Kong is a fairly cheap territory of China. Its southern part is of greater interest, since the north of Hong Kong is an economic zone. The southern part is the area where you can find the same things as in China, but cheaper. Here big cities, natural beauty, Buddhist temples. Located on the island.

One of the prides of Hong Kong is its own Disneyland. It is much more compact than other Disneylands in the world, it contains oriental motifs, but in terms of entertainment and themed areas it is not inferior to its larger brothers. But it beats them due to more affordable prices.

Also here you can look at Victoria Peak - this is the most high point Hong Kong, its height is 552 meters, and to get to the top you will need to ride a cable-rail tram, and this in itself can be an interesting adventure.

If you want to take a break from big city, visit the fishing village of Aberdeen. Here you can have lunch at a water restaurant, rent a boat to take a ride around the village and look at sampans - these are traditional houseboats that were popular in China in the early centuries and still exist today. At the same time, see how simple people live local residents– helps to understand the country.

An additional bonus is that Russians do not need a visa to Hong Kong if the stay is no more than 14 days and if you do not plan to leave somewhere. But if you are going to Beijing or Shanghai, you will have to apply for a Chinese visa. Ordinary areas of Hong Kong are similar to all others in Major cities China - cramped, crowded, a lot of signs and houses piled on top of each other:

Macau

Macau, also known as Macao, is another separate administrative region of China along with Hong Kong. It is located in southern China, so it is quite possible to come here on vacation in winter, at this time it is about +15 degrees, but if you want it to be warm and sunny, come to Macau in November-December.

This place used to belong to Portugal (it was a colony), so here you can see an interesting clash of European and Chinese styles in architecture, as well as in the way of life.

Here it is worth looking at strange fortresses, mansions and other buildings, as well as trying the extraordinary local cuisine. By the way, Macau was returned to China only in 1999.

What to do in Macau? Of course, play all kinds of gambling, it’s not for nothing that this area is considered the gaming capital of China. Casinos and other gambling are legalized here, so it’s no wonder that thousands of adventurers from all over the world come here, so why not come from Russia too? In fact, Macau is the Chinese Las Vegas on an equally grand scale.

Tibet

This the best place to spiritualize your personality and the opportunity to get to know mountainous China. The big plus is that you can visit many temples for free. The only thing recommended is to leave small offerings. You can also make a wish and buy a fairly cheap souvenir for good luck.

And, as a bonus, walking through the mountains, you can enjoy beautiful views for free. But in this case, you should still use the services of a guide, since it is easy to get lost there. To make it cheaper, you can join large groups with other foreigners.

One of the main tourist areas of Tibet is the Potala Palace. The palace complex, which includes the palace itself, the temple and big park. You can hire a guide and go on a short or long trek along mountain paths, staying in small hotels for tourists, but here you will need some special equipment, for example, trekking poles, as well as clothing and shoes suitable for such hikes.

However, it is not for nothing that Tibet is called the Roof of the World - it is worth coming here in order to understand yourself by going on this spiritual journey. Forget about entertainment, restaurants, luxury hotels - come to Tibet and get something much more important for your self-development.

. I recommend renting a car through two services:
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I’ll tell you separately about our railway experience and how we got food on this trip. We made all our trips between cities in China by train.

These were our requirements for the dishes. It's good when a cafe has a menu with pictures. I generally like dishes with sweet sauce, although I can't eat a lot of them. But Lena didn't like them.

In general, the Chinese have a special love for sweets - it’s almost impossible to even find bread that isn’t sweet. We didn’t find bread there at all, as we understand it.

All the sausages we tried, although they looked similar to ours, tasted disgustingly sweet.

The potatoes there are also all sweet.

By the way, we liked Chinese beer.

As a result, we developed our own set of requirements for dishes:

• 不辣 - búlà - not spicy,
• 不甜 - bùtián or 不加糖 - bùjiātáng - not sweet,
• 没有豆腐 - méiyǒudòufu - without tofu.

Sometimes we also need to tell them to pack the dish for us to take with us. We simply showed this phrase written in Chinese. It's time for us to learn it:

请把这到菜给我包 - Qǐng bǎ zhèdàocài gěi wǒ bāo.

Maybe you will find it useful on your journey.

One day we tried to order baozi. The menu had no pictures. We saw the familiar hieroglyph 鸡 - Jī - chicken. We were delighted and decided to order baozi stuffed with chicken. They were tasty, but we didn't find any chicken there. There was 鸡蛋 - Jīdàn - egg. We knew what the word sounded like, but we didn't remember how to spell it.

A good review about Chinese food was written by the owner of the Way2China blog, Anna, in the article What and How the Chinese Eat.

Made it 65 minutes before departure. I swore off arriving at the departure time by train.

LESSON

• Before big transfers or flights, leave a day in the departure city - there is always somewhere to walk there, and you definitely won’t be late for the plane.