China Travel Guide

You will not be able to access or use social media platforms such as Facebook, Whats app, Twitter and Instagram – these are banned in China. Email is fine.

Like anywhere where street food is the norm, we always advise eating at places which appear busy with fresh produce. The food on offer in China is like nowhere else, so trying some of the delicacies on offer will be like nowhere else on the planet and provide new culinary experiences.

Mandarin is difficult to speak and understand and although English is becoming widely spoken throughout the country especially within the cities, never presume you will be understood. If spending a day at leisure in a city we would recommend writing down the name of your hotel and any sites you may wish to visit in Mandarin as a taxi driver or local won’t necessarily understand English. In Hong Kong, Cantonese is the official language, with English closely followed. Embracing the local language is all part of the adventure and you will certainly raise a few smiles when you have a go!

Luckily nearly everything you will need is available in China. We do advise if you require any kind of medication to bring it with you as it can sometimes be hard to find the right one. Toiletries are also something we suggest, such as sun cream, insect repellents and preferred shampoos and moisturisers.

No, your guide would not travel with you for your train journey. Your local guide will leave you at the station with full instructions and directions for boarding the train and you will then be met from the train at your arrival destination. If travelling with a party of 10 or more it would be more normal for a national guide to accompany the group throughout, including train travel.

China is eight hours ahead of GMT.