5 top tips for China first-timers

[mpo]

 

[lfputman3]

I haven't looked at the article you posted yet, but I feel I should warn everyone, as I have friends in the travel industry who informed me (writers and agents/tour folk) lonely planet is a couple years behind on all of their info. So the general travel info is still considered good, but most of them have completely given up on lonely planet.

[Arnold]

Mmmmh ... what smells so BAD here ?

just kidding Mike . I agree with you , good info doesn't always have to be NEW .. unless there are Prices/Dates that can not be met anymore and are obsolete .

[lfputman3]

for the record, and it is italicized and underlined, the basic info is good, that's about it. however, you will find that basic info on virtually every travel blog out there. sorry for being a crank,

[ITguy]

Hi folks,

I just joined this forum, Thanks Arnold for telling me about it.

I have been to China 4 times to numerous cities and would like to give a tip out to people who are first timers. I'd say this would be the #1 tip to keep in mind, especially if you do not have any experience with China.

People who are going to China for the first time should be aware of what usually happens when you want a taxi and you arrive at an airport or train station. Since you are a foreigner, you will be solicited by many people hustling you if you need a taxi. Most of these people are not affiliated with any taxi company and are private. The problem comes in because they almost always are going to charge you much more than the normal taxi would. So, the idea here is to not accept any offers if the car is clearly not marked like a regular taxi. You might have to keep telling them no or "Wo bu Yao" (it means, I do not want in Chinese) as these people are highly insistent. Believe me, you will quickly know what the word persistence means, many of these people do not give up quickly. Just try to keep your cool and look for a taxis queue or taxis which do not look like a private car.

Some things that happened to me are -

In Beijing, I was charged 150 yuan for a drive which only costs about 18-20 yuan. Then, when I got into Shanghai Pudong Airport one time, I had to go to the Shanghai Railway Station. I asked the guy at one of the counters in the airport where to get a taxi to that station, he said he could get me one for 350 yuan, I asked him why it was so expensive, he said it was due to rush time traffic, Ya, right ! I kept walking and then found some other people who were in the subway ticket booth, the cost was only about 22 yuan, they also told me the bus outside was only about 25 yuan. Another time was when I arrived at Changsha airport, they guy charged me 170 yuan when the ride should have been about 80-90.

Many of these hustlers are aware you are usually tired and do not know the going fare, so they try to take advantage to earn extra cash. I am sure this has happened so many times to first time China goers. Sometimes even the regular taxis will bump up their price if it is a holiday or if there is a lot of traffic but it still will be much lower than these scalpers.

Sometimes you might luck out and there will be some nice Chinese at the station/airport who might be able to help you out. But I did want to make a newbie aware that this type of thing can happen. Believe me, it is much better to be aware of this stuff ahead of time. Hopefully this will help someone avoid this problem.

I am not sure I agree with that link to those 5 top tips, trying to get on a pubic bus might be a bit challenging if you cannot speak a bit of Chinese and do not know the value of the coins/money. If you have patience and want some high adventure, go for it !

Mod, I do not know if someone else has talked about this before, so if I am duplicating or  giving redundant info, you can delete this post.

Mac

[Arnold]

Oh yes .. we do like People that write a lot on their first Post , keep it up .. as we need all the info we can Chew .
Also , it is valuable tips for newbies .. but most of our Member's been around the Block a few times and quite aware of what you have mentioned . This is why we recommend ( If possible ) travel WITH your Lady/Girlfriend using such transportations , she'll keep an Eye on every Yuan/RMB .

Welcome Mac to the " Dumpling Gang " from around the Globe .

[maxx]

Mac that is a good tip.And yes they even got me a couple of times.Once in the airport in Bangkok Thailand.Though I cant complain about that one to much.I did get a almost free tour of a couple of temples.And a Thai massage out of the deal.

 the second time.Was the first time I flew into Hong Kong.Some guy in a van.Took me for a couple of hundred.Hong Kong dollars.A different guy tried it again in Hong Kong.When I had my wife with me.When we got to the fairy terminal the guy wanted his money I laughed at him.And my wife ripped him a new one.And payed him half what a taxi would of Charged us.They guy said he was going to call the police.My wife said give me the phone I will call the police.The guy took off after that.I ended up listening to my wife's displeasure with me for the next hour on the ferry to Zhuhai.

I used to have the phone number.To a private car in Hong Kong.I would call him as soon as I got off the plane.And he would be waiting for me.When I cleared customs.Then he would take me to the ferry terminal.Before I was ready to leave Zhuhai.I would call him and tell him what time to pick me up at the ferry terminal.He would pick me up at the ferry terminal.And take me back to the airport.I was paying him a hundred over what.A Taxi would of Charged me.

I hired my own car in Bangkok Thailand.And Lou Shan China.I would negotiate the price before we went anywhere.The price I would negotiate was for all day.I made my driver in Thailand.Walk threw the Big flee market they have in Bangkok with me.He would show up at my hotel every mourning.And run me all over the city.For like 10.00 dollars a day.

If you have never traveled to Asia.And you don't speak the language.It is a good idea to stick to a regular taxi.Until you are sure you know where you want to go.And your sure you know what your doing.Then you can make a deal with a private car.But still be very carefull.Make sure you can get yourself out of whatever trouble you put yourself in.

[Iceland]

I want to thank you for this information. I am new to this and I am
going on my first trip to China in October so every piece of info like
this helps (and scares the $%#& out of me at the same time).

[Pineau]

Another item you may have to deal with when you first arrive is the people that want to help you with your bags. Usually around the exit of the train stations. I have always be reluctant to hand my bags over to a stranger and then follow them into a crowded sidewalk. I may never see my bags again. But sometimes when I am exhausted from the trip and I'm carrying many bags I will go for it. I negotiate the price up front and I pick someone older and looks like I could out run them if they tried to take off with my bag.

When negotiating price and terms get an exact figure in yuan. I once had a guy in Beijing agree to take me to the temple of heaven in his rickshaw for 3 monies. Of course I thought 3 monies meant 3 yuan.  WRONG it meant 300 yuan. Be careful of this game. His friends are waiting in the bushes. If you refuse to pay they will come out to convince you to change your mind.

I very much agree with ITguy. Do not take a Taxi or other transportation anyone other than official licensed companies or someone you have arranged to meet you. . I have been approached many times by these folks and they are persistant. But keep saying "I don't need" over and over and eventually they will get the mesage. If you follow one of these guys to their car you are gambling with your life to avoid a 30 minute wait in a Taxi queue.

[Pineau]

I just wanted to add a word or two about taxis and buses.

Use the taxi queue at the airport. Hopefully there is some sort of coordinator calling the taxis and placing the people in them.  If he speaks English he is your best friend because he can tell the drive exactly where to go and may even go out of his way to find you a driver that speaks English. Show your gratitude.

Never try to get out of a taxi on the drivers side. Not only will it piss off the driver, if you are successful you just stepped into oncoming traffic.

When you use a bus try to sit or stand near the rear door. That is the exit and when the buss is full it may be difficult to reach the exit from the front of the bus.

Before you exit the bus take a peek out the door to your right to see what's coming. If you don't you most likely will be run down by a speeding bicycle/rickshaw/motorbike or maybe even a taxi trying to squeeze around the bus on the right side. After a while it becomes a habit but when I first got here I had several close encounters.

I carry a purse,,,,er manbag. Most of the men here do, so you wont look out of place.  There is no money in it. It is a decoy. All my money is in my pocket.  If you carry a wallet then put it in your front pocket. I say a guy have his wallet lifted last month and it was really slick. He walked up behind a guy that was window shopping with his girlfriend and using what looked like an extra long pair of forceps had the guy's wallet nearly out when a good Samaritan stepped in and foiled the robbery. These bad guys hang around the busiest shopping areas where high ticket items are sold. like department stores and electronics.

[Neil]

Haha.  Speaking of the taxi queue at the airport.  When I first met my wife, she walked me past the long, long line, around the front, to the front of the line and quickly into the first available taxi.  She was a keeper.

[Scottish_Robbie]

The first trip of mine, I was that excited, I kept telling taxi's it was my first trip...Obviously got overcharged some times. nearer the end though I cottoned on.  My second trip when the drivers ask if "First Time China?"    I nod and say no I live here, I know costs of things. 

In my thread I told the tale of one taxi driver who was taking me the wrong way home, just  as he turned the corner to go 'THE LONG WAY' I told him to pull over, then 'DIRECTED' him the short way.  He tried to double the price I paid what I had paid before...

[ITguy]

Pineau, that's pretty funny about the 3 monies....you thinking it was 3 Yuan and instead, it was 300....Looking back at things like that is humorous but at that time I'll bet it was a big irritationoni for you !!! Hahahaha ! (I am laughing with you, not at you...)

Yes, the luggage thing is important just like you say. You do not want to deal with so many bags/things, especially since in railway stations you'll have to be going up/down stairs, having multiple bags/suitcases would be a giant pain in the A&& !! I found that out !! My hands were really sore from having to handle stuff all of the time. Also, another thing I found out, when you get on some trains, there aren't so many places where you can put a lot of luggage. Yes, they do have some space, but then you might have to put extra things near the door exits. Then, you will have to always look to see that those things are still there, on a long trip that isn't too much fun !

One other thing I forgot to mention is for newbie travelers is to always take some kind of small portable snacks with you. Having some trail mix, peanuts, carton of milk, piece of bread/cake, or something edible is very handy. Sometimes you will have delays/changes/mixups, and it will throw your whole eating schedule off. I found this out the hard way as I had a long bus ride of 4 hours from Shanghai Railway Station to Yangzhou. I saw a couple of fast food places but I was a bit late and did not want to miss the last bus so I went directly to the ticket booth. People at the ticket booth were very nice and I got whisked off right to the last bus, I just made it, the bus waited for me !!! But once on the bus, I was starved, I could have eaten shoe leather....Hahaha ! Then, people in front of me started eating sunflower seeds, God ! I could have killed for some of those !! Next time I will ask, as people are usually friendly. There I was with a bad headache from not eating and hearing munching sunflower seed people in front !! Hahahaa ! Wow ! No need for Chinese Water Torture, that was torture enough !! Haha ! Luckily, the bus did make a stop halfway at a car/truck stop. I quickly got off and I found a restaurant, no English anywhere whatsoever ! But I managed with my poor Mandarin to get some chow. Just had time to go to the bathroom after that and then the bus driver was looking for me. Got onto the bus and a lot of the people started to laugh at me when they saw all of the stuff I bought to eat !! Wow ! I was in heaven scarfing down all the goodies !! I got some chicken, rice, vegetables with cabbage, and I was lapping it up like some kind of starved dog !! Hahaa ! Whoever cooked that food did a great job, it was really good ! But in all honesty folks, you will remember what I say here regarding food and I'll bet other members have their stories regarding this as well. I ain't going through that again, I assure you I'll be carrying my little bag of food goodies with me !! Haha !

Iceland or any other person, I am not trying to scare you but to give you some tips that can really make things much easier. As I said before, it is better to be aware of things like this, then you are better prepared mentally to deal with it.

Mac

[Willy The Londoner]

I just wanted to add a word or two about taxis and buses.

Never try to get out of a taxi on the drivers side. Not only will it piss off the driver, if you are successful you just stepped into oncoming traffic.

Get out the non drivers side and in a lot of cities you will have traffic trying to pass on that side as well!  Especially in cities where motor cycles and scooters are permitted. 

Willy

[Pineau]

http://www.chinesecultureinstitute.com/blog/you-need-to-know-this-getting-ready-to-go-to-china/