practical
All travel guides tagged with "practical".
44 articles — page 3 of 8
All destinationstoolkit
Essential Mandarin Phrases for Tourists 2026: What You Actually Need to Know
The 30 most useful Chinese phrases for tourists — not a language course, but the specific phrases that genuinely help (ordering food, asking prices, saying thanks, getting a taxi, saying you don't understand). Pronunciation guide in pinyin, the four tones explained simply, and why even attempting a few words makes a significant difference to how people treat you.
Updated May 2026
Read →China Packing List 2026: What to Bring, What to Buy There & What to Leave Behind
The China-specific packing list — what you genuinely need (a physical power bank is essential, a compact umbrella for sudden rain, layers for mountain areas), what you can easily buy there for cheap (toothbrushes, most toiletries, trekking poles, phone cables), what not to bother bringing (bulky travel adapters, printed maps), and the items specific to your activities (hiking gear, beach items).
Updated May 2026
Read →photography
Photography in China 2026: Rules, Tips & Getting the Best Shots
Photography in China — what's officially prohibited to photograph (military installations, some government buildings, certain ceremonies), the drone regulations (DJI is Chinese but drone permits are still required in scenic areas), the best golden hour timings in major cities, dealing with crowds at iconic spots, and the Chinese social media culture of 'IG spots' that reveals undiscovered photogenic locations.
Updated May 2026
Read →transport
Paying for Public Transport in China 2026: Alipay, WeChat, Transit Cards & Cash
How to pay for buses, metros, and taxis across China as a foreign visitor — adding the Alipay and WeChat transit pass features, city transit cards (the T-Union national card works in 300+ cities), QR code scanning on buses, and what to do if your phone payment doesn't work in a particular city.
Updated May 2026
Read →toolkit
China Safety & Health Guide 2026: Drinking Water, Air Quality, Medical Care & Common Issues
Health and safety in China — tap water is not drinkable anywhere in China (always boiled or filtered), the air quality index and when to stay indoors in Beijing and northern cities, food safety and what risks are real vs overstated, finding a doctor (international clinics in major cities, WeChat Doctor app), emergency numbers (120 for ambulance, 110 for police), and travel insurance.
Updated May 2026
Read →China Shopping & Souvenirs Guide 2026: What to Buy, Where & Avoiding Fakes
What to actually buy in China — silk (Suzhou is the legitimate silk capital), tea (which regions, what to look for), porcelain (Jingdezhen for genuine ceramics), jade (how to avoid the tourist jade traps), Mao memorabilia and Cultural Revolution collectibles (Panjiayuan market in Beijing), and what the fake luxury goods markets are like and what the risks are.
Updated May 2026
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