| 3 mins read
The aura of mystique and wonder surrounding China has made it a popular travel destination. However, many a visitor cautiously limit themselves to the cities, which although can be extremely fun and interesting, may prevent one from getting to know the real face of this unique culture. Don’t be afraid to explore; a little preparation before your trip will help you find traversing China a novel experience. Here we list some tips to make your trip a breeze!
Learn the Language!
English is typically a commonly spoken language in many countries of the world. This may not be the case in China and so it’s advisable to learn a few choice phrases of Mandarin before you arrive. Just making the attempt at communication is a step in the right direction as you endear yourself to the locals in making an effort to learn their language. Along with your phrases it’s important to smile and be as polite as possible to make a good impression, and people are more likely to be helpful.
Getting Around!
Large distances and the language barrier make it prudent to engage the services of a knowledgeable China tour guide. Your local guide will not only assist you in deciding where to go and what to do, but also chart the route to take around the major attractions. In addition, ask your guide for advice on good eating joints near the attractions to save you on time. This is very important especially in the big cities where distances and crazy traffic waste a lot of time on the roads. Typically guides come with their own vehicles and quote their rates accordingly. A word in caution; if you are not interested in visiting any of the factories or shops where some guides have an arrangement to take tourists for shopping (as is the common practice in China), please specify that right at the beginning of your tour!
Get to know the way of life…
Culture and customs can take a while to get used to. Although nothing other than an open mind can prepare one entirely for the change, a bit of research is a good idea to understand the culture and motives before getting there. For example, saving face is incredibly important in China so you may always get a response when you are unsure but the information may be incorrect. Non-verbal communication is also very important; body language and facial expressions count for a lot when trying to communicate with people. Little tips like this and more will help understand the customs and practices, and hopefully allow you to make the most out of your time there.
We hope these little tips help you make the most of experiencing an incredible country. Local advice is truly the best to obtain and when you get it you’ll find there is so much more to discover!
Image Details and Licenses:https://flic.kr/p/nFS8UX (Jonathan Ooi,CC BY-NC-ND 2.0),https://flic.kr/p/3gu677 (Koppenbadger,CC BY-NC-ND 2.0),https://flic.kr/p/pfSUiQ (Allison Stillwell Young, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)