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Can I travel in China on my own?

If you have traveled to foreign countries by yourself then you can do it in China as well. In the same way that one can travel to Germany without speaking German or to Italy with not much more than “ciao” and “grazie”, then you can also do it in China. Despite this many potential travelers are concerned about their ability to make it. While it is true that the Chinese characters make reading directions or menus impossible, all it takes is a bit more preparation to enjoy an amazing trip on your terms. And preparation is where we can help you.

The first thing to do is to visit your local bookstore or go online and purchase a travel book about China. Even then, China being so large and diversified, the choices are overwhelming. With so many places, which ones are “worth visiting”? Just tell us about you and your travel partners by completing this questionnaire and we will build an itinerary that fits your interests and abilities.

Also read our extensive travel tips. After reading about China, checking out travel tips and assessing our proposed itinerary, you can decide if you can do China on your own or if you should join a tour group. Both approaches are ok as long as it is what fits your personality.

Joining an organized tour

There are some excellent tour operators and for some travelers who prefer hand holding at the expense of flexibility, this is the best choice. The decision to join a tour rather than doing it yourself (DIY) should not be a financial one. While you can reduce costs by DIY, some tours offer very attractive prices. Some other tours will be more high-end. In our opinion it has more to do with preparation and personality. If you’d rather not devote much time to planning your trip and want someone to take you door-to-door and handle every detail for you, then the tour is probably the way to go. We have tried to compile a list of tours as well as some comments of travelers about their experiences with them to assist you pick a tour if this is what is best for you. Click here to view the list.

While every tour group is different, here are a few things that you should understand about organized tours in China:

• Understand that while you buy the tour in your country, it will be sub-contracted to the Chinese operator;
• Unless you do a private tour, you have to be ok with being taken around like cattle on a bus. You need to follow a rigid schedule and cannot wander around longer in a place that you find interesting. Others are moving along. You will also waste time waiting for other who are dragging their feet or need to go to the toilet;
• China has amazing and very diversified cuisine. Not quite what you find at your local “Chinatown”. You are unlikely to taste any of this on a tour. They will take you to inexpensive restaurants for tourists for group meals. This is one way where tour operators try to save on already cheap Chinese food. You may not want to eat bok choy for a while after your trip.
• Be ready for shopping stops. This is one way that tour operators subsidize their cheaper tours: commissions earned on shopping stops as the tour operators will usually receive a commission in the range of 40%. These shopping stops are often called “factory visits” and include a compulsory stop at the factory store. While you are under no obligation to purchase anything, these stops are a waste of time and, considering the cost of your trip to China, they are also a waste of money;
• You need to follow a standard itinerary which will rarely fit your interests;
• While the guides will generally be good, you do not know ahead of time who will be your guides (while you can pick one with references when DIY);
• Hidden costs: some tours advertise very attractive prices but you later find out that it excludes things like airport taxes and most often compulsory “tips” for drivers and guides. In fact these are not tips in the common sense of the word as there is no tipping in China. The fact is that, most often than not, the guides and rivers are not getting any salary from the tour operator and their remuneration comes from the compulsory tips. In other words, the price of the tour should say “labor not included”;
• Finally, some tours keep you super busy from sunrise to sunset with no free time to explore the city on your own and get a feel for the place.

Still, tours are the best solution for some travelers. Despite the pitfalls listed above, there is nothing wrong with taking a tour as long as you know what you are buying and that it corresponds to your traveling style. Is group tours are for you, check our list here. We have tried to compile a list (definitely not a complete list) of tour operators as well as comments about their services. As we never do tours ourselves, we do not endorse any of them but this list may help you.

List of tour operators

Let us get your train tickets

Buying train tickets in China recently got easier with a centralized system and online purchases. However it remains one of the biggest challenges of traveling in China as the website is strictly in Chinese and requires a Chinese bank-issued credit card.

Read more about Chinese domestic trains here and contact us to get you the tickets

Let us make your plan – FOR FREE

You are really keen on coming to China but are not too sure which places to visit exactly and for how long. We have designed an extensive questionnaire that allows us to get to know you. From your answers we can evaluate your interests and design the optimal itinerary for you and your group. For no fee and no obligation we will send you a proposed plan for your trip.

Click here to download the questionnaire. You will need Acrobat Reader to fill this form.

If you choose so and for a small fee, we can then follow up with a more detailed itinerary with everything you need to make you autonomous (Chinese instructions for taxi drivers, more detailed schedule, pricing of entry tickets, public transportation alternatives, walking itineraries, recommended restaurants around each tourist attractions, possible short tours or activities, detailed tips about places visited and even some guide recommendations).

Download the questionnaire now.

Popular destinations in China

These are the most popular destinations in China for foreign travelers. Click on the destination’s name to read more about it

• Beijing
• Shanghai
• Hong Kong
• Xi’An
• Guilin / Yangshuo
• Hangzhou
• Suzhou
• Nanjing
• Chengdu
• Yunnan province
• Tibet
• Pingyao
• Datong
• Shenzhen
• Zhuhai
• Guangzhou
• Yangze river cruise
• Jiuzhaigou
• Zhangjiajie
• Ha’erbin
• Xiamen

Save money and book yourself

If you can use the internet, and obviously you can as you are reading this, then you can pre-arrange several aspects of your trip to China by doing it yourself (DIY).

Read our extensive list of travel tips about transportation and accommodations to find the smartest way to book. Also it will keep you away from the typical scams as well as direct you to the cheapest way or best way (not always the same) to get from A to B.

If you need some assistance we can book train, flights and hotels for you. First read our pricing and cancellation policies then contact us.

Who we are

We are an expat couple that has been living in China for several years. We are world travelers who like to make their own plans, do the research and travel at their own pace. We have traveled to various places around the world and, more importantly, to most corners of China, several times.

Living in China and speaking the language gives us access to pretty much all the information which is often otherwise hard to get to. We also understand the perspective and challenges of western tourists in China. We hope that our knowledge will be useful in planning your own trip.

Contact us directly at china.diy.travel@gmail.com