What You Need To Know BEFORE You Visit China (don't make these mistakes!)

[@AlinaMcleod]

Download the Airalo app HERE: try.airalo.com/Alina Use code ALINA3 to get $3 OFF your next eSIM purchase!

[@Sam-ee9qt5ki2k]

รักนะครับ😊❤🎉

[@tomtube1012]

Sad to see you didn't get a chance to visit Xinjiang. Beautiful scenery and amazing culture.

[@joewong438]

Yep lots to see not enough time. Was there 5 days. The natives were happy and making a good living on the main streets.

[@hwe4600]

India is also a very beautiful country. India is a country that respects women very much. At night, women can walk in the street with peace of mind.

[@tomtube1012]

@@hwe4600 Don't put her in danger lol.

[@子晴金]

As a Chinese, I have to say that this is really the most practical and detailed explanation I have ever seen. I will save it and send it to my foreign friends who are about to travel to China.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Aw thank you so much 😊

[@lanmei130]

I also did it😂，easy for me. Thank you，Alina😊

[@AhmetTekin101]

There are travel warnings to China 🇨🇳, and they are not jokes!

[@lanmei130]

@@AhmetTekin101 See you everywhere，work so hard😂

[@leozhang-el6pb]

@@lanmei130😂😂😂

[@yuanjing2621]

As a Chinese, I recommend that tourists who come to travel avoid public holidays in China as much as possible. You definitely don’t want to compete with half of the Chinese people for scenic spots, transportation and hotel resources, and bear prices that are three times more than usual. There are three public holidays of more than 3 days in China, namely 1. The first week of May (Labor Day) 2. The first week of October (National Creation Day) 3. (Chinese New Year) Between January and February each year, a different calendar is used. The specific time varies every year. During this time, many shops will be closed (including restaurants and shopping stores, but public transportation, scenic spots and hotels will be open as normal). , need to focus on Of course, many people will take leave before and after holidays to pursue longer rest time for traveling, so when planning a trip, try to avoid the four days before and after these times.😜

[@user-ud6uv6xm6w]

Avoid the holidays and avoid the weekends. lol

[@Shiee14Jihye]

This is very informative... Thank you😊, really need to plan ahead for my trip to China.

[@seanqu1143]

also avoid the hot summer, July and August. 40+ degree in major China.

[@yuanjing2621]

@@seanqu1143 Oh, you can go to the north of China (Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Heilongjiang) or Tibet and Xinjiang in July and August, where it is quite cool due to the latitude and altitude; Of course, the urban construction there is not as developed as that in the coastal areas, and the population density is lower. As a foreign traveler: The advantages are that there are fewer people, the scenery is more magnificent, and you can experience a different China The disadvantages are that people there have less contact with foreigners, and your communication, travel (sparsely populated, public transportation is relatively scarce), accommodation (due to China's registration policy, many hotels are not qualified to receive foreigners), car rental, etc. will be more difficult (compared to Beijing and Shanghai) Here I recommend another KZbinr's video, he shows the magnificent scenery and difficulties encountered along the way in detail. Few people who travel to China for the first time can overcome the above complex problems and explore a different China kzbin.info/www/bejne/opuWXoWGgMlgsK8

[@jdlu573]

Specially in Chinese new year (Lunar New Year Festival) holiday, you can visit big cities, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen etc. These cities is not crowd as normal days. Because many people living there are back to home.😊🎉

[@rahulrasam]

Never before have I seen content from China that is as culturally uplifting and diverse as yours. And the fact you created it within a relatively short duration of your stay makes it truly remarkable. Bravo 👏

[@AlinaMcleod]

Aw thank you so much, happy you enjoyed it 😊

[@VeryVentureChina]

There’s a side of China that isn’t being discussed enough. We’ve been exploring it in detail at VVC. Worth checking out!

[@theohardway]

A tip for vegetarians or vegans, you can eat near a Buddhist temple. There are Buddhist temples in every Chinese city, and there are vegetarian meals available around them. Vegetarians in China are essentially the same as in other countries, but because it has more to relationship with traditional religion, they don’t call themselves “vegan” or “vegetarians.”

[@ronlu2952]

Thank you so much!🙏🙏🙏

[@BenjiSun]

do note that some of these places are melli-lacto-ovo, so you may need to inform them when you're ordering to skip honey, dairy, and eggs. if it's a restaurant run by the temple monks, then they're more than likely fully vegetarian, but ones run by practising civilians, are likely okay with using non-kill animal products.

[@vicaya]

Yes. Buddhist vegetarian diet is essentially vegan diet sans the smelly garlics, leeks, unions etc. 净素is literally "clean vegan".

[@partyhu]

把要吃素的需求写在一张图片上放在手机里，给餐馆看就行了，每个餐馆都可以素食

[@taotao98103]

Ya they do call it vegetarian. Su 素菜。

[@huntsiben2298]

Would like to add more: 1. Although tap water in China is soft and of better quality than in most areas of the US & UK, it is still not recommended for direct consumption. Bottled water is super cheap, costing less than 0.2€/$0.2 per 500ml bottle + good quality. 2. The number of vegetarian restaurants in China is beyond imagination. However, unlike vegetarian restaurants in other countries, they often have various custom names and may not clearly indicate "we are a vegetarian restaurant" in their names. Additionally, many dishes in Chinese vegetarian restaurants are made from soy products (such as tofu), and while they may look and taste like meat dishes, they are 100% vegetarian. 3. Regarding "Dress Modestly" , it's possible that you may not be visiting China during the hottest season. Additionally, women in China, Japan, and Korea often favor white skin for its association with beauty. Health and UV protection are common purposes of them. 4. Food allergies are a significant concern. Peanut allergies are relatively uncommon in China, so it is advisable for tourists to prepare in advance with a translation of "Does this contain peanuts? I am allergic to peanuts" on translation apps to show when dining in restaurants.

[@JalomMatia]

tap water better quality than most areas in UK and US? not even close.

[@AhCrutch]

@@JalomMatia Yeah, not even close in terms of lead content.

[@ghost-crab]

【这食物里面含有花生吗？我对花生过敏，如果误食花生制品我会有很严重的过敏反应。】

[@bcw6231]

I am afraid you had better stick to western restaurant when you visit China because peanut oil(not peanut butter) is quite a wide used oil for cooking in China and you can not even find a way of getting rid of peanut ingredients. ​@@ghost-crab

[@jacobhoffman2553]

yall dumb, poisoned water is a planetary issue caused by agriculture, shit the state i live in has enough nitrates in the ground water to kill ya, they dont even want ya to bath in the shit.... there are very few untainted water sources left and most of those are springs in high altitudes and they are all owned by bottling companies... my water is cleaner that yours is just horse shit

[@7hx89]

An open mind and a compassionate heart is all you need. China has it all, and so glad that you have fully enjoyed it.

[@JalomMatia]

China is more difficult to travel to than most other countries in Asia, and I think if you are not a patient person, you will not have a good experience; but for those who are more easy-going, and willing to give it more time, it is one of the best places to visit in the world right now. and yes: extremely safe, people are awesome, amazing cities and rural areas. it just takes time to learn how to make the experience more enjoyable.

[@AhmetTekin101]

China is safer than North Korea. That's all.

[@jre617]

Agree. I've traveled a lot and China was the most daunting trip I've ever planned. But overall, it's a great country to visit. Compared to the West, it's clean, no street people, no graffiti, no crime. Amazing.

[@JalomMatia]

@@jre617 yup, and to me, it just gets better the more time you spend there and learn more of the language. hope to go back one day

[@ptseti]

WOW, this was simple, and to the point, with no frills, no unnecessary hype and just information that travellers need. EXCELLENT. 🤓

[@SilverOwls]

Fellow Canadian here. Glad to see that you had a great time and appreciate the guide, as always :)

[@vinodpund1574]

Appreciate your guidance about China tour trip. Really helpful video.

[@AlinaMcleod]

My pleasure!

[@taotao98103]

I'd say if you are not a tech savy person, you can still use your Chinese cash. If you're staying in a major international chained brand hotel, you should also be able to use your own Visa or Master card, but it's best to have cash to fall back to. If you have enough time, I'd say you should stop by Hong Kong because you can get a sim card for your phone easily and the sim card you get from Hong Kong does not confined by the "internet great-wall of China". A Hong Kong phone number is helpful in China. You may even be able to get a China mobile phone number in Hong Kong which is even more helpful. You don't have to worry about VPN, you can still use Google and Facebook. You can also set up your Alipay in Hong Kong before you go into China Mainland. Hong Kong Alipay has an English version.

[@XIAOBAOLUO-or5ut]

Correct entry method

[@classics39]

That's a great addition and advice. Thank you. I will get a prepaid Shanghai Card, which is good for transportation in other cities as well, also minor purchases. And a SIM in Hong Kong. e-sim doesn't work with all smartphones.

[@taotao98103]

@@classics39 if you want to get real SIM card in HK, there are a lot of vendors on the streets selling them, but if you want an e-sim, you probably have to go to a smartphone carrier in HK. If you travel a lot, it's best to have a phone uses a real sim.

[@classics39]

@taotao98103 Thank you so much. My smartphone doesn't support e-sim. Briefly thought of getting another one. But no. In any case will be also check out electonics/smartphone prices in HK, first time, too. Staying near Nathan road in the Mong Kok area, Hilton Garden Inn. I live in Europe, can also order one from amazon, but they ship from the US and are therefore expensive. I'll stay two nights in HK, then Tokyo, which I know well, from there to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and back to HK from Shanghai with Cathey Pacific. I am also considering visiting Yunnan province in January 25.

[@KG-gy3uc]

Thanks for the tip... so if I just buy hk sim card.. it will work in guangzhou as well?? I didn't understand what you mean by China phone no in hk.. what does that mean? Do I have to ask them for this separately? And it will work everywhere?

[@BeijingBuzzz-China-Travel]

Thank you for the tips, Alina. Welcome back anytime ! : ) In 2019, China had almost 100 million inbound tourists - no small number !

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you! Will definitely be back 🙂

[@BeijingBuzzz-China-Travel]

@@AlinaMcleod You can't escape for long ; )

[@LokeKS]

Looking forward ​@@AlinaMcleod

[@robertgittings8662]

​@@AlinaMcleod*Second most Internationally touristy place on Earth almost tied with the first place, only France received more International Traveler in 2019 with 116 million International tourists - - so it is not just domestic tourists*

[@AhmetTekin101]

Here are the number of foreign visitors going through customs, as registered by the Chinese 🇨🇳 government: 2019: 14,000,000 2023: 500,000 *96.9% drop.*

[@couchtaming23]

You're from Canada! You don't need to visit Jade Dragon Mountain! You should traverse the whole Tiger Leaping Gorge instead (by hiking or by car, it's at the back side of Jade Dragon Mountain), it got one of the most stunning scenery in China. It had the honor of National Geographic's Top Ten Hiking Trails. In Shangri-La, not far from Lijiang, there is the Meili Snow Mountain, which ranks third among the most beautiful mountains in China. This snow mountain is the prototype of the Karakal peak of Shangri-La in Lost horizon. The sunrise over the Meili Snow Mountain, known as the 'Golden Mountain' in the sun, is very famous, and it's exactly as described in 'Lost Horizon' (because it's the inspiration!). You can also find the prototype of the lamasery in Lost Horizon - Ganden Sumtseling Monastery there! You can also visit the former residence of Joseph Rock in the Stone Village of Lijiang, which is the inspiration for 'Lost Horizon' as the author referred to his travelogue, and he lived in Lijiang for 16 years! In the Lost Horizon book, traces of both Lijiang and Shangri-La can be found!

[@AlinaMcleod]

Would definitely love to do the Leaping Tiger Gorge hike!

[@VeryVentureChina]

There’s a side of China that isn’t being discussed enough. We’ve been exploring it in detail at VVC. Worth checking out!

[@samuelchoo1440]

You will definitely be back as China is so big that you can spend years travelling there

[@VeryVentureChina]

There’s a side of China that isn’t being discussed enough. We’ve been exploring it in detail at VVC. Worth checking out!

[@xiangbowang3702]

Your shares is very useful for foreigners. thx.

[@dzonikg]

We in Serbia dont need visa so i already watched lot off travel blogs in my language ,and is always young people ,i think older from my country would be lost with no cash and everything on apps,young people don't have that problem,they actually like it

[@AlinaMcleod]

Yeah older people would definitely struggle!

[@willengel-vs8ht]

President Xi is visiting Serbia. his next stop is Hungary.

[@xrodger.9428]

Welcome to China, dear Serbia friend.

[@montakute1328]

Most significant countries in Europe, including the 3 biggest nations of Russia, France and Germany, enjoy visa-free travel to China. Plus many nations in the "Global South". The uploader was incorrect about that so "don't make this mistake"🤣

[@唐晓翼-f9d]

I love your image, I love Yugoslavia 🥰🥰🥰 I am Chinese.🇨🇳

[@davidellis5141]

So happy you enjoyed China Alina. It was a special experience to see it & you got to do it. A lifetime of memories for sure 😊.

[@AlinaMcleod]

It sure was 🙂

[@VeryVentureChina]

here’s so much to unpack when it comes to China, and we’ve found a lot of the narratives don’t reflect the reality on the ground. VVC has some eye-opening findings

[@qyl8336]

Nearly half of those troubles are because of BIG population. Since there are more than enough domestic tourists for all the big attractions, the whole tourism industry had developed wildly. They don't need to improve their service for more incomes. Either don't they need to internationalize their service. The English friendly thing almost only happens in major cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing, so make sure these cities are your first stop in China, which will help you blend in for awhile. These things not only are problem for foreigners but also for us local Chinese. So don‘t go to China in major holidays like labour's Day（5.1-5.4）, National Day（10.1-10.5），Spring Festival(Lunar 1st to 7th of Jan.). There is also too many people everywhere during summer vocation(July and August) and winter vocation(Jan and Feb.). So as a Chinese I highly recommend foreign friends travel to China during late Oct. to Jan, which has the least public holidays. Most problems triggered by too many people will not exists during this time.

[@qyl8336]

As for me, your videos provide me with a new perspective to see those places I've been to. And also helped me to practice my English listening. Your vocabulary and pronunciation are very Chinese friendly.

[@Namoari941]

100% true, China is a communist country with over 1,4 billion people, its tourism is already overcapacity, China welcomes foreigners but doesn’t need more tourists.

[@华夏独领风骚]

暑假寒假不算旅行高峰期，拥有暑假寒假的毕竟是少数人

[@qyl8336]

@@华夏独领风骚 人多着呢...不要小看人口基数，那为啥每年夏天318都堵车

[@VeryVentureChina]

here’s so much to unpack when it comes to China, and we’ve found a lot of the narratives don’t reflect the reality on the ground. VVC has some eye-opening findings

[@ZZGZBF]

Regarding visa free countries, if you are from those 5 eyes countries yes you will need to apply for Chinese visas. For those living in traditional Western European countries China provides temporary visa exemption for 15 days till end of 2025. (Only UK and Portugal are not on that visa free list but Hungary is on).

[@AlinaMcleod]

Yeah just hearing about that now, very nice option for them!

[@alanbgtan]

Well well I hold Australia passport. Why do we need visas to enter USA or Canada? If not welcome then I don’t go

[@AhmetTekin101]

There are travel warnings to China 🇨🇳, and they are not jokes!

[@0raj0]

Also Poland since July. And recently also Australia and NZ got that exemption.

[@10521206]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and tips for more people to know. China is incredible.

[@齐天大圣-o8i]

Welcome to China, I'm glad that you visited China and prepared some difficult things. Although my country's government is unfriendly and away from international community, but as a Chinese, I will be your friend!

[@lawrenceliao1550]

This is by far the most comprehensive and practical for those are interesting to visit China. I will book mark that and to whomever want that. Thank you for the exceptional work to put this together. Also if possible, get help from the local tour guide. It can cost some but avoid to blindly tumbling around and waste time.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Very true, glad you liked it 🙂

[@NgocKhueSonCa]

My first trip in China without a translator was just hell. Fortunately someone introduced Immersive Translate that could translate all webpages even Baidu could be translated without me screenshoting so I didn't have to struggle the entire trip. But I'm definitely learning Chinese now😅

[@AlinaMcleod]

Ooo thank you for that tip!

[@EVL-xj5vc]

Immersive translate is the name of the app?

[@yoke-mg5bm]

I am Chinese, and I want to provide you with some tips. First of all, thank you for respecting our local culture. In terms of dressing, there are not many restrictions in China. It may be a habit, or it may be because we feel that the weather is a bit cold. In the hot summer, more people will wear shorts and short sleeves. So this is not a offense. As long as you respect local laws, don't expose the privacy parts. Finding vegetarian food is a difficult problem, mainly because it will not be marked with whether it is a vegetarian on the menu. But in fact, many restaurants have meat and vegetarian food. You can ask them "我不能吃肉，请问你有素食吗？ (I can't eat meat, do you have vegetarian food?) " If you are worried about eating wrong, you can eat at a nearby halal restaurant(清真饭店) or a restaurant near the temple.

[@yoke-mg5bm]

I use a translator, I hope the translation will not cause misunderstandings.

[@danielzhou7278]

but halal means no pork. They serve beef and mutton...

[@liyi-d3v]

每个城市基本都有专门吃素菜的地方（在地图上搜素菜就有了）

[@ianollerenshaw2269]

Great content... I am a 67 year old single guy sat here watching this before checking out from my hotel in Macau .. I would agree with all your advice and also advise Octopus card for Hong Kong but mostly cash for HK taxi ... Heading back to Shenzhen today then onto Chengdu and Xi'an before returning home to the UK after another amazing trip around this beautiful country 👌

[@shuaihuang4198]

The wechat réservation system is for locals. When we ( from Canada too)needed to book for the forbidden place and great wall etc, we just googled a tour for foreigners. It turned out that every Chinese popular destination reserved spots for these foreign guided tour groups(a little more expensive, but guides are fluent in English or French, you learn so much about the history and culture) I hope this will help your future travel.

[@AlinaMcleod]

That's great you were able to make it happen but I personally don't think tourists should be forced to hire a guide unless they want to. Also in Lijiang there's no English group tours. You can hire a private English speaking guide on your own, but it's very expensive.

[@couchtaming23]

​@@AlinaMcleod Around the year 2000, there were so many foreigners in Lijiang, more than anywhere else in China, you can see more than 50 foreigners in every street in Lijiang. Now there are none left, maybe it's because of Russia war, Covid-19 or the losing of its originality, hopefully one day it can become its best self again.

[@alchemist_one]

That's worse to have guides fluent in English or French. It's better to take the normal guide locals do and get the tour in Chinese. If the goal was to just hear English or French, there's no reason to go to China.

[@shuaihuang4198]

​@alchemist_one You are very wrong as going to China is not only about what you see . Without the french guide, my husband would not understand the history and culture of the each unique building in the forbidden palace. They go to same route as locals but it is so interesting to get to know more of the history , arts, and insights of these ancient architecture

[@Cutekrys1]

I intend visiting next year December with a friend. Do I need to download the VPN and wechat now ?

[@ibrahimdihum9127]

Thank you Alina for the lovely videos

[@WbWb-i3c]

You should know the regulations and various knowledge of China, entry and exit very well. There will be no problems. and stay and travel happily

[@roccoboy32]

We stayed in a place like that in Lijiang in 2017 with a view of the town from the rooftop. Beautiful destination, will definitely return.

[@echooohce]

Alina, thank you for sharing. The mountains and clouds behind you are beautiful

[@costasworldofmusicmemories5792]

Our first experiences parallels yours. Your guide to China is so well done. We made a few mistakes but learned and prepared better for the next trips we took. Our biggest issue was translation Thank you so much for the info. It makes your trip much more pleasurable and less stressful. This series was outstanding from start to finish . Sending you much love❤️❤️❤️ from Harriet, Jim and Yuki

[@AlinaMcleod]

Absolutely, thanks so much!

[@panNie-wd2yo]

Looking forward to your next travel in china!Useful suggestions for people first coming to China ,also for chinese tourism administration to improve their service.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thanks! And yes, would be fantastic if their tourism boards made getting online tickets easier for foreigners!

[@AhmetTekin101]

The Chinese regime never learns.

[@austinhaynesworth6000]

This is excellent. I sent this to my friend who is visiting China and they found it very helpful.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Glad it was helpful!

[@farhanamohsin5831]

The way you ve captured the touristic sites of China is absolutely mindblowing... superb vlogging ❤❤❤

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you 😊

[@muhammedbabay]

I get accepted from Chinese university, after 2 weeks I will move to China, moreover I start feeling confident after watching ur video. Thank you!!!

[@AlinaMcleod]

That’s fantastic, hope you have a great time!

[@xiangbowang3702]

一些大的景点必须网上提前订票，是为了控制访问的数量。有的地方不控制的话，有的时候人多的难以想象，这样比较危险，为了大家的安全，大的景点必须网上提前订票

[@AlinaMcleod]

Yes that is fine, but it’s the booking platform that is not easy for foreigners to use.

[@JosephU7]

@@AlinaMcleod You're right, the booking interface should be more user-friendly and internationalized.

[@JimmyJ-ne2uj]

That's a good point. 👍 Otherwise, hundreds of thousands of tourists would flock to the gate to queue up for a ticket simultaneously, which would be dangerous.

[@robertgittings8662]

*Yes but it is unnecessary make it so much step they can just use sign in with a fingerprint or something takes half a second*

[@robertgittings8662]

*Sign up to a touristy place with a fingerprint no not necessary to fill up the whole 5 page form go to hotel or go to a touristy place - of course for Chinese Nationals are much easier*

[@lchen28]

It takes a couple of days to figure these things out. But once you setup those apps and learnt how to use them, the travel became very easy and enjoyable. I would say much easier and enjoyable than anywhere else on the earth since everything is on your fingertip, and you don't need to worry about your safety.

[@andyaw4913]

Well done !! You did so well in preparing these very useful information !! Thumbs up Alina !!

[@katzukateh6164]

Knowledge is power! Thank u Alina.😃💙💛🗼⛩

[@AlinaMcleod]

Aw thank you so much, Katzu! Glad you liked the video!

[@花生牛奶-k5y]

China is really beautiful and has a lot of beautiful scenery.👍

[@MindShackleFilms]

Also remember to bring your own toilet paper when going out. Almost never saw any in the public washrooms. Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Wuxi all were lacking TP!

[@Travelwithmiracle1]

Thanks so much for this video, very informative

[@AlinaMcleod]

Glad it was helpful!

[@vickyhuang1958]

Some are facts. Some are options. You should come to see 👀 yourself. Welcome to China.

[@iansen57002]

That's very kind of you, Alina. As always your videos are informative, beautiful in many ways just as you are. Looking forward next videos of your journey. May God Bless You

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you very much!

[@nayac7615]

Hi. Alina good to see you and have great day. Thanks for video and information for travel. You are very courageous woman. Bless your trip

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you so much!

[@Mhow-ib6kq]

Alina thank you for your information 🙏 Love from Toronto Canada ❤

[@yuehanslam1593]

Thanks Alina. Will be really useful when I go and trace my roots next year.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Hope you have a great trip!

[@urshurakdieohnekanal9291]

Very thorough! I'll travel to China next year and from all the videos I've watched so far, yours is the only one that mentions the squat toilets. I don't have a problem with using them - I learned the how-to in Nepal -, but I didn't think to mention them to my sister who thinks about joining me. This could be one of the no-gos for her. I hope China extends their visa-free policy until next year, because the visa application process is a bit tedious, but doable.

[@Shin.m.z]

There are also vegetarian restaurants in China. China can be considered a paradise for vegetarians, because Chinese people are very good at cooking vegetables, mushrooms and various soy products.

[@王金龙-x1r]

是的，但前提是你需要有比较不错的中文水平，如果你有足够的中文能力或者身边有个了解自己饮食习惯的翻译人员，那将获得无与伦比的极致体验，利用豆制品模仿肉类口感和味道也是中餐比较擅长的

[@华夏独领风骚]

@@王金龙-x1r 豆类，菌类，蔬菜这些足够了

[@HTeo-og1lg]

Only if you know Mandarin and able to communicate in Mandarin at the restaurants. Else eat at the Buddhist temples canteens.

[@Shin.m.z]

@@HTeo-og1lg In some of the bigger cities in China, there are restaurants that specialize in vegetarian food,no meat and fish. And now everyone can use a translating app to communicate each other ,no worries🙂

[@seanz7804]

This is a great summary and will be very useful for many who plan to visit China. Thank you so much!!

[@BenjiSun]

yep. foreign SIMs on roaming works like a VPN and can generally bypass the Great Firewall. i use a physical SIM from CSL (a Hong Kong telecom company) and FB/IG/Twitter/Reddit works fine in China when i'm using my free daily roaming passes, no VPN necessary. i also turn on hotspot from my phone so my laptop can have all the access as well.

[@AhmetTekin101]

No freedom of speech

[@BenjiSun]

Which flavour of "freedom of speech"? the kind without any sort of responsibility? lol, no thanks. i'm not an unparented brat with a fake account.

[@couchtaming23]

By the way, why Meili Snow Mountain ranks 3rd in China? This mountain rises from an altitude of 2000 meters to 6700 meters, the elevation difference of this mountain is 4700 meters, which is very spectacular, and the more important reason that sets it apart is its stunning sunrise! it's called 日照金山 🌄🗻 (Tiger Leaping Gorge's altitude is between 1800 to 5596 and it's very steep, that's why it got the stunning view too🏞)

[@ronaldwang9838]

There are absolutely a lot of vegan restaurants in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen. But it will be difficult to find vegetarian restaurants in small cities and towns.

[@Wes-Tyler]

happy to hear that :)

[@bodhranlowd]

You are the most classy vlogger ever with a small town vibe

[@neohsoonpeng8820]

Hi Alina, so glad to see you again ❤

[@mikejiang7916]

Great episode with lots of information !

[@hanlens_on_hiatus]

Thank you very helpful. We are planning a trip now and it seems frustrating that train tickets are only available a short time in advance and tickets to attractions are like going on a hunt for treasure.

[@didirahadian3463]

Hi Alina. Indeed I feel safe when visiting Kun Ming Dali Li Jiang last month. However to pee I prefer to be selective & try to find out suitable clean toilet 😊😅

[@sabrinastraveladventures4263]

Great vlog! I have been trying to get these kind of informations for a while! Thank you so so much and well done! Kind regards and I look forward to seeing you travel China 🇨🇳 in the near future! Sabrina 🇫🇷🇬🇧

[@iulia828]

Chinese invented tofu and there are various kinds of tofu in China. There are more kinds of vegetable than other parts of the world too. As a vegan you are likely to have a lot more choices than in other parts of the world. And there are special vegan restanrants too.

[@0raj0]

Regarding visa, it is important to note that since November 2023 citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia, since March 2024 citizens of Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Hungary, since June 2024 Australia and New Zealand and since July 2024 Poland can go to China for up to 15 days without a visa. So it makes quite a number of countries whose citizens can come to China without a visa.

[@jluis333]

Nihao.booked with chinese travel agency a tour to 5 main cities. Bought the airplane tickets, got the visa, got the sim internet card and vpn, got the alipay, got the navigator offline nav app, got a list of best food. Even got tickets to a peking opera.Just need chopstick training and jetlag tolerance. Xie xie

[@ymhktravel]

I think before mobile payment became omnipresent in China, it was very ok to just turn up at places like Forbidden City (those so called 5A destinations), Panda Research centre etc on the day itself or on the day before at the booth to purchase an entrance ticket. Same for high speed train though I usually do so on the first day I arrive for my next onward destination. The last time I was in China that was like 2015.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Yes you can do that in some destinations but there’s very popular places that sell out days before so you can’t just turn up and get a ticket.

[@stevenli8348]

@@AlinaMcleod It may be because of Labor Day that it is difficult to book tickets for tourist attractions, and you just happened to catch up with this time. During this festival, hundreds of millions of people in China will choose to travel across the country.When it’s not a holiday, not many people choose to travel, and tickets are easy to book.

[@AhmetTekin101]

Vietnamese 🇻🇳 and Chinese cultures are very close. - Even the Forbidden City, a symbol of Chinese civilization in Beijing, was designed by a kidnapped Vietnamese and built by forced laborers from Vietnam.

[@stevenli8348]

@@AhmetTekin101 ？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？？

[@odongodong3414]

​@@AhmetTekin101Crazy boy (Anjing lu ).

[@kipdunagan3107]

Just found and subscribed to your channel. Really informative content. I am looking forward to my trip to Guangzhou next week. You have filled in some of the blanks I had in my trip planning. Thank you

[@madhukarmaddipatla5734]

I went with a group - my Visa application was very smooth - from San Francisco - I just made the app with a local agent, gave my US passport and paid the fee - I got a 10 year multiple entry visa Did not use any app (2016) Since it was a organized tour group, we had no problems with food - as vegetarians - they always have the option, Worst case, go to 7-11 like shop and pick up a box of noodles and get Soy sauce - a friend of mine had a portable stove to cook veggies and pick up rice from a nearby restaurant. One important tip for guys , especially in big cities (Shanghai) - be careful with soliciting women for pleasure - they will drug you take your passport and blackmail you if you are left alive - I was approached by someone like this and just walked away and cautioned the hotel personnel (in Shanghai) thanks to advance tip by our guide

[@Namoari941]

Yes if your are not an experienced traveller especially to China, then you should go with tourist group where they take care of most things, the only thing i don’t like go with tourist group ,is the schedules must including visit to the shops and markets where you are mostly be scammed, also you have to get up early,like 5AM to get ready for the day.

[@feding3328]

Soliciting women for pleasure？That's very rare in China because it's illegal.

[@odongodong3414]

Dasar kau laki2 hidung belang sudah sepatasnya diperlakukan begitu.

[@metatoad]

So Helpful!!!

[@jondong476]

At 8:23 in the video, it needs to be corrected that it is not that Google’s applications are blocked in China, but that Google automatically withdraws from the Chinese market because it is unwilling to comply with China’s relevant Internet laws.

[@michellew2210]

Alina, hello from Australia! You have the best videos about China! Thanks for all this helpful info. Just subscribed.

[@bryanlee8295]

As a Chinese, I think the reason why booking tickets for most popular attractions is complicated, is because of high volume of tourists in China, particularly during public holidays. It helps to regulate the flow of people, just like booking train tickets. As far as I know, some attractions have already adopted a convenient method of booking through a simple QR code scanning process.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Nothing wrong with booking ahead of time but if they made the process more inclusive to foreigners that would be great!

[@Namoari941]

yes totally agreed that most big attractions in China needed advanced booking, becuase of the over crowded tourists ,to prevent the long long line up that would take hours to get the tickets, and China is a communist country, safety for its citizens and society is very important, so cameras “everywhere” is good things, of course westerners do not like it ,becoz they have a mentality of being “watched”, they’re used to live with terrorists attack with bombs, machines guns, or trucks run over the crowded streets…

[@yoke-mg5bm]

@AlinaMcleod This is mainly because the managers of the attractions are also ordinary Chinese, and they don't know too much English. WeChat applets are made by them, so there is no English.

[@JJ-yg1sf]

中国就是应该减少英语的一些路名，英语服务，只放几个大城市就行了，中小城市，经典全部汉语话，谁想来就要跟团或者学习汉语

[@bryanlee8295]

@@JJ-yg1sf 我只能说这不是大部分中国人的待客之道

[@SkyworkerZhang]

Thank you very much for sharing your travel videos in China to the world and showing the most authentic China. If you will visit China in the future, I will welcome you very much to Qingdao, Shandong Province. This is a coastal city, very beautiful. Finally, I wish you a happy trip!🎉🎉

[@madhukarmaddipatla5734]

what is your next destination Alina? Hope to see more of your videos soon! Thanks for showing us China and other places so far Chinese tourists to Europe and USA also complain that nothing is in Chinese and hence can only travel as a group

[@AlinaMcleod]

My pleasure! I’m in Indonesia now.

[@AhmetTekin101]

There are travel warnings to China 🇨🇳, and they are not jokes!

[@richardo2913]

@@AhmetTekin101 Yeah, you are a joke :)

[@y.w.79]

Important correction to your first point: the visa-free program has now included many European countries. I think there are 11 countries on the list and the program is valid through end of 25 (and could be further extended)

[@EvanThompson-rq4py]

Some popular attractions require booking tickets, mainly for safety reasons. These popular attractions often attract a large number of people, which can exceed the reception capacity of the attractions and lead to many problems, such as traffic congestion. Therefore, this method can only be used to moderately control the number of visitors per day.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Nothing wrong with that, just would be nice if they made it easier for foreigners to book them as well.

[@davidhlin3023]

I totally agree Alina. If they want more foreign tourists to come see the real China they should make it hassle free!

[@Namoari941]

@@davidhlin3023no, China is not like Thailand, they do want foreign tourists but not too many,because with over 1,4 billions people and the locals are already crowded most of the attractions. they concerns most is security much much more than the “convenience” for foreign tourists.

[@TAL142]

@@davidhlin3023 You assume they need foreign tourists. Sometimes it is much easier to hire a local guide if you are not too adventurous. These are popular attractions. So I don't think they would change anybody minds who have biases.

[@周加佳-u2j]

​@@AlinaMcleodyeah you are right about this point. Actually our local government have already noticed that and the process of booking tickets have more English options in just few months in our local cities.As China has large population and the domestic travel in china is very popular during the golden week(the national holiday) so many tourists' attraction places have to control the number of tourists during the holiday to avoid the stampede events.

[@DT-ff4ov]

Thank you, these are very helpful tips. I want one day to visit China. Be safe traveling.

[@Reporterfy]

Great stuff

[@gorecki4612]

11:00 quickly looking in HappyCow just now, I see many entirely vegan restaurants in Guangzhou . . .

[@gabriellagirardi4741]

Thank you very much Alina for these important suggestions which can help us a lot in case we would like to visit China. Your videos are so nice. Take care🌷⚘️🪻

[@AlinaMcleod]

My pleasure 😊

[@VeryVentureChina]

Thought-provoking video! We’ve been uncovering a lot of angles that often go unnoticed. VVC offers an in-depth look at what’s really going on.

[@ninozhang]

总结的真好，真的是用心旅行，用心体会。

[@bertl1662]

Very good video. You must be very smart to make it this concise. VPN through e-sim is enlightening.

[@SimonCU]

Since you speak Russian you can go to some parts of China which also speaks Russian. Many of the regions in the border of Russia the locals also speaks Russian.

[@AhmetTekin101]

Stolen land

[@SimonCU]

@@AhmetTekin101 like the West stole Hong Kong, India, Hawaii, Native American etc?

[@Max_Wong0214]

Glad to see you to travel to China and love it so much! And also thanks for provided so many useful ideas. Looking forward to having you here again!

[@jzeng2022]

China is actually a very secular society and has no special requirements for clothing. Chinese girls also dress very avant-garde in summer, so just dress casually.

[@AlinaMcleod]

For sure, but I just didn’t see anyone in skimpy clothing so if a foreigner wants to blend in, it would be better to be more covered.

[@wlee3400]

@@AlinaMcleod it's true, over exposed clothing for adults doesn't seem to be common in China.

[@cloudwithwind574]

@@AlinaMcleod 那是因为还没有到夏天，夏天很多女孩穿的很少！

[@glw238]

@@AlinaMcleod Dressing in public places in China is relatively conservative, which shows respect for others, but there are no rigid rules. All clothes in the world can be worn casually.

[@stefenleung]

@@cloudwithwind574 translate for him: "That's because it's now not yet summer, in summer many girls show their bodies." and I can verify that at least for girls in the South like Guangzhou.

[@aaronhuang9550]

They are great tips, I did not realize some troubles as a foreigners, especially tip No.13 😂 For No.11, I am 100% sure it is very okey to dress short things if one doesn't feel cold in most places and casual scenarios.😊 And You more than welcome to China again and again.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you very much!

[@eddsinn]

Thank you very much for your tips! You look great! And looking forward to your next adventure!❤

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you so much!

[@RafaelMorales-vz9lc]

you are bright and considered universal english teacher take good care from the philippines

[@kyclaaa]

i think this year is the real start of China's international tourism. the gov had alr given reports addressing the issues u mentioned and i hope you can have a better experience next time! I'm hoping to go to tibet next month, seeing the amazing plateau landscape and Mount Everest. Hope one day you can also vlog the beauty of tibet!

[@AlinaMcleod]

That’s awesome!

[@AhmetTekin101]

Free Tibet!

[@odongodong3414]

​@@AhmetTekin101Your is the DOG

[@thatskysylvos]

In Toronto Canada you don’t need an interview when you apply for visa. The in-person part was super quick !

[@manimalworks7424]

Actually for vegetarian, it's the simplest. Every restaurant can cook you a vegetarian dish if you know what to ask for. For example, you can tell them "我只吃素---> I only eat vegetarian food“, they will cook you a vegetarian dish. Alternatively, you can order these dishes for safe: "Tomato with Stir-fried Eggs 西红柿炒鸡蛋", "Vinegar Glazed Potato 醋溜土豆丝"， ”家常豆腐“，”炝青椒“，”葱花炒鸡蛋“，”苦瓜炒鸡蛋“

[@videosdematt]

True. You can also just say you don't eat meat - Wo bu chi rou. They will almost always oblige. You can point to a picture menu and say don't want meat - bu yao rou. For myself I don't eat spicy foods so I say bu yao la.

[@alexyoung3609]

Thank you for your tips! Very practical, helpful, and instructive. Your explanation is great!👍

[@Travelwithmiracle1]

Please I want to know if I can apply for Chinese visa while in other country that’s not my home country. Let’s say am in another Asian country can I apply for Chinese visa from the country or do I need to go back to my home country. Please reply 🙏🙏🙏

[@AlinaMcleod]

That’s what I did by applying in Bangkok so I assume so 🙂

[@Travelwithmiracle1]

@@AlinaMcleod Thanks so much, you are such a humble and nice person.🙏🙏🙏

[@robertgittings8662]

​@@Travelwithmiracle1*Make sure you get a Google Voice NUMBER and LETSVPN, before you go to China you can call anywhere include from inside China*

[@michaelb3945]

Your China content was is outstanding! So many beautiful places. My wife and really enjoy your videos.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you so much 😊

[@stevehuang37]

Thank you very much for the useful advice tips ,,, hope you have a nice trip to wherever you go .. thanks

[@macb3741]

Quite a hassle, its better than I thought. You did great work explaining this, thanks!

[@karenshen7811]

Chinese government just announced 12 Europe countries can visit China 15 days without a visa until end of 2025❤

[@alex_holding]

她是加拿大人，享受不到这个福利

[@AhmetTekin101]

Not many want to come to China.

[@directxxxx71]

​@@AhmetTekin101 like to Rap*stan?

[@alex_holding]

@@AhmetTekin101 so ridiculous,open your eyes

[@ghostheaven]

🤡🤡🤡​@@AhmetTekin101

[@simply.travel.1717]

Agreed totally with you on the booking of the bigger main attractions and cable cars.

[@davidhlin3023]

Hello from Vancouver BC Alina. Kudos to you for taking on China especially for one coming from a small town in rural Canada. 🇨🇦

[@JalomMatia]

i think she has lived in Toronto for some years.

[@ivyshy98]

nicely thought out set of tips to lessen the travel shock of china lol. although it would have been interesting if you filmed some of the struggles 😅. as a foodie, I would have liked to see more food style clips, maybe next time 😉

[@AlinaMcleod]

Will definitely keep those suggestions in mind 😊

[@timchen5968]

I was studying aboard and recently came back to China after 4 years of COVID, and you are right, many things switched to "wechat public channel", it was not like this 4 years ago.

[@jimross7648]

Being the Luddite I found an issue with the getting a local phone number to receive calls. My phone doesn't accept esims. In my three months in Japan I thought I had the phone number covered by Viber but no. I could call North America but not locally in Japan. To get a Japanese phone number for three months would run between a thousand and twelve hundred Canadian, which for the few texts and calls was not an economical choice. I downloaded Line but it never worked, just suggesting I add devices to make it better? I made do with email and Instagram, but three or four times a month when I could not supply a local phone number, I couldn't book an activity. I had physical sim cards for data only which were more expensive than my previous trips, but at least worked. So when you mentioned a phone number that accepted texts how have you managed that? Rest of video extremely informative as always.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Mobal SIM cards are my top choice for Japan if you can’t do eSIM. You can get them at the airport or main areas of Tokyo! They do provide options for getting a Japanese number which is great, plus data for around $80 cad a month.

[@robertgittings8662]

​@@AlinaMcleod*Just get a Google Voice NUMBER and LETSVPN you can call anywhere include from inside China*