Travelling in China as a woman - experiences and tips? (also for daily girly stuff)

[Ruben von Zwack]

Hello all!

I have heard quite often that it is no problem to travel on your own in China as a woman. But still, I am excited, and to be honest, quite nervous.

"Quite" nervous, like in: so nervous I could die!

Plus, it will be my first visit to China!

So - is this really true? Can I go about it, just as if I were going to London or Prague?

I only have two weeks, so I will go to Beijing and Xi' An, and some other towns and attractions that I can reach without too much pain from there by train or bus.

I want to save luggage weight, but assume all your typical female products in China will be "whitening", right? So I should at least bring my own facial lotion and cleanser?

And is there a typical drugstore (like, say, Boots in England) where one would buy shower gel, conditioner, tooth paste etc.?

Thank you for your thoughts already!

(I should probably mention that Ruben von Z. is in fact my cat, and when I chose my user name here, I wasn't thinking about how it may be odd to have a "guy's" name for some topics )

[skylee]

I have travelled in several cities in China on my own and I think it is ok. Places included beijing, shanghai, nanjing, suzhou, hangzhou, qingdao, xi'an, jinan/taishan, pingyao/taiyuan, etc. They are not exactly rural areas or off the beaten track so depending on where you are going your experience might differ. I think it is quite safe and nowadays generally things are quite convenient. One thing that I find more irritating than others is the limited access to the rest of the world via internet. But one gets used to these things.

You are travelling for 2 weeks only. Surely you can bring what you need instead of wasting your time shopping for suitable skincare products. Watson's is a HK chain drug stores that can be found in Mainland but I am not sure if there are a lot of them.

PS I forgot to mention that I am Chinese but my Putonghua is quite bad. Also re "female" products, sometimes the label "made in china" on a product is enough to put me off.

[angelaaa]

If you came to big cities and live in downtown, the street is full of people even in the late night. So safety might not be such a big problem. Now, most Chinese, especially the young people, could speak some English, so if you need any help, don't be nervous to ask. For chinese cosmetics, not all of them are "whitening", specifically "whitening" products are "whitening", others are just normal ones. I feel the Sephora in Beijing is much bigger than that in Toronto, you could get almost all the brands you need there. But Chinese cosmetics price is skyrocketed, they are much more expensive than that in Europe or North American, so you could purchase some at the duty-free store of T3 terminal in Beijing Airport. It was called Sun Rise duty free store, if u cannot find it, just ask the airport staff.

For the traffic, if u r in Beijing, you would find the traffic system is very nice, beijing has 15 subway lines and u could get to almost anywhere u want through it. U just need 2RMB and it is free for transfer. But remember avoid taking public transit at the rush hours (8:00-10:00am, 5:00-6:30 pm), both subway and bus are extremely crowd at that time. And the road congestion was beyond your imagination. The whole city likes a huge parking lot and nobody can move. I do not know what other cities you would come except beijing and xi'an, but the express train in China is very comfortable and convenient. Now from Beijing to Jinan, it only needs one half or two hours with the train. But remember to purchase the ticket one or two days in advance, you can buy it online. And the trains with initials of D or G are the express ones.

Hope u have nice day in China

[xiaocai]

If you just want to save luggage weight by not bringing any skin product, you can buy them at most airports. They may charge you more than convenience stores in downtown areas do but you may save time. Having said that, I would normally bring travel sized personal hygiene products in my suitcase for short trips. I took 硬座 train from Chengdu to Xi'an then Beijing and then back several times when I was in uni. 18 hours one way back then. It could get a bit inconvenient sometimes, like using the bathroom on train, getting your luggage up and down, but no big problem. But then again, I am Chinese, so it may be different from your perspective. Having said that, I do recommend you to be more careful at major train stations like Chengdu, Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Beijing. Keep your valuables with you at all times and don't stay there for too long unless necessary.

[Johnny20270]

Naturally, I can’t speak from a woman’s perspective, but I travelled a few times in China without any Chinese and well, …no preparation. You will be perfectly fine. They are friendly and very helpful but you might have to do the initiating of the “asking for help”. Also it’s the one country where I never thought to myself to be in any sort of danger. Maybe it’s because they appear meeker. I went to Russia a few months ago and that appears much more intimidating. No smiling seems to be a national law. Shaved-headed ex military tattooed guys hanging around verses polite Chinese guys haha

As regards the hassle factor, I think you will much safer. Chinese guys are a long way off Arab / Italians guys etc where some harass woman constantly.

I have travelled a lot in my time and honestly I think woman have the advantage over men in some aspects. Lots of guys can be reluctant / stubborn to ask for help and may appear more unapproachable than woman. I know I would more likely help a woman than a man in London if they were lost. I would help both but more likely to take the initiative to help to a woman who looked in need. Just a guy thing I guess

One thing I would say, is persevere! I didn't like China at all initially the first time I went. When I landed in shanghai and I was going to just go home after a few days due to all the locals bugging and annoying me (in a mild way). It was simply because I had been knocked out of my comfort zone instantly. However after a few days I adjusted and really liked it. When I do these things solo, sometimes it’s a bit lonely and you need time out, so going to teh pictures, sit in a park is nice. I always tell myself, it’s only a few weeks and if I don’t like it I can just go to the airport today and just fly home. I never do but it keeps me “on track”.

Xi’an is fantastic, well worth going! I guess as a European, you get same visa as me (3month, single entry or 6 month double entry?). I got 6 month and went twice. 2nd time was better as I had ‘acclimatised’ after first time

Also, good to get a QQ account or join a friend’s website and contact people in china. It’s a great way to meet people and one day with a local makes a massive difference (especially in a restaurant!)

Things which helped me as first time traveller …

• Get a local SIM card and a decent amount of top up. 3G is very useful! When it runs out it’s a pain to renew as message is in Chinese (or I couldn’t work out how)
  
• Bring your passport everywhere as you need it for tickets / trains / some museums etc
  
• The local guides in Xi’an are not bad; they speak English, can be bargained with and don’t appear to be ‘chancers’.
  
• Get to sites early. They become rammed!
  
• Google / face book doesn’t work, so use Google.hk I think
  
• You have to beckon waitress staff, unlike Europe/America. I sat like an idiot for ages wondering why I wasn’t being served. Some seem to stand over you waiting for your order but my friend told me that’s common but you don’t have to be pressurized into ordering
  
• Their English (educated ones) is better than they think it is. They just seem shy in speaking but once they start talking and warm up they continue on enthusiastically.
  
• Never had an issue with toiletries/personal items but I'm a guy. You will find Beijing, shanghai very similar to London in terms of shopping centres.
  
• Depending on where you are, you will be started at, photographed at on more than one occasion, just takes a bit of getting used to as a European.
  
• The little corner shops seem to have everything. They seem about 4 square meters in floor area but seem to contain every item in the world. The little man disappears down a hole in the floor and come back with the oddest item you can think off Having a smart phone so you can show a picture of what you want and of course a dictionary is useful.
  
• Be prepared for hideous toilets and no loo roll. This was the worse aspect for me. I am not flexable enough, haha You must bring your own tissues – I got caught out several times
  
• Go 1st class, their trains are far better than UK trains no question. In par with Germany / Switzerland. Just be aware that they can be full for the whole day so think ahead. As regards buying a ticket, I either asked a local (in English) or just said … qu Beijing. The ticket guy always gave me a first class ticket on the fast train, never asked.
  
• Bring strong Imodium. You may well need it. If you get sick, don’t worry, the hotel staff will definitely you get to a hospital. I got sick in Kunming and the little bell man brought me to the hospital and translated.
  
• Each to their own but I’d say don’t over buy. My house is full of crap which I have no clue if you eat it or rub it into you hair
  
• As a foreigner, you must bargain for items like Jade / silk / pictures (if you want them). They will inflate the price massively. Personally I find a lot of the markets just sell a whole pile of crap but you may find some nice personal items or trinkets that interest you.
  
• Definitely try out the local bars. Might appear a bit intimidating going as a woman solo but they are not like London / Prague bars. The local singers always seem way too good to be there and I doubt as a woman you will be harassed by Chinese guys. In Beijing I saw one girl there on her own and other Chinese girls started talking to her. (they didn;t talk to me, )
  

[Angelina]

Don't forget to bring all the personal care products you will need. There are some imported products, but even if you find them, they will be overpriced (I mean really overpriced). Some international brands offered are actually made in China, beware. Beijing's Watson's is different from the stores in HK, I've been to both.

[Ruben von Zwack]

skylee wrote:

Also re "female" products, sometimes the label "made in china" on a product is enough to put me off.

Oh dear, why is that?

Aww, you are being modest, I have the impression your Putonghua is not bad at all!

angelaaa - Thank you for the tip about the Duty Free in the Beijing Airport. How are the Chinese terms/Hanzi for "whitening" (so I will know what to avoid)?

I know, Sephora is so insanely expensive...

edit: I just saw @Angelina's reply, so okay, yours and Skylee's warning are good enough for me, I will just bring all the stuff I need.

A question about clothing:

I would love to hike the Huangshan, as I will be in Xi'an. As I live near the Alps, I have "real" mountain equipment like quick-dry shirts + trousers + real boots, etc., but I wonder if it would be ridiculous and over the top (and use up half of my luggage space anyway). In Germany, it's normal to see people equipped to their teeth when they just walk up a tiny hill. I have the impression Chinese people, Mainland and Taiwan, don't do that. I'm pale, blonde and fat (compared to most Asians) so I will stick out anyway, and I wouldn't want to be ridiculous on top of that

And - my sneakers fell apart, and I wonder if I should repurchase them before I go, or if I should wait and buy them in China. In Thailand I noticed sneakers were just 1:1 as expensive as in Germany, if not a little bit more expensive even.

[淨土極樂]

How are the Chinese terms/Hanzi for "whitening" (so I will know what to avoid)?

美白

[roddy]

Actually one place I would be wary of is bars - if the clientele is all male, or the female clientele look like they might actually be working there, I'd steer clear. It's rare for anyone to have any hassle in China, but when they do there are often drunk men on at least one side of the equation. Apart from that, it's the usual 'dangers and annoyances' section of the Lonely Planet, and the good old scams topic - which should be taken as a warning to stay out of Wangfujing, not out of China.

Sneakers - how outlandishly huge are your feet? How much time do you want to spend looking for them? How long do you want them to last? Personally I'd buy decent, reliable ones before leaving.

Chinese mountains will usually have very good paths, so the boots would be overkill, but decent hiking clothes usually make good travel clothes. 'Course, I've been told off recently for wearing my odour-resistant bright-orange Berghaus t-shirt in polite company.

[Ruben von Zwack]

yeah, the fluorescent odour-resistant shirt is what I meant...

Oh good point about the sizes. I'm a UK shoe size 6 1/2 (an elephant, in Chinese terms, right?). I guess there I have my answer: get them here in advance.

Thanks for the warning about bars. I have hung out so many nights at bars in Thailand anyway, because my guy-friends I travelled with insisted, I feel like I had enough for a lifetime. All the talk of how cheap it is in X and how they tried to scam you in Y and how Tsingtao compares to Chang compares to Budweiser...

[Ruben von Zwack]

Thank you so much Johnny20270 for that comprehensive, and partially extremely amusing, list!

I can just print it out and add boxes to check and take it along. Tissues, passport - check!

When I do these things solo, sometimes it’s a bit lonely and you need time out, so going to teh pictures, sit in a park is nice.

I know what you mean. Once something was stolen from me in Thailand, and the police stepped in, which scared me even more, I felt like I had no idea what was really going on. As soon as all the noise and trouble had cleared, the only thing I could do was... take a tuktuk to the shopping mall and have a piece of chocolate cake. It cost as much as a proper local meal, but that was an adequate price for restoring my sanity

[Johnny20270]

Actually the first thing I did when I came back from China was book a flight and do a road trip to the States & Canada. Easiest countries in the world to be a tourist in. It’s nice when everything just works and is not … weird!

[shuoshuo]

My personal experience: it's safe for women to travel around China on their own. I mean, take general precautions (i.e. avoid alleys, suspicious places). But yeah, I enjoy walking the streets alone (sometimes you will attract more attention if you are a group of foreigners). They feel less threatened when you're a lone-foreigner. Then again it highly depends on your appearance. If you are blond then you will attract more attention than you need. I know someone living in China who decided to dye her hair brown and she said it's the best decision she's ever made.

Someone here mentioned that many Chinese now speak English. Hmmm...I highly disagree. I suggest you proceed assuming that nobody can speak English, it's just a lot more easier that way. Try not to expect random people to actually be able to speak English.

There are many facial moisturizers, cleansers, etc. that aren't for whitening or skin-lightening. But many are brands that are more popular in Asia (same as Singapore).

[Johnny20270]

Someone here mentioned that many Chinese now speak English. Hmmm...I highly disagree.

Well I should clarify, Many as in absolute number, tiny as in percentage. I found that 18 - 27 age range with a professional look (i.e. have professional jobs, have university education) were not bad at English. I might have been just lucky though

[Cat Jones]

Buy sneakers at home if you want the real thing. If you want cheap fakes, then wait until you are in China. Any branded goods are far more expensive here.

You can get most toiletries here (tothpaste, shower gel etc.) just head to Watsons or a supermarket. If you want cosmetics like branded make up, then best not to buy in China due to the high cost. I've found that a lot of cosmetics here do have English on them so you can usually spot the whitening stuff. I've had no whitening accidents so far, and believe me, I'm white enough already!

I feel very safe in China as a woman. Far safer than in the UK.

[liuzhou]

The correct clothing for women climbing Chinese mountains appears to be oversized young girls' "party dresses", your Sunday best and high heels. It is also essential to carry an umbrella/parasol to poke into passing foreigners' eyes.

That is what you will meet.

[renzhe]

I would love to hike the Huangshan, as I will be in Xi'an. As I live near the Alps, I have "real" mountain equipment like quick-dry shirts + trousers + real boots, etc., but I wonder if it would be ridiculous and over the top (and use up half of my luggage space anyway). In Germany, it's normal to see people equipped to their teeth when they just walk up a tiny hill. I have the impression Chinese people, Mainland and Taiwan, don't do that. I'm pale, blonde and fat (compared to most Asians) so I will stick out anyway, and I wouldn't want to be ridiculous on top of that

Just bring a hiking shirt and hiking underwear because you will sweat a lot, especially if you skip the cable cars. Those don't take too much space. Depending on the season, a light goretex jacket will be useful for everyday use too, and is also small.

You won't need your Trangia cooking set or Meindl boots ;)

[skylee]

Ah Huangshan is not for me. I went to Taishan, there was no need to climb, at all. I also went to Emei and Diancang Shan (in Dali), no need to climb there either. Are there really no buses/cablecars etc at Huangshan to take people to the top?

[Lu]

There is already a lot of good advice here, but I'd just like to chime in and say that I, too, have always felt very safe in China, even as a woman alone. Even safer than in Holland. Occasionally you hear stories about creepy taxi drivers, so it's good to try and avoid getting into a taxi late at night alone while drunk. But long trips by bus or train to the middle of nowhere are no problem, and there aren't really any no-go areas or creepy alleyways in Beijing (or other cities, that I'm aware of). The biggest danger is being ripped off; the scam topic has already been mentioned.

I hope you have a great trip!

[Ruben von Zwack]

Are there really no buses/cablecars etc at Huangshan to take people to the top?

Of course there is a cablecar at the Huangshan! My Lonely Planet has the itinerary and the prices!

But don't you agree: the fun is to get up at 4 am, begin walking at 5, freezing and drowsy from sleep deprivation, around 9 am and half-way up sweating and wishing you were dead (or home in bed) instead, around noon get to the summit, and as soon as your head doesn't feel like a steamed tomato just about to explode anymore, quickly get someone else to take a picture of yourself so you can show the folks back home, and immediately start the descent, cause down will be another 4, 5 hours and it will get dark early?

And of course, not being able to walk the next day because your butt and knees hurt so much! Ah, the sweet pleasures of mountain hiking...