While booking a vacation to the Middle Kingdom to explore its world wonders, verdant landscapes and futuristic cities, you may be wondering ‘is China Safe?’ In general, it’s a country with very little crime and violence. Nevertheless, there are still a few things worth noting down before you jet off.
It’s not unheard of for pickpockets to operate in busy areas throughout China. When you’re roaming around the country’s hectic metropolises, keep your belongings close to you at all times and avoid carrying large sums of money. Be extra cautious on public transport, in particular buses and trains at night. If you have an expensive mobile phone model or camera, avoid getting it out in busy public places where it could be easily snatched.
Scams are also a big problem in certain cities, too. Common ones include young girls taking tourists to tea houses and then making them pay for meals or art students encouraging visitors to purchase their work for exorbitant sums of money.
If you’re hoping to do some souvenir shopping at a Chinese market, be wary of locals overcharging for cheap items or telling you designer items are authentic when they’re most likely not. Don’t settle for the first price a vendor suggests and try to shop around before you buy anything.
Road Safety in China
If you are planning to drive or be driven around then it’s natural to wonder ‘is China safe for drivers’? In general, driving around China is not usually recommended, especially in cities where the roads can be very congested and drivers seem to abide by their own rules. If you’re crossing a road, note that drivers don’t have to give way to pedestrians. Be extra cautious before stepping into the road, always look both ways first and try to use crosswalks where possible.
Is China safe for solo travelers?
China is a popular Asian country for solo travel. If you’re traveling around China on your own though, make sure someone back home knows where you are at every stage of your trip. It’s not uncommon for thieves and con-artists to target solo travelers (particularly women). Where possible, stick with your tour group and don’t wander around alone after dark.
Food Safety in China
Your safety and security in China is our topmost priority. With us, you are always in good hands. If you have any questions about your safety during your tour, our travel consultants are always happy to advise you. During your trip, you can always contact your local guide or your Trip Coordinator who is available around the clock throughout your trip.
China’s cuisine may be some of the most delicious on the planet, but it’s not always safe to consume. Health and safety standards when it comes to food are not as strict in China as in other parts of the world. Take on board the following advice:
Be careful eating street food. If you’d like to try it, make sure it’s piping hot and looks like it’s been prepared in sanitary conditions.
Visit restaurants which are busy. They’re usually popular for a reason and less likely to make you ill if they’re tried and tested by locals.
Carry hand sanitizer (particularly on public transport) and use it before you eat if you’re unable to wash your hands.
Having a Hepatitis A vaccination before you leave your home country is a good idea as the virus can easily be transmitted through contaminated food and drink.
Emergency Contacts in China
If you’re in an accident or need assistance from the Chinese emergency services, the local hotlines are:
Police – 110
Ambulance service – 120
Fire service – 119
If you are injured or become ill during your China vacation, you’ll want to choose which hospital you visit carefully as some are better than others (especially in the more rural areas). Have the number of your insurance company handy and let them know straight away if you need medical care so they can recommend the best health facility to visit at your location.
Still have questions about safety in China? Contact our team for all the safety details and more inputs before you book your exciting adventure around this culturally rich nation.
Given that it’s the third-largest country in the world, China’s vast expanse naturally means tremendous diversity in temperatures and weather. From the best time to visit China to month by month highlights, plan your China tour just right with tips from our experts.
Where else can you find a country that has both great lakes and a desert, cutting edge technology and architecture, and towns where life has gone unchanged for centuries? To help you navigate the vast expanse, here is our list of the top things to do in China.
Whether you’re a little unsure about China’s visa requirements, or simply want to know a bit more about the recommended vaccinations, prepare yourself for an unforgettable vacation in the Far East with tips from our China travel guide.
Katie planned an AMAZING honeymoon to Thailand for us and it was more than we could have every asked for. During the initial planning phase, my fiance and I knew we wanted to get the full Thailand experience, but really didn’t know what we wanted to see, where we wanted to stay, or what kinds of excursions we wanted to do. Katie listened to our ideas, likes / dislikes, and asked questions about our budget. She really tailored our honeymoon to fit our desire to experience the culture of Thailand … while still relaxing and being “on vacation.”
The actual trip itself went off without a hitch, thanks for the detailed communication between the app and our trip concierge, Rahul. Having a dedicated guide and driver for each leg of the trip gave us the “hand holding” that we wanted for our honeymoon – just being able to relax and enjoy without worrying about the logistics. Also, the fact that everything was private made it that much better – we could really appreciate the romantic honeymoon and spend time with each other, without any distractions.
All of our accommodations were top tier … without the top tier price. One of my biggest fears when traveling is that a hotel is not as great as advertised, or is in a shady area, etc. But I totally trusted Katie’s knowledge and experience and never once had those worries on this trip. I love how Katie was able to find us luxurious hotels that fit within our budget. Every hotel knew it was our honeymoon, thanks to Enchanting Travels, and provided a little something special at welcome.
I highly recommend Enchanting Travels (and Katie!) and 100% would book another vacation again with them. I am usually a “DIY” type of traveler, but this trip now has me spoiled.
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Travis and Rebecca Guy
USA
I had an amazing trip to Thailand with Enchanting travels … well organized , great tours and guides , contact with my agent almost daily … I recommend this company highly
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Victor Hugo Gonzalez-Quintero
USA
Kate helped plan our trip to Thailand. Every aspect was amazing from the locations we visited, to the hotels, to the activities that we did. Top notch service and would highly recommend to anyone!
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Bryan Walsh
Canada
My husband and I recently returned from a 3 week customized and private vacation in Southern India and Sri Lanka put together by Enchanting Travels. This is our second trip with Enchanting Travels and once again this experience exceeded our expectations. Anita Sahi was a joy to work with, she really listened to what we wanted our trip to look like and helped us plan activities, tours, hikes, and special places to visit. We chose what hotels we wanted and she recommended excellent accommodations to choose from. Once we were in India, our trip manager Sugufta Sumbul worked closely with us to ensure everything was going as planned. We stayed in contact with her through WhatsApp and any question nor concerns we had she was on top of it. All our drivers and guides were excellent with good knowledge and good English skills. A special shout out to our driver/guide Numal in Sri Lanka. We felt like we were traveling with a good friend. He really shared his knowledge of his beautiful country, answering all our questions, taking us to his favorite spots and recommending food and handicraft shops. We wished we had more time in Sri Lanka. We would highly recommend Enchanting Travels. They made the trip so enjoyable and most of all stress free, which is priceless.
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Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Robert S Cole
USA
We just came back from Vietnam, Cambodia,Laos,and Thailand. From the time we first called and spoke to Kate who helped us set up our itinerary,to the time we got to all our stops,we were met by guides and drivers who were all wonderful. Knowing we had a concierge that we could call at anytime this trip was 45 days from Feb 6- March 20. This trip was a trip of a lifetime and very grateful that we found Enchanting Tours. I recommend them highly. Ed Pino Liz Baum
Rating 5/5
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Ed Pino
USA
Enchanting Travels did an amazing job curating a memorable trip for our family to Japan. Every detail was taken care of including transportation from the airport and even taking us to each train platform. The classes we know took were also excellent including the sushi making class, the bento box making class, and the calligraphy. We had an issue with our flight coming into Japan and our trip coordinator. Anchal took care of communicating with the hotel. She was even able to get us a refund for the night we missed. Anchal was always available and ensure that every detail of our trip went smoothly. Everything was professional and done in a first class manner. I would give them my highest recommendation without hesitation.
