China without the gloss: what to prepare for on your first trip

China almost never matches the picture from a travel brochure. Anastasia Shimanko moved there at twenty-three on a contract, alone, with no friends or family. For her first two months in Haikou, she adjusted to the heat, cockroaches in her rented apartment, and the smell of street food under her windows.

Borders are more open than people tend to think. German citizens can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days; the rule is in effect until December 2026 (as of 09/2026, Auswärtiges Amt). Inside the country, the rules are different: paid healthcare, limits on cash exchange, and blocked social media.

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What to know before traveling to China

💡 In short:

• Visa: up to 30 days visa-free for German citizens, but the rule has a limited validity period (visa-free entry conditions)
• Hotels: since 2024, hotels are no longer allowed to refuse foreign guests
• Payment: link your card to Alipay or WeChat Pay, keep a small amount of cash on you
• Prices and entry rules: 09/2026, verified on the official Auswärtiges Amt website

Some things are best handled before you fly: visa, payment, internet. German citizens do not need a visa for a short trip, but the rule itself is time-limited. Payment almost everywhere goes through apps: link your card to Alipay or WeChat Pay. At markets you will need cash, so keep a small supply of yuan on you.

Hotels have gotten easier. In 2024, China's Ministry of Commerce urged hotels not to refuse foreign guests and to remove refusal notices from booking platforms, according to the Shanghai city portal as of 09/2026. Before that, some hotels cited the registration number that European passports do not have.

About the internet, in short: foreign social networks and messengers are blocked in the country. Download and set up a VPN at home, before you fly.

About the locals

Locals behave differently than what is common in Europe. Before the pandemic, someone might walk up to a foreigner and film them without asking or point a finger at them. Since 2020, strangers keep their distance, sometimes pointedly.

Smoking here is part of socializing. People smoke in shops, elevators, and restaurants, right next to you too. If someone offers you a cigarette, it is a sign of respect, and refusing can be read as disrespect toward the person.

Few people understand English. Without a translator on your phone, you will not be able to communicate even at a pharmacy. Dialects vary greatly between provinces, so familiar words may not help in a new city.

Punctuality is understood differently here. Being late to a meeting surprises no one, and this often causes misunderstandings for foreigners.

About the food

Street food in China smells across the whole block. In the evening, fermented tofu is brought out onto the streets, and you will remember that smell for a long time. Its taste is sharp, and far from everyone likes it.

© Nikolaj Potanin from Russia · CC BY-SAPhoto: Nikolaj Potanin from Russia, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

There are stronger dishes too. "Century" eggs are buried in the ground for several months and then eaten. Silkworm larvae are fried and sold as a snack.

The familiar food here is excellent. Try street noodles, fried rice, rice-flour dumplings, bone-broth soups, eggplant, Peking duck, hot pot, and meat in sweet and sour sauce. Vegetables are cooked so well that you do not need meat on your plate.

The cuisine is spicy. Even dishes without a chili label burn, and getting used to it takes a long time. We recommend trying Chinese barbecue first.

About the sights

The experience comes down to specific places. On Hainan, they are concentrated around Sanya, and on the mainland they start with the wall in Xi'an.

The Nanshan Buddhist center near Sanya is known for the statue of the goddess Guanyin. She stands by the sea; the figure is 108 meters tall (as of 09/2026, Sanya tourism authority). The goddess is depicted in several forms: compassion, pure thoughts, and wisdom.

© xiquinhosilva · CC BYPhoto: xiquinhosilva, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

Nearby is the Longevity Valley. The park displays portraits of centenarians, and the staircase is designed so that each step symbolizes a year of life. Below stand turtles as a symbol of generations, and further on grows a tree called the "Dragon tree."

Tropical Paradise Forest Park in Yalong Bay is considered one of the cleanest corners of the island. It has an orchid valley, a rope crossing between hills, and a glass path over the bay (as of 09/2026, Sanya tourism portal).

The dinosaur park is worth a separate visit. Figures are placed throughout the area: when you press a button, they move and make sounds. It will be fun for both children and adults.

In Sanya, a large theatrical show runs in the evenings at an amusement park. If you are in the city, put it on your evening plan.

Xi'an deserves a day of its own. The city wall is considered the most intact fortification in China: it was built on the foundation of Sui-era walls during the Ming dynasty. You can climb up on foot or rent a bicycle, and on the wall itself there are cafes with a view of the city.

• The catch: parks and the wall are crowded every day, so a quiet stroll is not going to happen.

Tickets and tours for Sanya and Xi'an are easiest to book in advance on GetYourGuide.

About the culture

Concert audiences behave with restraint. Spectators sit and watch the stage; dancing is not the norm, and a neighbor who starts dancing gets surprised looks.

Traditional music uses a different scale, so it sounds unusual to European ears. Fashion also follows its own path: locals do not copy Western trends, they have their own rules.

© CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SAPhoto: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

Holidays are spent with family. Relatives come from other cities to the village, the table is loaded with food, and only then do you go out with friends. The main holiday here is the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year. Birthdays are also celebrated with family. On a birthday, noodles are always served as a symbol of longevity.

About the difficulties

The most common difficulty is the language. Words learned in one province may not save you in another.

Healthcare is paid and expensive. A doctor's visit without treatment will cost you tens of dollars, so get insurance at home.

Crowds are the norm. Streets, the metro, and parks are crowded every day, and a peaceful walk is almost impossible.

Currency exchange takes time. Euros are exchanged for yuan at a bank with your passport, and the amount per person is limited. It is easier to pay by card through Alipay or WeChat Pay.

Tips from an experienced traveler

Before you fly, take care of a few things.

• Save the embassy address and phone number to your phone.
• Book your hotel before the trip: there are fewer available rooms on the spot.
• Install a translator with an offline dictionary.
• Take a small supply of yuan in cash.

An eSIM is the most convenient way to stay connected. A local SIM card requires a passport, and eSIM plans for China are worth comparing in advance.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for a trip to China?

German citizens do not need a visa for short trips; the only restriction is the length of stay. The rule is in effect until the end of 2026, and it has already been extended several times. Before buying tickets, check the dates on the Auswärtiges Amt website.

Do Instagram and Telegram work in China?

No, these services are blocked, as are Google and WhatsApp. Without a VPN, messengers do not open, and local app stores do not carry such programs. Download the client at home and check that it launches.

Can I pay by card or do I need cash?

Visa and Mastercard cards can be linked to Alipay and WeChat Pay, and that way you can pay almost everywhere: in cafes, taxis, and shops. Keep cash for small markets and street vendors. Before the trip, check that the app accepts your card.

Will a foreigner be allowed into any hotel?

Since 2024, hotels are not supposed to refuse foreign guests because of a missing registration number. In practice, old habits remain, so before booking, check reviews to see whether they accept foreigners here.

What should I bring from China as a gift?

Tea, silk, porcelain, natural stone jewelry, reusable chopsticks, and baijiu, rice liquor. For children, people buy local toys. Souvenirs are easier to buy in cities rather than at the airport.

In short: what to book

Plan your trip in advance so you do not spend your first days on logistics. If you need a hotel by the sea: rooms in Sanya and Haikou on Trip.com. If you are going for tours and views of Yalong Bay: tours and tickets on GetYourGuide. Visa and VPN are handled at home, and paying in China is easier through an app on your phone.