Exploring China: A Review of Four Cities After Two Independent Trips
My husband and I recently completed our second trip to China, and I wanted to share some insights and experiences from our adventures in these amazing cities:
- Chengdu - Shanghai - Wuzhen (6 Days, 5 Nights)
- Beijing - Xi'an (6 Days, 5 Nights)
Visa Application
We handled the visa application ourselves in Ho Chi Minh City (cost: 2,100,000 VND). The process involved:
- Visa application form
- Passport
- Previous Chinese visa (if applicable)
- Photocopy of National ID (CCCD)
- Household registration (CT07)
- Employment confirmation letter (in English)
- Leave request (in English)
- Marriage certificate (if traveling as a couple)
- Itinerary (in English)
- Hotel booking confirmation
- Flight ticket booking (we used Vietnam Airlines and selected the "pay later" option; a printout of the email with the booking code was sufficient)
Submitting a complete application increases your chances of approval to around 90%.
Immigration
- Chengdu (First Trip): The immigration officer asked basic questions: who are you traveling with, how many days will you be staying, and where will you be visiting. After I answered, they only confirmed the length of stay with my husband.
- Shenzhen (Second Trip): Possibly because I had previously entered China with a visa, this time I wasn't asked any questions and cleared immigration in under 5 minutes!
Transportation
We experienced various modes of transport: metro, bus, bicycle, taxi, airport bus (purchased via Alipay with the help of an airport staff who used their Chinese phone number), and high-speed train (bought on Trip.com) – all payable with QR codes through Alipay.
Payment Methods
We used Alipay, WeChat Pay, and cash.
- Alipay: We primarily used Alipay (with Visa and Mastercard added). It's advisable to add at least two cards and prioritize those with lower foreign transaction fees. This is generally more cost-effective than exchanging currency or using cash.
- WeChat Pay: WeChat Pay was useful for small vendors, street food stalls, and shuttle bus tickets.
- Cash: We used cash for purchases over 200 RMB to avoid transaction fees on Alipay.
4G SIM Card
For both trips, we used a China Unicom SIM card from Simquocte purchased online. It worked perfectly without needing a VPN, allowing access to TikTok, social media, and Google.
Chengdu
Staying in the Chunxi Road area makes getting around easy. If you plan to visit the Panda Research Base, buy tickets in advance on Trip.com and arrive early to see the pandas during feeding time. They tend to sleep later in the day! Be sure to try authentic Sichuan hotpot. If you're unsure what to order, use Google Translate and ask the staff for assistance. They are generally very helpful to foreigners. We even visited a local restaurant in an alley at 10:40 PM, and the staff was incredibly helpful with our order. The owner, knowing we were tourists, gave us complimentary tofu pudding with pearls – it was delicious, but I forgot to take a picture! For souvenirs, the shops in Jinli Ancient Street offer a wider selection and better prices.
From Chengdu, we took a domestic flight to Shanghai. Since we found a cheap ticket (around 1,500,000 VND per person, 2.5-hour flight), we added Shanghai to our itinerary. Combining Shanghai and Beijing might be more logical, though.
Wuzhen
From Shanghai, we took a bus directly to Wuzhen. Check the bus schedule on the Ctrip app and confirm your desired departure with the ticket counter staff. Visa and Mastercard are accepted for payment. For the return trip, purchase tickets directly at the bus station near the entrance to Wuzhen; cash is accepted.
- Hotel: We booked the Jyayuan Hotel (4 stars) for just over 800,000 VND. It's located a few hundred meters from the entrance to Wuzhen and was excellent. The staff and owner were incredibly friendly.
- Hanfu Rental: Renting Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) outside the scenic area is recommended. Ask your hotel reception for a local shop; we rented an outfit and accessories, including makeup, for 170 RMB.
- Food Recommendation: Near the ticket entrance of Wuzhen, there's a fantastic restaurant (next to the bridge) run by a lovely couple who opens at 10:30 AM. We were rushing to catch our bus (10:50 AM) when we saw them setting up their delicious shrimp noodles. My husband asked, using Google Translate, if they could prepare some quickly. They immediately made noodles in 10 minutes, and his wife rushed them out to us. We ate in 10 minutes! Seeing them go the extra mile to ensure we didn't miss our bus was incredibly touching. If you visit Wuzhen, be sure to support this couple!
Shanghai
The food courts on Nanjing Road pedestrian street and Yuyuan Garden offer a wide range of delicious food. For stunning city views at North Bund, arrive early to avoid long lines. The Manner Coffee shop nearby has a fantastic view you shouldn't miss! For snacks and souvenirs, the LYFen Go store offers a variety of candies, nuts, and other treats sold by weight (recommended by our hotel receptionist).
Beijing
For the Forbidden City, purchase tickets online seven days in advance (at 7:00 PM Beijing time). Log in and fill out your information beforehand to avoid delays. If the login doesn't send a verification code, keep clicking the "generate" button repeatedly until it sends. Tickets sell out quickly, so book immediately once you see availability! For the Great Wall, we visited the Mutianyu section (booked a tour on Mubus with an English-speaking guide, payment accepted on the day of the tour, cash accepted). The Temple of Heaven is less crowded and cooler in the afternoon. The Summer Palace is best visited in the morning, avoiding public holidays (we visited during a holiday, and it was incredibly crowded). Purchase tickets for both locations at the ticket counters, and Visa/Mastercard are accepted.
Xi'an
We traveled from Beijing to Xi'an by high-speed train (Xi'anbei Station), purchasing tickets on 12306 or Trip.com (tickets go on sale two weeks in advance). Tickets on Trip.com are not always guaranteed; monitor the app for ticket releases and book as soon as you find a suitable option. We planned to buy Terracotta Army tickets on arrival, as recommended by many review, only to find that tickets were sold out. When my husband asked an employee how a foreigner can purchase tickets, two security officers opened the barriers and one english speaking officer instructed us to use Trip.com. Online tickets are instantly issued. Pay no attention to the time, you may enter whenever you arrive.
We visited on a public holiday, the buses and metro were incredibly crowded. Riding a bicycle was faster. The local cuisine in the food streets is delicious and affordable!
Be sure to try the strawberries in China; I personally found them larger and tastier than those from Japan or Korea. Strawberries are generally cheaper in Beijing than in Chengdu or Shanghai.
Airport Mishaps
Here's a tip for dealing with airport terminal mix-ups! We accidentally went to Terminal 2 (T2) for our Xi'an - Ho Chi Minh City flight, but it departed from Terminal 5 (T5). To make matters worse, we were on the last metro of the day, so there was no public transportation to T5 (the terminals are quite far apart). The information staff gave us a free fast-track pass for the shuttle bus to T5. We showed the pass to the driver at the designated spot, and they took us straight to T5 immediately, with only my husband and I on the 16 seat bus!
Wishing you successful independent travels!
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