Which regions of China can Russians enter without a visa? Independent travel to China Where is it better and cheaper to go to China?

How to organize an independent trip to China in 2019! Visa, tickets, hotels, food, transport, security. How much does it cost to travel to China? Cost calculation, tips and observations.

The material was prepared based on the personal experience of the author of the text’s independent travel to China: three months of living in Shenzhen, as well as trips to Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

China is huge and very diverse, so it is impossible to clearly say where prices and conditions are. I will start from Shenzhen - the center of all electronics, a young and rapidly growing city in the very south of China, which borders on Hong Kong. I will tell you what a tourist can find useful when planning an independent trip to China in 2019, and I will also give my own observations about the country and tips for travelers.

How to get a visa to China yourself

A visa to China is required for Russians, except in rare cases. A regular single entry costs 1,500 rubles, a double entry costs 3,000, and a multiple entry costs 4,500 rubles. Plus a bank commission of 2.5% per person is charged.

Urgent single entry - 2400, urgent double entry - 3900, urgent multiple entry - 5400. There is also an express review, which costs more.

Airport in Beijing (Photo © Enzojz / flickr.com)

How much do hotels cost in China in 2019?

When going to China on your own, you will have to decide where to live. Some choose the usual hotels, while others rent an apartment or room.

Hotels. Double rooms in hotels in the center of Beijing cost from $30 in the summer, and from $13 in the low season. In Shenzhen off-season - from $22. We recommend looking for hotels on Roomguru.

It is better to stay in chain hotels, as they care about their reputation. A night in such a hotel costs from $30-40 for a double room. Chain hotels in Shenzhen: Greentree Inn, Sheraton, Novotel, etc.

Adviсe:

• Look for a hotel with good soundproofing - the Chinese are noisy.
• Photos of hotels do not always correspond to reality.
• Sometimes a room may be clean and comfortable, but have foreign odors, such as dampness. Or the windows look out onto the courtyard, where there is a landfill or a Chinese street cafe (which produces no better smells).

Rent. If you want personal comfortable housing, look for a room, apartment or house on Airbnb. The choice of housing is huge. Renting an apartment in Beijing costs approximately $30-50 per day, in Shenzhen - from $27. You can rent an apartment on Airbnb for $600-$1,500 for a month (rooms cost $500-$900). The price depends on the city, area and condition of the house. For example, in Shenzhen, near the beach in a resort area, an excellent apartment was rented for $600. There are discounts for long-term rentals.

Entrance to Shenzhen Novotel Watergate (Photo © booking.com / Shenzhen Novotel Watergate)

Food and cuisine of China

Another challenge you will face when traveling to China on your own in 2019 is food. It is very specific here, so going to a cafe can cause problems, especially if you don’t know the language. But here McDonald's and KFC come to the rescue. There are also many well-known European chains where you can order food from pictures. However, their prices are much higher - for example, a side dish with meat costs from $6. Sometimes tea is included in the price. At McDonald's, a Big Mac (potatoes, cola, double cheeseburger) will cost about $5.

In general, you can eat in a cafe for $5 or more; in restaurants, a simple dish costs from $10.

Where you can eat inexpensively and deliciously in China:

• Cafe for locals. You can eat a hearty meal there for $1.50, but no one guarantees the quality of the products and compliance with sanitary standards. The downside is that it is difficult to order dishes, since there are often no pictures or there are few of them, and if there are, it is not clear what it is.
• "Muslim women"- these are local cafes run by Chinese Muslims. The food there is prepared in compliance with all standards and is really very tasty. I really love their noodles and recommend you try them. They cook it in front of you, and it’s interesting to watch this process. Cost from $1.5 for a huge portion.
• Supermarket. A kilo of bananas costs $1-2, apples $2-3, tangerines $1-2. I do not recommend buying sausages. This is not at all what we expect: Chinese sausages are made from soy with a bunch of spices and additives. They taste sweet and have a specific smell, but for the sake of curiosity you can try them once.

(Photo © Jo@net / flickr.com / Licensed CC BY 2.0)

Internet and cellular communications in China

All SIM cards are sold only with a passport in specialized places. The cost of mobile communications is quite high - from $20 per month, plus the same amount is charged for purchasing a card and choosing a tariff plan. To purchase a normal tariff and understand everything, you need to know Chinese. If you need internet in China, it's easier to use Wi-Fi while traveling - in big cities you can find it everywhere.

There is another problem that many people face - blocking all Google services, YouTube, Instagram. To access them you need to install a special VPN program.

China Mobile is the largest mobile operator in the world (Photo © Open Grid Scheduler Grid Engine / flickr.com)

Transport in China

Transport in China is excellent. The infrastructure is very developed. Planes, ferries, trains (including high-speed), buses, subways and taxis. You can get to any point without any problems. Travel on buses - from $0.3, in the metro - from $0.5.

If you are going to China for a month, buy a travel pass. The plastic card can be topped up and used in the metro and buses, and then returned and received money back. Cost $4. This is very convenient: you don’t need to find out the cost of tickets, buy tokens, or stand in lines. Accordingly, the problem of language disappears. For trips within one city, $10-30 per month is enough.

A very common type of transportation is electric mopeds. Essentially this is a taxi, only less comfortable, more extreme and cheaper - from $2. The main advantage is the absence of traffic jams, since mopeds go wherever they want. The only negative is the language. You need to agree on the price and destination.

(Photo © Lαin / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

ATMs and cards

Be prepared that many stores may not accept your Visa or MasterCard card, since in China there is another payment system - UnianPay. This card can be issued at any bank for free. If you need to withdraw money from yours, there are many ATMs for this.

Chinese mentality

Don't be surprised if in China you feel like a monkey that everyone wants to take a photo with. For a Chinese, having a photo with a European is an indicator of coolness and status, so you will always be the center of attention. They will always turn around and stare at you without hesitation. In addition to increased interest, the Chinese will try to make money on the “white man”. For them, we are walking money, so bargain in all stores. For example, we once reduced the price of a shirt from $35 to $5.

We can talk for a long time about the culture and upbringing of the majority of Chinese. Giving way to a girl, letting her go ahead, letting people exit a vehicle, throwing garbage in the trash bin - all this is not about them. They also have no sense of tact. Don’t be surprised if at the first meeting you are asked about your personal life, salary and health. The Chinese themselves are very cunning and enterprising, but at the same time good-natured.

Useful words in Chinese for a traveler:

Security in China

Do you know where the tradition of wearing a backpack on the front came from? From China. Petty theft is very common there. In big cities you can find a policeman everywhere who will gladly help in any situation. Also, there are cameras on all buses, subways, shopping centers, and even just on the street, so in big cities there is nothing to be afraid of when walking along the streets in the evening. From personal experience: I walked with photographic equipment, and not once did anyone try to pester me.

Also in China there is an unspoken rule that animals, children and laovayam(for foreigners) anything is possible.

(Photo © Today is a good day / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

How much does an independent trip to China from Russia cost?

Let's calculate how much a trip to China costs for two for 10 days when departing from Moscow:

• Single entry visa - $52.
• Flights from Moscow to Beijing and back - from $586. Find a ticket >>
• Hotel in the center of Beijing in low season - $130. Find a hotel >>
• Meals in eateries for locals - $120.
• Insurance - $23.
• Transport and attractions - approximately $200.

So, how much does it cost to travel to China on your own? The minimum cost of the trip, if you are ready to save, is approximately 1111$ for two for 10 days.

If you are used to living comfortably, then the trip will cost approximately 1711$ for two (accommodation in a 3* hotel - $250 and meals in cafes and restaurants - $600). We spent $1,500 a month for two of us.

Fragment of a 100 yuan bill (Photo © super.heavy / flickr.com)

Check out our helpful tips for traveling to China on your own in 2019:

• Before you travel, watch how the Chinese count on their fingers. The match with our score is only up to 4, then everything is different.
• Be sure to download a translator to your phone.
• Take the necessary medications, as you are unlikely to find anything familiar in Chinese pharmacies. You are more likely to encounter dried toad than activated charcoal.
• Download the Baidu program and maps of the cities where you plan to live on your phone. This program will help you choose the route, time and type of transport, and determine the best route option. You won't get lost with her. I highly recommend it!

I hope you have a general idea of ​​prices and conditions. And the problem of language, as you see, is not so terrible. Travel, because there are so many interesting things in the world!

(Photo © monkeylikemind / flickr.com / Licensed CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Introductory image source: © mandylovefly / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

So, you are planning to go to China. And they did it right! This country is famous for its centuries-old culture, inventions, natural landscapes, food and much more. Now there are many offers on the tourism market, but they are all of the same type and run along the same well-trodden routes. Besides, they don’t give you freedom: look to the right, look to the left... How about entering a country where they look at you with genuine childish interest, like an alien, where the whole carriage stands up when they see you)). Or chat with local residents and get to know the life of the country from the inside. Independent travel provides all this.

Below we discuss the main practical issues related to independent travel in China.

1. Visa to China

The first thing you will need for such a trip is a Chinese visa. There are several types of visas, which require different documents and different costs. The simplest one is a one-time tourist trip. You can register with a travel agency, which will naturally charge an additional fee for their work. You can apply for a visa yourself by taking the documents to one of the Chinese consulates: in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.

2. How to get to China and travel within the country?

There are several ways to get to the Celestial Empire from Russia: by plane, by train or by bus, and by hitchhiking. It all depends on your budget, where you are going from and what places in China you are going to visit. China, as you know, borders Russia in the Far East, and from there the route to Beijing is the closest. You can cover this distance by train. The easiest way to travel from Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the European part of Russia is by plane. There are both direct flights and with transfers in Astana, Almaty, Dubai, depending on the airline. Cheap tickets can be found on the website .

Inside China, you can also travel in different ways, whichever suits your taste. We traveled by train, buying tickets ourselves at the ticket office a few days before departure.

3. How much money to take to China?

It’s difficult to give a definite answer here - everyone has their own requirements and preferences. I can only give a link to our

It is better to exchange cash in Russia for dollars in advance, since rubles are not exchanged in China. Dollars are exchanged for yuan mainly by the Bank of China; the rate in the spring of 2013 was 6.1 yuan per 1 dollar. You can also use Visa and MasterCard bank cards. A fee will be charged for withdrawing money from the card. It varies from bank to bank, check with your bank before traveling.

Anya and I applied for ISIC youth cards; in some places they give a good discount. For example, we saved 90 yuan (450 rubles) on Mount Emeishan.

4. What to take with you to China?

Experience is the son of difficult mistakes)) It’s unclear why we were dragging sleeping bags with us, but it turned out that China is full of cheap and comfortable housing.

When packing, pay attention to what kind of weather awaits you in China. For example, in the spring there is a lot of rain and dampness in the southwestern regions, while in Xinjiang it can be cool but dry. From here, choose what to take. For independent travel, a backpack is an irreplaceable and convenient thing that you must have =).

As a last resort, buy what you need in China, all the clothes are made there anyway!

5. Accommodation in China - where to spend the night?

As mentioned above, the choice of accommodation is huge, especially in places popular with tourists. And competition makes prices reasonable. You can book a hotel or inn in advance - this is easy to do on the website. If you prefer to improvise, you can decide on housing on the spot. I just strongly advise against doing this if you are traveling on holidays: at the beginning of May and in the first half of October.

If you want to stay in an apartment or rent a room from the owners (often this works out cheaper than a hotel), try Airbnb (go to and get $25 as a gift for your first booking).

6. Where to go in China, attractions

The choice here is simply endless, China is an amazing country! Discovery awaits at every step =).

We visited 4 provinces, or rather , and the province , Yunnan and Manchuria. We simply passed by the rest of the districts by train.

7. Food

People in China love and know how to eat! Local residents adopted the rule “War is war, and lunch is on schedule”)). The choice of food is very large, although the main products for the Chinese are rice and noodles, as well as additives for them. You can have a snack at local chifans or buy food at the market or supermarkets.

It should be noted that Chinese food is very spicy - be careful, especially in the first days.

When organizing an independent trip, mobile applications are very helpful. We wrote .

That's all I wanted to say about traveling to China on your own. Come to the Celestial Empire, you will definitely be satisfied! Easy roads!

You can enjoy your holiday in China, regardless of the season. A country with such a rich history and culture is sure to have something to offer even the most demanding tourist. Holidays in China in 2019 – where is the best place to go?

Before you ask yourself where to go, think carefully about what you want to see.

Hainan Island

A hotel room on Hainan Island will cost from $28 per night per person. A 15-day vacation with flights and accommodation for two will cost about $2,000.

On the island, service is at the highest level, as in all expensive resorts. But it is here that you can experience the highest service and a wonderful vacation, and all for an affordable price.

Zhujiang Nantian Hot Springs

The cost of a ticket to this unique place will cost about 800 rubles. The park area includes 67 thermal water baths, the temperature of which ranges from 40 to 60 degrees. This is where you can improve your health and relax.

Baths with original filling will be a pleasant surprise for any tourist. If you wish, you can soak in a bathtub strewn with rose petals or enjoy relaxation in a pond with the addition of Chinese herbs and coconut milk. On the territory there is a swimming pool with clean water, which is so pleasant to swim in on a hot day.

The most popular place in the park area is worth noting the pool with small fish. When you immerse your body in water, you can feel them nipping at microscopic particles of dead skin. As a result, the skin is cleansed, becomes smooth and soft, as if after a trip to a beauty salon.

Tropical paradise

Not far from Sanya, in the Yalongwan resort area in Hainan province on 15 sq. km. There is a unique tropical park. It was designed to meet the technical requirements of National Forest Parks in China.

Here you can not only relax and breathe in plenty of fresh, clean air. This is an excellent place for climbers and lovers of green tourism.

In the park you can find semi-deciduous and evergreen forests, including at least 100 species of trees and twice as many plants. The unique world of fauna amazes with its diversity. The dense jungle opens up to the traveler in all its glory, showing the full power of wild nature.

If you wish, here you can ride ostriches, visit the suspension bridge, and ride a cable car. For ease of movement, tourists are offered eco-mobiles, which allow them to comfortably spend time traveling through the park.

Village of Li and Miao ethnic groups

A place that is especially popular among tourists. There is a huge historical complex on the territory where you can visit temples, a theater, museums, restaurants with excellent cuisine and well-kept huts.

Those who are not indifferent to quality alcoholic drinks have the opportunity to buy original vodka.

If you wish, you can ask the ticket office for a map of the village, this will make it easier to move around and not miss a single attraction.

An interesting theatrical show allows you to better understand the traditions and rituals of nationalities. An ideal production from which you will not get tired or bored.

An excursion to the village will cost about 220 yuan.

Shopping

Shopping enthusiasts have a unique opportunity to purchase high-quality, authentic goods. All kinds of shopping centers, supermarkets, shops, private shops and markets are available to shopaholics.

It is appropriate to bargain at the market and in individual retail stores, thanks to which the discount can reach 50%. If you purchase more than one item, it is also worth asking for a discount.

To enjoy exotic fruits, it is worth visiting the Hong Gan Fruit Market.

Those who don't mind eating delicious fish can visit the Lao Yong Gai fish market. It is better to make a purchase in the morning, when fishing boats are just unloading. Here tourists can not only buy fish and seafood, but also try them in restaurants and eateries. At the same time, even the most budget traveler can enjoy this pleasure.

What to bring from your trip?

• Considering the large deposits of crystal, it is simply necessary to purchase goods made from it in Hainan. If you wish, you can visit the Crystal Museum, where you have a unique opportunity to buy not only crystal objects, but also items made of jade and precious stones.
• It is unforgivable to visit China and not buy silk. In Hainan, you can buy luxurious, top-quality silk products from bed linens to household items. To check the quality of the fabric, one of the threads of the fabric is set on fire. At the same time, it burns without a trace, emitting the smell of burnt hair. A conscientious manufacturer has nothing to hide and will gladly not refuse such a trifle.
• Pearl products. “Mother-of-pearl Hainan diamond” is what the locals call pearls. Hainan is the leading Chinese exporter of top quality pearls. It is better to make a purchase in a specialized store.
• Lovers of a strong aromatic drink can purchase tea of ​​various varieties. Thanks to the excellent climate, specialists grow tea of ​​the highest quality. It is worth making a purchase in numerous tea houses. Here a tourist can attend a tea ceremony, taste different types of aromatic tea, buy a beautiful tea set or souvenirs.

Shanghai

If you are an avid shopaholic, you urgently need to go to Shanghai. In it, mirrored skyscrapers intertwine with cozy streets. The rhythm of life in this city is vibrant with extraordinary force.

Mount Sheshan

Anyone who loves to contemplate the wonderful nature and fabulous landscapes should visit Sheshan Mountain, which attracts travelers from all over the globe. This place attracts travelers from all over the globe with its wonderful mountains, thickets of bamboo forests and original structures at the peak of the mountain. There are many attractions and temples located in the forested area. At the peak, you can visit the Bird Garden, Xiaokunshan Park and Oriental Park. For a comfortable stay of tourists in the forest, you can have a great rest in comfortable hotels.

Every year the government organizes interesting events at the top of the mountain. One of the most interesting is the sand figure festival, which takes place from September until the end of October.

What should I bring?

When planning to visit the mountains, sophisticated tourists recommend purchasing blue tea, lovely orchid or bamboo sprouts.

This is a place for those who want to take a break from the bustle of a huge metropolis, reunite with nature and restore mental strength.

There is no entrance fee to the parks.

Car Museum

On the territory of more than 1 hectare there is a car park, which will appeal to everyone who is not indifferent to the automotive theme.

Rare retro cars are located in five halls, each of which is dedicated to a different theme. There are 22 brands in total, represented by 80 cars. In the museum you can follow the path of cars from the origins to the latest ultra-modern cars. For convenience, you can travel on a comfortable transfer. Those who are interested in the topic of car production can familiarize themselves with the process of creating cars and their videos, which are projected on the wall of the hall.

Longhua Pagoda

A tourist traveling around Shanghai should visit the Longhua Pagoda, which is considered one of the most beautiful religious buildings. This mysterious place was built two thousand years ago and due to its antiquity, entering its territory is strictly prohibited. It is separated from the park by a special path.

The pagoda is regularly restored, so it does not lose its wonderful appearance.

The basis of the pagoda is stone and wood. A 40-meter structure with a high spire of seven floors, each of which is luxuriously decorated with animal figurines. The design of the pagoda according to the Chinese concept does not allow evil spirits to descend to earth.

After visiting the temple complex, you can enjoy the scenery of the peach garden. The garden is especially pleasing to the eye in spring, when the flowers bloom.

If you wish, after your walk you can have a snack at a vegetarian restaurant. The price category of a ticket to the temple territory is just over 10 yuan.

Shopping

In Shanghai, shopaholics have the opportunity to visit ultra-modern shopping centers, brand boutiques, shopping towns and cozy shops.

• Those who love antiques can visit numerous antique shops, where Chinese porcelain figurines at reasonable prices are considered the most popular. One of the popular markets is Xizang Nan Road, where it is convenient to buy both original items and high-quality fakes. Here you can buy jade, bronze, porcelain figurines.
• Lovers of pearls and jewelry made from semi-precious stones will be happy to visit the Fu Eu shopping center, where you can purchase goods in bulk and at excellent prices.
• The shopping center in Shanghai is Nanjing Street, which every tourist must visit. There are more than 600 stores selling goods from world brands. But the price category of the goods is relatively high.
• Those who plan to purchase clothes from world brands at reasonable prices should visit the three-story Sunshine shopping center.
• You can buy exotic animals at the pet market (Tibetskaya St.), where the abundance of birds, fish and animals is surprising in its quantity.

Beijing

It is also worth visiting Beijing, the famous capital of China. Here is the largest square in the world - Tian An Men. You can't ignore the Great Wall of China. It takes a long time to get there, but no one has regretted it yet. And, of course, don’t forget to try the well-known Peking duck.

The summer season is just the time to visit the beaches. The air temperature varies around 40°C, but the humid wind makes the holiday more comfortable.

A two-week vacation in Beijing for 2 people will cost about $1,000, in Shanghai about $1,100.

Mountains

Lovers of fresh air and breathtaking beauty will certainly enjoy the city of Huangshan, where you can visit the mountain of the same name. Only here you can enjoy the magnificent landscapes, including 72 peaks.

One of the most popular places in the mountains among tourists are the hot springs, which local residents have been using for 1000 years. Stable temperature allows you to both take a bath and drink from the source. Water will improve the health of those who suffer from diseases of the digestive tract and nervous system.

Rare species of birds and animals living in the mountain range, as well as an abundance of natural resources, provide an opportunity to enjoy an excellent vacation and restore not only physical, but also spiritual strength.

Happy Valley of Beijing

The price range of the entrance ticket ranges from 260 yuan per person. Happiness Park is located on an area of ​​350,000 sq. km. A distinctive feature of the park is its division into zones. There are 9 of them in total. You can have a great time in the Spanish Zone, City of Gold, Adventure Mountain, Sunny Beach, Cartoon City, Shengri-La Forest, Happiness Train and Water Park. Thanks to qualified specialists, here you can enjoy your holiday on modern attractions.

Shopping

One of the features of shopping in Beijing is bargaining. This is not only a fun activity, but also an integral part of it. You should start bidding with the lowest price, gradually increasing it, reaching the desired compromise with the seller. A good mood and a smile will allow you to achieve maximum results.

By visiting Wangfujin Street, where many different supermarkets and shopping centers are concentrated, you can buy whatever your heart desires at the best prices.

On major public holidays, most stores in Beijing announce sales. Basically, it is October 1, Chinese New Year (May 1). You can also count on seasonal discounts that can reach 90%.

Sometimes sellers indicate a double price on the price tag, separated by a line. The upper amount is the true price of the product, the second figure indicates the amount of the discount on another product. That is, the next time you buy an item in this store, you will receive the discount indicated on the price tag earlier in the bottom line.

What to buy?

In Beijing, medicinal mixtures, tinctures and various potions, for which Chinese specialists are famous, are especially popular. Tourists should pay attention to ginseng, antlers, and gelatin, which is extracted from donkey skin. Thanks to ginseng, according to Chinese belief, vital energy is maintained. Antlers help cleanse the blood, strengthen bones and improve visual acuity. Those who plan to strengthen their immunity should purchase gelatin.

Silk

Lovers of high-quality silk fabrics should take a look at Xiushuijie Street, where the best fabric manufacturers are located. You can also visit the silk market.

Most likely, one vacation is not enough to appreciate all the sights of China. Having been here once, you will definitely want to return. At a minimum, visit places that have already been visited and, at a maximum, look at something new and unusual.

4 “don’ts” in China

1. In China you cannot pay in euros or dollars. Only Chinese currency is acceptable. If you break the laws, you may be subject to criminal liability. By offering a merchant to pay in European currency, he has the right to call the police.
2. Criticism of the Chinese government and Communist Party is considered an insult. Such a person will be immediately deported from the country. The government does not take into account the tourist’s ignorance and takes advantage of it.
3. Given the chronic failure to comply with traffic rules, it is important for tourists to be extremely careful on the roads. Therefore, one cannot be careless, relying only on the rules.
4. You cannot stick chopsticks into the rice, as this is a funeral tradition of the people. When visiting the Chinese, this act is regarded as wishing death to the owner.

What to take with you?

• It is worth noting the fact that in many Chinese establishments, cutlery familiar to Europeans may not be available. A budget tourist who did not take care of their availability will have to eat with Chinese chopsticks. If this option does not suit you, it is better to take a fork, spoon and knife with you. Before the flight, these items must be transferred to your luggage, since if your handbag is checked, getting on board the plane can be problematic.
• Medicines. In particular, this applies to drugs that improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Some Chinese dishes that are not familiar to Europeans can create problems. It is also important to take anti-allergy medications.
• A phrase book or a special application on a smartphone that allows a tourist to move freely will be extremely useful when traveling. In the second case, you should give preference to a program that is not interconnected with the network, since you will have to pay a lot of money for it.

Chinese cuisine

Peking duck

One of the most popular dishes in China is Peking duck. Most people imagine a fragrant, crispy-skinned bird. In fact, after a long marinating process, the duck is baked and cut into thin pieces. In addition to meat, the dish is served with rice cakes, green onions, several sauces and cucumber slices. He eats the dish with his hands. Take a rice cake, put a slice of meat, onion and cucumber into it. Thus, you get a mini-shawarma. In a decent establishment, this procedure can be performed by a waiter. However, it is not customary to give any tips.

Fruits in caramel

This dessert is the national dish of the country. If you buy a sweet on the street, it will be significantly different from its restaurant counterpart.

You can buy tangerines and apples from vendors on the street. In the restaurant there are pieces of melon and pineapple.

Hubei hot dry noodles

One of the gastronomic calling cards of China, not inferior to Peking duck, is dry Hubei noodles. The dish consists of long pasta, reminiscent of spaghetti. The noodles are based on sesame paste, various spices, and soy sauce. Sometimes herbs and vegetables are added to dishes. A tourist who prefers to try original Chinese dishes should pay attention to dry hot noodles, which have a great taste and golden hue.

A little about security

China is considered a safe country if you follow the necessary rules. For example, the death penalty is provided for a crime (murder or rape).

You should not enter into conflicts with the local population, as harsher penalties are applied to tourists.

It is worth understanding that theft in the country is punishable by a long sentence or even the death penalty. People can only be robbed in cheap hotels or secluded and lively areas.

In case of illness, a traveler can go to a clinic, where tourists are often served in English. You can pay for services in cash or purchase a coupon that allows you to consult with a doctor. It is worth noting the fact that guests of the country must carefully monitor the sterility of instruments. Otherwise, instead of resting, you can get hepatitis.

It is always interesting to discover unknown places, because there is nothing more attractive than new countries. In the hustle and bustle of modern everyday life, we sometimes do not have time to prepare well for a vacation, especially if this vacation should be active. Having chosen to travel to China, you need to devote a minimum of preparation. So, what you need to know to travel to China.

• Visa application
• Currency
• Transport and movement
• Where to stay?

Visa application

To open a visa, the most convenient way is to contact an agency providing these services. Professionals will not take up a minute of your precious time, all worries fall on their shoulders, you only need to provide your passport. But this service will cost you a pretty penny. Don’t be upset in advance, because you have the opportunity to do everything yourself. By contacting the Chinese Embassy and collecting the entire package of necessary documents, you can easily obtain the long-awaited visa to travel to China.

Currency

To feel comfortable on a trip, it is, of course, better to prepare in advance. It is advisable to prepare the currency while in your country. Once you buy dollars, you can then exchange them in China for yuan. But you need to be careful with this, because it’s hard to find exchangers in cities, banks are open until 5, and when exchanging you may be asked for a passport.

It is best to worry about this at the airport, where you can easily find a lot of exchangers with any conditions. Don’t be lazy to walk around and find an exchange office with a good exchange rate, because sometimes there are better conditions there than in the city. It is best to change all the currency at once so as not to waste time searching in the city; this will be very useful information for traveling on your own.

Transport and movement

Electric buses

Within the country, getting from one point of the city to another is not particularly difficult, just like from one end of the country to the other. Almost all settlements have airports, although getting there by plane is quite expensive, but it is very convenient and fast. Perhaps the most popular form of transport is the bus. There are a lot of offers, both on routes and types of buses. When traveling to this country, everyone is faced with the problem of choosing transport. So, to go to China, you can choose absolutely any type of transport, it can be a train, a plane, or a bus. But for the most economical people, hitchhiking is offered. It all depends on your capabilities. It's no secret that air travel is the fastest, but also the most expensive. There are both direct flights and with transfers, depending on where you will be getting from.

Sleeping buses are very attractive, where instead of seats there are sleeping berths. If, nevertheless, you are a fan of trains, then you are very lucky, since, compared to other types of transport, train tickets will cost an order of magnitude cheaper. This will make up for all the inconveniences on these trips, because sometimes getting a train ticket is quite problematic.

Where to stay?

Due to the huge choice of accommodation, it is sometimes difficult to answer the question: How much does it cost to travel to China? Great competition allows you to find a wide variety of options, from the cheapest to the most expensive. Based on this, you have the opportunity to choose housing based on your financial capabilities. Hostels of any level are quite popular; you can share a neat room with several more people.

Last year, several familiar bloggers visited Blagoveshchensk. They wrote a lot about the capital of the Amur region, but for some reason almost nothing about the Chinese side. When I asked why, everyone gave different reasons, but I was even afraid that flash drives were forcibly formatted on the road and the memory was erased. After all, it can’t be that when a person finds himself in another country for the first time, he won’t write anything about it!

Fear is fear, but interest is stronger. I captured the stages of crossing the border, despite the fact that photography is strictly prohibited there.

Residents of Blagoveshchensk constantly travel to China; they do not need a visa. Previously, it was every weekend, but now it has become more difficult due to the increased exchange rate of the yuan. For some reason, Russians in other regions are convinced that only those with Amur registration in their passport can travel without a visa.

In fact, any resident of Russia can enter the border city of Heihe if he has a foreign passport. Theoretically, you can even get to Beijing without a visa or arrange a trip throughout China. In practice, this adventure will most likely end in failure - when boarding a train or plane, your documents will be checked by border guards. But Heihe will have enough color for you, especially if you have never been to China.

1 When getting ready to travel, the first thing I did was exchange rubles for yuan. I did this in Blagoveshchensk, fearing that the exchange rate on the Chinese side would be worse. Don’t repeat my mistake: for now the situation is such that the Chinese will give you more: the ruble has become worth twice as much, they are happy to come to us to buy their own goods. In general, if we are talking about a small one, change it wherever you want.

2 The trip to China starts from the river port. In winter and summer, the only difference is what will transport you to the other side: in winter it’s a bus, in summer it’s a boat.

3 Prices are steep. A regular ticket costs 2150 rubles. In summer it’s not much cheaper, maybe 200 rubles. The whole embarrassment of the situation is that the trip will take a maximum of five minutes; the bus will simply transport you to the other side of the river and drop you off at Chinese customs.

4 This is still on our shore. Chinese beauty doesn't freeze at -25!

5 The waiting rooms of the river station could certainly be renovated, with the money they receive for travel. And now there are so few people; before the exchange rate jump, large crowds were rushing to China, people missed two or three buses, they couldn’t get in. The income is huge. There is duty free, where the cat cried.

6 Buses run every 15 minutes. It is, of course, made in China. But the numbers are Russian. And the driver is Russian. And I, with a Russian passport, also get on this bus.

7 For some reason, the Chinese have their own transport. Apartheid in the Far East. They say that travel with a Chinese transport company is several times cheaper. But we can't go there.

8 Hovercraft are not used. Apparently, they are simply not needed; the flow of people moving is minimal. After all, if I haven’t messed something up, these ships can also move on ice?

9 We go down to the floating bridge. These are five barges coupled together. In winter, they block the Amur River, and people can drive along them. Private transport is prohibited, only buses and occasionally Chinese trucks.

10 Actually, with such passenger traffic and active trade, a normal bridge suggests itself. In addition, our neighbor is China, which is famous for its ability to build roads and bridges in the shortest possible time. The first shuttles began to travel en masse in the early nineties, twenty years ago. And ten years ago, in 2004, our countries agreed on visa-free entry through this border crossing. There are even more people. Time to build a bridge? No, it's time to buy new boats and buses.

They say that every time people in Moscow wonder why there is still no bridge across the Amur in Blagoveshchensk, representatives of local authorities go to the capital and somehow settle the issue. It’s too profitable a business to charge two thousand rubles for five hundred meters of road. This is what people call it - the “golden mile”.

Perhaps things will move forward by next year, when they promise to build a cable car here. Although this is also not an easy path at all, and you can charge the same two thousand for travel. Isn't it easier to build a bridge? No, we have a special path.

11 The arrival hall is very smoky. This is the first thing that catches your eye. They smoke inside the station and are not shy. The interior looks like a small airport, everything is much more decent than in the port of Blagoveshchensk.

Border formalities are completed quickly, but you still need to pay a little. On their side, the Chinese are asking for another 100 yuan (today about a thousand rubles) for two coupons. One appears to be the visa fee and the other is the entrance fee. Yes, a ticket to enter China.

12 As soon as you leave the border zone, a million Chinese rush towards you, who begin intrusively offering their taxi services and assistance with accommodation. If you imagine Domodedovo Airport at rush hour, you should understand what I mean. Only here they bombed ten times more, and they pestered ten times more actively. I didn’t even know how to fight them off.

Suddenly the hall was filled with uniformed men armed with shields and batons. Military police. The coolest guys from Chinese law enforcement. They began to circle around the room, knocking their boots on the tiled floor and their batons on their asses. This is how you need to fight obsessive bombers, learn!- I thought.

In fact, they simply walked in a circle and went into another room. Chinese authorities introduced such security measures after a bloody attack at a train station last year. They have no frames at the entrance.

13 Here I am free. The Ferris wheel, which so beckoned from Blagoveshchensk, turned out to be unfinished nearby. The builders made a mistake, and he was not accepted due to safety regulations. Or maybe on purpose? Is this a Potemkin village?

14 The city, which lives entirely on trade with Russia, is now going through hard times. We need to change the schemes: Heihe is the very north, and by the standards of China, a distant province. And they brought a lot of goods.

15 The building closest to the customs office is the Ostrov shopping center, the hottest place in the city. By the way, we really are on an island; moreover, it once belonged to Russia. I don’t know at what point and how the Chinese ended up there, tell me. After all, they fought for the uninhabited Damansky in the sixties, but this one was given away without a fight?

16 Inside, at first glance, there is an ordinary shopping center with all sorts of junk. The main thing, as I understand it, is not to rise above the first floor. They say that they can beat up a tourist there if you stop to look at the window and then don’t buy anything. It’s especially dangerous now when there are no Russians in the city. Or maybe they're pushing it.

17 Funny Chinese signs in Russian start here.

18 Although what awaits us in the city itself is much cooler. There will even be a separate post about them!

19 Vodka store is my favorite!

21 There is another shopping center just behind the Island. The same Yuan Dong that is so clearly visible from the Blagoveshchensk shore. Near it there are buses that go to the center. Usually everyone uses taxi services: it’s inexpensive even now, within a hundred rubles around the city. But the bus costs ten.

22 What is the first thing to do in China? It's time for breakfast. In the morning the stomach is empty. Even if the noodle shop is not open yet, but is open, come in, they won’t leave you hungry.

23 Igor met me in Heihe. He lives in China, speaks the language fluently and is involved in business, helping to transport goods across the border, and then sending them by transport companies throughout Russia. Igor is the king of shuttles :) And I, dumbass, will never learn how to take normal photographs on goPro - people don’t turn out the same as they are in life.

24 Now I’ll tell you about the way back, it’s also interesting. I’ll definitely tell you about the two days I spent with the Chinese.

25 The border guards will ask for 35 yuan. This is the ticket out of China, yes. Not a bribe, an official fee. I seem to like taking photos with my phone - the quality is poor, but it's not as bad as it used to be. But secrecy is the best weapon of a spy and photoblogger. In the summer, you can even shoot border guards if you put your phone in your shirt pocket.

26 The same “Russian” bus and the cheerful driver, who said that the cable car, it seems, will really be built, and then he won’t have a job. Because in the summer the same driver is the captain of the boat.

27 I was driving back in good weather and was able to photograph this miracle bridge. This is a normal bridge. You can’t drive along it quickly, but it’s also several hundred meters long. The pontoons were built half from Chinese barges, half from Russian ones. This is the Chinese part.

28 And this is ours. Noticeable difference, right? And the point is not that the barges themselves are older and narrower, although that too. But couldn't the road be cleaned properly? No you can not. Just like you can't build a bridge.

29 Such is the trip. Nothing extreme, as you can see. But I’ll tell you how scary China is, how it’s portrayed, in the next report.