Having not managed a proper holiday since before lockdown, my teen was on the lookout for a getaway this year, so I set her the task of seeking out places to holiday where our dollar was worth more.
One of the places she came back with was China, which has been on my bucket list for years. I gave her a ‘we’ll see’ but I didn’t forget about it.
Then in July, the rules for touring there changed, making it possible for Australian (and New Zealand) passport holders to visit the mainland for up to 15 days without the hassle of applying for a visa. I now seriously considered an October trip – and I did what I always do when I get serious: I researched, quickly learning a few things right off the bat.
1. Plan ahead: China isn’t a last-minute destination
Give yourself two to three months to prepare because there’s quite a bit to get your head around.
2. Check your passport
I mentioned the visa-free deal above. Here are the details:
- Until 31 December 2025, Australians can enjoy a 15-day visa-free trip to China.
- All you need for a trip of up to 15 days is your passport.
- However, you do still need at least six months remaining before your passport expires.
Renewing my daughter’s passport took some trial and error. Our online passport renewal process isn’t really set up for kids. In the end, she had to undergo a full passport interview.
Note that her passport was (and is) current. It was just due to expire at the end of this year, so I had to get her a new one.
Important: renewing your passport is a lot easier to do before it expires. It costs less too.
3. China’s a big place
We stuck to the west and south – because China is seriously vast. Choose your destinations wisely. If you’re only going for 15 days, stick to one or two regions. It’s really not possible to see it all.
We managed five cities in two weeks, but only because I learnt that the panda sanctuary in Chengdu (for the fur-addicted kid) wasn’t too far from the stone warriors of Xian (for history-buff me).
Pro tip: mainland China is not Hong Kong. I’m not getting political here (though I could).
The visa requirements, currency, transport systems and dozens of other rules, are different. On considering a day trip to Macau/Hong Kong, I couldn’t get clarity regarding whether we’d be able to return to China under the same 15-day visa-free rules that allowed us into the country in the first place. I decided not to chance it.
PS: I spent exactly $12.50 on an adaptor that worked in mainland China only (i.e. not Hong Kong) – and was very glad I did.
4. The magic of exchange
I set an alert on my phone when the exchange rate peaked. That’s when I bought some Chinese currency, or yuan (also known as renminbi or RMB). I’d been warned that cash was rarely used but I’m a just-in-case kind of traveller.
You’ll want to be able to pay your way as you holiday though – and credit cards aren’t widely accepted (see 6, below).
5. Booking my flights direct
I used Skyscanner to find cheap flights – but I also heeded a scam watch alert that recommended booking flights directly with the airlines once I’d found the ones I wanted. This worked out well.
6. The apps I got right
My friend had sent me a short list of apps to download before I left Australia. The two most important ones were Alipay and WeChat. WeChat is a social media site, but also allows you to pay vendors via the Weixin Pay gateway.
I was able to connect both apps to my credit card. The Weixin one was harder to use as I had no local bank account. I put both apps on my phone before I left and they allowed me to toggle onto the English language versions. I could book travel, tickets, hire cars and taxis via these payment apps.
7. The app I got wrong
I didn’t have the foresight to download a translation app like Pleco, which would have been useful. You know how people assume everyone speaks ‘enough’ English? This is simply not true.
“What about Google translate?” I hear you ask. Ah yes, but there’s no Google over there, and it’s very hard to navigate the Chinese internet unless you can read Mandarin (which I can’t).
Once I was there, my App Store didn’t work. My teen’s Google Play was likewise debarred. Why? I had no Virtual Private Network (VPN).
8. Why would you need a VPN?
China’s ‘Great Firewall’ blocks apps like Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. A reliable VPN lets you access all of these seamlessly.
My kid specifically asked for a social media detox on this holiday, so I didn’t get a VPN – but I did put my mum on WeChat for emergencies. This worked well – until mum became the emergency. Days into our trip, she was hospitalised. In those circumstances, I would very much have appreciated being better connected.
9. Travel insurance
Finding travel insurance for a trip to China was harder than I expected. Some policies claimed to cover Asia, but excluded mainland China specifically. Some covered Hong Kong and claimed this was China (see 3, above). Check your policy information carefully to ensure mainland China is included – and get it before you depart. I can’t even imagine attempting to purchase travel insurance from the China end without knowing Mandarin.
Important: Australia has no reciprocal healthcare agreements with mainland China.
10. The eSIM that never was
I managed to buy and download an eSIM once I arrived in China. While this worked, I had access to most of my messaging apps. That said, this would have been easier to buy and install before leaving home – for the simple reason that when I did have tech issues, I’d have been able to communicate more easily with the tech support people.
When to go?
While you’re preplanning, consider the season you’d most like to experience in China. June to August is hot, humid and tourist-packed. If you visit during this time, prepare for long queues and premium prices.
Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) are ideal for travelling. We travelled just after the mid-autumn festival, avoiding the worst of the crowds. I was advised it would be cold in autumn but I spent most days in a tank top and jeans.
Travelling from Australia to China is a thrilling adventure that comes with its own set of challenges. With a bit of preparation and a touch of humour, you’ll navigate everything from cashless travel to mastering chopsticks. Pack your sense of adventure, your translator app (and a VPN), and get ready for wheels-up.
Have you been to China? Can you add to this advice? Why not share your tips in the comments section below?
Also read: Where do we love to travel?
