Money, Stay & Food

Alipay and WeChat Pay dominate China. Foreigners can now link international Visa/Mastercard to Alipay's international version — download it before arrival. Cash (CNY) is still accepted everywhere as backup. Carry small bills for street vendors and rural areas.

Small shops, rural areas, and street vendors often only accept cash. Carry enough Chinese Yuan (CNY) for daily expenses.

Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay are widely accepted in hotels, shopping malls, and upscale restaurants in major cities. However, small shops, restaurants and cities in tier-3/4 areas almost never accept foreign cards — rely on Alipay and cash for daily use.

The official currency is Chinese Yuan (CNY / ¥), also called Renminbi (RMB). Notes: ¥100, ¥50, ¥20, ¥10, ¥5, ¥1. Best exchange rates are usually at major banks (Bank of China) — avoid airport or hotel desks which charge 2–5% more. NEVER exchange money with random people on the street — this is illegal and you WILL receive counterfeit bills. Always count your change and learn to spot fake ¥100 notes.

Tipping is NOT customary or expected in China. You do NOT need to tip at restaurants, cafes, taxis or hotels. However, if you receive exceptional service from a private guide, driver or hotel porter, a small tip of ¥50–200 or US$10–30 will be genuinely appreciated — presented discreetly in an envelope, not left on a table.

All guests must present passports at check-in. Hotels are required by law to register foreign visitors with the local police within 24 hours.

Most hotels provide basic amenities including toiletries, slippers, and tea facilities. Some boutique hotels may offer international brands.

Book through Trip.com (Ctrip) or Booking.com for the widest international-friendly selection. Book 2–4 weeks in advance, and 2+ months ahead for peak seasons (May Day / National Day Oct 1–7 / Chinese New Year). IMPORTANT: Not all guesthouses, homestays, and small hostels are licensed to receive foreign guests. Always confirm 'Can foreigners stay here?' before booking, or book licensed hotels to be safe.

By law, EVERY accommodation (hotel, hostel, Airbnb-style home) MUST register every foreign guest's passport with the local police within 24 hours of check-in. Hotels will handle this automatically. If you stay at a friend's private apartment for more than 1–2 nights, you should both visit the local派出所 (police station) together to complete a temporary residence registration — failure to do so can result in fines or issues at departure.

Most menus are in Chinese only, but many restaurants now use QR code ordering (scan with WeChat/Alipay camera — the app can auto-translate). Pointing at pictures or other diners' tables works great in a pinch. Big cities (Beijing/Shanghai/Chengdu) and tourist areas increasingly have photo menus or English translations. If you can't read Chinese, use your translation app's camera feature directly on the menu.

Vegetarian, halal, gluten-free, or food-allergy travelers should carry a small printed card explaining their restriction clearly in Chinese. Example phrases: 'Wo bu chi rou' (I don't eat meat), 'Wo dui hai min guo min' (I'm allergic to nuts). Pure vegan/vegetarian options are very limited outside major cities and dedicated Buddhist vegetarian restaurants — ask for 'su shi' (vegetarian cuisine). Muslim halal restaurants (qing zhen cai) are widely available and labeled.

Drinking tap water is UNSAFE anywhere in China — always buy bottled water or use your hotel's electric kettle (which boils the tap water safe). Street food is generally safe if you choose busy stalls with long queues (high turnover = fresh food). Avoid raw or cold meat/seafood dishes from small shops with questionable hygiene. Peeled fruit is fine; unpeeled fruit and salads washed in tap water carry small risk.