WHAT TO EXPECT
Language:
The official dialect of China is Mandarin, also call “Putonghua”.
More than 70% of the Chinese population speaks Mandarin.
There are also several other major dialects in use in China: Yue (Cantonese), Xiang (Hunanese), Min dialect, Gan dialect, Wu dialect, and Kejia or Hakka dialect
Currency: The renminbi is the official currency (¥)
Banks & ATMs:
The gig four banks are:
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Agricultural Bank of China
Bank of China and China Construction Bank
There are ATMs on almost every corner in China, but not all of them are foreigner-friendly. There are a couple things you need to ask yourself when finding the right ATM in China to use. Which Chinese Bank? Typically you want to find a Bank of China, China Merchant’s Bank or ICBC.
Plugs and Sockets:
There are three associated plug types, types A, C and I. Plug type A is the plug which has two flat parallel pins, plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and plug type I is the plug which has three flat pins in a triangular pattern.
China operates on a 220V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Highly recommended to carry a universal adaptor.
Culture:
China is a multi-religious country. Taoism, Islam, Buddhism, Protestantism, and Catholicism have all grown into culture-shaping neighborhoods during Chinese history. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are considered as “three pillars” of ancient Chinese society. The majority of Buddhist believers are Han Chinese.
Safety:
China is generally a safe country to travel to, as long as you know where you’re going and most importantly be vigilant and stay alert.
Flight Connections:
Air China is China’s exclusive national flag carrier along with many other International airlines.
Search Skyscanner for many great airfares.