China

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Introduction

China isn’t a country – it’s a different world. Unless you have a couple of years and unlimited patience, it’s best to follow a loose itinerary here, such as following the Silk Road route, sailing down the Yangtze River, or exploring the Dr Seuss landscape of Guangxi Province. A country of great contrasts, China boasts picturesque rural landscapes and congested cityscapes.

Its natural beauty ranges from the untamed to the idyllic – from the windswept plains of the Gobi Desert and Mt Everest’s notorious northern face to Yángshuò’s gorgeous karst scenery. China is huge and wild enough to satisfy your explorer instinct, and is a great roller-coaster ride foranyone with a little time and an instinct for travel.

Destination Facts

Full name: People’s Republic of China
Population: 1.3 billion
Area: 9,596,960 sq km
Capital city: Beijing
Languages: Chinese (Mandarin 70%) with many varieties of dialect For more information, check out Lonely Planet’s range of books on China.

Beijing

If your visions of Beijing are centred around pods of Maoist revolutionaries in buttoned-down tunics performing tai chi in the Square, put them to rest: this city has embarked on a new-millennium roller coaster and it’s taking the rest of China with it.

Today’s youth are more interested in MTV than Mao; rhetorical slogans from the Cultural Revolution have given way to butchered English splashed across designer-copy T-shirts; and expats, tourists, foreign investors and a mobile phone–toting hip-oisie are mixing it up with the bureaucrats.

Shanghai

Although the lights have been out for quite some time, Shanghai once beguiled foreigners with its seductive mix of tradition and sophistication. Today Shanghai has reawakened and is busy whisking the dust off its cummerbund. The sun rises every day to a city typifying the huge disparities of modern China: monumental building projects push skyward and glinting department stores swing open their doors to a stylish elite while child beggars, prostitutes and the impoverished gather outside. Always a city of jostling juxtapositions, Shanghai has entered the new millennium running hot on the energy of its own fevered growth.

Safety & Security

Before you depart Australia, check the latest travel advice and information on the security situation at smartraveller.gov.au. Foreigners are natural targets for pickpockets and thieves so keep your wits about you and make it difficult for thieves to get at your belongings. Risky areas in China are train and bus stations, city and long-distance buses (especially sleeper buses), hard-seat train carriages and public toilets.

Just as with any unfamiliar place, use common sense as a guide: keep your passport and valuables close by, stay away from unlit neighbourhoods and use caution when dealing with overly friendly people. Remember! Travellers are subject to the laws of the country they are visiting. Possession of drugs in Chinamay result in the death penalty.

Money

Currency The Chinese currency is known as Renminbi (RMB), or ‘People’s Money’. The basic unit of RMB is the yuán, which is divided into 10 jiao, which is again divided into 10 fen. The fen has so little value these days that it is rarely used.

The Bank of China issues RMB bills in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 yuán. Coins come in denominations of 1 yuán, 5 jiao, 1 jiao and 5 fen. Paper versions of the coins remain in circulation. Hong Kong’s currency is the Hong Kong dollar and Macau’s is the pataca.

Changing money Foreign currency (US dollars are easiest) and travellers cheques can be changed at border crossings, international airports, major branches of the Bank of China, tourist hotels, and some large department stores. The official rate is given almost everywhere, so there is little need to shop around for the best deal. Keep at least a few of your exchange receipts. You will need them if you want to exchange any remaining RMB you have at the end of your trip. Those travelling to Hong Kong can change RMB for Hong Kong dollars there.

Going offshore...

know the medicine law. It’s illegal to take PBS medicine (subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) out of Australia, unless it’s for your own use or the use of someone travelling from Australia with you. Penalties are steep; fines of up to $5000 and/or two years’ imprisonment.

If you do take PBS medicine overseas, follow these simple steps:

  • contact the embassy of the country you’re visiting to ensure the medicine is legal there
  • carry a letter from your doctor with the medicine, stating what the medicine is, how much you’ll be taking, and that it’s for your personal use
  • leave the medicine in its original packaging, so it’s clearly labelled with your name and dosage.

For more information about taking PBS medicine overseas, call the Travelling with PBS medicine enquiry line on 1800 500 147, or log onto Medicare Australia

Bargains & Basics

If you want to roll up your sleeves and get to grips with rock-bottom prices in China, get with the local markets. Blankets spread on the pavement and pushcarts in the alleys – this is where you find the lowest prices. In street markets, all sales are final; forget about warranties and no, they don’t accept AmEx. Nevertheless, the markets are interesting; be prepared to bargain hard.

Best Buys

Hen’s teeth There are very few antiques of real worth left in China. Most of what you find in markets and shops around the land are replica or ersatz. The quality of replication technology can be quite dazzling, but it’s worth bearing in mind that even auction houses get caught out quite regularly, and experts assume that a considerable percentage of material that passes under the gavel is of dubious authenticity.

The best places to try are the street markets. Professional antique hunters will need to have a real nose for the business. For your average traveller, take everything with a pile of salt.

Only antiques that have been cleared for sale to foreigners may be taken out of the country. When you buy an item over 100 years old it will come with an official red wax seal attached. This seal does not necessarily indicate that the item is an antique. You’ll get a receipt of sale, which you must show to customs when you leave the country; otherwise the antique will be confiscated.

Lick and flip China issues quite an array of beautiful stamps that are generally sold at post offices in the hotels. Outside many of the post offices you’ll find amateur philatelists with books full of stamps for sale; it can be extraordinarily hard bargaining with these enthusiasts! Stamps issued during the Cultural Revolution make interesting souvenirs. Old coins are often sold at major tourist sites, but many are forgeries.

Fine lines Watercolours, oils, woodblock

prints, calligraphy – there is a lot of art for sale in China. Tourist centres like Guìlín, Suzhou, Beijing and Shanghai are good places to look out for paintings. Convincing imitation oils of the Níngbo-born artist Chen Yifei can be found everywhere, along with copies of other contemporary artists. Don’t buy these from hotel shops, however, as you will be massively ripped off. Much calligraphy is very so-so; you will have to know your subject, and don’t take anybody’s word for the quality of the brushwork.

Party trick central If plaster statues are to your liking, the opportunities to stock up in China are abundant. Fat buddhas appear everywhere, along with statues of Guanyin. There’s no need to look for musical Chairman Mao cigarette lighters; they will come to you. One interesting oddity sold from blankets on the ground around Tiananmén Square were phone-tapping devices.

Lots of shops sell medicinal herbs and spices. Export tea is sold in extravagantly decorated tins – you can often get a better deal buying the same thing at train stations.

Worst buys

When you’re shopping, it’s important to know what you can and can’t bring back into Australia. Common items from China not allowed into Australia include:

  • Fresh fruit and vegetables
  • Uncanned meat products
  • Mooncakes containing egg or meat
  • Items made from endangered species, including sea horses, bear bile or tigers’ paws
  • Monkey head mushroom and bamboo fungus
  • Deer horn, deer velvet, deer antler extract, deer penis – deer products from New Zealand marked Product of New Zealand are allowed if unopened
  • Frog fat/meat
  • Dried meat, including lizard, turtle, snail, placenta and earthworm
  • Ganoderma/mushroom – reishi/ling zhi
  • 100-year-old eggs
  • Preserved duck and quail eggs.

Some of these items are allowed in if accompanied by an import permit and/or treated by Quarantine (which will cost you money). Talk to Quarantine prior to departure about obtaining an import permit.

For more information about what you can’t bring back into Australia visit the AQIS Travel website.

Carrying funds in or out of Australia?

In 2006, the Australian Government introduced stronger laws to protect Australians from money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Under this new law, you have to report travellers cheques, personal cheques, money orders, postal orders, promissory notes and other bearer negotiable instruments of any amount if a Customs or police officer asks you to.

You still have to report AUD$10,000 cash (or the equivalent amount in foreign currency) using a form available in the Customs area of airports or seaports. Check out the Austrac website for more information.

Top Shops

Don’t get so overwhelmed by all the great buys that you spend your money on stuff that won’t be allowed back into Australia. Snakes and live chickens are a definite no-no, and anything made from animal products and plant material must be declared to Quarantine (and may need treatment) when you get home.

Beijing

Friendship Store
Youyì Shangdiàn
17 Jianguomenwai Dajie
Ph: 6500 3311

The largest store of this type in the land, this place stocks both tourist souvenirs and everyday useful items. The book and magazine section is a gold mine for travellers starved of anything to read.

Oriental Plaza
1 Dongchang’an Jie

You could spend a day in this staggeringly large shopping mega-complex at the foot of Wangfujing Dajie. Prices may not be cheap, but window-shoppers will be overjoyed. There’s a great range of shops and restaurants, an excellent basement food court and it’s kid-friendly.

Panjiayuán Market
Panjiayuán Jiuhuò Shìchang
Ph: 6775 2405

Hands down the best place to shop for arts, crafts and antiques in Beijing is Panjiayuán (aka the Dirt Market or the Sunday Market). The market only takes place on weekends and has everything from calligraphy, Cultural Revolution memorabilia and cigarette ad posters, to buddha heads, ceramics and Tibetan carpets. The market sees up to 50,000 visitors daily scoping for treasures, so come early and prepare to bargain hard.

Torana Carpets
Shop 8, Kempinski Hotel
50 Liangmaqiao Lu
Ph: 6465 3388, ext 5542

You may pay more for your carpets here, but you can be assured that what you are buying are genuine, handmade carpets from Tibet. The company also sells antique Tibetan carpets and furniture.

Zhaoyuangé
41 Nanheyan Dajie
Ph: 6512 1937

If you love Chinese kites, you will love this minute shop on the western side of Nanheyan Dajie. You can also browse for Beijing opera masks, chopsticks, Mao badges and zisha teapots.

Shanghai

Hualian Department Store
635 East Nanjing Rd
Ph: 6322 4466

Formerly called No 10, and before that the famous Wing On, this place is best for mid- and low-range prices.

Shanghai Museum
201 Renmin Dadao
Ph: 6372 3500

The best place to find decent porcelain is this shop, which sells imitations of the pieces displayed in the Zande Lou Gallery (within the museum). The imitations are fine specimens and far superior to the mediocre pieces you see in the tourist shops.

Yunhong Chopsticks Shop
387 East Nanjing Rd
Ph: 6322 0207

Ideal for souvenir shopping and last-minute panic present purchases, this slender shop is stuffed with Japanese and Chinese chopsticks of all decorative denominations, from bamboo, through wood to silver, and even gold-plated.

Dongtai Rd Antique Market
Dongtai Rd

This market is a magnificent sprawl of curios, knick-knacks and Mao-era nostalgia. Haggle hard here. Larger antique shops hide behind the stalls.

Prior to travel, you should consult your doctor for advice on how to reduce your risk of illness while travelling, including required and recommended vaccinations and whether booster doses of childhood vaccinations are necessary. Monitoring your health whilst away and when you return is important for your own wellbeing. There is a chance that during your travels you could have been exposed to infectious diseases such as influenza, gastroenteritis or malaria. It is very important that you consult with your doctor if you feel unwell, even after you return to Australia, and consider your recent destinations as a possible source for your illness

Warning!

Endangered plants and animals. Buying products made from endangered species (for example turtle, orchid, snake, tiger, bear and sea horse) could contribute to the extinction of the species in the wild. However, some species can be imported with the right permits – for more information see the Environment Travel website.

Note: if you import wildlife products without the right permits, your products
may be seized by Customs and you could face stiff penalties.

Shop Smart

Before you spend your shopping money, it’s a good idea to know what you can and can’t bring back into Australia. That way, you get to keep your travel treasures and save money on any necessary quarantine treatments (or fines).

All food, plant material and animal products from overseas – including many common souvenirs – must be declared for quarantine inspection (and may need treatment) when you get home.

Visit the AQIS Travel website for more information about what needs to be declared to Quarantine.

Common items from China that you must declare (and might need treatment and/or an import permit) include:

  • Traditional and herbal medicines – noncommercially packaged items could be confiscated if they contain quarantine-restricted items
  • Herbs and spices, including star anise, cinnamon and cloves
  • Stuffed animals and birds – some may not be allowed into Australia
  • Eggs, feathers and any other bird products
  • Rawhide items, including instruments
  • Dirty footwear – soil, animal faeces
  • Bird’s nests
  • All fishing rods and nets, waders, kayaks, paddles, life jackets or any other recreational freshwater equipment – clean or unclean –must also be presented for quarantine inspection.

Hot tip: gifts such as mooncakes with egg or meat, or 100-year-old eggs, should be eaten while you’re overseas. They are not allowed into Australia.

In many cases, declared goods are returned to you after inspection. However, any item that presents a disease risk or is found to contain insects or larvae will be withheld by Quarantine. You’ll be given a range of options for the item depending on the quarantine risk. These options include: treatment (for example fumigation) to make the item safe; holding the item until an import permit is presented; re-exporting the item; and destroying the item. Most of these options will cost you money.

Before you Return

  • Make sure you eat or throw away all fruit, vegetables and uncanned meat before you land in Australia – they’re not allowed in
  • Leave ALL aircraft food on board, including nuts and snacks
  • Make sure you clean ALL soil from your hiking boots, sports shoes, golf clubs, camping gear, backpacks and mountain bikes – you still have to declare these to Quarantine
  • Wash shoes that have been worn in rural areas including farms, markets and zoos, or near animals such as cattle and chickens
  • Pack items for inspection together, and keep them at the top of your bag so they can be reached easily.

Important Tips

Before travelling overseas register your travel and contact details online at smartraveller.gov.au, or in person once you arrive so we can contact you in an emergency:

in Hong Kong at 23/F Harbour Centre,
25 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai;

in Shanghai at Level 22, CITIC Square,
1168 Nanjing Road West;

in Guangzhou at 12th Floor,
Development Centre No 3 Linjiang Rd, Zhujiang New City;

or in Beijing at 21 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Sanlitun

Check the latest travel advice for your destination at smartraveller.gov.au before you go. Subscribe to receive free email notification each time the advice is updated.

Take out travel insurance to cover hospital treatment, medical evacuation and any activities, like adventure sports, in which you plan to participate.

Obey the law of the country you’re visiting. Don’t expect to be treated differently to the locals just because you’re Australian, even if local laws appear harsh or unfair by Australian standards.

Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers’ cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home.

For more travel tips and advice, check out smartraveller.gov.au

Important Information

With increased quarantine activity at Australia’s airports, you’d be mad not to declare all items made from food, plant and animal material. The detector dog’s sense of smell (100 times greater than ours) won’t miss a beat – and neither will the X-ray machines or Quarantine officers.

Don’t risk an on-the-spot fine or prosecution, or worse, threaten our flora, fauna and important agricultural industries with exotic pests and diseases.

Some people don’t realise that a lot of things you can get overseas are illegal in Australia and will be seized by Customs if you bring them back. These include blowpipes; BB guns; flick knives; crossbows; nunchakus; knuckledusters; electric flyswats; cigarette lighters designed to look like weapons; coral; orchids; and reptile skin or ivory goods.

Don’t forget to check the Customs website for A Guide for travellers – know before you go or call the Customs Information and Support Centre on 1300 363 263 for advice about your customs clearance and items that must be declared.

Shopping on holidays? If you are 18 or over you are entitled to bring A$900 worth of goods back into Australia. This includes goods purchased overseas, in Australia duty/tax free before you left, or goods for which a refund of tax has been approved through the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS). You can also bring back 2.25 litres of alcohol and 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco products. Please note: Customs must verify your TRS purchases at least 30 minutes prior to departure. For details contact Customs on 1300 363 263 or check the Customs website.

Remember when overseas, you are subject to local laws. Local laws and legal processes can be very different from those in Australia. A violation of local laws may result in a jail sentence, served in a local prison. Consular assistance cannot override local law, even where local laws may appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards. Penalties for drug offences can be severe and include the death penalty.

Last reviewed:
01 Nov 2011
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