Travelling alone in China will seem like a daunting prospect to most. If you’ve never been to China before, there’s nothing that can prepare you for the experiences you’re about to have. It’s an incredible place but it’s very different. For this reason, being by yourself rather than with pals might seem like a difficult or inappropriate thing to do. This is not the case.
So what can you expect?
Getting around: transport in China
Use the trains. Flights are fine but trains are more reliable, usually cheaper and an experience in themselves. I’ll do a proper post on how to navigate Chinese trains later but here is a little bit on what to expect: people may well scare monger about the ‘hard sleepers’. I have found th
is to be unfair. Hard sleepers are what they are: they’re not lovely but you get a bed, bedding, stalls, hot water and toilets. Really, it’s your neighbours you have to worry about. If you get the bottom bunk you’re winning because you can sit up, use the bedside table and look out the window. However, if you’re unlucky your upwards neighbours will invite themselves to sit on your bed. The Chinese concept of personal space is very, very different to a westerner’s. You also better hope and pray you get neighbours who want to sleep. For many of the Chinese however, they’ve booked a once in a lifetime holiday and the sleeper train is an incredibly exciting experience. They chat and giggle and eat all night. On my last train, the lady opposite me actually started munching on a vacuum packed, stinking chicken leg at 3 in the morning without even sitting up. She was spitting the bones onto the floor where my rucksack was in fact minding its own business. It was awful.
Trains can be as long as 25 hours, which is a long time to go without talking to another human being. You’re going to need films, books, lots of water and a killer picnic!
Accommodation: Chinese hostels
Hostels in China have been as sociable and quirky as anywhere else I’ve been in the world but with added Chinese hospitality. Just make sure you choose one that has reviews online and that isn’t a massive chain. The chains are soulless and rarely have westerners. Also be sure to make sure that the reviews you read are recent; businesses shut down and reopen quite frequently in China.
If you are worried about being alone and not making friends, choose a hostel that has organised activities such as ‘making Chinese dumplings evenings’ or ‘Thursday night quiz night’ etc. I would warn you however that if you visit a less-famous area, you are less likely to meet western people. If you are looking to meet new people whom you might hook up with and travel with, I would advise to begin your tour in Shanghai, Beijing, Guilin or Xi’an. These are some of the most famous cities that westerners visit and you are therefore more likely to meet people you can hang out with. 
Because of the language barrier, we can sometimes have a rather segregationist approach to China but you really should try and chat to the Chinese people in your hostel too. They might be a bit shy with foreigners but don’t be afraid to make the first move.
Another top hostel tip is that if your hostel proves to be a bit dead, just hangout in another one. So long as you’re buying beer they will not discriminate!
Travelling alone as a girl
If you’re a girl travelling solo in China- good on you! I have found China to be generally safe – it’s just private taxis where there have been issues.
Always get a proper taxi and not a private one. Try not to be drunk and alone in the taxi. Sometimes a way of telling whether the driver is a stand-up guy or not is if he’s putting it on the meter. That is not to say that every driver who gives you a set price is going to assault you but the normal procedure is to put any journey on the meter, no matter how long it is.
If you’re not comfortable getting a taxi, the Chinese bus system is very good and, because it’s so public, it’s often the safest way to travel.
Despite a seeming lack of appreciation for personal space, the Chinese are very respectful of one another. I found that sharing dorms with Chinese people was a clean and private affair – they’ll happily chat with you if you engage but they do keep themselves to themselves. To be honest, it’s other westerners to be wary of in hostels!
Chinese food: what to eat
Eating alone is
a difficult one in China because often you have no idea what you’re ordering, which is even more daunting alone. It also feels like you’re being stared at the entire time – they’re just waiting for you to mess up with your chop sticks. All I can advise is to simply take the plunge; sometimes it’ll be an unpleasant experience but sometimes it’ll be just fine. If you order wrongly you know for next time. Asking the staff for advice is a good way to go (although perhaps keep an eye on the prices of what they’re offering you). Different regions in China often have cuisine that they are famous for a
nd the locals are very aware and proud of it; they’ll always try to help you find what you’re looking for.
If you’re not comfortable going for a sit-down meal, nearly every town will have its local street food market where you can pick up delicious snacks and just walk and eat. You don’t need to worry about making a mess of yourself as you eat in China because that’s part of the etiquette – slurp and dribble as much as you want!
Nightlife: drinking in China
Going out and drinking alone is a tough one; it’s a fab way to meet people but, in certain parts of China, girls should not drink in public. Boys, you will have no trouble in a bar with a pint by yourself. Girls, just clock the situation; sometimes you’ll be fine by yourself with a drink (these will probably be more western establishments), sometimes you’ll be fine by yourself with a softie and sometimes you’re better off steering clear.
Your hostel will nearly always be a friendly environment to have a beer though so you always have that option.
Keeping busy: activities in China
If you’ve opted to travel around China alone, the chances are you’re a seasoned traveler with enough nous to visit attractions yourself without paying for an organised tour. I appreciate the satisfaction of having spent £10 while others have spent £40 as much as the next person but tours can be a great way to interact with other tourists. Even if you don’t actually make friends with the people you meet, it could be the only English you speak all day. Tours often comprise of a coach that goes around the local hotels and hostels, picking up those who have signed up for that day. Not all of them are tacky tours where you have to wear a panda hat and follow the leader! I would warn you however that the ‘English speaking tour guides’ in China are sometimes impossible to understand.
Another option is to ask for advice at the reception of your hostel. In doing so, you can inquire as to whether they know if anybody else in the hostel is doing the same trip as you on the same day. People always welcome an extra person because it usually means cheaper taxis.
China is an incredible place to travel alone; it’s still fairly undiscovered as far as young backpackers are concerned (in comparison with South East Asia, at least) so you really feel like a pioneer on an adventure. Having said that, the Chinese travel their own country a lot so the infrastructure and information for tourists is very much present and easy to access. The Chinese love their culture but are equally as intrigued by foreigners, which makes for very hospitable people who go out of their way to share their culture.
I highly recommend travelling in China; it’s big and it’s mad but it is, without doubt, an incredible country.
