Tips For Street Smart Traveling in China

You are surrounded by millions of people who probably don't speak English, and the culture and population density is something that you are not used to.

The following are some tips to ensure that you are not ripped off by various scam artists in China:

1) As usual, do not bring a fanny pack, as it show that you are a foreign traveler. Instead, if you must carry money (and you do need cash, many places in China do not accept credit cards), make sure to have an emergency amount (if you wallet gets stolen) hidden some place. If you are carrying a purse or wallet, pay close attention to it, especially if you go to crowded places (e.g.: subway). Do NOT bring those cute little Wristlet-type wallets. There is a reason why no one in China uses them, they're great targets for muggers.

2) When arriving at a railroad station or airport station, do not accept rides from people who approach you and ask if you need to be taken somewhere. This is very important. I took a taxi once (out of naivety) that was driven by someone who approached me, and there was already another person in the taxi. I was charged twice by the taxi driver, as he drove to both places without changing the meter.

3) When arriving at a railroad station or airport station, look for proper taxi lines. There will be a large line of travelers waiting to get on taxis. Get a place in line if you want a taxi.

4) If you ever take a sightseeing tour in China, do not buy anything that they try to sell you during the tour. Many tours have these "stops" in which they hand you an number and direct you to various shops. These shops have horribly inflated prices and are a terrible deal. They tried to sell me a packet of tea for ¥60 RMB, when you can buy the same exact tea in a regular store for less than ¥6 RMB.

5) If you are taking a tour in China, if you can help it, do not eat at the restaurant that the tour has arranged for you. It will probably be really crowded, with slow service, and the food prices will be a rip off. Instead, chose to go to a nearby restaurant (China has an abundance of restaurants).

6) Do not give money to the beggars. This is especially true for the child beggars. Often, young children come onto subways and surround people, begging for money. They will harass you, often pulling on your hand or clothing. You must do your best to shake them off and not give them any cash. Often, these children are ordered by their parents to beg for money instead of going to school, do not encourage such behavior.

7) When haggling with shopkeepers, realize that when they name a price, it is almost always inflated by 300%. If they say that something is worth $100 RMB, it is probably worth only ¥30, maybe as low as ¥10 RMB. If they do not agree with your price, then just make a motion to leave, and they will almost always call you back and agree to sell it to you at your price. However, if they agree too quickly, then you haven't gone low enough yet, and it is best to quickly leave and find another store with what you want and haggle yet again.