rural china travel

• Top Tips To Know Before...

Top Tips to Know Before Traveling in Rural China

Visting rural China can be a very rewarding experience, but it is definitely not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to get down and dirty, often literally, and have your senses assaulted with unfamiliar sights and smells. Here are some of the top ways to prepare yourself for your trip to the village.

Bathrooms are terrible.

By and large, countryside bathrooms are not for the squeamish. Often they consist of little more than a couple of wooden slats placed over a large hole in the ground, with flies and hornets buzzing around as you go about your business. Public toilets will never supply toilet paper, so you absolutely must bring your own. Even if you’re lucky enough to be visiting a place where the bathroom is equipped with running water, your toilet will almost certainly be of the squat variety, so prepare your thigh muscles in advance.

The Village Wakes Early

Farmers the world over have one thing in common, they are not idle people. They get up at the crack of dawn to tend the animals and head to the fields to plow and plant. Usually roosters will start to crow very early in the morning, and if you’re staying with a family, don’t expect to sleep in. If you try, they might assume you’re sick and try and drag you off to the hospital!

Your Mandarin is Largely Useless

Your Mandarin phrasebook clutched firmly in one hand, you try out a phrase on a rural villager who stares at you blankly in return. Your pronunciation is not the problem, in most parts of China the rural populations don’t speak Mandarin. While it is true that everyone, in theory, learns Mandarin Chinese in schools, in practice teachers in rural areas often have a poor grasp of the official language that they are responsible for imparting upon their students. Some places will speak dialects that are nearly incomprehensible even to native Chinese speakers from other regions. Other places, particularly in far flung provinces like Yunnan and Xinjiang, have entire villages that speak minority languages that are not even dialects of Chinese, such as Uighur , Tibetan, Yi or Hmong.

Understand That This is Rural China

This should go without saying, but some foreign visitors to rural areas seem surprised that the convenience stores in the village don’t sell coffee (not even Nescafe), that there are no shower curtains in the bathrooms, or that a thin layer of grime seems to coat everything, even the children. Rural China is rough, and if you’re visiting some place truly remote, you may be meeting with people who until fairly recently lived without electricity or running water. If there even is a convenience store at all you’re probably visiting a place that qualifies as a town, rather than a village. Be patient, and throw your expectations and western sensibilities about sanitation completely out the window. Bring a nice healthy supply of hand sanitizer, instant coffee, and toilet paper, and try not to be too squeamish about a little dirt.

Be Prepared to Eat. A Lot.

When seated at a dinner table with your hosts from the countryside, eat a lot. A failure to eat enough will send the message that you are unimpressed with their offerings. Your hosts will likely pluck select bits of meat and vegetables and deposit them in your bowl, and if you refuse these, your host may feel insulted. If there is something on the table that you absolutely cannot stomach, claim an allergy guo min, to that particular food. Keep in mind, the customs surrounding food and eating are central to Chinese culture, and food is a major way that Chinese, both rural and urban dwellers, show care. While urban Chinese may be more familiar with foreign ways and understand why a foreigner may not want to stuff him or herself with chicken feet and pig liver, rural Chinese will simply see your refusal as a refusal of their hospitality.

Be Prepared to Drink. A Lot.

Baijiu, the Chinese white liquor that is powerful enough to fell an ox, is a staple of rural tables, from the first meal of the day through to the last. In rural China you have two options, either not drinking at all (once again, claim an “allergy,” or “doctor’s orders”), or drinking yourself stupid. What is not an option is to drink at one meal, and then refuse at the next. Your host will not take your refusal seriously, and will pour you a glass anyhow. So choose wisely the first time you sit down to a meal. If you choose to partake, your hosts will gleefully drink you under the table, so pace yourself. “Gan bei,” while often translated as “cheers,” literally means “dry the glass,” so do not say “gan bei” unless you mean it. A useful phrase, should you propose a toast, is “sui yi,” which means “to your liking,” and saying this will indicate that no one should feel any pressure to dry their glass unless they’re inclined to do so.

Watch Where You Sit

The Chinese countryside is full of many old customs and superstitions , and sometimes even the Chinese themselves have a hard time keeping up. An important one is who sits where at the dinner table. The most important seat, at the head of the table, is usually reserved for an elder. Since it is almost impossible for a non Chinese to figure out where to sit, it is best to follow your hosts’ lead and let them seat you.

Should I Still Go?

Absolutely! Although visiting the village is not for the squeamish or the faint of heart, it will without a doubt be one of the most memorable experiences of your stay in China. Be prepared, go with an open mind, and don’t expect the modern comforts that you’ll find in the bigger cities, but go, you won’t be sorry.

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How to Visit to the Chinese Countryside

There are many different versions of the Chinese countryside . Some folks have idyllic conceptions of agrarian utopia outside the grasps of huge Chinese cities. Others imagine destitution and pollution choking small farmers out of their way of life. Both versions exist - as do many versions in between.

Chinese Countryside - Version 1

The area around Erhai Lake is relatively prosperous and seemingly clean. Although the water in the lake is still polluted, efforts to clean up the area are underway and the skies are still blue with little air pollution.

So this beautiful version of the countryside does, indeed, exist.

Chinese Countryside - Version 2

Sadly, as beautiful as the landscape in Yunnan is, there are plenty of areas in the countryside which are littered with garbage, riddled with water that is unclean and full of destitution.

The Good and the Sad

Given both of these versions of China's countryside and all the in-betweens, you can indeed escape China's big cities and enjoy visiting villages and smaller towns. It's important to be cognizant that beyond the glitz and glamor of many of China's big cities, and the monumental infrastructure you'll find upon visiting many parts of China (shiny new airports and train stations, smooth new super-highways, high-speed rail connections), there are millions of extremely poor communities all over the country and especially in the countryside. But this doesn't mean you shouldn't or can't seek out the countryside and visit it.

How to See the Countryside

It is really worth trying to visit some of these places since it will give you a memorable and completely different perspective on China. There are tour operators that specialize in taking people off the beaten path and into the countryside. Wild China is one that specializes in sustainable tourism and prides itself on taking folks to some of the most beautiful, unvisited countryside in China. Discovery Tours is an operator in China that specializes in tours in Sichuan Province, a place that has some of the most beautiful mountains and national parks in China.

What It's Like

Being a tourist in the countryside will not be the same as in the city. You won't find the same amenities as you will find in big cities, obviously. Depending on where you go, you may be more of an attraction yourself if you're traveling to a place that doesn't receive a lot of visitors. In any event, you should tread lightly, but you needn't be shy. Ask questions, talk to people, enjoy the interaction with locals that you may not have access to in other parts of the country. Eat the local specialties , visit the local markets. Enjoy a slower pace of life in China's countryside.

The Yangtze River Delta, the region that surrounds Hangzhou , Suzhou , and Shanghai , is dotted with "water towns". These are towns and villages built using the canal system that has been in place for hundreds of years used for transportation and trade. Many of these water towns are famous and receive hoards of tourists. Nanxun has not yet been discovered and sits, quietly, as it must have sat a hundred years ago. There is evidence of tourists in the vendors along the main canal in the old city renting gudai period costumes for visitors to dress up in and pose along the stone bridges. But if you go on an ordinary day, you won't find tourist buses and crowds.

Nanxun is accessible as a day trip from Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Shanghai and is a nice way to see how life moves in a small town.

Longjing Tea Villages

Just thirty minutes away from the tourist bustle of Hangzhou's West Lake are small villages that dot the hills around Hangzhou and are famous for their Longjing green tea, considered some of the best green tea in China. Some of the villages are so close you can even rent bicycles and ride to them. You can park your bike, walk around the tea plantations and have lunch at a local farmhouse restaurant.

Guangxi Autonomous Region is home to some spectacular scenery. The famous mountains even grace the 20rmb note. Notably, the Li River runs through the countryside and you can take boat trips along it. Yangshuo used to be a sleepy backpacker's town with few tourists. That's not the case these days but it is still a nice place to base yourself to explore the countryside around the Li River Valley and do some nice bike rides and hikes. You don't have to stay in Yangshuo anymore. There are hotels and guesthouses in the surrounding countryside, like the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat, that allow you to enjoy the scenery without the crowds.

Xizhou Town

Xizhou is one of the most beautiful places in China and to visit during the rice harvest is an added bonus. The deep green of the Cangshan mountains is on one side and the undulating patterns of green and gold from the rice paddies on the other with the azure sky above. It's a perfect illustration of that idyllic countryside landscape you yearn for in China.

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China embraces rural tourism boom amid COVID-19: US media

Xinhua | Updated: 2021-05-12 14:09

WASHINGTON - China is in the middle of a rural tourism boom amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CNN reported on Tuesday.

Chinese-owned Trip.com, one of the world's largest online travel agencies, said that by March 2021, rural tourism trips in China had increased by more than 300 percent year-on-year, CNN said in a report.

In recent days, Chinese tourists are heading not just to domestic historic and natural wonders - some are looking for something a bit different, like spending a day picking mulberries, watching rice grow, fishing by the seaside and eating home-grown food, the report said.

The rapid growth in rural tourism isn't just the result of the pandemic or rapid urbanization in China. It's also a major government policy of revitalizing rural areas, which involves supporting poor citizens in the countryside through a program of poverty alleviation, the report explained.

The massive program, it said, involves a lot of spending, loans and public works designed to lift every citizen in the country out of absolute poverty.

Such a boom in rural tourism has been backed by concrete government plans, as were laid down in a draft of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), in which the government called for further strengthening "leisure agriculture, rural tourism and the homestay economy," it said.

Rural sightseeing is only just beginning to take off and in the future, it will focus more on China's myriad of local cultures, CNN quoted personnel with the tourism industry as saying.

Traveling Independently in China — How It Differs from in the West

Travel and tourism isn't as easy to arrange or enjoy in China as in the West. Traveling independently in China, whether alone, with your family, or as a group, is usually a big adventure, and a lot of work, if not a nightmare of hassles.

Independent travel is harder in China than in Europe, for example, as so many things are done differently and in a more complicated way. Below are the things you should consider, before going it alone — self-planned and self-guided — instead of joining a group tour or investing in a private tour.

4 Keys to Traveling Independently in China

• 1. Spend as much time as possible preparing yourself for what to expect to avoid tourist traps , China holiday wreckers, and culture shock stress.
• 2. Learn as much useful Chinese as possible before going, and keep learning (with a Chinese language app) in China.
• 3. Plan/arrange everything well to get the most out of the sights, and to avoid being up the creek without a paddle.
• 4. Be patient, tolerant, rest more, and take it slowly to avoid frustration.

Basically, the key difference between traveling alone in China and in the West is that it takes much more time. If it doesn't, you're missing out, or risking trouble. See why below according to the five key aspects of your trip…

1. Airports and Flights

These offer a very similar experience and service in China to taking a plane in the West. There is even English signage and service. So far so good…

2. Transport in China — Chinese Needed

Once on the ground in China, you will need to have thought about how you will get around. China is vast, and walking is not practical for much more than central locations and hikes. N.B. Find an alternative for Google Maps or a VPN app as the China firewall blocks much of the Internet.

The need for a knowledge of Chinese, the more the better, will soon become apparent when using transport in China, or even planning it. See more summarizing China Transportation or read on for how the main methods of transport differ.

Crossing the Road — Be More Careful

There are different traffic patterns, different laws, and less law following in China, so you will need to be more careful in order to cross the road safely in China .

Renting a Car — Not Recommended

Driving in China is not advisable for a number of reasons. The first is that you will need to sit a test on Chinese traffic law and driving knowledge to obtain a license and drive legally.

China's roads are not for the faint of heart. Even if you take the written test in English, you'll find that once you get on the road, signs are in Chinese! Then there are the unfamiliar (inconsiderate) traffic behaviors and heavy congestion, the stress of finding somewhere to park, awful road conditions in places, and the time-consuming trouble and stiff penalties if the worst happens and you have an accident.

Taxis — Beware Scams

Not all China's taxis are legitimate, and even the registered ones may use such scams as overcharging, taking you to the wrong place (for a commission or just because it's easier), and giving you fake money. Beware scams. Prepare your destination address in Chinese, and ideally some basic vocabulary on giving directions. Read more on Taxis in China .

Buses — Often Uncomfortable

Whether using a city bus or long-distance bus the main difficulty is having enough Chinese to get on the right bus and get off at the right place.

Many Westerners find Chinese buses more uncomfortable than those back home due to smaller, harder, dirtier seats; bumpier roads, over-crowding, smells (including smoking: most buses are non-smoking, but even the driver and exhaust system smokes on some rural buses), etc. See more on Road Travel in China .

Trains — Better than Buses, If Available

The preferred option to long-distance buses are China's trains, if they're available. If you don't book them in advance popular trains get sold out first. Then you may find yourself waiting at the station for a long time. Trains are typically packed to the point of having "standing tickets".

China's trains are better regulated than buses and the service is generally very good, particularly if you use the High-Speed Railway. However, you will still need to use Chinese to get the tickets and navigate the unfamiliar station layouts. See our Guide to Train Travel in China .

Private Transport — Often a Welcome Alternative

Having read the above you may want to consider departing from independent travel transport-wise, and instead taking private transport.

3. The Sights — What You Come All This Way to See

Planning your itinerary on your own, how will you choose what attractions to go to? And, even more crucially, what will be your plan of attack for getting the most out of each tourist sight? This often isn't as easy as in the West, where attractions are less exotic, the layouts are safe, logical, and well-designed, and information/signage is readily available in English.

Places You Can't Go On Your Own

First of all, there are some places in China that you are simply not allowed to see independently. Most notably is Tibet, which requires booking with a Chinese travel agent in order to obtain a Tibet Entry Permit .

Places You'll Struggle to Enter On Your Own

Other places give priority booking to Chinese travel agents, making it difficult, or almost impossible, for independent travelers to gain access. A recent example, receiving much hype this year [2016], is the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge .

Other Places You'll Struggle to Appreciate on Your Own

Even if you get to the attraction you want to see, and queue up, and eventually obtain your entry ticket, how will you navigate and appreciate an attraction like the Forbidden City?

The signage is in Chinese, and if an "English" translation is provided it often looks like it's computer generated, untouched by anyone who understands English. The infamous humor of Chinglish signage abounds (e.g. the classic "Carefully Hit Your Head", which is what you feel like doing after reading much Chinglish!!! ), but that's no help if you're reliant on Chinglish for a clear explanation of an artifact or important safety instruction.

Without a guide you may wander through somewhere like the Forbidden City having only seen the backs of people's heads and selfie sticks at popular halls, or wander off track to halls of little interest. How will you even find the exit, much less avoid wasting your time, amongst the maze of buildings?

Even if you tag along behind a tour group (pushing to the front being more of a Chinese thing, so you'll be fighting the majority to do that), you may struggle to hear and understand any explanation given.

• Wouldn't it be better to have an itinerary tailored to your interests by an experienced expert in China tour planning, and to skip the queues?
• Wouldn't it be better to have a knowledgeable private guide to offer you enlightening answers related to your interests, and who knows the best view points and how to avoid the crowds?

4. Hotels — Easier to Arrange on Your Own Than the Itinerary…

A good hotel is not as easy to find in China as in the West. Here standards are different, less reliable, and even vary from region to region. 5-star in Beijing is not the same as 5-star in Zhangjiajie! A big outlay may go a long way, but is still no guarantee that you get what you want.

Use TripAdvisor, as the hotel websites won't tell you about the hard beds, leaking toilets, noisy environment, poor service, etc. that unbiased reviews will.

Hotel Booking

China's (larger) hotels can be booked online fairly easily, like in the West. Many hotels have English websites (the grammar may be disconcerting, but at least it's good enough for you to fill in a booking form). However, don't expect English-speaking staff at any but the largest establishments.

Booking in advance is recommended to avoid trailing from fully-booked hotel to fully-booked hotel in all but the slackest times for many places. This is due to China's huge, increasingly mobile population.

Help Is There If Needed

Some of our more independent customers choose to book their own hotels, cutting their tour costs. As flexible customized tour specialists we can provide as much, or as little, help as you need.

A company like ours, with decades of experience serving foreign travelers, can cut out all the hotel hassle, immediately selecting and suggesting hotels likely to be most suitable for you, and booking them.

We can also provide private transport to get you there and away, a driver who'll happily carry your luggage, and a guide to help you check in, not to mention to help sort out any problems once you get settled in.

5. Food — Even This Needs Planning

Food, it can't be under-emphasized, is very different in China. Traveling America or Europe unaided, you'd be bound to find recognizable menus and flavors without too much trouble — not so easily done in China! Before planning to go to China independently you should think what you will eat, especially if you have allergies, intolerances, or particular tastes.

Western food can be found in larger cities (in places besides McDonalds), but still may be a bit different to what you're used to. For the adventurous, pick a restaurant, point, and try. For those of you who want to stay on the safe side stick to what you recognize. Most cities have Muslim restaurants, which suit most Westerners' taste buds better than mainstream Chinese or other minority cuisines. There's more advice on our China Food Guide .

Food may be the decisive factor that makes you choose a private tour (with restaurants expertly chosen to suit you, and a guide to help you order), or a group tour with boring and standardized, but at least consistent, convenient, and reliable, catering. See the difference between a tour group restaurant and authentic Chinese food .

Alternatives to Independent Travel in China — Group/Private Tours

The above may have convinced you that you are now ready for the adventure of oriental travel alone, and are at least aware of the obstacles you may face… or that touring China on your own is not for you.

If you'd rather not face the challenges of travel in China alone, broadly speaking your options are twofold: group tours or tailor-made private tours. See 11 Reasons Your China Tour Should Be Private… Not a Group Tour .

With Us You Can Have the Best of All Worlds

With China Highlights you can have a combination of all three travel styles:

• independent travel (for what you're confident with doing on your own, saving service costs);
• group/package touring (for cheaper guided visits);
• privately-guided customized service (for where you'd like to discover more, and would like more quality assistance).

Essential Style Travel

Our most popular itineraries all have three travel styles to meet the needs of different travelers: Comfort , Discovery , and Essential .

Essential style tours only include the essential parts that are difficult to arrange on your own, so it's a way to mostly travel independently and still get a top-quality tailored trip. Take a look at the Essential -style customizable itineraries of our bestsellers:

• The Golden Triangle> — Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai in 8 days
• Classic Wonders — Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Yangshuo, Shanghai in 11 days
• Visit our China tours page for more tour ideas.

If you are looking for something unique, we can help you plan and arrange your dream China tour step-by-step, with "unlimited" changes and free consultancy and quotation. Let us know your requirements to begin.

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Rural tourism helps Chinese villages embrace prosperity

BEIJING -- Rural tourism in China is becoming an increasingly important industry in the country's fight against poverty, an official from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Wednesday.

The central budget invested 6.5 billion yuan (around $991 million) in 656 infrastructure projects to boost rural tourism in poor areas in recent years, said Shan Gangxin, an official with the ministry's resource development department.

The ministry has also been deepening cooperation with banks over financial assistance to the industry, with the banks issuing nearly 70 billion yuan in loans, Shan added.

Amid efforts to promote the industry's development, the government has announced a list of 1,000 key villages with prosperous rural tourism, with 225 of them being poverty-stricken, Shan said, noting that the move has helped the poor villages nurture a number of quality rural tourism brands.

"A total of 300 new tourism routes have also been launched this year," Shan added.

Moreover, the government has set up five training centers for fighting poverty by developing rural tourism and trained more than 8,000 people.

Due to COVID-19, such training has gone online in 2020. More than 650,000 people have taken the online courses so far, figures from the ministry show.

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The slow side of China: visiting the rural provinces

By China specialist Cheryl

I like experiencing the shift in pace when I travel from China’s megacities to the predominantly rural regions of Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi. You can go from dining in Shanghai’s Michelin-starred restaurants to sipping home-brewed rice wine around a local family’s table, swapping sleek skyscrapers for swirling rice terraces.

Despite China’s population becoming increasingly urban, there are vast swathes of land where people still live a rural existence. Farmers plough their fields using water buffalos, cormorant fishermen float along the river on bamboo rafts, and leisurely bicycle rides bring you to minority villages where deep-rooted traditions are still a way of life.

Holidays in Yunnan province

This is the area of China I most enjoy visiting. It’s very different culturally to the rest of the country — over half of China’s 56 ethnic minorities live here, and there are influences from Laos , Vietnam and Myanmar , which border the province to the south and west. Its landscapes range from rolling green hills to snow-covered mountains as you approach the Himalayan foothills, catering well to hikers.

Dali, Yunnan’s historic city

You can fly directly into the historic city of Dali . Capital of the Bai minority culture, here you’ll see local people dressed in their traditional white clothing (Bai means ‘white’ in Chinese).

Set on Erhai Lake, the city has a walled old town with cobbled streets and traditional stone buildings. You can take a boat ride on the lake with a guide before visiting the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple on Dali’s outskirts. Built during the 9th and 10th centuries, the pagodas are arranged in a triangle, the tallest reaching 70 m (227 ft).

I also explored the markets around Dali — alongside the usual fresh fruit and vegetables you’ll find tie-dyed fabrics, for which the area is renowned. The tie-dying method had been used here for over 1,000 years — long before it became associated with 1960s hippies.

I recommend staying at the Linden Centre in Xizhou village, just outside Dali. Housed in a wood and stone building set around four courtyards, it has 14 rooms and two suites and a peaceful air. While there you can take part in Chinese calligraphy and cooking classes and Bai musical instrument lessons.

World Heritage Site city of Lijiang

From Dali, I recommend heading to the old town of Lijiang , a three-hour drive away. UNESCO has designated it a World Heritage Site for its Qing-dynasty architecture, which features carved beams and arched gateways typical of the Naxi culture that thrives here.

With the massif of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain forming a backdrop and clear mountain streams running through its narrow, cobbled streets, Lijiang is the most beautiful old town I’ve seen on my travels.

To get away from the crowds, though, I suggest visiting some of the surrounding Naxi villages, which give you a sense of what Lijiang was like before it hit people’s radars. Here, you meet local villagers going about their day. Women wear customary wide-sleeved gowns and you’ll encounter them working on intricate embroidery or selling fresh vegetables while chatting in groups on the street.

Just outside Lijiang, the Banyan Tree is a hotel styled around Naxi architecture with modern comforts such as a spa. Some rooms and suites have private gardens with plunge pools, and there’s a Cantonese restaurant set beside a koi pond.

Tiger Leaping Gorge

Lijiang is a gateway to Tiger Leaping Gorge , which winds for 16 km (10 miles) through the Haba Mountains. I embarked on a memorable two-day trek through the gorge which, with a maximum depth of 3,900 m (12,795 ft), is one of the deepest in the world.

The first day involves a six-hour ascent through incredible scenery — steep, craggy limestone cliffs rise up from both sides of the Jinsha River, whose roar gets fainter as you climb. Excluding the occupants of the occasional Naxi village, I barely saw anyone else. It was this feeling of being cut off from the world that made the trek special for me.

We eventually arrived at a simple guesthouse high in the mountains overlooking the gorge. The Halfway Lodge has basic facilities, but it’s perfectly comfortable after a day of trekking and you can watch the sunset over the gorge from its terrace.

The next day’s trek is mostly downhill, passing waterfalls that trickle or gush down the rock face, the water fresh enough to drink. Once at the bottom of the gorge, you’re met by a private driver for the two-hour journey to Shangri-La .

Tibetan-influenced Shangri-La

In Yunnan’s northwest corner, Shangri-La stands surrounded by soaring mountains at an elevation of 3,160 m (10,370 ft). It’s here Tibetan influences first began to trickle into China, with 80% of the population identifying as Tibetan.

You’ll notice the architecture here is markedly different — the ground floors of houses are used for sheltering animals, with the family living above. Prayer flags blow in the wind and, up on a hill in the middle of the old town, a 24 m (80 ft) tall golden prayer wheel glints in the sun. I watched as local Buddhists offered their prayers and turned the huge wheel (it takes around six people to move it).

The imposing Songzanlin Monastery, built in the 17th century, stands high above the city’s outskirts. It’s the largest Lamaist monastery outside Tibet, with around 650 red-robed monks of all ages living and chanting within its walls. Inside is a labyrinth of prayer halls, and my guide knew which ones would be quietest for me to experience the peaceful, sacred atmosphere away from other visitors.

Songtsam Hotel is around ten minutes outside Shangri-La, right next to the Songzanlin Monastery. I was warmly greeted with a cup of ginger tea — said to help with the high altitude — and given a pair of slippers to wear inside.

The building is traditionally Tibetan, and there’s a small library overlooking the seasonal Lamuyangcuo Lake. While there, I tried the area’s main delicacy: tender yak meat cooked on the bone. I also had a few sips of yak butter tea, which is definitely an acquired taste.

Holidays in Guangxi province

As soon as I landed in Guilin , Guangxi’s main city, I was struck by the huge limestone karst peaks creating bumps in the surrounding landscape. Despite being a major city, Guilin feels more laid-back and less developed than other cities. Its position on the shores of the Li River makes it a gateway to the region’s truly rural areas. I recommend heading off straight away to explore.

Li River cruise

A cruise along the Li River is by far the best way to take in the scenery, which is reminiscent of Vietnam’s Halong Bay, but on a grander scale. The four-hour boat journey over to Yangshuo is so visually impressive it appears on the 20 yuan note.

The guides on board point out some of the more distinctive karsts. It feels a bit like cloud-spotting as you make out shapes in the stone, from dragon heads to horses. The effect of the otherworldly karsts shrouded in mist resulted in a hushed silence on board at times as everyone absorbed their surroundings.

Along the way, you pass riverside villages where farmers work the fields with their buffalos, and the children play on the water’s edge. Local people drift past on their bamboo rafts, catching fish or just getting from A to B. This is a side of rural China you don’t see from the road.

Riverside Yangshuo

The town of Yangshuo , set on the banks of the Li River and surrounded by limestone pinnacles, is a place where things are done at your own pace. The terrain is generally flat and you can hire a bicycle and ride around the outlying rice paddies to local villages. Everyone I passed greeted me with a smile or a wave.

My guide and I spent one evening floating on a bamboo raft alongside a local cormorant fisherman, watching as his tethered bird plunged into the water to catch fish. Cormorants are trained by the fishermen to return their catch to the rafts, although the birds sometimes sneak a meal for themselves.

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat is set beside the Yulong River on the outskirts of the town. While simple, the property is authentic, using locally made bamboo furniture. Each room has its own balcony, and you can enjoy home-cooked meals on the riverbank. Most of the staff are local to the area, and emphasis is placed on environmental sustainability.

Dragon’s Backbone rice terraces, Longji

It takes around three hours to drive through the countryside from Yangshuo to the rippling swirls of Longji’s rice terraces. While you can visit for the day, I recommend spending a night here to experience the terraces in the early morning and evening, when barely any other visitors are around.

Stretching for miles, the corrugated hills and valleys are occasionally broken up by small clusters of wooden houses. It’s easy to take for granted that, as these terraces and villages are inaccessible by road, everything you see was either handmade there or carried up by people and donkeys.

You can take guided walks through the terraces , where workers are occasionally seen tending their crops. I walked with my guide from the village of Pingan to another called Dazhai, the terraces stretching out before me in seemingly never-ending waves. Just five other visitors passed us during the entire six-hour hike.

Dazhai is home to people of the Yao minority culture. The women only cut their hair once during their lifetime to mark their wedding day; it’s cut again once they’re deceased. They wear it coiled on top of their head and covered in a headdress that indicates their marital status.

On the high slopes of Pingan village, Li-An Lodge is a simple, traditionally styled guesthouse looking out over a sea of terraces. The views when I opened the curtains in the morning were worth the steep 40-minute walk to reach the lodge. Each room is themed on an aspect of Chinese culture.

Holidays in Guizhou province

Comprising forested mountains, hills and valleys that stretch untouched for miles, Guizhou province is relatively unknown to people outside China. Around 37% of its population is made up of minority groups, including Miao, Dong, Yao, Zhang and Qiang, making it one of the most culturally diverse provinces in the country.

Generally, you fly into the city of Guiyang, which has the best-quality hotels in the area, though most are international chains. From here, you can head out each day with your guide to a different minority village. Alternatively, stay in a simpler property in one of the villages scattered across the countryside.

My guide, Tim, would visit these rural villages even in his spare time, so he knew the best places to take me. We visited the Dong village of Zhaoxing . Here, wind and rain bridges (wooden bridges with features such as decorative tiled roofs, pavilions and verandas) stretch across streams. Dark wood houses — some with working waterwheels — are perched above the rice paddies.

I paused to watch local women bashing newly dyed clothes with mallets to make the indigo pigment smooth and shiny. I was also invited into several wood-and-stone homes for a cup of tea, where I learned about the Dong culture’s matriarchal society.

We also visited a Miao village to have lunch with a local family. The custom is to drink a buffalo horn of home-brewed rice wine before you enter the home, another before you eat and a final toast after the meal.

We ate a spicy fish hot pot, and we communicated through my guide and various hand gestures — the different dialects spoken in this area sometimes prevent your guide from translating word for word.

Afterwards, I was shown the local fishing technique in the surrounding rice paddies — you look for air bubbles on the surface of the water and then up end a woven basket over where you estimate the fish to be. After many attempts to catch a fish, I decided to leave it to the experts.

Best time to visit rural China

Spring (April and May) and autumn (September and October) are generally the best times to go, as temperatures are comfortable and there’s less chance of rain than in the hot and humid summer months. It’s best to visit Guangxi in the autumn, as spring marks the start of the rainy season.

• Find out more about when to visit China

Start planning your trip to China

Sichuan & Yunnan explorer: pandas & mountains

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Southwest China: Yunnan's mountains & minorities

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Minority villages of southwest China

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Start thinking about your experience. These itineraries are simply suggestions for how you could enjoy some of the same experiences as our specialists. They’re just for inspiration, because your trip will be created around your particular tastes.

Further reading

• What to do in China: our highlights guide
• Characterful stays in China
• China’s modern cities: Shanghai and Hong Kong
• Our guide to exploring the Terracotta Army of Xian
• A guide to Chinese food (and where to find it)

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China’s Covid Surge Threatens Villages as Lunar New Year Approaches

Millions are expected to travel home this month, spreading Covid to rural communities where health care services are woefully underdeveloped.

By David Pierson ,  Joy Dong ,  Claire Fu and Olivia Wang

The infections in Dadi Village, a corn farming community tucked between verdant hills in China’s remote southwest, started in early December when a handful of young people returned from jobs in big cities.

The nearest hospital was an hour away, and few could afford the $7 bus fare there. The village clinic is not equipped with oxygen tanks or even an oximeter to detect if someone’s blood is dangerously deprived of oxygen. It quickly ran out of its stockpile of five boxes of fever medicine, so officials told sick residents to stay home and drink lots of water.

For three years, the villagers had avoided the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. But late last year, Covid infections surged across China, forcing the government to abandon its stringent, yet ultimately futile, policy of mass lockdowns. It was only a matter of time before the virus wound its way out of the cities and arrived in poorer rural areas like Dadi, in Guizhou Province, with the barest of medical care.

China is bracing for an onslaught of infections in its fragile countryside as millions of migrant workers crowd onto trains and buses to leave factory towns, construction sites and cities, to return to their rural homes for the Lunar New Year holiday. The travel period, which begins Saturday and lasts 40 days, is expected to overwhelm the rural health care system only weeks after hospitals in wealthy cities like Beijing and Shanghai were buckled by the outbreak .

“What we are most worried about is that after three years, everyone … can finally go home for the new year to visit relatives,” Jiao Yahui, an official with China’s National Health Commission, told state media . With the populous countryside’s limited medical resources, she said, “how to deal with the peak of infection in vast rural areas has become a huge challenge.”

In Dadi, the local clinic is little more than a converted cottage with four rooms and a closet. At best, it can offer intravenous drips, but for no more than five or six people at a time. No one from the county government told the village to prepare for an outbreak, Gao Hong, a village official, said by phone.

Because cases in Dadi have so far been mild, Mr. Gao said, villagers were most in need of fever-reducing and cough medicines, but even those have been hard to come by. “We are too remote to get any medicine purchased online delivered,” he said.

Despite the lack of reliable government data , there are signs that Covid is already being transmitted freely in the countryside, particularly in places with large numbers of returning migrants like Henan Province in central China.

Long lines of people have been forming outside village clinics there, according to state media . Such clinics and local community health centers are meant to serve as the first line of defense in a triage system and preventing overcrowding at county hospitals, which are often the closest places rural residents can be treated for serious medical conditions.

One such county hospital in Henan was so inundated with patients from the surrounding countryside that it had to ration fever-reducing medicine to patients registering a body temperature of 101.3 degrees or higher. Officials at another county hospital in Anhui Province said they had received so many patients that the facility would soon run out of critical care beds and ventilators.

China’s countryside is less densely populated than its cities, which could mean the virus will spread less quickly. But Omicron variants have proven so infectious that population density may not make a difference, especially as friends and families gather to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Rural areas are also home to a disproportionate number of older adults, because so many younger people have left for the cities to seek better job opportunities.

The rate of vaccination in the rural areas is unclear. Nationwide, older adults have lower booster rates in general. The government tried in 2021 to ramp up inoculations but encountered resistance among residents skeptical of the safety of the vaccines, state media reported .

“When people move around, we are very likely going to see a surge of cases in the countryside, but the health care system does not have the capacity to withstand the rapid increase of demand,” said Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Other countries such as India have already experienced the devastating consequences of a runaway outbreak in rural areas with underdeveloped health care. What later became known as the Delta variant tore through the Indian countryside in early 2021, leaving bodies floating in the Ganges and villagers clamoring for what little supplies of oxygen were available.

In China, few things highlight the inequities between urban and rural life as starkly as medical care. Despite ongoing health reforms, access to everything from ventilators to fever medicine remains scant for the 500 million people who live in the countryside. Staffing in rural health facilities is also woefully low. There are 1.3 million physicians and 1.8 million nurses in rural China — roughly less than half as many per 1,000 people as there are in the cities, government statistics show.

Rural communities are largely served by grassroots health workers who have only minimal medical training — less than 1 percent hold university degrees, and just over half have graduated from vocational high schools. They’re often called upon only when needed.

“Village doctor is only a side job. The doctors need to farm as well,” said Hunter Ge, a migrant worker describing the level of care in Maxiaoji, his village of about 700 people in Henan that’s been hit with a massive virus outbreak.

Mr. Ge said village doctors couldn’t be relied upon for treating major illnesses but were often the only local source of medicine.

“They are quite nice,” said Mr. Ge, who works at a factory. “You can call a village doctor at midnight, if needed.”

Village health workers can provide basic services such as vaccinating babies and treating minor ailments. But experts say it’s unrealistic to expect them to know how to effectively treat Covid. Their lack of training makes them risk-averse, increasing the odds they’ll send people to a hospital and exacerbate overcrowding.

“What you ideally want is for people with less severe conditions to stay away from the higher-tier hospitals,” said Sean Sylvia, an assistant professor of health policy at the University of North Carolina who has studied rural China. “And if you’re relying on village doctors to appropriately triage patients, there’s a big question as to whether they can do that.”

The government is scrambling to address the looming crisis with social distancing restrictions, vaccination campaigns and pledges to improve the supply of drugs.

In Sichuan Province in the country’s southwest, officials recently ordered villages to restrict gatherings at weddings, banquets and mahjong parlors. And the southern province of Yunnan is urging returning migrants to stay away from crowds and older people.

As recently as last month, the National Health Commission called on health workers in the countryside to expedite efforts to fully vaccinate rural residents, particularly older adults. In the southern island of Hainan, teams of Communist Party cadres, doctors and nurses are going door to door to vaccinate villagers.

The shortage of cough and fever medicines has been widespread , a result of the explosion of infections and stockpiling by residents. But those drugs only relieve symptoms. Antiviral treatments such as Pfizer’s Paxlovid, which can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death, are far more expensive and scarcer, even in cities where health care services are better, let alone the countryside.

The State Council, China’s cabinet, issued a directive last week calling on local authorities and Communist Party cadres to marshal resources to blunt the outbreak by, among other things, ensuring medical supplies, bolstering critical care and prioritizing older adults. The cabinet called for grassroots health workers to distribute health kits packed with fever and cough medicine, rapid antigen tests and masks to vulnerable groups.

Public health experts say the last-minute efforts underscore how ill-prepared the country was for the U-turn in Covid strategy.

“The bottom line is that these measures should have been rolled out prior to the policy pivot,” Mr. Huang of the Council on Foreign Relations said of the State Council’s directive.

“Many of the problems we are seeing in rural China are fundamentally problems in China’s health care reform, and you cannot expect to fix them in such a short period of time,” he said. “In short, they won’t be effective in significantly mitigating the harmful effects of the unbridled spread of Covid-19 in the countryside.”

Mr. Gao, the official in Dadi, said donors and nongovernmental groups recently delivered medicine to his village, offering relief for the community’s 760 residents. He estimates that 300 migrants will return to Dadi in the coming weeks and fuel infections, which currently stand at over 150. Even if the medicine runs out, most will try to ride out the illness at home.

“This is not a rich village, it’s quite poor, actually,” Mr. Gao said. “It’s not realistic for villagers to spend 50 yuan to take a bus and buy medicine in the county. Even if they did take a bus, there’s no guarantee they’d get medicine because of the extreme scarcity.”

Chris Buckley and Zixu Wang contributed reporting and research.

David Pierson covers Chinese foreign policy and China’s economic and cultural engagement with the world. More about David Pierson

Joy Dong covers news in mainland China and Hong Kong. She is based in Hong Kong. @JoyDongHK More about Joy Dong

Claire Fu covers news in mainland China for The New York Times in Seoul. More about Claire Fu

Olivia Wang covers news in mainland China and Hong Kong for The New York Times.  She joined The Times in 2022.  She has a master’s degree in journalism and bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the University of Hong Kong More about Olivia Wang

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China Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

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After Your Trip

There are no notices currently in effect for China.

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Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Routine vaccines

Recommendations.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Immunization schedules

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see  Your COVID-19 Vaccination  for more information. 

COVID-19 vaccine

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to China.

Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.

Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages traveling to China.

Hepatitis B - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep B

Japanese Encephalitis

Recommended for travelers who

• Are moving to an area with Japanese encephalitis to live
• Spend long periods of time, such as a month or more, in areas with Japanese encephalitis
• Frequently travel to areas with Japanese encephalitis

Consider vaccination for travelers

• Spending less than a month in areas with Japanese encephalitis but will be doing activities that increase risk of infection, such as visiting rural areas, hiking or camping, or staying in places without air conditioning, screens, or bed nets
• Going to areas with Japanese encephalitis who are uncertain of their activities or how long they will be there

Not recommended for travelers planning short-term travel to urban areas or travel to areas with no clear Japanese encephalitis season. 

Japanese encephalitis - CDC Yellow Book

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine for US Children

Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading.

All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to  CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel .

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

Rabid dogs are commonly found in China. However, if you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other mammal while in China, rabies treatment is often available. 

Consider rabies vaccination before your trip if your activities mean you will be around dogs or wildlife.

Travelers more likely to encounter rabid animals include

• Campers, adventure travelers, or cave explorers (spelunkers)
• Veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers handling animal specimens
• Visitors to rural areas

Since children are more likely to be bitten or scratched by a dog or other animals, consider rabies vaccination for children traveling to China. 

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Tick-borne Encephalitis

For travelers moving or traveling to TBE-endemic areas

TBE vaccine is recommended for persons who will have extensive exposure to ticks based on their planned outdoor activities and itinerary.

TBE vaccine may be considered for persons who might engage in outdoor activities in areas ticks are likely to be found. 

Tick-borne Encephalitis - CDC Yellow Book

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Typhoid - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Typhoid

Yellow Fever

Required for travelers ≥9 months old arriving from countries with risk for YF virus transmission; this includes >12-hour airport transits or layovers in countries with risk for YF virus transmission. 1 Travelers with itineraries limited to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) or Macao SAR are exempt from this requirement.

Yellow Fever - CDC Yellow Book

• Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

• Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
• Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
• Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
• Avoid contaminated water and soil

Clinical Guidance

Schistosomiasis

• Wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated freshwater streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, or untreated pools.

Avoid bug bites

Chikungunya

• Mosquito bite
• Avoid Bug Bites

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever

• Tick bite 
• Touching the body fluids of a person or animal infected with CCHF
• Mosquito bite

Leishmaniasis

• Sand fly bite

Airborne & droplet

Avian/bird flu.

• Being around, touching, or working with infected poultry, such as visiting poultry farms or live-animal markets
• Avoid domestic and wild poultry
• Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
• Bite from an infected rodent
• Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
• Avoid rodents and areas where they live
• Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in China, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

• Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
• Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
• Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene | Healthy Water
• Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Tap water is not drinkable in China, even in major cities. Bottled water is easily available.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in China. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

• Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
• Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
• Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
• Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
• Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

• FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
• Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone
• Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

• Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
• Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Some diseases in China—such as dengue and leishmaniasis—are spread by bugs and cannot be prevented with a vaccine. Follow the insect avoidance measures described above to prevent these and other illnesses.

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in China include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

• Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
• Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
• Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
• If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
• Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
• Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
• Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

• Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
• Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
• Do not dive into shallow water.
• Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
• To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection that can be spread in fresh water, is found in China. Avoid swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water, such as lakes, ponds, or rivers.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

• Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
• Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
• Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
• Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
• If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

• Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
• Go to a doctor right away.
• Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

• Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
• If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

• Use latex condoms correctly.
• Do not inject drugs.
• Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
• Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
• If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

• Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
• Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
• Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
• Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call China’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
• Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Malaria is a risk in some parts of China. If you are going to a risk area, fill your malaria prescription before you leave, and take enough with you for the entire length of your trip. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking the pills; some need to be started before you leave.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

• Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
• Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
• Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

• Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
• Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
• Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
• Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
• Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
• Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

• Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
• Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
• Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

• Wear a seatbelt at all times.
• Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
• When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
• Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of China may be poor.
• Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
• Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
• If you choose to drive a vehicle in China, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
• Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
• Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
• Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
• If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
• Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

For information traffic safety and road conditions in China, see Travel and Transportation on US Department of State's country-specific information for China .

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

• Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
• Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
• Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
• Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

• Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
• Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
• Follow all local laws and social customs.
• Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
• Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
• If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

To call for emergency services while in China, dial 999 (Beijing) or 120 (Shanghai) for an ambulance, 119 for the fire department, and 110 for the police. Write these numbers down to carry with you during your trip.

Learn as much as you can about China before you travel there. A good place to start is the country-specific information on China from the US Department of State.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for China for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.

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If you need help finding travel information:

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Invisible China: How the Urban-Rural Divide Threatens China’s Rise

• Published: 15 April 2024

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• Xueli Huang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3692-9618 1 &
• Yue Yang 1  

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This study was supported by the Youth Foundation of the Ministry of Education of China (Number: 21YJC810003) and Philosophy and Social Science Research Special Project of Hubei Provincial Department of Education (Number: 22Z004).

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Huang, X., Yang, Y. Invisible China: How the Urban-Rural Divide Threatens China’s Rise. Soc Just Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-024-00432-2

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Tornadoes kill 4 in Oklahoma, leaving trail of destruction and thousands without power

By ken miller, associated press | posted - april 28, 2024 at 4:48 p.m., a partially torn off roof is seen on a damaged home in omaha, neb., on saturday. dozens of reported tornadoes wreaked havoc friday in the midwest. (chris machian, omaha world-herald via ap).

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

SULPHUR, Okla. — Tornadoes killed four people in Oklahoma and left thousands without power Sunday after a destructive outbreak of severe weather flattened buildings in the heart of one rural town and injured at least 100 people across the state.

More than 20,000 people remained without electricity after tornadoes began late Saturday night. The destruction was extensive in Sulphur, a town of about 5,000 people, where many downtown buildings were reduced to rubble and roofs were sheared off houses across a 15-block radius.

"You just can't believe the destruction," Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said during a visit to the hard-hit town. "It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed."

Stitt said about 30 people were injured alone in Sulphur, including some who were in a bar as the tornado tore through. Hospitals across the state reported about 100 injuries, including people apparently cut or struck by debris or hurt from falls, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

The deadly weather in Oklahoma added to the dozens of reported tornadoes that have wreaked havoc in the nation's midsection since Friday . Flood watches and warnings continued in effect Sunday for Oklahoma and other states — including Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas.

Authorities said the tornado in Sulphur began in a city park before barreling through the downtown, flipping cars and ripping the roofs and walls off of brick buildings. Windows and doors were blown out of structures that remained standing.

"How do you rebuild it? This is complete devastation," said Kelly Trussell, a lifelong Sulphur resident as she surveyed the damage. "It is crazy, you want to help but where do you start?"

Carolyn Goodman traveled to Sulphur from the nearby town of Ada in search of her former sister-in-law, who Goodman said was at a local bar before just before the tornado hit the area. Stitt said one of the victims was found inside a bar but authorities had not yet identified those killed.

"The bar was destroyed," Goodman said. "I know they probably won't find her alive ... but I hope she is still alive."

Farther north, a tornado near the town of Holdenville killed two people and damaged or destroyed more than a dozen homes, according to the Hughes County Emergency Medical Service. Another person was killed along Interstate 35 near the southern Oklahoma city of Marietta, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

Heavy rains that swept into Oklahoma with the tornadoes also caused dangerous flooding and water rescues. Outside Sulphur, rising lake levels shut down the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, where the storms wiped out a pedestrian bridge.

Stitt issued an executive order Sunday declaring a state of emergency in 12 counties due to the fallout from the severe weather. State officials said more more than 20,000 customers were still without power in Oklahoma as of late Sunday afternoon.

At the Sulphur High School gym, where families took cover from the storm, Jackalyn Wright said she and her family heard what sounded like a helicopter as the tornado touched down over them. Chad Smith, 43, said people ran into the gym as the wind picked up. The rain started coming faster and the doors slammed shut. "Just give me a beer and a lawn chair and I will sit outside and watch it," Smith said. Instead, he took cover.

Residents in other states were also digging out from storm damage. A tornado in suburban Omaha, Nebraska, demolished homes and businesses Saturday as it moved for miles through farmland and into subdivisions, then slammed an Iowa town.

The tornado damage began Friday afternoon near Lincoln, Nebraska. An industrial building in Lancaster County was hit, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. Several were trapped, but everyone was evacuated, and the three injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.

One or possibly two tornadoes then spent around an hour creeping toward Omaha, leaving behind damage consistent with an EF3 twister, with winds of 135 to 165 mph, said Chris Franks, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service's Omaha office.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds spent Saturday touring the damage and arranging for assistance for the damaged communities. Formal damage assessments are still underway, but the states plan to seek federal help.

Contributing : Acacia Coronado and Sophia Tareen

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