122
votes
How can black travellers deal with unwanted harassment from locals in China?
There is not much you can do - those people have probably never before seen anyone black, and that is the typical reaction in that cultural environment.
Imagine you are green or blue, and you go in a ...
- 28.4k
88
votes
Accepted
What is this island in the South China Sea called?
This is called Cuarteron Reef in English.
It is one of several reefs in the South China Sea that were enlarged and built up around 2015-2016 as part of a land reclamation project by the People's ...
- 37.3k
59
votes
How can black travellers deal with unwanted harassment from locals in China?
In the old days all Westerners would get that treatment, especially outside of the areas with many foreigners. I got used to it, and found it a bit endearing (when sincere, which it often was) and ...
- 16.1k
58
votes
How does the taxi scam work at Luohu station in Shenzhen?
It happens that I am a native of Shenzhen, and indeed we avoid those "illicit vehicles" (or "black cabs", hei che 黑车 in Chinese) at all costs.
The perceived risk is that they might demand exorbitant ...
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55
votes
How can black travellers deal with unwanted harassment from locals in China?
I'm sorry to say this, but what you experience is quite typical attitude toward foreigners in mainland China, and is not specific to blacks. To be more specific:
Having their hair (and, on a few ...
- 21.7k
55
votes
Accepted
Internet censoring while roaming abroad with Chinese SIM cards?
My experience when I use data roaming is that the local telco tunnels IP traffic to my home provider, and then it enters the global internet at my provider's premises.
So sites like whatismyip.com ...
55
votes
Can I use my Chinese passport to enter China after I acquired another citizenship?
No, this would be illegal. Voluntarily naturalizing in another country results in automatic loss of Chinese citizenship. You need to contact your local Chinese embassy and obtain the proper visa.
The ...
- 7,453
54
votes
Accepted
Traveling with medical equipment in checked baggage
First, if it fits in or as a carry-on and you can manage it, I highly recommend you keep it with you. Many airlines will offer a carry-on limit exemption for medical devices though you may have to ...
- 32.2k
54
votes
What is this island in the South China Sea called?
As a more generic solution, try using Google reverse image search, e.g. in Chrome:
->
If using a web browser other than Google Chrome, go to https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch and click on ...
- 49.4k
52
votes
Why does my phone's GPS not work in China?
This may be due to the long Time To First Fix. Indeed, I recently learned that recent smartphones use mechanisms called "Assisted GPS" in order to get a location based on GPS reception. The idea is ...
- 20.8k
49
votes
As tourist in China do I have to fear consequences for having publicly liked South Park?
Note that at the time of this post, to the best of my knowledge, there has been no palpable proof that the celebrity was indeed banned from entering China, or that the purported ban is related to him "...
- 2,711
48
votes
Can I use my Chinese passport to enter China after I acquired another citizenship?
As Robert Columbia mentioned, voluntarily naturalizing in a foreign country results in automatic loss of Chinese (PRC) citizenship (but not ROC nationality; I'll assume you are talking about the PRC), ...
- 19.2k
46
votes
Does it take one hour to board a bullet train in China, and if so, why?
There is an airport-style luggage, security, and ID check. Boarding itself doesn't exactly take one hour, just as boarding an airplane doesn't really require being there 2 hours in advance, but you ...
- 101k
44
votes
Accepted
Who was this persistent person at Shanghai airport?
IKeelYou's answer is excellent for the general case, but I'd like to add some specifics, since you mention this is in China.
This guy was trying to sell you transportation service. This is a very ...
- 1,794
42
votes
Accepted
What is special about the area 30 km west of Beijing?
The map is correct. Beijing literally is there in the east.
Traditionally, Beijing is the dense area, consists of Xicheng and Dongcheng districts, with Forbidden City in the center. Right inside the ...
- 486
40
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to travel between India and China by rail?
No.
India has train connections with Pakistan and Bangladesh, only. Bangladesh has no international train connections except with India. Pakistan also has a connection with Iran.
This is the Quetta ...
- 23.6k
39
votes
Who was this persistent person at Shanghai airport?
This is very common in many airports around the world, someone who is trying to make a living by driving people form the airport and offering their services. Usually they are tourist traps and they ...
- 95.6k
36
votes
Is the bullet train in China typically cheaper than taking a domestic flight?
This depends a lot on the specific route: let's look at a typical example: Shanghai to Shenzhen. In early February that's about $93 for most trains and you can get one way flights at around $94, so it'...
- 80.5k
35
votes
Why does my phone's GPS not work in China?
Vince covers the likely explanation, but unfortunately there are several more sinister possibilities as well. Long story short, China's legislation on GPS is both really vague and in part secret: by ...
- 98.5k
35
votes
Why is air travel to China currently (May 2021) 4x the usual price?
There are fewer flights/itineraries.
Chinese authorities have imposed a strict policy regarding international flights with quotas and circuit-breakers ("Five Ones Policy", article on this ...
- 18.7k
33
votes
Why are Chinese mountains scaled by steps? (instead of winding paths)
To add to the other answers, some paths my be susceptible to soil erosion - from foot traffic and rainfall. This eventually makes some sections almost impassable for some people, as well as damaging ...
- 479
31
votes
How do you drive from Asia to Europe?
Hanky Panky summarises it beautifully. In more detail, you're probably going to want to go Thailand-Myanmar-Bangladesh-India-Pakistan-Iran-Turkey-Europe, and you're going to want a reasonably hardy (...
- 9,245
31
votes
Recourse against bank ATM fraud in China
This has happened to me multiple times with local
cards as well so I doubt they target foreign cards.
Every time the police have helped me rather swiftly, provided me with a copy of the case ...
- 4,233
30
votes
Why do Chinese people need a visa to travel abroad?
Requiring an extra visa or exit permit from citizens is not very common today but historically, that's why passports were invented (and not to restrict immigration) and the reason for that is simple: ...
- 101k
30
votes
How can a child with one Chinese parent, but a non-Chinese passport travel to China?
China will not issue a visa to a child with a Chinese national parent, as the child is considered to be a Chinese national. China does not allow dual citizenship, and will not issue a full Chinese ...
- 319
29
votes
Accepted
Can I take the high-speed bullet train Beijing–Hong Kong under Chinese 144 h visa-free transit rules?
The important point is where you will pass through immigration.
The 144-hour visa-free transit requires that you stay within a certain area of your arrival point, and depart the country from within ...
- 114k
28
votes
Accepted
What is a good (legal) form of self defense in China
Pepper Spray is forbidden and likely will be discovered
Pepper spray is forbidden in China. Your luggage will be searched and/or x-rayed frequently when in China, including customs controls when ...
- 26.2k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible