- Credit cards (and cash) are not widely accepted. Not even McDonald’s in the Shanghai train station accepted credit cards. The main form of payment is via AliPay or WeChat app where it’s either linked to a credit card, or you pre-load money onto it and it works like a debit card.
- Weather at the end of March is temperate. All you really need is a light jacket with hood. When it rains, it does get chillier.
- Tipping in restaurants is not customary.
- Public transportation is very efficient. Maybe I’m just used to the unreliable public transportation at NYC, so I’m always amazed at how much better it is in other countries. Trains come when they say they will. Trains from city to city are really fast. Not quite as fast as Japan’s Shinkansen, but it’s almost comparable.
Train from Shanghai to Shaoxing - Lots of websites are banned. This includes Facebook and Instagram. I have T-Mobile so i had free (slow) data abroad, but it worked. Most people buy a VPN before they go.
- Reminder – you need a Visa to travel to China!
how to be a traveler
travel. eat. drink. explore. write. repeat.
About the author
hi! my name is melanie! i started this blog back in 2014. how to be a traveler is a collection of my travel experiences. my motto is, ‘travel, eat, drink, explore, write, repeat.‘ this blog is a tool to help me remember all the places i’ve seen, but it’s also a tool to help you plan out the places you will discover. and so that you won’t make the same mistakes i made. think of me as your very own travel guinea pig. so hopefully, you can find at least one useful tip while reading my blog. i hope you enjoy reading this as much as i enjoy writing it for you.
how to be a traveler 