Health, safety and emergencies

Hospitals and pharmacies

Large public hospitals in every provincial capital have an international or VIP clinic with English speaking doctors and a consultation fee of 100 to 500 yuan; you pay first, then claim from insurance. Beijing United Family, Shanghai Parkway, Jiahui and Raffles are private hospitals with Western pricing. For minor problems, pharmacies (药店, yào diàn) sell most medicines over the counter; show the generic name in English and the pharmacist will find it.

Buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation. Chinese hospitals do not treat without payment or a deposit, and evacuation from Tibet or Xinjiang is expensive.

Altitude

Lhasa sits at 3,650 metres, Shangri La at 3,300, Daocheng Yading at over 4,000, the Qinghai Lake road at 3,200. Altitude sickness begins above 2,500 metres and does not depend on fitness. Ascend slowly, rest the first day, drink water, avoid alcohol and sleeping pills, and descend if you have a bad headache, vomiting or breathlessness at rest. Pharmacies sell acetazolamide and bottled oxygen; a doctor at home can prescribe acetazolamide before you go.

Air, sun, water and food

• Air quality in northern cities is far better than a decade ago but winter smog still happens. Check the AQI in a weather app; above 150, limit outdoor exertion and wear an N95 mask if sensitive.
• Summer heat in the Yangtze valley and the south reaches 38 to 40 degrees with high humidity. Walk early and late.
• Tap water is not drinkable. Bottled water, boiled water and hotel kettles are fine.
• Traveller's stomach is uncommon but bring a basic kit: rehydration salts, loperamide, paracetamol and plasters.

Traffic and scams

• Traffic does not stop for pedestrians, including on zebra crossings and on green lights, as right turns are allowed on red. Look both ways always, and watch for silent electric scooters on pavements.
• The tea house scam: friendly students invite you to a tea ceremony or art show near a tourist street in Beijing or Shanghai, and a bill of thousands follows. Decline all unsolicited invitations near Wangfujing, Nanjing Road and the Bund.
• Unofficial taxis at airports and stations quote five to ten times the meter. Use the official rank or DiDi.
• Fake monks asking for donations and bracelets tied on your wrist before a fee is demanded are the other common ones. A firm no is enough.

Toilets and daily life

• Public toilets are everywhere, free, and mostly clean in cities; many are squat style. Carry tissue and hand sanitiser, as paper is often not provided.
• Smoking is banned indoors in major cities but common elsewhere.
• Photography is forbidden at military sites, airports beyond the terminal, and some museums. Ask before photographing people, especially in Tibetan and Muslim areas.

Common questions