How to Pack for a Trip to China

China is a very interesting and thrilling place to visit. There are a few key things that you need to be sure to bring with you, and some tips that can help you along your way.

Steps

1. Arrive prepared in China. Though there is shopping on every street corner, many of the things you may be used to may be unavailable to you in China. Bring toilet paper as most restrooms will not provide this. Plan ahead by saving toilet paper, in advance of the trip. Each time you have a partial roll left, place this in a baggie and toss it into your suitcase. Six to eight small rolls will last a family of four through a two week trip. Five-star hotels will always have western-style toilets and toilet paper. Most larger airports will have at least one western toilet in the lavatory as well. Take only a key to your house or a car key with you. Leave all others.

2. Bring Pepto Bismol and Immodium chewables. Water quality in China is very poor and you may develop slight intestinal problems if you use tap water to brush your teeth, or if you eat vegetables which have not been cooked after having been rinsed in tap water. Chew two Pepto Bismol tablets before your meal to help prevent intestinal troubles.

8. Take traveler's checks, and some cash, as credit cards are not accepted by many restaurants and shops. Bring a security pack which will allow you to keep any return flight or train tickets and your traveler's checks, credit cards, and or cash, safely attached to your person, underneath your clothes. This way you can keep essential items safe if there is no safe in your hotel room.

Tips

• Decide where you want to go, and do research before you leave. Know the general weather for the season and location you will be. There's nothing more miserable than being dressed for the wrong weather. Also, it is important that you dress conservatively. Long pants and nice shirts and tops are good.
• Read several histories of China to make the sights more comprehensible. Bring your guide books with you so you can read them on the airplane and in your hotel room so the information will be fresh in your mind.
• Find a cassette language course, or bring a translation dictionary. While it is important to understand some Chinese, don't stress, just know the basics, enough to get you by. Keep in mind, though, that most Chinese people, outside of employees at 5-star hotels/restaurants and shops that cater to foreign tourists, will NOT be able to speak English. (aside from "hello!!") So, if you want to venture off the beaten path, learn some key phrases. Also, ask someone at the hotel you are staying at if they could write down, in chinese, the places you wish to go during the day. That way, if you have a taxi driver, you can show them where you want to go. #If you are staying in the urban areas, chances are high that you'll be able to communicate OK in English.
• Always carry a business card of the hotel you are staying at. This way, no matter what happens, someone will be able to get you back to where you want to be. Just in case of emergency, it would also be a good idea to bring a copy of you passport with you and leave your real passport locked in the safe at your hotel.
• Know where to find your currency collection places. It is not possible to obtain Chinese currency outside of China. So you will need to know where to access major hotels and big banks in the big cities so that you can cash the travelers' checks or credit card when needed.
• Pay attention to how much cash you have with you. It is a good idea to keep enough to get a taxi back to your hotel. All major airports will have ATMs, so get the money once you arrive.
• Spend some time with a map and get to know the places you are staying or will be visiting. It will help you get your bearings before wandering off into the city. If you have a small hand-held GPS, you'll be even less likely to become lost.
• Make sure you know what you're eating and how well it's been cooked. In places like Wangfujing market in Beijing, sometimes many of the snacks aren't cooked thoroughly. Drink beer whenever you're in doubt about the kinds of foods you have eaten - it will help digest whatever is not appropriate in your stomach...but don't overdo it.
• If you are of Caucasian or African ancestry, do not be surprised if people ask you to take a picture with them.
• Prepare for your trip by making a print with all the hotels you will visit in Chinese characters (use the Chinese website for this or Google translate). This will help the taxi drivers. Very rarely they speak English. Before going sight-seeing, have the concierge at your hotel write your destination in Chinese characters for the taxi driver.

Warnings

• Chinese culture is unique, and sometimes comes as a shock to outsiders. Don't be the obnoxious tourist! People will be more willing to help you if you aren't stubborn.
• Counterfeit currency is a huge problem in major cities such as Guangzhou.[2] Be sure to have some smaller bills with you if you are planning to go shopping. Try to avoid paying for a very small purchase with a large (100 Yuan or greater) bill. Be careful of scam artists who will take your legitimate 100 Yuan note, swap it for a fake one when you aren't looking, and then hand it back to you while telling you that they will not accept your counterfeit currency. Do not, under any circumstances, exchange money anywhere except your hotel or a bank.
• Be aware of pick-pockets, as you should when in any big city or foreign country. Have a short chain connecting your belongings to yourself. In crowded areas, such as train stations, wear your backpack/purse on the front of your body, instead of on your back. Use carry-on locks on your zippers. Wear your wallet in a chest pocket. Dress in black formal attire, and look around as if sizing people up for a fight (if you're a man) to intimidate thieves. If you're a woman, you're SOL since most Chinese do not consider women dangerous or intimidating.
• In major cities, be wary of giving money to the poor. If you give money to one, others will almost always follow and ask for money too.
• Make sure the taxi driver uses the meter, this way there is less chance of being cheated. Be careful!
• It is always safest to buy water bottles than to drink from fountain

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Pack-for-a-Trip-to-China