What to pack for China: the Australian traveller's list

Most of what you need for China you can buy there, cheaper. The list below is the things you cannot, or should not try to, and the few items that make the days easier.

Documents

• Passport with at least six months’ validity beyond your return date, plus a photo of the data page on your phone and a paper copy in your bag.
• Printout or screenshot of the visa-free entry notice from the Chinese embassy, in case airline staff ask.
• Hotel name and address in Chinese characters for each hotel, for taxi drivers and the arrival card.
• Travel insurance policy number and the insurer’s emergency phone line.
• Flight and train confirmations. Train tickets are tied to your passport; you scan the passport at the gate, no printout needed.

Phone and money

• Alipay set up with your Australian card, and a travel eSIM installed. Our phone guide and Alipay guide cover both.
• A credit card and a debit card from different banks. Cards work at hotels and large shops.
• A small amount of cash, RMB 500 to 1,000, for the rare place that takes nothing else. ATMs at the airport dispense RMB with Australian cards.
• Power bank. Australian plugs fit Chinese sockets, so no adapter is needed for standard flat-pin plugs.

Medication and health

• Prescription medication in original packaging with a copy of the prescription. Bring the full trip’s supply plus a few days.
• Your usual painkillers, antihistamines, something for stomach upsets and rehydration sachets. Pharmacies are everywhere but reading labels is hard.
• Any children’s medicines you rely on; brands differ.
• Hand sanitiser and tissues. Public toilets outside malls and hotels often have neither.

Clothes by season

Spring and autumn (April–May, September–November): layers. A light jacket, a jumper, long trousers, one warm layer for Beijing evenings and the Great Wall.

Summer (June–August): light, breathable clothes, a hat, sunscreen, and one layer for aggressively air-conditioned restaurants and trains. Shanghai is as humid as Brisbane in February.

Winter (December–February): Beijing is below freezing. A proper winter coat, thermals, gloves and a beanie. Shanghai is milder but damp and buildings are poorly heated.

All year: comfortable walking shoes you have already worn in. A day in Shanghai is 10 to 15 km on foot. Nothing you wear will be out of place; dress codes are relaxed everywhere except a few high-end restaurants.

The Great Wall day

Closed shoes with grip, a layer for wind at the top, sunscreen, water and a snack. The toboggan at Mutianyu is fine in normal clothes. Leave the big camera bag; the steps are steep and uneven.

Things you do not need to bring

Umbrella, toiletries, snacks, water bottles, a second pair of thongs: all cheaper and easy to find. A universal adapter, unless you have round-pin European devices. A guidebook, if you have a guide.

For families

Favourite snacks for the flight and the first day. Your brand of formula or nappies if the child is particular. A light carrier for toddlers; the old town around Yu Garden is not pram territory. Small toys for train journeys.

One thing most people wish they had packed

A small gift from Australia if you are visiting relatives or a factory: Tim Tams, macadamias, a bottle of wine, a Melbourne coffee bag. It opens doors in a way nothing bought locally does.