China- an experience of a lifetime

Title idea: China Isn’t Scary—It’s Incredible: A 19-Year-Old’s Solo Travel Experience Across the Country

Hey everyone! I wasn’t sure which tag to use, but I wanted to share my experience as a way to encourage more young people—especially solo travelers—to consider China. Today is one of my last days here after nearly 30 days of solo travel across the country, and I’ve had the most amazing time.

For context: I’m a 19-year-old female, I speak zero Mandarin, and this was my first big solo trip in Asia. I was nervous at first, especially with how China is sometimes portrayed online, but honestly—it’s been so much safer and more welcoming than I expected.

🇨🇳 Safety & Kindness

China is hands down the safest country I’ve ever been to. Of course, always stay aware, but I felt comfortable and welcome the entire time. The people? 9 times out of 10, incredibly helpful and kind. I was genuinely surprised—coming from places where you’re often wary of scams or cold interactions, this was such a breath of fresh air.

People would approach me when I looked lost and point me in the right direction. One woman even shared her umbrella with me on a rainy day. Any stares I got felt more curious than judgmental or negative.

🚄 My Route

I traveled entirely by train—mostly hard sleeper—and it was honestly great. The Chinese train system is super efficient, with plenty of English signage. I booked all my tickets through Trip.com..

My route: Beijing → Xi’an → Xining (for Zhangye Geopark) → Chengdu → Lijiang → Dali → Chongqing → Zhangjiajie → Guilin/Yangshuo, and now I’m heading to Hanoi.

One of my favorite moments was on a sleeper train between Xining and Chengdu, where I met a group of university students. We chatted using translation apps and played cards—turns out, teenagers everywhere have the same kinds of problems 😄

🌍 Social Interactions

There aren’t as many international travelers in China compared to other parts of Asia, but I found that made the interactions I did have even more meaningful. I was usually the youngest person around, but I hope China starts attracting more young travelers soon—it deserves the attention!

📱 Must-Have Apps & Tools

People often overcomplicate traveling in China, but here’s what worked for me:

• eSIM: I used Nomad—worked great.

• VPN:

• Translation: Papago Translate was a lifesaver.

• Transport: Didi is a must—super easy to use.

• Payments: I used Alipay, but had a few hiccups. Having some cash (in small denominations) came in handy when Alipay didn’t work.

It might sound like a lot, but honestly, it takes 30 minutes to download and set everything up. Once you do, it makes life so much easier.

❤️ Final Thoughts

If you’re on the fence about coming to China—don’t be. Scroll through this subreddit, prep your apps, and go for it. I’m so glad I took the leap. This trip has been unforgettable, and I truly hope more people get to experience what I did.

Feel free to ask me anything—I’m not an expert, just someone who took a chance and had the time of her life.

Safe travels! ✨