Go, but pay attention.
China's risk score jumped 11 points to 75 today, so monitor the Canadian advisory level of 2/4 and keep an eye out for the global measles notice.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about China
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go, but pay attention.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Political and Drug Involvement
Engaging in political activity or drugs can lead to serious legal problems. Avoid these areas to stay out of trouble with authorities.
Exit Bans
Chinese dual citizens and those of Chinese heritage may be subject to exit bans. These are used to compel cooperation with government investigations or to pressure relatives.
Arbitrary Enforcement
Freedoms regarding speech, information, and religion are curtailed and enforcement is arbitrary. If you run afoul of the government, punishments include extrajudicial detention and the death penalty.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •While China is generally safe for visitors, the government has some authoritarian aspects, and the topic of human rights in China is highly contested.
- •As long as you behave and do not get involved in drugs or political activity, you shouldn't have any problems.
- •Police: The main law enforcement agency you will encounter is the public security police (公安, gōng'ān; 警察, jǐngchá), or civilian police (民警, mínjǐng).
- •The People's Armed Police (PAP) (武警, wǔjǐng), is a branch of the Chinese military with law enforcement responsibilities.…
Staying healthy
- •Personal hygiene: Outside major cities, public washrooms range from mildly unpleasant to utterly repulsive.
- •The sit-down toilet familiar to Westerners is rare in China in public areas.
- •Carry your own tissue paper (卫生纸 wèishēngzhǐ, or 面纸 miànzhǐ) as it is rarely provided.
- •The Chinese tend to distrust the cleanliness of bathtubs, and while in China, you should too.
- •Wash your hands often with soap if you can find any, carry some disposable disinfectant tissues (found in almost any department or cosmetics store), or use alcohol gel.
- •Food: Each major city has an inspection regime that requires each establishment to prominently display the result (good, average or poor).
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers report that China is exceptionally safe regarding violent crime and street theft. You can walk alone at night, carry your phone in your hand, or leave bags unattended on trains without significant risk. The primary safety concerns involve minor financial discrepancies with ride-hailing apps like Didi, where drivers may add unauthorized toll or parking fees, and the presence of aggressive touts at train stations. Always carry your passport, as security checks are frequent at tourist sites and transport hubs. While the country is safe, be prepared for intense crowds, variable toilet hygiene, and strict security protocols at airports and train stations that require arriving well in advance.
“It was a joy to be able to carry the phone on your hands when walking without the fear of getting that snatched off your hand. Or carrying the backpack facing away from your chest or even having the wallet on your hip pocket.
— r/travel
“Only once I felt I was cheated. On the way to terracotta army, I noted that Didi said there would be additional toll. On arrival I saw the driver had added 26 RMB as toll and also 15 RMB as car park fee. I was surprised as I did not see him entering any car park and I had not checked the receipts for the toll.
— r/travel
“The touts will approach you at stations for taxi, just ignore and go to the official point where someone will help you. Make sure the driver flips the meter when he/she starts the journey.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / I · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 110 / ambulance: 120 / fire: 119
Zoom in
4 China cities on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (10 sources)
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12