Solo Female Travelogue: 10 Days in China
Visa Application
As I'm based in Korea, I applied for my visa there. The processing took about 5-6 days, and it granted me a 30-day entry, which was fantastic!
Itinerary and Essential Apps
Here's a quick rundown of my journey:
- Day 1: Seoul to Shanghai
- Day 2: Shanghai to Zhouzhuang
- Day 3: Zhouzhuang to Suzhou
- Day 4: Suzhou to Hangzhou
- Day 5: Hangzhou Exploration
- Day 6: Hangzhou to Nanjing
- Day 7: Nanjing Discovery
- Day 8: Nanjing to Shanghai
- Day 9: Shanghai Revisited
- Day 10: Shanghai to Seoul
For specific places within each city, a quick Google search of the location name will guide you to the best spots. My approach was minimalist; I only downloaded a few key apps: Alipay for payments, ride-hailing, and food delivery; Amap for navigation; and WeChat for hotel bookings and communication.
Navigating Potential Challenges
Solo travel can have its hiccups, and China was no exception. Here are a few things that came up and how I handled them:
- Immigration Woes: Arriving solo at Pudong Airport in Shanghai as a Vietnamese woman was quite the ordeal. Immigration officers were concerned I might overstay or seek marriage. Despite presenting my itinerary, return flight tickets, and my Korean alien card, they were initially hesitant. I requested a Vietnamese interpreter, and after a bit of back-and-forth, they allowed me through.
- Time Management is Key: Be prepared for lengthy procedures everywhere. Expect to add 1 to 1.5 hours to any scheduled time to account for the multiple checks and processes. Going by the exact schedule often means you're already running late!
- Avoiding Overcharging: While it only happened once, it's worth mentioning. On my way from Suzhou to Hangzhou, I took a taxi from my hotel to the train station. I forgot my luggage and had to ask the driver to turn back. Because it was a booked ride through an app, the fare was supposed to be calculated correctly. However, the driver insisted I pay him directly via personal transfer, claiming he'd sort it out with the app. When I questioned this and suggested involving the police for clarity, he quickly retracted his request, and the ride ended up costing the app-calculated fare of 28 yuan.
- A Chikungunya Scare: This was an interesting one! In Hangzhou, I was bitten by mosquitoes, leading to swollen legs and a feverish, achy feeling. The hospital initially diagnosed it as a common cold, advising rest and medication. Having experienced dengue fever multiple times, and knowing both are mosquito-borne illnesses that don't spread through respiratory or digestive systems, I suspected it wasn't just a cold. The symptoms resolved within two days, though it was a bit tiring. At Shanghai airport on my way back, I found a free chikungunya testing booth. To my surprise, I tested positive! Thankfully, by then, I had recovered and felt fine.
Overall, I'm proud of myself for undertaking this trip. China offers beautiful scenery, delicious food, and is generally affordable. The only downsides were the noise levels and instances of littering and smoking. Factoring everything in, I'd rate this adventure a solid 7.5/10.
Cre: Võ Thị Ngọc Ánh
