They say China is the ‘new Japan’ for Aussies. This is what it’s like to visit
I just got back from China. Literally, just got back. I covered 2,600km by bullet train, overnight local train, local buses, metros, boats and a ton of walking.
I’d never been and was keen to find out why China is now the No.4 destination for Australians travelling overseas. It passed the UK in 2025 and topped the USA for the first time ever this year. It's now just one place behind Japan.
I just went to China for the very first time. Supplied/John Walsh
John Walsh was Executive Producer of the TV travel series Getaway from 1999-2024. You can follow John on Instagram @thegetawayexpert.
Since I got back people have been asking me lots of questions about my experience. So rather than answer individually I thought I’d answer the most frequently asked questions here.
Is it easy to get around?
Short answer. Yes. China has a very modern transportation network. Let’s start with bullet trains. China has 50,000 km of high-speed rail lines, more than the rest of the world combined. By comparison Japan has 3,100km (although obviously a much smaller country).
You can get from Beijing to Shanghai for around $A115 and cover the 1,300km in about 4.5hours.
I caught two bullet trains and had no complaints. On time, comfortable and at over 300km/h a smooth ride. So that’s between cities.
Once you landed somewhere, I found the local metros/subways equally efficient and cheap. A single ride ticket in Beijing for example costs around $2.
Getting around was easy. Supplied/John Walsh
Uber doesn’t operate here anymore but DiDi does. I’d probably recommend it over taxis. I sometimes found the cab drivers will want to transport you off meter particularly from popular tourist sites and this can really hike up the price.
Can I travel on my own in China?
Yes, you could but for first timers I would recommend what I did and take a small group tour. Having a local guide ease you into an imposing destination like China and facilitate getting you around is a big plus.
The fun of group travel. Supplied/John Walsh
I went with G Adventures.
There were 10 of us and I thought that was a good number. We weren’t bussed around on big coaches so it felt more like assisted individual travel.
What’s the food like in China?
This is a biggie and requires some explanation. I’ve often heard people say Chinese food in China is nothing like what we have here.
That is partially true but not the whole picture.
Firstly, Chinese cuisine is very regional: Sichuan, Shandong, Cantonese, Fujian and Hunan among others. So unlike Chinese restaurants in Australia where you’ll find Sweet ‘n’ Sour Pork on virtually every menu there is no generic, one size fits all Chinese food in China.
It is true that for the most part Chinese food in Australia has been more Westernised with thicker, sweeter sauces like you might get on Mongolian Lamb. Honey Chicken or Beef with Black Bean Sauce so in that way it is quite different.
The food in China is very different to Chinese food in Australia. Supplied/John Walsh
The dishes in China tend to hero the featured ingredient more, so for example pork might be stir-fried just with ginger, spring onion and a little soy sauce.
So what’s not true is that Chinese food in China is too weird for Australian palettes.
In fact, it feels fresher and more flavoursome. One thing you have to get used to is rice not being a staple on every menu. Beijing, for example, is in northern China which has a colder, drier climate so they grow wheat not rice. Noodles rule here.
One of the first meals I had was at a high-end restaurant in Beijing to try Peking Duck (about $A20) and I only saw one person eating rice. When it is ordered it is often at the end of a meal if you’re still hungry.
I was at a high-end restaurant in Beijing to try Peking Duck. Supplied/John Walsh
Why it tends to feature so heavily in Australia is because the first Chinese migrants out here were mostly Cantonese who favour rice in their diets.
The other big thing you notice is that chicken doesn’t have the same prominence it does here.
Pork is No.1 and if you order meat in China that means pork unless otherwise specified. One difference are the sizzling iron-plate restaurants which feature beef and lamb because they are better suited to this style of high heat cooking.
Final word on food. If you love dumplings and what we know here as “short soup” I would suggest Shanghai.
I had a soup in a little place down a back lane with 30 wontons for $A3 and came back the next day and had the same soup with 20 wontons for $2.
Back land noodle restaurant discovery in Shanghai. Supplied/John Walsh
Is English very widely spoken?
No. Not that it should be. It’s arrogant to think people in other countries should speak English just because it would be more convenient for us.
I was surprised, however, at how little English was spoken by front desk staff at the four tourist hotels I stayed in. It may be different in 5-star properties but in the mid-range places I stayed, communicating with reception was difficult.
You really need Google Translate or another translating app to make yourself understood.
I found more English spoken in Shanghai than Beijing. Supplied/John Walsh
The staff also had these apps themselves so between us all it was possible to get whatever information you needed but come prepared with your app open when you need to talk. These are also very useful at railway stations and in shops and restaurants.
I found more English spoken in Shanghai than Beijing for example because it has been exposed to the West for a lot longer.
In all the big cities I visited streets signs, metro stops and signage at all tourist attractions was in Mandarin and English which was a big help.
In most big cities signs were in both Mandarin and English, otherwise use an app to translate. Supplied/John Walsh
Is it safe to travel in China?
In my experience, yes. I walked around on my own early morning and late night and never had any cause for alarm. I asked my guide if there was much street crime and he said no because of all the surveillance cameras.
The one safety issue I did have walking around was with the traffic. It’s so quiet.
It seemed like almost every vehicle on the road was electric including the scooters (mopeds) and they are everywhere, which is no surprise when you can buy a new electric scooter for about $A300.
If you are walking down a side street or back lane with no footpath you have to be vigilant because you won’t hear them coming.
You also have to be on your game even on the footpath because sometimes they like to share this space as well.
Beware of the scooters everywhere. Supplied/John Walsh
Cash or cards?
Neither. Forget cash. You’ll really struggle to find an ATM and outside of hotels and international chains like Starbucks credit cards are not widely accepted in small shops and restaurants.
The answer is to download one of the two apps the locals use: Alipay and WeChatPay. I used Alipay. Simple to use. You just link your credit card to it, and you can use it everywhere.
Even the smallest street vendors will accept the apps. Just scan the vendor’s QR code and away you go. I thought it was a really excellent system.
Even the smallest street food vendors will accept Alipay. Supplied/John Walsh
It’s Communist so does it feel like Big Brother is watching?
Well, there is a lot of surveillance. There are cameras everywhere, and you need to keep your passport with you because you’ll be asked for it a lot.
You won’t need it on the metro, but you will for the bullet or overnight trains, museums and other tourist attractions.
I think to enter Tiananmen Square in Beijing we had to show it four or five times and underwent a very thorough bag search and security pat down.
Make sure to always keep your passport handy. Supplied/John Walsh
There is quite a visible police presence, but it’s not oppressive, and I was never stopped by a police patrol and asked to show ID.
So, yes, you are aware of being in a more scrutinised society but outside the annoyance of producing your passport regularly I didn’t find it a hindrance to getting around or seeing what I wanted.
How are locals towards foreigners?
If your only experience of travelling in Asia is Bali or Phuket don’t expect the same level of open engagement.
The language barrier is a barrier and remember they don’t have a long tradition of western tourism here so catering to foreigners has not been their biggest priority.
That said, if you make a bit of an effort you will get a good response. Even using the greeting ni hao (hello) and shieh-shieh (thank you) can make a big difference.
Breaking down the barriers. Supplied/John Walsh
If you throw in some sentences on the translating app you will find a lot of the barriers melting away. I had to go to a pharmacy for cold & flu medication where the staff spoke zero English.
After miming out my symptoms and asking some questions on the app the pharmacists couldn’t have been more helpful. Another time when I needed cash to tip our guide a bank teller took me out of her branch and across the road to another bank entirely because her ATM wasn’t working.
I also found it went a long way to break the ice with my roommates in the shared overnight train compartment I took from Xi’an.
Final tips
Just to finish here is my quick thumbnail of the cities I visited:
- Beijing: If you want a more old school China experience. Communist HQ and the Great Wall.
- Xi’an: The Terracotta Warriors. A must-see if you get the chance.
- Shanghai: More western-facing and feels more like Hong Kong.
- Suzhou: Biggest surprise. Known as the “Venice of the East” because of all the canals criss-crossing the city.
Suzhou is known as the ‘Venice of the East’. Supplied/John Walsh
The verdict
In many ways China is too big to ignore. It seems to be on the news every other day but at the same time it appears hard to penetrate.
The Chinese were among our first immigrants so almost every Australian will have some familiarity with Chinese culture.
China itself, though, feels like a big step up: the sheer size of the country, its population and status as a world superpower. I really enjoyed my time there. I found it fascinating and depending on what day it was it either confirmed or disproved my beliefs about the place.
I’m surprised at the speed at which it’s got to No.4 on our travel list, but I get it.
Europe has been problematic with air routes through the Middle East and Aussie visitors to the US are down 37 per cent since pre-Covid.
In the way they have with Japan, Australians are looking for a new destination that’s cheaper to get to and more affordable on the ground.
For many people, that destination is China.
John travelled as a guest of G Adventures. All opinions are his own.
