Tour China with the Experts
If you would like to travel through China unimpeded, the best way is to pack all your clothes and other necessities into one suitcase. Some tourists want to bring only what they can easily carry on-board, however that may not work for your extensive trek in China.
Whether you plan to pack your luggage in a traditional suitcase or a carry-on suitcase, you can maximize your travel enjoyment by packing them carefully.
Check the weather in China ahead of your visit
When you plan to travel to China, you should know what the weather during your trip is expected to be. Note that the weather in north and south China differ greatly, especially in winter.
In the early spring in northern China, the weather sometimes is typically in flux. It is still cold in the morning and evening but warm and sunny during the rest of the day. And it even snows sometimes. While in the south of China, the weather is very warm and the average temperature is nearly 68 degrees (20 degree centigrade).
Some places in the south of China see a marked increase in rain. Take the Yangtze Delta as an example: heavy rain sometimes results in intense flooding. The weather in Southern China such as Guangzhou, Hong Kong, or Shenzhen is very warm and the daily average temperatures is above 77 °F (25 °C).
In summer, it is hot and dry in northwest China. In central China (the Yangtze valley area), the summers are typically uncomfortable, long, hot, and humid. Wuhan, Chongqing and Nanjing are called “the threes furnaces.”
Autumn is the best time to travel the whole China, as the weather is cool and comfortable. The autumn is the high-season for China tourism.
The winter in China’s north and northeast is from November to March/April of the following year. It is very cold. In the northeast China like Heilongjiang, temperatures can drop to -40°F (-40°C). The temperatures in the most northern reaches of China can fall to 32°F (0°C). But in the south China, the temperatures will not drop below freezing. It will still feel cold and wet.
Only Bring Essentials
Whether you are going to trek in the Himalayas or explore the historical sites in Beijing or Xian, you need to make sure which essentials need to be taken. You’d better bring a nice outfit even though you don’t think you need it because you never know what your China trip will bring. Comfortable walking shoes are absolutely necessary.
Please include a towel and an umbrella besides some items of clothing. Although hotels offer towels, you can quickly clean yourself off if you get drenched by humidity or an unexpected downpour.
How to save space
Roll your clothes instead of folding them. This helps you save space and allow you to bring more clothes and can keep some room for your souvenirs. Take several plastic bags to help you separate your clean and dirty clothes. By the way, you don’t need to take toiletries as most hotels offer them. In China, many public toilets don’t offer toilet paper so you should bring a roll of toilet paper.
How to pick items you will take for your trip
Lay out on your bed the clothes you think you will need for your China trip and then pick only half of them. No matter what clothes you bring, please choose items which are easy to wash and drip-dry and don’t need to be ironed. By the way, you should leave extra room for souvenirs you pick up during your China journey.