Is China a good place to travel with children?
Yes definitely - China is a great place to travel with children, including toddlers and babies.
It is the safest kind of adventure that you can get travelling with kids to an "exotic" country - it has a traditional culture still alive and vibrant today, varied and delicious cuisine, beautiful landscapes, really cool attractions dedicated to kids and much more! At the same time, it is very safe, modern, easy to travel around thanks to its extensive high-speed train network and can be relatively cheap if you are on a budget.
Is China safe to travel with kids?
China is extremely safe to travel, with or without kids! There is virtually no crime, streets are clean and safe, people are considerate and helpful towards families with small children - especially foreigners.
Is Chinese food too spicy for children? What can they eat when we travel?
It is a misconception that all Chinese food is spicy - China's cuisine varies greatly, so it depends on the region you are travelling to what kind of food you will eat. But even the capital of hotpot, Chongqing, famous for its numbing spices has an option for children.
Besides, as every cuisine in the world, China also has its staples - most prominently rice and noodles, that are safe and easy for children of any ages, plus a variety of dumplings and steamed buns. In Chinese cuisine there is something for every taste - even for the picky little ones!
Do you need to speak Chinese when travelling in China?
Short answer is 'No', or rather 'Not really'. You can easily get around without speaking a word of Mandarin - many signs are written in English and using translator apps (which are terrible but can get a basic point across, usually) allows you some basic communitaction.
As anywhere, speaking a local language really leverages what you are able to do. In China very few people speak English, even in big cities. You will not be able to ask any complex questions or learn about the people you meet speaking only English. You will not be able to really "understand" people and make big friendships, but Chinese people are very friendly and will make an effort to talk to you anyway.
Language barrier should definitely not be the reason to not go to China! But regardless of that, it is definitely worth to learn a language spoken by over 1 billion people around the world!
Are there still any Covid-19 related restrictions in China?
Nope, not any more. In mid-2023 during our first family trip post-Covid, it was necessary to fill out a health declaration that included a Covid-19 test result 24hours before your flight. This is not the case anymore, everything really seems to be back to the pre-Covid normal.
Which countries can travel to China visa-free for 15 days?
In 2024 China has started rolling out a pilot program of unilateral visa wavers for multiple European countries that allows citizens of those countries to travel to China visa-free for up to 15 days. The purpose of this move is to encourage more tourism and promote China as a travel destination.
The list keeps on expanding, and currently includes following countries:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia , the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Switzerland
The scheme is a trial and will last until the end of 2025.