Traveling Solo in China, and Women Travelers

Many solo travelers, women included, find mainland China one of the more relaxed places they’ve traveled alone. Street crime against visitors is generally uncommon and city centers stay busy late. The risks to plan for are smaller ones: a scam aimed at people on their own, a late ride home, or being stuck without a working phone. Set up your apps, know the scams and save the emergency numbers.

Is China safe for solo and women travelers?

China generally has low rates of street crime, and violent crime against foreign visitors is rare. Central areas of Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an and Chengdu are busy and well lit into the evening, and many solo women walk around them at night without problems. That doesn’t mean nothing happens, so use the same judgment you would at home.

Everyday precautions for solo travelers in China:

• Keep your phone charged and carry a power bank. Your phone is your map, wallet, translator and ride home.
• Watch your phone and bag in crowded metros, markets and sights.
• Watch your drink in bars, as anywhere.
• Share your itinerary and hotel details with someone at home.
• Save your embassy’s contact details before you travel.

Unwanted attention is usually curiosity rather than threat. Other tourists may ask to take a photo with you; a smile and 不用了 bú yòng le (“no thanks”) is enough to decline. See Health and safety for the wider picture.

Getting home at night in China

Getting back to your hotel late in China is usually simple, but plan around the metro closing.

• Metro: city metros stop running late in the evening. Check the last train time for your line and station before you head out.
• Didi: the easiest late-night option. You enter the destination yourself, the route is tracked, and the price is shown up front. See How to use Didi.
• Taxis: use the official taxi queue at stations and airports, and make sure the meter is on. Ignore drivers who approach you inside the hall.

Sit in the back seat, keep your hotel address in Chinese characters ready (the address card makes one), and follow the route on your own map. See Getting around.

Didi safety features for solo travelers in China

Didi, China’s main ride-hailing app, has safety tools that are worth setting up before your first solo ride. In the English app, look for the safety or shield icon during a trip.

• Share trip: send a live link to your route and driver details to a friend.
• Emergency button: contacts the police (110) and shares your location.
• Trusted contacts: add someone who can be notified about your trips.

Before you get in, check that the plate number, car and driver match the app. Choose a standard ride rather than carpooling options when you travel alone at night. If anything feels wrong, ask the driver to stop in a busy place and get out.

Check before you go: Didi’s safety tools, their names and where they sit in the app change between versions, and the Alipay and WeChat mini programs may offer fewer of them. Open the safety menu in the version you’ll use before your first ride.

Hotels for solo and women travelers in China

Hotels in China that accept foreign guests are generally a safe base for solo travelers. Most have a staffed front desk around the clock, and many need a room key card to use the elevator.

Tips for solo travelers at Chinese hotels:

• Choose a hotel near a metro station in a busy area, so late returns are short.
• Not every hotel in China is licensed to take foreign guests. Book one that confirms it does; see Hotels and registration.
• If the front desk says your room number out loud, ask for a different room.
• Use the door’s safety latch, and don’t open the door to unexpected visitors.
• Many youth hostels offer female-only dorms and are an easy way to meet other travelers.

Scams aimed at solo travelers in China

A few well-known scams in China target foreign visitors on their own, because a solo traveler is easier to approach. Knowing them is usually enough to avoid them.

• The tea-house scam: friendly young people approach you at a famous sight, say they want to practice English, and suggest tea or drinks. The bill is enormous, and the new friends are part of it. A variation targets solo men with an invitation to a bar. Decline, or choose the venue yourself and check menu prices first.
• The art-student scam: “students” invite you to their exhibition, then pressure you into buying overpriced paintings. Walk away.
• Unlicensed taxis: drivers who approach you at airports and stations usually overcharge. Use the official queue or Didi.
• Fake tickets: sellers outside sights. Book through official channels; see Booking sights.

If you are scammed or robbed in China, call 110 or go to the nearest police station, and ask for a written report for your insurer.

What to wear at temples in China

Dress in Chinese cities is relaxed, and shorts and sleeveless tops are normal in summer. At temples, especially Tibetan Buddhist temples, and at mosques, modest clothing is respectful: cover your shoulders and knees.

• At mosques, women may be asked to cover their hair, and some prayer halls are closed to non-Muslim visitors. Carry a light scarf.
• Some temples ask you not to photograph inside the halls; look for signs.
• Shoes come off in some prayer spaces.

See Etiquette and culture for more on behavior at religious sites.

Emergency numbers in China for solo travelers

The emergency numbers in mainland China are free from any phone:

Operators may not speak English. Say your location slowly, or hand the phone to a hotel employee or passer-by. Save your hotel address in Chinese characters so you can show or read it. Many travel eSIMs are data only, so check that your phone can make calls in China, or know where to find someone who can call for you.

The emergency tool has these numbers, phrases in Chinese and a card you can show, and the phrases tool covers everyday situations.