Sapore di Cina

Learn Chinese, Travel or Work in China

Traveling to Koh Phangan: The island of the Full Moon Party

by Leave a Comment

Traveling to Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan is the fifth largest island in Thailand; it has an area of just over 125 square kilometers and is located in the southwestern part of the Gulf of Siam. Famous for its beaches and almost untouched tropical nature, Koh Phangan is also a destination known to travelers throughout the world for its Full Moon Party. During this party, celebrated once or twice a month depending on how often the full moon is visible, along almost a kilometer of beach DJ’s from around the world have 30 thousand people dancing.

Koh Phangan is not just music and dancing; in fact it’s also a place appreciated by travelers looking for calm and tranquility. 90% of the island is covered in thick tropical forest, which makes it a suitable place for yoga fans and those looking for a spiritual experience in one of the many retreats.

The island’s spirituality is also quite evident in its history. Up until 1400 Koh Phangan was in fact completely uninhabited, it’s discovery was made by a group of Buddhist monks who decided to build the first temple on the island: Wat Phu Khao Noi.

As a tourist destination, Koh Phangan began to become known starting in the 70’s. Ten years later though it underwent a full tourist boom, and thanks to the Full Moon Party, Koh Phangan in fact became one of the most popular places among young people from all over the world. [Read more…]

How to Buy Chinese Tea Online Directly from China

by 6 Comments

buychinesetea

If, like me, you love quality Chinese tea but aren’t about to pay an arm and a leg to buy it from the fashionable boutiques in the center of Milan nor drive 200 km to get some, then this article should appeal to you.

For some time, I buy Chinese tea online on TeaVivre, a website created by a group of passionate tea lovers that live in China.

The prices, as you’ll see as I continue with the article, are more than acceptable, especially if you consider that we’re talking about certified tea, often organic. As far as shipping goes, once you place your order the tea will arrive at your house within 6-10 days (if you decide to pay 8.9 American Dollars) or 12-20 days (if you opt for free shipping).

To finish, TeaVivre offers a “satisfaction or money back” guarantee for 15 days.

Click here to get tea directly from China!

Keep reading to find prices and characteristics of the most popular Chinese teas (note that the prices are all in American Dollars)! [Read more…]

Great Wall of China: A Short Review of The Top 14 Best Sections

by 20 Comments

Great Wall of China

I’ve always been fascinated by the Great Wall of China (长城, Chang Cheng in Mandarin). The first time I had enough time and money to afford an intercontinental travel I took a flight from Paris to Beijing and I went straight away to see the Great Wall section of Mutianyu.

This was in February 2008 and since then I’ve visited the Great Wall other four times, once per year.

Great Wall of China – Index

  1. Where to visit the Great Wall of China?
  2. The head of the Great Wall: Badaling, Juyongguan, Mutianyu, Simatai, Jinshanling, Gubeikou, Jankou, Huanghuacheng and Huangyaguan
  3. Where the Great Wall meets the sea: Shanhaiguan
  4. The back of the dragon: Zhenbeitai and Yanmenguan
  5. The tail of the dragon: Jiayuguan and Yumenguan
  6. If you want to know more

[Read more…]

Unblocking Youku, Tudou and Other Chinese Websites – VPN Servers in China

by 2 Comments

unblock youku china vpn server

On this website, we have talked about the best way to get around the Great Firewall of China on many occasions as well as how to access the internet without restrictions in China.

However, what happens when we want to access the network that exists within the Great Firewall? This article is intended for people who for whatever reason want to access websites located in China without any type of restrictions.

Summary of the article

Below is a summary of what this article talks about and the conclusions we reach. If you want more information, just read the section you are interested in.

  • Problem: Browsing Chinese websites outside of the country is extremely slow and some content is restricted (for examples videos on Youku, Tudou, Sohu and LeTV)
  • Reason: The Great Firewall and geographic restrictions (copyright laws)
  • The best way to resolve this: A VPN with a server in China
  • Who do we recommend use a VPN with a server in China?: People of Chinese origin who live outside of the country, Mandarin students and people who due to their job or for other reasons need to do research on China.

Click here to skip the introduction and to go directly to the VPNs with Chinese servers that we recommend.

[Read more…]

The Phenomenon of Internal Migration in China: Hukou and the Floating Population

by Leave a Comment

The phenomenon of internal migration in China

Following the improvement of communications and transport systems due to modern processes of urbanization and industrialization, the phenomenon of migration has become an issue of worldwide importance. The term migration indicates a movement from one area to another, which usually includes passage across more borders happening in a precise interval of time and includes a change of residence.

From a demographic point of view, migration, together with the fertility and mortality rates is a fundamental component for measuring the population growth in a determined area. In China, the term migration indicates citizens that prior to receiving authorization from the Office of Public Security, move their place of residence from one area to another.

The official figures from the last census of Chinese population in 2010 show that for the first time in the history of China, there are more people that live in the cities than the countryside. In 1950 only 64 million people lived in urban areas while in 2010 the number reached 636 million.

What has caused the phenomenon of internal migration?

Beginning in 1978, when Deng Xiaoping instituted the era of reforms (改革开放), migration from the rural areas to the cities has become an endemic phenomenon and the root of the process of industrialization, economic growth and urbanization in China. The movement of the work force from low productivity sectors to high productivity sectors has become one of the principal components in Chinese economic growth and the main reason of the growth of internal migration. [Read more…]

Hiring Employees Locally in China: Our Guide

by Leave a Comment

Hiring locally in China

Hiring locally in China – Index

  1. Definitions of key payroll terms
  2. Types of China’s social insurances
  3. Other considerations when deciding to hire a local employee in China
  4. Get help from a Professional Employment Organization (PEO) in China

One of the first considerations after deciding to establish a new business in China is to hire employees from the local workforce.

Many businesses are hesitant to hire foreign nationals who are not already in China because of the additional steps that must be taken, including obtaining a visa and sponsoring an employee.

There are many reasons a firm would choose to instead hire locally, here the top three:

  • Local employees will be more knowledgeable about the current business environment;
  • Local employees will also be fluent in Chinese, a big factor when dealing with local partners;
  • Local employees will be familiar in local customs and business culture and will advise you in how to avoid common mistakes.

For these reasons and many more, it is convenient to hire a local employee, when possible. In the past, employers were more likely to hire locally due to the lower expectations for a compensation package. Although that was true in the past, the cost of living has risen across the world and specifically in China, where employee wages are also on the rise. It is important to not have these expectations when entering the Chinese market now.

Although the process of hiring a local Chinese employee is much more straightforward than that of hiring a foreign national, there are still many considerations in deciding to go this route.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the key considerations when deciding to hire a local employee in China, including:

  • What is included in the salary package?
  • The mandatory benefits included in the social security system.

[Read more…]

144 Hours (or 72 Hours) China Visa Free Travel Permit – The Complete Guide

by 168 Comments

How to transit China for 72 (or 144) hours without a visa Pudong International Airport, Shanghai

Need help to get your Chinese visa?
Click here to find out more!

Before you begin

When traveling in Asia, oftentimes you’ll have to pass through a Chinese airport. For some time now, if you have a stopover in one of the airports listed below, you have the option of visiting China (for a maximum of 3 or 6 days, depending on the city where you arrive, see below for details), without needing Chinese a visa.

Note that the visa exemption only applies under specific conditions, thus we suggest you to read the whole article!

Also, you can check this new tool released by the Chinese government: just enter your nationality and the city of entry (Beijing, for instance), and the tool will let you know if you qualify for the exemption and for how long (72 or 144 hours).

Keep in mind that even though we’re happy to respond to all comments, we cannot absolutely guarantee that you’ll get an exemption, since we are not in any way affiliated with either the Chinese Immigration Office (which issues exemptions on your arrival in China) or any transportation company.

In fact, if you’re traveling by plane, ship or train, it will be your transportation company that will evaluate if you qualify for exemption (and thereby let you get off the transportation you took to China without a visa).

In this article, I limit myself to sharing my own experience (I did in fact get an exemption at Pudong Airport in Shanghai) and giving a general answer to the most frequently asked questions regarding 72 or 144 hour exemptions.

P.s. Click here if you need a hotel in China for a couple of nights.

[Read more…]

How to Obtain the 5-Days Visa (VOA) for Shenzhen

by 3 Comments

5-day visa shenzhen

Temporary visas for Shenzhen are issued for tourism purposes only. In the article below, we go into further details and update the information offered in our previous article on business visas, as well as give answers to the following questions.

How to Obtain the 5-Days Visa (VOA) for Shenzhen – Index

  1. Why visit Shenzhen?
  2. Who can get a temporary visa for Shenzhen?
  3. Where can I get a temporary visa for Shenzhen?
  4. What are the requirements for obtaining a temporary visa and how much does it cost?
  5. How long does the temporary visa last and how many entries does it allow?
  6. What are the steps for requesting a visa?
  7. With this temporary visa, can I visit other Chinese cities in addition to Shenzhen?
  8. Can I get this visa at my embassy or consulate?
  9. Does this visa allow me to work in China?
  10. Can I get a similar visa at the border between Macao and Zhuhai?

[Read more…]

Review of the VPN Ivacy – An Unknown High Performance VPN

by Leave a Comment

Ivacy VPN review

Created in 2007, Ivacy is one of the oldest VPNs on the market and one of the first VPNs to incorporate interesting options such as Split Tunneling in its applications. However, despite all of this, it continues to be unknown among many VPN users. In short, Ivacy is a complete and cheap VPN with acceptable services.

Features

  • Encryption protocols: PPTP, SSTP, L2TP, OpenVPN and IKEv2.
  • Simultaneous connections: 5 simultaneous connections.
  • Number of countries with servers: Ivacy has more than 1000 servers located in 50 different countries.
  • Server changes allowed: Unlimited.
  • Applications: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Kody and Xbox.
  • Customer service: 24/7/365 via live chat or email.
  • Guaranteed money back: 30 and 7 days for monthly subscriptions.
  • Special functionalities: Split Tunneling, Kill Switch, Secure DNS, IPv6 Leak Protection, NAT Firewall.

[Read more…]

The Writer Yu Hua: His Life and Most Important Works

by Leave a Comment

This is the first article of the new category “Readers of SDC: Guide to Chinese literature”, centered around the writer from Hangzhou, Yu Hua.

His life

Yu Hua (余华) was born April 3, 1960 (one of Yu Hua’s works is entitled “What happened on April 3”, 四月三日事件) in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. At about one year of age, Yu Hua’s father left Hangzhou to become a surgeon in Haiyan. His father’s name is 华自治, his mother 余佩文 (Yu Hua takes his surname from his mother).

In 1977, after finishing high school, he was admitted into the “Lu Xun” institute of literature in Beijing, where he would get to know his wife, the poet 陈虹 (Chen Hong). Yu Hua lived in Beijing for more than ten years because his wife worked there; now he lives in Hangzhou. Before becoming a writer, Yu Hua worked as a dentist.

In 1973, the local library reopened and Yu Hua’s father, Hua Zizhi, bought his two children a library card that would allow them to read many works, especially long novels. Yu Hua read many of the works of Hao Ran (浩然), but his absolute favorites were: 《闪闪的红星》(Sparkling Red Star) and 《矿山风云》(“The Unrest in the Mines”). Nevertheless, he only got the first books of his own when he was 18 years old.

[Read more…]

Best Health Insurance for Expats in China

by 17 Comments

health insurance expats china

One of the most important things you need to consider before moving to China to live is whether you need to take out health insurance or not, and what type of policy to choose.

Click here if you want to send a request for a
free quotation to the broker we recommend at the moment

This article is intended to help you understand what you will find in China, and to provide the information necessary for you to be able to decide whether to take out a health insurance policy and how to choose it.

To do so, we are going to cover the following topics (you can click on the index below to skip directly to the section that you are most interested in).

Health Insurance for Expats in China – Index

  1. Medical attention in China
  2. Why do I need health insurance in China?
  3. Hospitals in China
  4. Types of health insurance in China
  5. What is a broker and why you might need one?
  6. Table comparing health insurance policies for China
  7. How to evaluate the features of a health insurance policy
  8. Send a request for a free quotation to the broker we recommend

[Read more…]

The Best Working VPN for China in January 2019 (with Comparison Table)

by 380 Comments

Best VPN for China

Before getting started

This article is a complete guide that is updated monthly on how to easily access Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Youtube and other websites that are blocked in China, using a VPN.

The first part of this article explains what a VPN is, the simplest and most effective way to access the Internet without restrictions.

The second part is a comparative review of ExpressVPN, VyprVPN, NordVPN and VPN Area, in our opinion one of the best VPN providers for China. We compare the prices, functionality and performance of the four VPN.

We also give a short review of the most popular VPN in China and show the results of the survey of VPNs that our readers in China use. On top of that, you will find multiple sections to help you evaluate and optimize your VPN and in general which types of websites are blocked in China.

Important: Many of the VPN services mentioned in the article have offered us exclusive deals for our readers. To get the discount, all you have to do is access the VPN service’s website via one of the links that you’ll find in this article.

Click here if you want to jump directly to the
comparison of the best VPN for China!

What VPN do we recommend for China?

  • ExpressVPN: A VPN that’s easy to use, fast and which has proven to be one of the most reliable VPNs for China over the past years.
  • VyprVPN: A VPN with an excellent quality to price ratio, good performance in China and numerous options for a secure connection.
  • NordVPN: A VPN that is very complete and easy to use. It has a good performance in China if you choose the right server.
  • VPNArea: A VPN that’s less popular in China and a bit difficult to use, but which has one of the best performances on the market at a very low price.

Important: Due to the increased restrictions to VPN which came into effect in October 2017, you should always keep your VPN updated in order to make sure it works at its best.

What is a VPN and why do I need one in China?

As you probably already know, the internet doesn’t work like we would like it to in China and a large number of websites are blocked by the “Great Firewall.” Among the websites that you can’t access there are Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter and Google+.

There are many other blocked websites, and depending on what you do, it may be virtually impossible for you to work in China without a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The most striking case is probably that of Google.com, which often returns an error message when used from within the Middle Kingdom.

But there is still hope…

In order to solve this problem, you can install a VPN, which masks your I.P. address so that your laptop appears to be connected from the U.S. or Japan even if you are in China.

[Read more…]

10 Things not to Underestimate Before Going to China

by Leave a Comment

things not to underestimate before going to China

We’ve received and publish this article written by Antonella Moretti, a blogger and writer. Author of the novel “Parsley & Coriander: Life in China with Italian flavour“.

I’ve been living in China for six years, and in my city’s Italian community I’m considered to be a bit of a veteran. In this period of time I passed through all phases of the expat parabola, seen the incredible changes in the city where I live, and I’ve even started to buy things on my own on Taobao and have ordered food from Elema.

But it wasn’t like that in the beginning. If I think of how I was when I arrived in Suzhou the first time…

What advice would I give to someone, who like Maia the protagonist of my book, arrives in China a little vulnerable, young and inexperienced? What are the things not to underestimate when you live in a country like this? Let’s look at it in detail!

1. The cultural differences

It might seem like banal advice, since everyone knows that the Chinese culture is different than the European! But encountering it for the first time can be quite tough.

For example you could get angry when in the middle of a discussion someone laughs in your face. In reality it’s their way of expressing embarrassment. Your exuberance could be quashed by the composure of the Chinese: their sense of humor is very different. Here nobody likes the loud and noisy joking that we enjoy when in a group. [Read more…]

Review of Hide My Ass, an Easy-to-Use VPN with a Large Servers Count

by Leave a Comment

hidemyass vpn china title=

Hide My Ass is one of the oldest VPN providers, and used to be very popular. However, over the past years, new providers with better services have appeared, reducing its popularity among users. In any event, Hide My Ass continues to be a VPN to keep in mind due to its ease of use, high server count and the options that it offers.

Features

  • Encryption protocols: OpenVPN®-TCP, OpenVPN®-UDP, L2TP (manual configuration), PPTP (manual configuration).
  • Simultaneous connections: 5 simultaneous connections.
  • Number of countries with servers: 190 countries and 280 different locations.
  • Server changes allowed: unlimited.
  • Applications: Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and iOS.
  • Customer service: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year via email and live chat.
  • Guaranteed money back: 30 days, 7-day free trial.
  • Special functions: dynamic IP addresses, System Kill Switch.

[Read more…]

Your Guide to Visit the Everest Base Camp

by 4 Comments

Everest Base Camp

This article, a complete guide to visit the Everest North Base Camp, was written by Harley Greenberg, who arrived in China in 2008 as a Peace Corps Volunteer. When not teaching he would always crisscross the country and his first visit to Tibet was in 2009. Today Harley is a manager at WindHorseTour.

Your Guide to Visit the Everest Base Camp – Index

  1. Can you visit Tibet on your own?
  2. When to visit the Everest
  3. How many days do you need to visit Everest Base Camp?
  4. Should you join a private or a group tour?
  5. How to get to Mount Everest
  6. The most popular route: Lhasa to Kathmandu via Everest Base Camp
  7. Food and Guest Houses at Base Camp
  8. What to do at Everest Base Camp?
  9. Frequently asked questions
  10. Need a travel agency for Tibet? Ask a free quotation

[Read more…]

How to Use Chinese Paper Dictionaries – Our Guide

by Leave a Comment

How to use Chinese paper dictionaries

Which are the best Chinese language dictionaries? What type of dictionaries are available? How do you use them? If you’ve ever asked any of these questions, this article is for you!

Why learn how to use a Chinese paper dictionary?

We’ll speak about Chinese paper dictionaries, an indispensable tool for those learning Chinese (at least at university, where cell phones and computers aren’t allowed in classes or exams). The list we’re proposing is certainly not complete, but represents a good start for starting to understand something or have an idea about which tool is best for you and your study.

Once a staple until a few years ago, lately the paper dictionary is an increasingly less-used tool in favor of digital dictionaries (electronic dictionaries, online sites, specific software, pdf/ebook dictionaries and cellphone apps).

So why should you learn how to use one? There are two basic reasons, one of a practical nature and the other, theoretical so to speak.

First of all, those who study Chinese at university will already know this: you’re not allowed to use cell phones and tablets during exams, and as a result, a paper dictionary is the only option. Alternately, there are lots of electronic dictionaries that contain one or more paper dictionaries in digital format, which could be allowed by the teacher.

On the other hand, knowing how to use a Chinese paper dictionary presupposes a knowledge of the structure of characters that can’t be neglected by those who study the language, which I will try to explain in the simplest way possible. [Read more…]

Traveling by Train in Vietnam: Our Guide

by Leave a Comment

Traveling by train in Vietnam

An interesting option to cross Vietnam (or just to cover a part) is to take the train: which is certainly the oldest and most famous means of transport in Vietnam. From the trains you can enjoy breathtaking views and have an authentic experience in contact with the local population.

Vietnam’s shape is perfect for going from north to south, or viceversa, and you certainly won’t get lost anywhere. Moreover, traveling by train has other advantages, especially if you’re in a rush and want to slowly enjoy the atmosphere of the trip in order to discover the country.

How to book and buy a train ticket in Vietnam

Traveling by train within Vietnam is a different and stimulating experience, even though many young travelers prefer to cross the country seated on an old motorbike or in a bus.

After deciding how to travel and where to go, to buy a ticket you can go to one of the ticket offices found inside the station. Remember to bring your passport with you, because it will be required in order to buy your ticket or confirm your booking and information on your ticket. [Read more…]

The List of Blocked Websites in China

by 155 Comments

The list of blocked websites in China

¿Do you want to access any website in China without restrictions? Click here and check out the comparison of the top VPNs that really work in China

Latest important information

VPNs continue to provide access to websites blocked in China

Despite the rumors, VPNs continue to be the best way to get around the Great Firewall of China. Nonetheless, due to an intense campaign during the second half of 2017, many VPNs have stopped working or their services have been affected substantially.

In this article, which we update monthly, you will be able to see which VPNs continue to work in China.

Twitch and Discord are blocked in China

Since September 2018, Twitch and Discord have been blocked in China. These two apps were becoming very popular among Chinese gamers to chat and stream videos.

Yahoo search does not work in China

While Yahoo’s website and Yahoo Mail are still accessible, Yahoo’s search engine (search.yahoo.com) has not been accessible in China since September 2018.

Reddit is blocked in China

Since August 2018, Reddit has been inaccessible to users located in China. Despite taking a long time, this blockage was to be expected, given the nature of the website and its popularity.

Currently, WhatsApp does not work in China

Since June 2017, WhatsApp had been suffering intermittent problems, until it was definitively blocked at the end of September. A the present moment the service remains inaccessible in China without using a VPN.

Skype continues to work in China

In December 2017, the Skype app disappeared from the App Store and other app markets in China. Even so, Skype has never stopped working in China.

VPN apps for Apple are not blocked in China

The apps have not been blocked. Even so, the App Store has blocked downloading these apps for users who are located in China, which means that you will not be able to download the apps or update them unless you have a VPN active on your phone (manually configured or by downloading the app in advance).´

Google maps is still blocked in China
Recent news pointed to the possibility that China may release the block to Google Maps for users in Mainland. However at the present moment Google Maps is unavailable in China without a VPN.

You probably already know that sites such as Facebook, Youtube or Google.com are blocked in China and that the only way to access them is with a VPN.

But what about the other hundreds of web sites that we normally use?

Are we sure that they’ll work in China?

One of the most frequent questions we receive is if a certain website or app, such as Dropbox Google Play, is blocked in China.

In this article we’ll list all web sites, which at the moment, don’t work beyond the Great Firewall of China, or the system developed by the Ministry of Public Security, (MPS) to control access to websites considered “dangerous” for Chinese citizens. [Read more…]

Golden Week Escape to Tonglu, in Zhejiang Province

by Leave a Comment

Golden Week escape to Tonglu

The week of the Chinese national holiday is called 黄金周, or Golden Week: in China, on the first of October they celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Chinese People’s Republic of China, which is followed by an entire vacation week where schools and offices close and only restaurants and hotels work hard during these days which I would define more like “fire” than “gold”.

On my third Golden Week here in China I already know that it’s best to avoid the most touristy areas and the big cities, as well as train stations and airports: a simple trip outside your door could become a real ordeal.

It seems that all the Chinese take advantage of this vacation week to take a trip with their families or return home to see their parents or relatives: and so it was that I regretted having used this week off of university classes during my first year in China to go to Beijing, travelling for nearly 30 hours on a dirty overcrowded train without even a place to sit only to arrive in Beijing without even being able to visit the Forbidden City because the daily allottment of tickets was already sold out by 9 in the morning.

Moving along in procession in a Tienanmen full of Chinese tourists armed with smartphones and cameras, I promised that I would never again travel during Chinese holidays at the risk of staying shut inside my university dorm. [Read more…]

How to watch Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime Video, Sky Go, Hulu and BBC iplayer overseas

by 8 Comments

watch netflix

Before getting started

, many platforms for live streaming television, films, or series have geographic restrictions and don’t offer all of their content in every country. This is the case with Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Sky Go and BBC iPlayer, among many more.

Using a VPN is usually the best solution to be able to enjoy these platforms without restrictions.

However, many of these platforms have started to detect and block users using proxies and VPNs.

In this article, we will explain how you can easily access geographically restricted content and which VPNs still work to access Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Sky Go and BBC iPlayer.

Click here to see which VPN we recommend

Table of Contents

  1. How to access Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Sky Go, BBC iPlayer and/or any other geographically restricted content
  2. How to use a VPN to access Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Sky Go, BBC iPlayer or any other local service
  3. What are the best VPNs and those that still work
  4. What VPNs no longer work to unblock Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Sky Go and BBC iPlayer
  5. Are there any free options?
  6. How to configure your VPN to access streaming platforms
  7. Is a VPN useful when I’m in my country?
  8. Is it illegal to use a VPN to access geographically restricted content?

How to access geographically restricted content

[Read more…]