DonJ1973

Hello everyone
Need some more input about China. I've heard many horror stories about some rather disgusting bathroom/restrooms around China. I heard some American style toilets will flood if you put toilet paper in it and I've also heard that many restrooms are still the old style hole in the ground. Can any of you who live or have travelled to China confirm these stories? Is it a good idea to always carry toilet paper with you?

Marija

We were very pleasantly surprised by the restrooms in China. We did stay in major cities and tourist destinations and flew from one location to another. The Olympics in Beijing are probably responsible for a major upgrade of facilities there. Of course you should always carry supplies with you, just in case.

easywalker

Hi, DonJ1973! The month before last I was in Beijing for the first time for several days. I was only in the main tourist areas, restaurants, and hotels.

Coming from New York, I too was pleasantly surprised at the high level of toilet facilities (better than what I usually find in Macy's, for example).

On many occasions I noticed there would be very new facilities side-by-side: traditional Eastern and modern Western.

Yes, of course, you should always privately carry along some toilet paper, facial tissue, or the like. THAT is something that might be in short supply in public toilets.

By the way: do not use the expressions
"restroom", "bathroom", "mens room", and similar. No one at all will understand you; no one will be able to direct you to the correct location.

Outside of the U.S. the rest of the world uses the simple expression "toilet".

Mole

We were in Beijing and Shanghai last month and found that as long as you stick to toilet facilities in places like Macdonalds, KFC etc they were ok (still werent as clean as in Australia but ok). I always carried tissues and 'wet wipes' and these were invaluable at times. My husband fared better than I at many places due to obvious differences!!, sometimes when we were off the beaten track a bit (like at the Great wall, markets etc) I just held on. Loved China though and cant wait to go back.
Cheers
Catherine

AnselmAdorne

We were in Beijing in April. Most of the tourist sites we visited had squat toilets. However, my wife remarked that most of these sites also had facilities designated for the disabled. These generally had western toilets.

Anselm

mmyk72

Ditto about nice toilets in major cities and famous sites. Just be sure to have your own t-paper and small bottles of soap or cleaner for washing your hands.

When you venture off those areas, the toilets can be disgusting. I've been to ones that smell real bad even from the outside. Too bad women can't just do it anywhere, like men can.

cf5657

I would reccomend bringing a small supply of toilet paper and also some kleenex tissues as trying to find a paper napkin is next to immpossible. The tissues that they sell in China are all menthol scented which made my allergies really bad coupled with the pollution in Southern China. The toilets are bad but you get used to it. Just learn to watch where you step and roll your pant legs up.

DonJ1973

Thanks everyone for the information. I'll be sure to get some wet napkins and extra toilet paper for my trip.

tweety817

When visiting the Ming Tombs I photographed the sign outside of the toilets. It said Five Star Toilet" On entering the building I was greeted by a matron who directed me to the right where there were clean Western toilets with toillet tissue. I looked on the left side and there were the traditional hole in the floor style. (This was the ladies room. I don't know about the men's.) At the cable car station of the Great Wall there were Wstern style and at the Friendship Store. However at a very upscale department store in Beijing there were dirty hole in the floor style and none in the Starbucks.

Neil_Oz

For some reason "W.C." seems also to be understood in some places (at least where someone speaks English). Or, yes, toilet - I agree it's best to drop American euphemisms like "rest room". (I've seen very few that I'd take more than a short rest in anywhere.)

kudzu

Don't waste room in your luggage for toilet paper-just grab a wad from your hotel bathroom before you go out in the morning and replenish it each morning!

walkinaround

the public toilets in lijiang are by far the nicest public toilets that i have ever seen ANYWHERE in the world.

in fact, they are up there with the nicest toilets public OR semi-private (meaning restaurant or hotel) that i have seen anywhere in the world.