Public Toilets in Beijing

Do all/most of the major tourist-destinations (Great Wall, Forbidden City, decent restaurants, museums, etc) normally have western toilets, or are all the Asian squat type?

Do all/most of the major tourist-destinations (Great Wall, Forbidden City, decent restaurants, museums, etc) normally have western toilets, or are all the Asian squat type?

The "squatty potties" are going to be found in all most all areas in China even tourist attractions. What I found is to check each stall, as many times there will be a handicapped toilet that will be a western type... hopefully...but not always....And do make sure you bring your own tissue and hand sanitizer.

Handicapped toilets are usually western. Always carry toilet paper.

I just returned from China. I was told that there would always be at least one Western toilet. This was not always the case. Pack toilet paper. I took almost empty rolls and cut out the cardboard. Remember to not flush toilet paper. Also, pack hand sanitizer. We used it a lot. I have trouble with my knees so squatting is difficult. I managed just fine, though.

I did find that if there was a lot of people using the bathroom, there is no orderly line. Watch out for those little grandmothers! Also, ladies did not always feel the need to close the stall doors.

This is the wonderful thing about travel. You get to experience different customs and have stories to tell.

We were in China in March and went to the Great Wall at Jinshanling. The western toilets were not as clean as the squatty potties. Also, because it was not peak tourist season, not all of the more modern toilets were open. For those who have not been to the Great Wall at Jinshanling, this was the most spectacular part of the wall that we have visited. We have been to the high tourist parts of the Great Wall, and felt this section was way superior to the touristy sections. They are starting to build shops, etc., here, but it will not be like the other spots. The only downfall is the 2 and 1/2 hour drive from Beijing, but after we got there it was definitely worth it to us. More of the original wall and the views because it was a clear day were incredible.

In the downtown area look for bathrooms at department stores and also at hotels.

Keith

Since the toilet paper goes in buckets next to the toilet, you can also use regular tissues in case you forgot to bring toilet paper. The public toilets have no paper capacity and they smell because the pipe goes directly down. In Western and Japanese (even squat) toilets, the pipe forms an odor trap.

The cleaning ladies often used the western toilet to store their equipment because there was no other space for it. Cleaning consisted of throwing buckets of water at the floor and the toilet and let it naturally dry.

Now that's more than you ever wanted to know. ;)

China is an amazing country. We thought our 4 week trip was awesome!

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Hi, we visited Beijing a few years ago and the best toilets are in macdonalds fast food places, our guide informed us there was 54 macdonalds in Beijing. Take your own loo roll.

As others have mentioned, often the only western toilet will be the designated handicapped stall. Often the door will be locked. Just ask the attendant to open it for you. Say "kaimen" ("Open the door" in Mandarin). They'll understand, you're a westerner who wants the western toilet.

Many of the stall doors will have a easily-recognized symbol showing whether the toilet in the stall is squatty or western.

My protip: In addition to bringing tissues or a toilet roll with you (absolutely necessary) and hand-sanitizer, also bring a hook to hook over the door. Very often there isn't one, and of course you don't want to have to leave your bag on the floor, and what about your coat? :)

Friends just returned. The toilets are lots easier for boys than girls ... unless the boys are having "digestive issues".

On tissues/toilet paper - we always travel with our preferred multi-purpose tissue paper - good for dining, facial & the loo's. Thick & absorbent in compact packaging vs. the useless Kleenex pocket tissues sold here in the Americas. It's much easier to head out in 2 or 3 packs per person for the day, especially when McD's and upscale hotels are not the destination, inside Beijing or elsewhere, even big metros like Shanghai or Guangzhou (by air) pre or post cruise.

You can find them in local convenience or pharmacy stores, and in Hong Kong, a popular stopover (at least years ago with fewer nonstop flights) - at newstands, usually next to/outside restaurants & tea parlors, etc. Some are sold right at the cashier inside the eatery. We usually manage to have a few leftover & keep them for the next trip going abroad.

They are even sold on eBay, OMG - lol :D :eek:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/36-Pack-Genuine-Tempo-Petit-Pocket-Tissues-Paper-5-Choice/251975978969?_trksid=p2141725.c100337.m3725&_trkparms=aid%3D777000%26algo%3DABA.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20141212152338%26meid%3Df39ffd3b5a904fcea154eba24c56a789%26pid%3D100337%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D151142065828

Hand sanitizers are harder to find "everywhere" so put one in the checked luggage as you otherwise can't get it past airport security and a 3 oz/100 ml bottle won't last that long.

While I will throw a liquid hand sanitizer in my 3-1-1 bag if there's room, we always bring lots of wipes as well - esp useful when we're flying carry-on only.

For toilet paper, a few years ago I bought a carton of charmin to go tubes - can't find them on the US Amazon website but this is the product on the UK version. No cardboard tube, and its own little plastic cover - which is nice, keeps it from getting crushed or torn in my bag etc (can always DIY this, but the carton was cheap - Target had sold the individuals but when I went to buy more, didn't have)

I've had mixed luck with western vs squatty potties so now I'm just prepared no matter what...(my recent trips have been on business and so the hotel & meeting spaces have been mostly - but not all! - western. If there are multiple stalls and I open a squatty potty, I'll look in the other stalls before choosing to squat. But I'm physically able to do so and will if needed.

My thanks to all for some good practical advice! Joe

Thanks for all that advise, not looking forward to using the squat toilets but when in rome......................

just one question do I need small change to pay like in Europe for use of the toilets?

I don't remember ever having to pay except for the absolut dirtiest one in Tibet. A smelly ditch without a door. Even the Chinese women held their noses.

We were just there this past March and in some places we had to pay and others we didn't. If you are on a tour, the tour company usually pays for everyone to use the toilets in most cases.

Thanks. We will be in Shanghai for one day and hong kong a few days so I guess I will need to get some currency for both cities. We plan to do a ships tour of Shanghai as we have some OBC but dont want to be "caught short" if we need to "spend a penny" so to speak:o

Thanks. We will be in Shanghai for one day and hong kong a few days so I guess I will need to get some currency for both cities. We plan to do a ships tour of Shanghai as we have some OBC but dont want to be "caught short" if we need to "spend a penny" so to speak:o

We did organized tours in Shanghai, didn't need to pay.

We spent three days in Hong Kong, didn't need to pay.

Thanks. We will be in Shanghai for one day and hong kong a few days so I guess I will need to get some currency for both cities. We plan to do a ships tour of Shanghai as we have some OBC but dont want to be "caught short" if we need to "spend a penny" so to speak:o

Ah, ships tours will take you to factories and you may be tempted to spend some money. They will take US dollars, but the exchange rate is not all that great at some places.