In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · China
Gaoyou
高邮
Spend a half‑day to a full day in Gaoyou: walk the historic South Loop (4 km) and visit the museum and Yucheng Post; add a night if you want a relaxed pace.
Gaoyou is a small historic city in central Jiangsu with two pagodas, a museum, and the Grand Canal nearby. Its sights are compact, so a day covers the main loop; a night lets you explore markets at a slower pace and rest before heading to Yangzhou or Nanjing.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 高邮
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, rainy)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥150–250 excl. bed · Mid ¥300–500 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Gaoyou double‑yolk duck egg (per 2) | ¥8–12 |
| Street dumpling (per plate) | ¥5–10 |
| Pedi‑cab short ride | ¥5–8 |
| Yucheng Post entry | ¥30 |
| Museum entry | Free |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YTY · Yangzhou Taizhou Airport
- Direct bus to Gaoyou, about ¥35 fare, 5 services daily
Typical fares
- Airport → Gaoyou bus
- ≈ ¥35, 5 daily services (check)
- Pedi‑cab short ride
- ≈ ¥5–8 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Gaoyou is walkable; the South Loop is 4 km (2.5 mi) and flat. Local buses (routes 2,3,4,6,8,11,15,18,19,20,29,30) connect the bus station to the city centre. Pedi‑cabs cost ~¥5 for short trips.Gaoyou is walkable; the South Loop is 2.5 mi (4 km) and flat. Local buses (routes 2,3,4,6,8,11,15,18,19,20,29,30) connect the bus station to the city centre. Pedi‑cabs cost ~¥5 for short trips.
See and do
Known for
- Jingtu Pagoda
- Zhenguosi Pagoda
- Gaoyou Museum
- Yucheng Post (historic courier station)
- Gaoyou double‑yolk duck eggs
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yangzhou | High‑speed train from Gaoyou to Yangzhou, ~15 min | ≈45 min total |
| Nanjing | Train from Gaoyou to Nanjing, ~1 h 20 min | ≈2 h total |
Sleep
- Runyangcun Holiday Hotel
- Four‑star, central, good for walking tours; rooms ~¥300–¥500 per night
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？duōshǎo qián? |
| Do you accept credit cards? | 可以刷卡吗？kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? |
| Where is the bathroom? | 洗手间在哪里？xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- English is rarely spoken; bring a translation app or guide.
- Banknotes only; traveller’s checks not accepted.
- Museum opening hours vary; arrange a guide for Yucheng Post.
Gaoyou is generally safe; petty theft is rare but keep an eye on belongings in crowded markets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gaoyou yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Jingtu Pagoda
- Zhenguosi Pagoda
- Gaoyou Museum
- Yucheng Post (historic courier station)
- Gaoyou double‑yolk duck eggs
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Gaoyou, revision 5195755 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5195755
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/gaoyou). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.