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Voykit pocket guide · China
Yiwu
义乌
Spend a half‑day in Yiwu to see the market and a park, then head back; one full day is enough for the main sights.
Yiwu is a commercial hub in Zhejiang, best known for its huge wholesale markets and a few urban parks. The city centre is compact, so a single day covers the market, Yiwu Museum and a park, with extra time for a quick visit to Hengdian World Studios if you have a morning train.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 义乌
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, rainier)
- 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 ¥120–180 CNY excl. bed · Mid ¥180–300 CNY excl. bed · High ¥300+ CNY 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 119 · Ambulance 120
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥15–30 |
| Noodle bowl | ¥20–45 |
| Beer (draft) | ¥15–25 |
| Taxi 5 km (3.1 mi)Taxi 3.1 mi (5 km) | ¥30–45 |
| Metro ride | ¥2–3 |
| Market entry | Free |
| Hengdian Studios ticket | ¥180 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YIW · Yiwu Airport
- Domestic flights; bus or taxi to city centre ~30 min
Typical fares
- Yiwu Airport → city centre taxi
- ≈ ¥80, 30 min
- Metro day pass
- ¥20 for unlimited rides
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
City buses run every 15 min; taxis cheap. Walk between market, museum and Xiuhu Park (≈10 min).
See and do
Known for
- Yiwu International Trade City market
- Yiwu Museum
- Xiuhu Park
- Hengdian World Studios
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hengdian World Studios | Train to Dongyang (≈45 min) then taxi 15 min | ≈1 h 30 min |
| Hangzhou | High‑speed rail, 1 h | ≈1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Tian Heng International Hotel
- Near Hangzhou‑Jinhua‑Quzhou Expressway, basic rooms
- Best Western Premier Yiwu Ocean Hotel
- Close to International Trade City, mid‑range
- Bali Plaza Hotel
- Central, modern design, restaurant
Language
Mandarin is the language of the whole country, written in Simplified characters; Cantonese dominates Guangdong and Hong Kong, and dozens of regional languages survive at home. English is on metro signs, airports and large hotels; elsewhere use a translation app. Pinyin (the romanisation) helps with names but tones change meaning.
- Translation apps: Baidu Translate, Youdao, Microsoft Translator and Apple Translate work without a VPN; Google Translate needs one or a roaming eSIM.
- Show destinations to taxi drivers in characters; copy them from Amap.
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
- Summer heat can exceed 35 °C; stay hydrated.
- Market crowds peak on weekends; early morning is quieter.
Yiwu is generally safe; pickpocketing can occur in crowded market areas, so keep bags close.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Yiwu yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Yiwu International Trade City market
- Yiwu Museum
- Xiuhu Park
- Hengdian World Studios
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: Yiwu, revision 5331045 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5331045
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/yiwu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.