Toilets in China

[MLinFL]

We will be in China for a land tour (through Princess) before our cruise. I am wondering about the toilets in the hotels and tourist areas.

 

Anyone that has done this trip care to comment?

 

Thanks!

 

Mary Lou

[rrobbins]

We will be in China for a land tour (through Princess) before our cruise. I am wondering about the toilets in the hotels and tourist areas.

 

Anyone that has done this trip care to comment?

 

Thanks!

 

Mary Lou

Which cruise are you on. We will be on the 11/2/07 sailing on the Sapphire with a 9 day pre-cruise land tour through princess.

[MLinFL]

Which cruise are you on. We will be on the 11/2/07 sailing on the Sapphire with a 9 day pre-cruise land tour through princess.

 

Our cruise leaves from Beijing on 10/1/07. We are arriving on 9/25 and the tour with Princess starts on 9/27.

 

Mary Lou

[CKZ]

My DMIL went to China last November... The toilets are rated, and marked.(Western in Hotels,Eastern everywhere else). She said not to go into anything less than one with 4*"s !! Now having said that she brought back a photo( sorry can't download)...and it was a normal looking toilet top, with out a real seat, because it was actually in the floor( I would not joke about this) !!! You simply straddle, squat , and...:D The natives obviously have great leg streangth. Her sister went along, and has bad legs, but was always able to find a Hotel with Western toilets. PS: bring lots of those tiny packs of tissues, because they do not supply TP outside of the Hotels. Remember nothing less than 4*'s !!:p Charles.

[Donyb]

We started planning this trip over a year ago and I was reading the thread from people doing the Sapphire last Oct.- Nov. If you read back, for the women, you will find a product called Whizaway . I bought it a couple of months ago and I can tell you it will be a great help to us girls/women for the "hole in the floor" situations we might encounter on our trip. If you need further info, just ask and I will give you the web site. It has provided lot of chuckles when people see it and we talk about how it works but I'm going to be so happy to have it when we are there!!:)

[Duranee]

Donyb --

 

Yes, please provide that website for the "whizaway"! I will be cruising on Princess Saphire in Sept. and in Oct. going to Dalian & Beijing ... and I want all the help I can get! :rolleyes:

Thanks

C.

[Donyb]

The website is http://www.whizproducts.co.uk/en/ and it gives all the info. The prices are in Pounds Sterling but I used my credit card and I think they did it through Pay Pal or something. If I remember correctly, it took about a 7-10 days to get here and it arrived regular mail. FYI, I bought the tube extension and I think I'll be glad I did so.

 

I'm not looking forward to the bathrooms we may encounter but I'll have a laugh if others around me have the Whiz too. Nature's calls must be answered:)

 

Nancy

[travelsfun]

I was on an 11 day trip in China in June and had no difficulty finding "western" toilets every place we went. There was always one handicapped stall that was "western", also. I did take along some small rolls of t.p. but only needed to use them once. Have a wonderful time..and don't worry needlessly about the toilets!

Dorothy

[40yearcruiser]

We found that the hotels were all equipped with the Western-style toilets, but when sightseeing frequently encountered the Eastern ones. However, in nearly all of the places there was at least one Western-style with a very long line of women waiting to use it. If you are physically able to squat you won't have to wait so long to go. Perhaps some squatting exercises before traveling would make you better prepared ;) .

 

I looked at the "whiz" and can't image anyone carrying that thing around as you tour China. And be aware that there may not be water available to rinse it out after you use it. Yuck!!!!

[Donyb]

I sincerely hope to find Western toilets available wherever we go. However, I cannot squat..never could even as a child (somehow I always tipped over), so the "whiz" is a back up for bad situations. It fits easily in a purse and can be put back in a ziplock bag after use. I admit it isn't the best situation but for many people it's better than other alternatives...like tipping over or wet pants:rolleyes:

 

Nancy

[Maryandi]

We went all over Europe & Africa this spring, I was, also, concerned that I could not find facilities and what type of 'acrobatics' I would have to go thru to 'go'.:p

 

I went to www.traveljohn.com and bought some of those. and in the local 'superstore' in the automotive dept., I found a funnel used for oil change that has a long spout (like the Wiz). I put them in a plastic grocery-type bag along with the tissues in my tote bag. When I used the funnel I swished some water from my bottled water bottle in it, back in the groc. bag and off I went. Needed the traveljohn and funnel several times.

 

Maryann

[LA_FadeAway]

I traveled in Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia last year and only ran into the squat toilets when outside of anything touristy. The airports usually had some of each, since may Asians aren't used to our style either. I'm horribly out of shape, but had no problem squatting when necessary. I'd just find something to hold on to if needed, like the handle of the door or whatever. It really helps with the balance thing. As others said though, bring your own TP. They tend to use sprayers rather than paper. What I can't figure out is how they don't soak their clothes with those things, lol!

[RHefley228]

There is a product called a LADY J that you may find useful. It's sold at Campmor in NJ at http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?memberId=12500226&productId=13827 and can also be found in some pilot accessory catalogs. The story I heard years ago when I was flying was that it was developed for the women who ferried bombers from the US to England during WWII.

[yiddishkopf]

It is 10 years since we traveled in China and we experienced many of the squat toilets. The "whizaway" is a handy thing to have -- I've had one for years and I thing it came from a camping catalog. As for sanitizing it, carry wet wipes and clean it with those, and then stash in a new plastic bag.

 

When my daughter and I toured Thailand, a guide in a Hmong mountain village volunteered to show her where the toilet was located. When she came back, she said she didn't go, because she couldn't figure out what to do! The only thing she was sure of was where to put her feet but as it was a squat toilet, she wasn't confident of the rest of the procedure.

 

We were very relieved to get back to the lovely Sheraton Orchid hotel to a facility that we recognized!

[RHefley228]

P.S. The first time I ran into squat toilets was in Paris in 1972 on leave from my army unit in Germany, when my wife and I arrived at the Gare de l'Est. I walked into a circular tiled room with a bunch of them arranged in a circle with flush-chains hanging from the ceiling. No partitions, though there were helpful footprints painted on either side of the holes. Also in the room was an old woman who looked like she'd wandered in from the guillotine scene in "A Tale of Two Cities," sitting at a card table selling squares of toilet paper, which looked like some sort of waxed substance that might cause serious bodily injury. Having just come from Germany, at that time the only European country that we felt truly understood plumbing and heating, I was horrified. I fled, hoping I could make it to our hotel, and praying that things might be different there. Fortunately, they were, and so were most facilities elsewhere in Paris, though the bidet in our room (semi-hidden behind a folding screen) caused us further confusion. Those days, of course, are long gone; you will now find the men's room at the Gare de l'Est to be quite modern.

[Bestbubba]

Mary Lou - buy the Whiz!

 

We did the pre-cruise on the Sapphire last year, probably our best cruise ever and I found it invaluable! Yes there are western style toilets in ALL hotels and restaurants we visited but at the Summer Palace, the Forbidden city, the Great Wall, etc if they were there, we never saw them. Without giving you TMI (;) ) I found it best to practice at home first, take tissues, buy the little bag they sell online. Also it is made of some special material so you just give it a flick and it is dry (I warned you about TMI!!)

 

Have a wonderful cruise, it is just fantastic.

 

Sue

[Donyb]

Thanks for re-confirming what I already knew about the Whiz. I totally agree about practicing...because when first trying it...well, let's just say that practice helps!;)

 

Nancy

[greatam]

A LOT has changed in Beijing the last year. They are SERIOUSLY getting ready for the Olympics. They HOPE 500,000 Westerners show up for the Olympics. They are installing LOTS of western toilets. They are tearing down all that was "old and special", except the Summer Palace, the Great Wall and Forbidden City.

 

As a frequent business traveler to Asia (China, Vietnam and Cambodia most of the time), I very seldom run into squat toilets anymore, even in industrial areas I conduct business in. I have learned that the easiest way to handle a squat toilet is with a long wrap type skirt. Even regular toilets (except in hotels/restaurants that cater to Westerners) are usually kind of nasty-no water to wash hands frequently, no toilet paper, often the floors are REALLY yucky. You really DON'T want to drop your pants anyplace close to the floor.

 

As the owner of a global logistics company and a female truck driver, they have had those things to pee in for YEARS. Used to sell them at the truck stops back in the mid 80's. I bought one way back then. Yucky, Yucky. They weren't a big hit because they were nasty. Peeing in a gallon zip lock is much cleaner. Throw everything away and wash your hands. My two cents.

[SarasMommy]

I sailed from Osaka to Hong Kong in April 2007 on the Statendam. Our tour stopped in 4 places in China - Dalian, Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen. In Beijing we were docked overnight and because it is so far from the port, we stayed at a hotel. Facilities in the hotel were top rate, but not so much for other places. Most restaurants have at least one western toilet, but not all. Even some tourist places surprisingly don't. We were at the Badaling section of the Great Wall, and there were about 8 cubicles in the women's w/r, all squatters. I also have bad stomach problems, which contributed to my worry, but I relied on the laws of physics - if you don't put it in, it won't have to come out. In other words, I ate and drank the bare minimum throughout the day, and subsided hunger with small bites of granola bars that I brought from home, and only sipped on water when needed. Then in the evening when I was back on the ship or at the hotel, I had a sizable dinner to make up for it. I got away with using only one squatter the whole trip. Hopefully facilities might improve soon because of the Olympics.

[gene101]

I have bought a beautifully done Beijing map from Groovy Map and here is what it said about toilet:

 

"Call of nature? Perhaps a hole in the ground isn't to your liking? Look for restrooms in 4 or 5 star hotels, department stores, malls, and in branches of foreigh fast-food chains. This is the principal benefit of KFC and McDonald's. The toilets at the Forbidden City are okay (think public school restroom) but packed. Ditto the Great Wall at Badaling. Carry your own TP............."

 

gene

[jasl]

Take a look at this product.... I bought some for my upcoming cruise and they seem worth a try, fairly inexpensive:http://www.magellans.com/store/Health___Personal_Care___HygieneTW356?Args=