Jiangsu is a coastal province in eastern China, on the northern side of the Yangtze River Delta and the Yellow Sea. It is one of China's wealthiest and most densely populated provinces, anchored by the capital Nanjing and by Suzhou, the province's largest city, whose classical gardens are UNESCO-listed. Jiangsu is celebrated for its canal-laced water towns, Grand Canal heritage, Taihu Lake, and refined Huaiyang and Jiangnan cuisine.
Jiangsu is one of China's safest and most prosperous provinces. Violent crime against foreign tourists is very rare, CCTV coverage is dense, and Nanjing, Suzhou, and Wuxi are used to international visitors. The main risks are petty scams around tourist spots, e-bike traffic, summer heat, plum-rain flooding, and occasional typhoon effects in Jul-Sep. Government advisories also flag China-wide issues: arbitrary enforcement of local laws, exit bans, device searches, and restrictions on some foreign apps and VPNs.
Current safety advisory
Low
Essential safety tips
Practical advice that applies everywhere.
Emergency numbers in China: police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119, traffic accident 122; the national tourism complaint line is 12301.
Jiangsu is one of China's safest provinces; the main risks are pickpocketing in crowded metro cars and at Fuzimiao, and taxi or boat touts near tourist gates.
Carry the passport at all times; hotels register foreign guests with the local police and museums check the passport at the gate.
Use Didi (available in English inside Alipay) or a metered taxi; insist on the meter (dabiao) and never accept an unlicensed car offered at the station.
Water: drink bottled or boiled water; tap water is not recommended for drinking.
Pollution and summer heat: check the AQI app on hazy days, and carry water in July and August when temperatures reach 35 C (95 F).
During the mid-June to mid-July Meiyu plum-rain season, bring a rain jacket and waterproof shoes.
Many scenic areas require real-name reservations; a missed slot cannot usually be refunded, so confirm timings the day before.
Pharmacies (药店) stock common medicines; for serious care go to a tertiary (三甲) hospital such as Jiangsu Province People's Hospital in Nanjing or Suzhou's Children's/Municipal hospitals with international departments.
Common scams to avoid
Recognise and sidestep tourist-targeted scams.
Tea ceremony and art gallery scam
Friendly English-speaking strangers near Confucius Temple (Nanjing), Pingjiang Road, or Guanqian Street (Suzhou) invite visitors to a teahouse or 'student art show' and present a bill of several hundred to several thousand CNY.
How to avoid: Decline unsolicited invitations; choose an independently researched teahouse with a printed price list and check the price before ordering.
Unlicensed taxi and pedicab overcharging
Drivers at Nanjing South, Suzhou, and Wuxi stations, airports, and scenic gates quote fixed prices several times the meter fare or refuse to use the meter.
How to avoid: Use official taxi queues, insist on the meter, or book Didi in Alipay.
Mislabeled hairy crab and counterfeit goods
Tourist restaurants and roadside stalls sell crabs not from Yangcheng Lake, or fake silk and tea, at premium prices.
How to avoid: Buy crab from established restaurants or shops, check the ring tag and anti-counterfeit code, and buy silk from reputable stores with fixed prices.
Rickshaw and boat price switching
Rickshaw riders or canal boat operators in Suzhou, Zhouzhuang, and Tongli agree to a low fare and demand more at the destination.
How to avoid: Confirm the total price and payment method before boarding, or buy tickets from official ticket offices.
Fake police and currency scams
Rarely, strangers posing as police ask to inspect wallets, or offer to exchange foreign currency.
How to avoid: Do not hand over cash or passports to strangers; genuine police show ID and take the visitor to a station. Call 110 if unsure.
Health considerations
Staying healthy on your trip.
- Vaccinations
- No vaccinations are mandatory for entry from most countries; routine vaccines should be up to date, and hepatitis A and typhoid are commonly recommended by travel clinics.
- Water
- Tap water is not recommended for drinking; use bottled or boiled water. Hotels supply kettles or boiled water.
- Food
- Food standards in Nanjing, Suzhou, and Wuxi restaurants are generally good. Be cautious with raw or undercooked freshwater seafood; hairy crab must be fully cooked and eaten fresh.
- Facilities
- Major cities have modern hospitals with English-speaking international departments, including Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital in Nanjing. Upfront payment is usually required.
Safety for specific travellers
Tailored advice for different groups.
Emergency contacts
Numbers to know before you go.
- Police
- 110
- Medical
- 120 (ambulance)
- Fire
- 119
- General Emergency
- There is no single unified emergency number in China; police (110), ambulance (120), and fire (119) are separate lines, and 122 handles traffic accidents. Operators may have limited English; a translation app or Chinese-speaking helper is useful.
- Traffic Accident
- 122
- Main Hospital
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, 321 Zhongshan Rd, Nanjing (+86 25 8310 6666) has an International Medical Department with English-speaking staff.
- Embassy Us
- US Consulate General Shanghai: +86 21 8011 2400 (nearest US consular post to Jiangsu)
- Embassy Uk
- UK Consulate General Shanghai: +86 21 3279 2000 (nearest UK consular post to Jiangsu)