Those happy, friendly people at customs

[Escaped Lunatic]

There seems to be a general consensus that Chinese alcoholic beverages aren't totally compatible with Western tastes. (Was that phrased diplomatically enough?)

Thus, I was wondering how much liquor, wine, etc. can be legally brought in with luggage and not have to spend extra time/money with the happy, friendly people at the customs office.

Also, are there any other import limits that someone should be aware of? Anything that a clueless person might try to bring in that's considered contraband?



"After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I have one."
- Cato the Elder

[Mr Nobody]

trust me, you can buy enough good booze.

you just have to pay, well, about 100 rmb instead of 2-8 rmb per bottle
and that, my friends, is enough.

[icebear]

Uh... but 100 rmb a bottle is still cheaper than in the West. Sounds like a deal to me.

[Mr Nobody]

yes it is.

[nolefan]

legally, you can bring in 2 liters of alcohol duty free. you can usually get away with a few more bottles depending on your luck and how you pack.
I remember going from France to the US in 2001 with a dozen bottles of chateauneuf du pape as well as 2 bottles of pastis spread amongst my suitcases and carry-on.

That said, the advice give above should be followed unless you have strange tastes in beverages. Stoly vodka can be had for under 100RMB, Johnny Red for 130, Grant's for 100, Glenfiddich for 220, bacardi rums about 100.

[icebear]

With the availability of Western booze (and at decent prices) mentioned above, what liquors are especially hard to come by there? I mean, what's something I could bring that folks would see and say "Christ, whered you buy that?"

Although I'll personally be enjoying the hell out of those 8rmb bottles, I think.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Good luck if you can find one that doesn't make you throw up. There are a few.
As for the foreign booze thing, it depends where you are. Big department stores even stock a reasonable range of table wines from the major producing countries: many seem over-priced though. There were some decent quality, reasonably priced Chinese reds on the market when I was there. Look for the "Suntime" label from Xinjiang, way out west.

[icebear]

My parents are going to go apepoo when I tell them I'm drinking Chinese wine. Lets hope they don't find out its really just antifreeze.

[Dr. Gonzo]

No, this is real wine made from real grapes. You can visit wineries if you go out west. You can get syrupy antifreeze for 8Y a litre. Its good for getting women..............I won't go down that path.
But real red grape wine is available, and some is good.

[Stil]

Icebear your going to Shenzhen, yeah? You'll find what you want there no problem but a little baijiu never hurt anyone, makes an excellent degreaser, can be a good complement for Chinese foods,, is a top tier disinfectant.

A great introduction into the smells of China is to find a place near a public toilet and eat chou doufu (stinky tofu) and drink baijiu with a few migrant workers who can't hold their liquor and lean over periodically to vomit on your shoes. This is also known as 'hard seat train ride'

[Escaped Lunatic]

>legally, you can bring in 2 liters of alcohol duty free.

No differentiation between wine and liquor???

Gotta find something else to fill my suitcase with.



"Sanity is a madness put to good uses."
- George Santayana

[Newbs]

stil, any images for the photo album? A written description can only go so far.

[Stil]

Photos would be far too embarassing for me the migrant workers who were stumbling around talking in Chinglish.

[Stil]

loony said:

No differentiation between wine and liquor???

Same, same.

Btw, you need to be careful with this form of question if you ask a Chinese person.

Native English speaker will answer "no" (there's no difference)

Chinese English speaker might answer "yes" (there's no difference)

[con's fly is open]

EL, if you bring liquor, make it something obscure. The major brands like Bacardi are readily available in China.

[Mr Nobody]

No bacardi in my neck of the woods.

Irish whiskey is pretty obscure in most places too.

But Shenzhen, nah, find anything. Can even find things like Polish vodka (as opposed to furniture polish baijiu)

[Decurso]

Has anyone actually ever been checked by Chinese customs?Last two times I could've had 10 kilos of heroin in my bag and it wouldn't have mattered...

[Hamish]

Never been checked.

Twice I declared stuff.

1. A Sony radio that I had bought in Xi'an, but had taken abroad with me.

2. Extra booze.

They looked at me like I was nuts and waved me through.

[Loops]

icebear said:

Uh... but 100 rmb a bottle is still cheaper than in the West. Sounds like a deal to me.

Cheap, yes...by western prices...but once you get to China you will start thinking in RMB and 100 RMB is alot for a bottle of booze when you have others at 8RMB. I have seen most of the major western brands at Auchan (a big supermarket here in Suzhou) and I was happy to find my prized Bombay Sapphire (110RMB/small bottle). If you like Bloody Marys then you should bring some Bloody Mary Mix, that's hard to find here...Nobby killed my Bloody Mary Mix in one night...bastard...now I'm screwed to find any...

I am pretty sure that Shenzhen will have most of what you might be accustomed to drinking at home.

I could have also brought more bottles with me when I was coming but I didn't want to be the one they check "randomly" and lose my extra bottles...you can always take a chance.

Hope that wasn't all babble and that it actually helped you somewhat...

I actually saw three skaters here the other day. They were popping kick flips and rippin' up the park...it was swet to see some "live" skating again, s'been too long....

[cheekygal]

They only checked me at the airport in Shanghai, not Pudong, but another one, when I was coming from India and brought 2 big cans of hot wax. They were insisting on opening. And I told them that I just travelled international and went through customs in three countries including the one in Pudong and no one ever had a problem with that. When were more intrigued I think to see what that stuff is for removing body hair than anything else They actually laid off my case when I showed them my tickets and decided I wasn't dangerous for the plane

[Dr. Gonzo]

I've been stopped twice at domestic airports, once for a bottle of Guilin baijiu [one of the few drinkable brands], the other time a bottle of child's cough syrup. Both showed up on the Xray machine.

[Missi]

I got stopped in Canada, no problems with the 25kg of DVD's, 4 cartons of smokes, 3 bottles of bijiu (great in Jell-O shooters really!) and a lot of silk. I just told them it was gifts. On my return trip to China, I got laughed at when I told them I had face creams, and bags full of baking powder and baking soda and instant cheescake mix.

[con's fly is open]

Damn these incessant name changes! Crippler, you started this.

I declared one piece of jade when I went back to Canada. I had to unpack and display it at every stop, but they never glanced at the rest of my crap.

The Chinese can't be bothered with little ol' me, though.

[ObertonGluek]

In Britain, we have a drink called Aftershock and I really love it. I doubt I'll find that in China as it's British only I think. Sad really, because it's a nice "fun" drink which you have in shots and, as the name suggests, it blows your head off. Not because it's really strong, but because of it's powerful flavour.

I'll bring a bottle to Shenzhen Brian, and you can try it out, and anyone else who's around! ;D

By the way, I've had cheap vodka and even the western variety of "cheap" makes me sick. I won't be touching any 8RMB bottle of vodka.

Do they have Southern Comfort there? I don't like beer, so I need replacements. Are these western liquors served in bars and restaurants? I hope so.

[Escaped Lunatic]

Anyone notice if Mozart Chocolate Liquor is available in China?




"It is time I stepped aside for a less experienced and less able man."
- Professor Scott Elledge on his retirement from Cornell