If you're an English-speaker, traveling in China isn’t as difficult as you might think.  One thing I’ve learned from traveling in developing countries is that if there’s money to be made from tourists, you’ll always find people who can speak English.  Every day countless enterprising people in the tourist trade — from shopkeepers to tour guides — are eagerly learning English and practicing with foreigners. Although I can speak basic Mandarin, I’ve had no problem backpacking solo through other Asian countries where I didn't speak a word of the local language -- from Cambodia to Burma to Nepal.  In fact, I found it much easier getting around these countries compared to my English-only travels through France and Italy. The Chinese — particularly the younger generation — are enthusiastic about learning English.  According to a Wikipedia estimate, there are some 10 million proficient English-speakers in China.  And that doesn’t include the often-cited 300 million “English learners” in the country, who start as early as third grade.  The Chinese know that English is the de-facto language of global commerce and politics.  Students applying to college have to pass a mandatory English proficiency test.  They also know it makes them much more marketable after graduation (though their reading skills are far superior since they're typically shy about practicing their conversational skills). Also, remember that the government is aiming to be the top tourist destination in the world -- they're investing billions of dollars to make travel as easy as possible for foreigners.  So unless you're venturing way off the tourist track to some tiny remote village, you'll get by fine with English (and some good non-verbal miming skills).