Well I reckon that public toilets in China are definitely the worst in Asia (ok there are no public toilets in India!), and possibly the world! Of course in Beijing, Shanghai and Xian and other such touristy places, clean toilets are generally available to people. That said, once you move away from these super touristy places, I'm afraid it's not good news. Basically public toilets in China are filthy and stink! Especially in bus and train stations and any such places. My advice is that you should always go to the toilet at your hotel before you set off, as trust me some of these Chinese toilets are totally ghastly and better avoided. Trouble may arise if you are on a long bus journey and will inevitably have to stop at some point. In remote places, the toilets will consist of a hole in the ground, with at times precarious wooden planks hovering above the pile of shit. By precarious, I mean not safe, and we indeed met a tourist who actually fell in. I'll spare you the details! It's not uncommon for toilets to lack doors or even walls, so you may find yourself having to squat side by side with the Chinese who will most likely take an interest in you, which you can imagine is rather uncomfortable! Remember that privacy and personal space is unknown to the Chinese, so don't be surprised if they chat to you while you're doing your business. All in all it will be an experience to remember and laugh at in future years. On trains, toilets can vary hugely, depending mostly on how fast your train is, which basically means how clean and modern. Be aware that the Chinese have a habit of cleaning floors by putting the mop in the toilet and then spread the filthy water all over the floor. It's extremely common on trains and I've also seen it many times in hotels! The good news is that hygiene has improved vastly in recent years, mainly thanks to the Olympics. That said, if you venture in Beijing's hutongs you will definitely get a whiff of the Chinese toilets, which I must stress smell fouler than anywhere I have been! Good luck and have fun. Remember it's all part of the experience!

I've just finished 7 weeks in China and the public loos are the worst I've seen in Asia/Africa etc. Once out of major cities they don't have doors and it seems the aim of most ppl using them is poor! It's also the first country where I prefered to go to the mens if it was quiet as the women aren't so tidy with sanitary products! Carry tissues and a scarf for your nose - the ammonia smell is strong in many places and remember to roll your trousers up as well as down!! All said it was a great place to visit and the loo is just part of the fun!

It's quite dirty beacuse china is very big.The management work for public toilets is not easy.Pay toilet is better coz there is a cleaning staff.

Dude the toilets there are terrible...it a kind of a hole in the ground, so you do not sit while doing your necessitites

hold your breath...squat toilets everywhere

I think you have never seen. Just try. Public toilet is for public. It means everyone can see each other.

Really scary, huahuauh! But in some public places, there are normal toilets.

They are pretty much fancy holes on the floor. Occasionally there is one regular toilet in the facility but you get looked at funny if you use it as it is often reserved for the wheelchair-bound.

I call them Squatty Potties. Need I say more?

Some of the worst I've ever seen and I've been a lot of places. My kids call them "squatty-potties" although you can usually find a western-style one in the handicapped stalls. Be sure to bring your own TP as the Chinese aren't so good at restocking their public bathrooms. A caveat - I actually found the nicest toilet I've ever seen at the top of the World Financial Center in Shanghai.

They typically aren't the greatest, but you get used to them. Definitely always have your own toilet paper...you'll rarely find any outside of hotels and certain restaurants (no lie - MacDonalds always had great western bathrooms with TP so in a jam use their bathrooms!). And at most rest stops the dividers only come up to your waist and rarely have doors...and little old ladies have no problems standing there watching you pee!

Highly variable, if your in a european style hotel/airport, they will be good/ok. Otherwise its potluck.

This obviously depends on your destination. Cities like Beijing , Hong Kong , Shanghai, Xian are touristy destinations and are cleaner and better. But when you travel to less visited places things can become stinky and dirty.

i walked out the station in guiyang at 3am and was desperate, walked to the entrance and felt like throwing up due to the smell and the interior didn't help...lets just say that place didn't flush often.....though shanghai's automatic sweep toilets were pretty cool :)

haha Yeah...so I'm just gonna say what everyone else said: they're crap (no joke intended). Bring toilet paper, hand sanitizer, wipes, etc. AND a flashlight or something b/c some places have no power and you may step in something. :)

very often it's just a hole in the floor, there is no toilet paper and sometimes there is even no door! Funny thing that sometimes few toilets are connected by this hole. It's like tunnel where everybody's doing their things:> good luck;)

...oh, very bad....make sure you bring enough toilet paper

squat pots.... most places have at least 1 western toilet but some only have squat pots

As said by everyone else the toilets are pretty bad in China. They opperate on a 5 star based system: 1 star = ditch with no stalls or doors, 2 = hole (usually wooden) may be a stall/door, 3 = ivory hole (clean) with stalls and a door, 4 = bad quality western style toilet, and 5 = fairly nice western style toilet with toilet paper. Now, if you are going out in public and you have any doubt that you will be able to hold it, make sure you bring toilet paper (I recomend Charmin to go) and hand wipes/hand sanatizers as sinks are far and few between. However, all of the hotels I stayed at had western toilets (even the ones in rural areas). Airports will have both styles. The worst toilets are on trains so I would recomend avioding long trian rides if at all possible because in terms of cleanliness and stench, they are aboslutly the worst. If you take a tour in rural areas (buses especailly) make sure you go on the few stops that at least have stalls. Often times you will see people just squatting out in the open (my bus driver being a prime example) and that usually exceeds the comfort level of most tourists. All in all, the toilets are a unique experience, but don't let them hold you back form being adventerous. China is a truely amazing country to visit so have fun and don't let your bladder hold you back.

You may do your job in the field.

Squatty potties

Filthy , stinks and full of stains.

depends which part u going to china,if in big city absolutelly clean but in small city is worst for sure.....

The public toilets are not a pleasant experience. I have spent the last 5 weeks in China (wow) and I have been lucky enough that I have not had to use them. The hotels typically have western-style toilets, but if you are going to brave the public ones, be sure to bring your own toilet paper and wet-wipes or hand sanitizer or both.

awesome

they take a lot of practice, that is the holes in the ground, and as mentioned before, always take toiletpaper with you ! Some 'holes' even double as a shower drain.

Once I travelled to China and I found them shit.....what you think about it?? Am I right??

Bring anti-bacterial hand gel too. It's vital in China!

It depends on the place and where you go. It ranges from holes in the ground to western style flushing toilets. But always...always bring your own toilet paper (better safe then sorry) and paper towel (optional!). I was in the Shanghai area and Zhejiang Province area and found plenty of western style toilets. I was suprised when I went to a posh art gallery and restaurant in Shanghai to find flushing toilets and running water was common and was impressed but for some reason there's nothing to dry your hands after you finishing washing them. Kinda lost its "posh" upscale feeling. On the other hand there there are some public restrooms that had stalls but no doors so if you are shy...keep that in mind. Most importantly always bring your own toilet paper!!! (and hand wipes if you can). Even in places like Hong Kong, I've found it useful to have both.

Bring your own TP. I found that a majority are pit style which require squatting. If you are not used to the squat style, it can take a while to get used to, but they are not too bad. You may find western style toilets in hotels and museums in the bigger cities, but always be prepared.

Bring your own TP and be prepared to SQUAWT on your legs...

It really depends where you go I guess. I have only been in Beijing and I had mixed experience there. The worst toilet that I found where in a small restaurant, where only locals were there. If you go to more touristic places you do not have any problems, you will found reasonable toilets. However I have to say that in China they also give "stars" to public toilets, I have been in a park in Beijing where people were making even picture of the 5 stars public toilets. Anyhow, do not worry they are not the worst that you can find in the world. If you are going to explore more the area where the Chinese people leaves, then you will find public toilets but do not expect a really clean place, just bring some toilet paper with you.

Hello,If you asked such question, you heared about it or been in China,All Social buildings as toilets have no financing at all,so they are really low quality ,with no contemprorary water system so when you`ll decide to visit it be ready to wash your hands ander the bowl full of dirty water and it will be water on the floor everywhere.This number in shopcentres, but ofcourse opposite situations on chinese restaurants as four sesons for example luxurios design and convenient conditions you`ll get what you paid for.Thanks for your attention.

Some are just a hole in the ground. Always cary Toilet paper. Most places, including restaurants do not carry any.

I've seen toilets without doors at Xian and there were people in them who don't look embarassed at all. In Guilin I entered to a toilet on the boat and behind me directlty there was a very big window that can't be closed. however, there are others good toilets.

Some are Western, some are more primitive

Marie t i disagree with u that China has the worse toilet in Asia,in India its worse in all the hostel i stayed there whre good old westran toilets or mix,in the train its a hall but its chimical toilet and they keep it clean,in general most of the toilet ive been lol,are even cleaner then some places in Europe

I do recomnd to bring with u some toilet paper