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Travel and tour tips for China
by: Ken Cheong
China is a large country at a size of 9,596,960 sq
km. China was
only partially open to the world from 1980 onwards and has been a
communist country for many decades. Although there is much progress in
the travel industry and infrastructure of China, there remain areas
that need to be improved before it can match the level that most
tourist would require.
However, much of the fun remain that it is
different from the
rest of the world. China will be the host nation for the Olympics in
Year 2008. Travel facilities and infrastructure will be improving
quickly as we approach Year 2008.
China is rich in culture and history. Visit the
Great Wall of
China in Beijing, sip Chinese tea in Xiamen, dance with ethnic tribes
in Yunnan, check out 19th Century European buildings in Qingdao - there
are just so much to do and see in China!
Below are some travel tips to make your travel in
China easier:
Entry Visa
China require entry visa from most countries.
Apply at the
Chinese consulate or through your travel agent before travelling to
China.
Climate
Extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic
in north. Be prepared with the right seasonal clothing.
Foreign Exchange
The unit of currency is known as Renmembi(RMB) or
Yuan. Get some
Chinese Yuan in your local country before travelling. When in China,
exchange foreign currency for local currency in the banks or at the
hotel. Banks tend to give slightly better rates than hotels. Take note
that some banks close for a noon siesta between 12-2pm.
Payment facilities
Most better class hotels and shopping centres take
Credit Card
or Travellers cheques. Smaller hotels and shops take cash only. Once
out of the bigger cities, credit card and ATM cards tend to be almost
impossible to utilize. Cash is still king in Chinese business and
trade.
Counterfeit notes are common in China. Check
carefully before
accepting change, especially if it consists mostly 100RMB notes. You
can feel a texture difference where counterfeit notes is concerned.
Understanding of English
Most civil servants, custom officials, police,
hotel staff and
men in the street do not speak English or at best a smattering of
English.
Most signboards and notices will carry both
English and
Chinese. However, be aware that some translations can be so notorious
that one can hardly understand what was it's original Chinese
intention.
Do not expect hotels or shops to understand
English. Only the very big hotels will have staff that will understand
English.
Most young people can understand basic English if
you speak slowly.
Social Security
China is generally a safe country. However, hang
on tight to
your wallet especially in crowded, popular tourist sites in tourist
cities such as Beijing and Xian.
These tourist cities also has a lot of touts in
the streets
touting tourist from currency exchange to jewelleries to female
companionships. Avoid at all cost!
Domestic Travel
Bus, train, ferries and domestic flights are quite
well
developed. Avoid the crowd at the stations and book your tickets
through the hotel tour desk or the nearest tour agent. Prices are
likely to be competitive and tickets will be delivered to your hotel
room. Again, avoid ticket touts who approach you in the streets.
Local buses are cheap (US$0.10 or YS$0.20) and you
may want to
try out. Taxis are convenient and are available at all hours. Starting
fares differ from each city and may be as cheap as US$0.70 in Weihai
and US$1.50 in Shenzhen.
Avoid travel in China during peak holiday seasons
or book tickets well ahead.
Local Hotels
There is a good choice of hotels in China ranging
from one star
to the most luxurious 6 stars. Most of the time, the rooms are safe and
clean and in my opinion, cheap does not mean bad.
There are many websites selling China hotel rooms
on the
internet. You can also check out the travel counters which are
available in most train, bus stations as well as airport.
Book ahead if travelling in peak seasons.
Peak Tourist Seasons
Chinese New Year: Date varies but generally late
January or early February.
May Day: First two weeks of May
China National Day: Middle two weeks of October
Avoid travelling during these period. Book rooms
and travel
modes way early if need to travel. Believe me, the crowds during these
period of time will be scary. What do you expect when the entire
Chinese nation of 8 billion people are on holiday as well!
Chinese Food
Local food is absolutely fabulous. Try as much
Chinese food as
your wallet or stomach can afford. Restaurants are available everywhere
and open to late hours. Most restaurants will have a menu that include
photographs of the various dishes. Better yet, simply point at the food
that your next door table is having, especially if it looks delicious!
However, avoid street side stalls and drinking
directly from the taps if you have delicate stomach.
Telecommunications
Mobile phone coverage in China is good in most
locations. Global auto-roaming within China is not a problem.
Internet
There are cyber-cafes everywhere in China,
especially in tourist
areas. Most are patronised by young people playing online games but you
still can check your Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail. Access may be a bit slow
for international websites.
You will need to show your passport as China has
tight regulations at Internet Cyber Cafes.
Toilet facilities
One of the worst experience many has with China is
the atrocious
toilet facilities. Things has improved very much but it may still be a
good idea to empty your stomach or bladder at every opportunity in a
hotel, restaurant or departmental store. Public toilets and toilets in
small shops can be a nose hazard!
* Useful China travel tips *
Try to get a English speaking tour guide at every
opportunity
you can. China has a rich and wonderful history and culture and without
a guide, somehow, the flavour and significance of most tour sites can
be lost.
*Sneaky tip: Hang around a group that has a
English speaking guide if you cannot afford one!
Always ask for a receipt from a taxi driver so
that you can
complain if you have been cheated or for tracing purposes if you happen
to leave your camera behind in the taxi.
Try to take the namecard for each hotel that you
are staying at
as these cards will have a Chinese address and the map of your hotel
location. This is useful if you need to seek assistance to find your
way back as the English version or pronounciation of a hotel or a
street name may be quite different from the Chinese version.
After a tiring day, check out Chinese foot
reflexology or
Chinese TuiNa (Chinese massage). Wonderful for the body after a hard
day and very cheap to boot. Simply look out for shop signs that shows
two feet! They are everywhere.
Make friends with the Chinese whenever you can.
They love to
meet foreigners and will make good tour guides. Just buy a small
present as a small token of appreciation.
About The Author
Ken Cheong lived and worked in China for 5 years.
He has come to
admire the Chinese for their tenacity after suffering from war and
civil strife for so many years. He continue to work with Chinese people
and businesses and has two websites dedicated to Chinese culture and
services http://www.chinese-culture.net
and http://www.quick-pain-relief.com.
floatingzen@gmail.com
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. When you go out, you could take an umbrella along with
you if it doesn't bother you much, because a downpour may come
unexpectedly at evenings from July to August. Autumn is the most
beautiful season, but after October you may feel the constant changes
of the weather and you may encounter light rains at any moment. So it
is better to bring some heavy clothes with you. In winter, you need a
heavy woolen sweater, and a long wind coat or a down jacket. Generally
there will be two or three heavy snowfalls each winter, so it is always
wise for you to have anti-skidding shoes with you when you come.
Lastly, don't wear light-color clothes in winter.