Planning Your China Trip

7/31/2019 Planning Your China Trip

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“A journey of a thousands miles must begin with a single step.”

Lao Tzu 604 BC, Zhou Dynasty

The China Travel company distinctive self-guided, Private & tailor made china tours

China planning guide!




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www.thechinatravelcompany.comEmail: [email protected] | UK ☎: +44 (0) 20 8816 8399Headseast Ltd - UK business registration number: 6717612

Hu ā n Yíng

Welcome!

Why China?For centuries China stood as a leading civilization , outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences . Despite the turmoil of muc h of the 20 th Century muchof this glorious past can sti ll be seen on a visit to China .

The traveller will also see the emergence of a newmodern China growing at breakneck pace . This contrastbetween the old and new makes China a trulyfascinating 21st century destination - a place to seenow!

It is our mission at The China Travel Company to showyou both the well known of today as well as the sitesof tomorrow . We hope you can join us on our Chinaadventure .

Dear Sir / Madam,

Many thanks for downloading our China planning guide!

China is both a trip o f a lifetime but also a complex destination so it is essential to gather as much expert information as possible as you plan

your trip.

We at The China Travel Company hope that this

essential guide will be of assisstance!All our staff have a passion for China and havelived and worked in China, often for several years.

We are delighted to share our knowledge of this extraordinary destination with you so please donot hesitate to contact us for further advice.

Warm Regards,

The China Travel Company Team

Thank You For Downloading This Guide!

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Map of China’s Most Popular Destinations

Beijing

✭ The Great Wall✭ Forbidden City✭ Temple of Heaven✭ Summer Palace✭ Tiananmen Sq.

shanghai✭ The Bund✭ Pudong’s skyscrapers✭ The Yu Garden✭ Nearby Water Towns✭ Old Shanghai bustle

yangtze

✭ The Three Gorges✭ Fengdu Ghost city✭ Shennong Stream✭ The 3 gorges dam✭ Life along the river

Hong Kong✭ Harbour skyline✭ The Peak✭ Vibrant markets✭ Tranquil Islands✭ Buzzing nightlife

guilin

✭ Li River Cruise✭ Reed Flute Cave✭ Village life✭ Stunning scenery✭ Cormorant fishing

lijiang✭ The Old Town✭ Mountains✭ Tiger Leaping Gorge✭ Villages✭ Black Dragon Pool

lhasa

✭ Potala Palace✭ Jokhang Temple✭ Sera Monastery✭ Ancient Markets✭ Stunning scenery

chengdu

✭ Giant Pandas✭ Leshan Buddha✭ Mount Emeishan✭ Spicy cuisine✭ Wenshu Temple

xian

✭ Terra Cotta Army✭ Big Goose Pagoda✭ Shaanxi Museum✭ City Walls✭ Hanyangling Tomb

pingyao

✭ The Ming City✭ The City Walls✭ Courtyard homes✭ Temples✭ Photo Festival

Click here to visit the interactive map on our website

China planning tip!Just send us a wish list of places you would liketo visit and let us do the logistical planning for

you to make your trip a reality!

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Climate & When To GoChina is such a vast country containing so many di ff erent climatic zones that there is generallyno bad time to visit the country although this does depend on where your trip will be focused .

In general however the following rules apply .

Winter Months It is very cold in the North of China , the Western provinces and Tibet . In the south of China it tends to bemild with little rain and so is not a bad time to visit those areas . If you do also include the North in yourwinter trip the Harbin Ice Festival that runs through January into February is a must see!

SpringA good time to visit much of China . April is probably the best month with the best of spring in the

popular northern destinations of Beijing and Xian and still pre -summer heat in the lush South of China .

SummerBy June it is hot almost everywhere except Tibet and other higher altitude destinations . It can rain a lotover much of Central and Southern China . However , this is when many people visit and it doesn ’ t seemto spoil people ’ s enjoyment of China .

Autumn Generally regarded to be the best time for almost all of China with dry sunny weather and comfortable

temperatures common from North to South . The second half of October is perhaps the choicest time .

China planning tip!If possible try and travel outside of your country ’ sschool holidays as international ight prices will

o( en be considerably lower .

Best time to go ...You will nd the best all round weather conditions in April andMay as well as the September to October period stretchinginto early November . A comforta ble climate and the bestchance of clear skies .

... and when to avoid!We ’ d be tempted to say the very height of summer or thedepths of winter but China has a lot to o ffer during theseperiods . The only real time to avoid is the rst week of Octoberwhich is a National Holiday across China and all popular sightsbecome hugely busy with local tourists - and when we saybusy we are talking 1.3 billion population busy!
















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Transport Options & Getting Around

Overnight trains We try to include at least one overnight train journey on our China tripsas we feel that they are an essent ial and exciting part of any China tripand , of course , they help l ower costs and are o ( en an e fficient use oftime . We almost always us e the 4 berth so ( sleeper compartments withlockable doors and plenty of luggage room . On request we can buy outadditional berths in a cabin giving you sole occupancy of that cabin . Standards on Chinese trains are good and constantly improving .

Bullet trains China has been expanding its bullet train routes at an extraordinary pacein recent years with a new line op ening up every few months . Wha t usedto be an overnight train tri p can o ( en be done in a matter of hours withtotal travel time becoming comparable to ying the same route . We areIncreasingly including bullet train routes into our trips and expect thistrend to continue . The trains themselves are good value and even secondclass is more comfortable than an economy ight .

River Cruises There are two popular cruise routes in China . The rst is the famous 3 to 7 night Yangtze River Cruises to an d from Chongqing to either Yichan g orall the way to Shanghai wit h several stops for day trips along the way . The second is the day cruis e from Guilin to Yangshuo which passesthrough some of China ’ s most beautiful and iconic scenery nishing inrelaxed and beautiful Yangshuo . Both these routes are extremely popularwith one or both appearing on many itineraries .

Internal flights China is a huge country and for most people getting between the maindestinations will involve ying . The good news is that most of Chin a’ sairports are recently built a nd the aircra ( eets consist of new Boeingsand Airbuses with high saf ety standards . Most destinations tend to haveat least one daily ight with the major destinations having a dozen ormore departing throughout the day .

So ft Sleeper

Bullet Train

Yangtze Ship

Beijing Airport
















































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Accommodation Options In China

Chinese Star Ratings The hotel star rating system in China can be quite inconsistent with 5* hotels sometimes being not asgood as a decent 3* hotel and vice versa . Consequently , local knowl edge and having actually visited thehotels is hugely useful in o rder to make the right decisions . This is s omething we spend a lot of quitedull! ) time doing on our re gular trips to China as it is essential to look beyond the super cial star ratin g.

Where to StartMaking the right hotel selection for your trip isvital in ensuring the trip goes sm oothly and agreat hotel selection can re ally en hance theoverall enjoyment of your trip!

There is a bewildering number of hotels in Chinabut only a relatively small number which areeither foreign traveller friendly or used to dealingwith the foreign tourists . What look like goodhotels may not be in suitable locations . Thenthere is the added concern in China of

inconsistent star rating with many 4 and 5* hotelsnot living up to their ratings in reality .

Consequently , it is well worth the time to dosome research or at least use an agent that hasalready done the legwork for you .

Location, Location, Location...Chinese cities are vast sprawling a ffairs with populations of 10 million plus common . This makes thelocation of hotels hugely importa nt to the enjoyment of your trip . There are a lot of itineraries outthere that will be jam pack ed wit h 5* hotels but on closer inspection these hotels are o ( en far from the areas you want to be . Our approach is the location is king and we make sure we only use hotels located exactly where you want to be located .

Traditional & Boutique Style Hotels The vast majority of hotels in China are functional , modern and o ( en part of local or internationalchains whose standards are good . However , where we can we prefe r to use hotels of character and thereare a growing amount of h otels b uilt in the Chinese Traditional Styl e which are of high standard and ar efar more of a memorable e xperience leaving you in no doubt that you are in China! Do let us know ifyou prefer this type of hotel over the modern variety .

S t y l e T r a d i t i o n

a l

China planning tip!It is well worth checking any hotels proposed toyou on review sites such as TripAdvisor to get a

good all round view of people ’ s opinions .

















































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Please do nothesitate to contact

us with your questions

How long do yourecommend for a

China holiday?Trips vary from

1 to 3 weeks but ideally2 weeks is good to

cover the highlights.

How far inadvance should

I book?

We recommend atleast 3 months in advance

and more if you want totravel in the busy April to

October period.Why should webook with you?

In a word - Experience.Our travel consultants have years of experience both living and traveling

in China and we are dedicated to

passing that expertise on to ensureyou have the best possibleexperience on your travels!

In general the best monthsare April and May and

September and October. Thisdoes vary though according

the places visited to so pleaseask for more details. When is the

best time totravel?

Isn’t the visaprocess very

difficult?

These days the Chinesevisa is really quite simple to

obtain in most countries. Just

ask us for more advice.

Frequently Asked uestions

Is it safe totravel China?

It is extremely rare thatany of our clients experience

any safety issues. In factChina is a safer destinationthan many Western nations.

How much

will it cost?Costs vary

from trip to trip but you arelooking at an average of £120 a day not including

personal expenses.

Are ourpayments to you

protected?

All payments made tous are protected under our ATOL license and ABTA Membership giving you

total peace of mind

With careful choosing of trip options China can be arewarding place for families

to visit. Ask us for moredetails.

Is it suitable for children?

Yes, although allour trips are quotedwithout international

flights we are more thanhappy to book your flights

as well.

Can you alsoarrange flights

to China?

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China’s Most Popular Destinations

Beijing

BeijingBeijing is not only the capital of the PRC but also one of it ’ s premiereattractions for the traveller . Consi dered to be rapidly becoming one of the21st Century world cities it also ho sts a wealth of historical sites and thankfully , much of the his torical side has survived the constructionboom of the last decade . In short , Beijing has it all - rich historical sights , modern masterpieces , fantastic cuisine and a vibrant culture with onefoot in the past and the other rmly striding into the future .

Xian

Xian Many centuries ago Xian was once the fabled Chang An - a thriving cityof Emperors , soldiers , art and culture and the capital of the Tang

Dynasty , regarded as a gol den pe riod in Chinese history . It was also oneof the world ’ s great tradi ng cities being both the beginning and end ofthe fabled Silk Road . It is all this history that people come to see todayand Xian still has much in evidence of this glorious past , including one

of China ’ s most famous sights - the breathtaking Terra -cotta Army .

Chengdu With a population topping 13 million and growing the ( h mostpopulous city in China ) Chengdu i s the capital of mountainous Sich uanprovince and the place to c ome to to see Giant Pandas . The city doe shave charm beyond Pandas though , the people are friendly and thefood excellent making Chengdu and easy place to spend a few days . It isalso a natural base for exploring more of Sichuan including nearbyLeshan and Emeishan as well as the further a eld Huanglong andJiuzhaigou .

Shanghai Shanghai aims to be a vision of China ’ s future and is hurtling towards

it ’ s goal of being China ’ s nancia l capital and eclipsing its rival Hon gKong . There are few c ities in China that are such a testament toChina ’ s phenomenal growth of the last few decades and what it

perhaps lacks in historical sites it more than makes up with its sheerenergy and dynamism giving you a taste of the New China that is

making it ’ s mark on the world stage .

Chengdu

Shanghai






































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China’s Most Popular Destinations

Yangtze RiverThe Yangtze is Asia ’ s longest river and the third longest in the world . Acruise along part of it o ffers the s pectacular Three Gorges whose sh eerheight seems little e ffected by the rising waters of the dam of the s amename . The dam itself seem s almost as monumental and passing throughit ’ s great locks has become an unforgettable part of any Yangtze rivercruise . There are several stops along the river route to visit historicalsights all in all making this one of China ’ s premiere attractions .

Guilin & Yangshuo Once in China it is likely you will see Guilin frequently as it is on theback of the RMB 20 note! Mo st people come to Guilin to take a trip

down the Li River to Yangs huo , a destination rmly on the top 10 list ofplaces to visit in China . The surrounding limestone karst scenery is as

breathtaking as the life along the river banks is fascinating . Yangshuo isthe perfect place to take all of this in with it ’ s relaxed atmosphere and

easy access to the surrounding countryside by foot , boat or bicycle .

LijiangLijiang is a stunning old UNESCO World Heritage recognised city ofcobbled streets and tiled roofs set against the magni cent backdrop ofthe 5,596 m thirteen peaked Jade Dragon Snow Mountain . All thiswrapped up in one destinat ion means Lijiang is crowded with visitors yearround but it still has what it takes with quiet streets o ff the main touristpaths and continues to be an unmissable part of any Yunnan itinerary .

Hong KongHong Kong is still a mecca for travellers and for good reason . Stillvery distinct from Mainland C hina this city state is o ( en a start orend point for a trip to C hina . Aside from having one of the worl ds

most impressive skylines pictured le () Hong Kong also o ffers nefood , vibrant nightlife , world class shopping and tranquil islandsdotted with timeless temples and shing harbours . All this but a

stone ’ s throw from the Central business areas .Hong Kong

Yangshuo

Lijiang

Yangtze





















































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... The Best China Experiences!An Overnight Sleeper Train An essential China experience , at least one overnight train trip will give a good idea asto how China ticks and the train network is actually very good and getting better allthe time . Longer train journeys also o ffer a window into ordinary rural China .

Evening EntertainmentIn the larger cities a wide range of entertainment is available from cultural showsincluding Acrobats , Opera and Martial Arts to the staggering array of restaurants manyof which are a great way to observe how Chinese people spend their free time .

Ancient Traditions As China hurtles into the future there is a compensating revival and reverence for

ancient traditions and beliefs . Residential streets and parks are alive with peoplepursuing cultural activities from kite ying and Tai Chi to games of Chinese chess .

Delicious Food For many one of the big pluses of time in China is the sheer variety of food available . There seems to be a national obsession with food and this has led to fantastic cuisinewhatever your tastes . A Chinese back at home will never be quite the same!

Breathtaking Scenery Much of China is urban development sprawl or bland farmland but there are pockets ofastounding scenery even in the densely populated East of China . Head further West to

Yunnan , Sichuan , Tibet and Xinjiang for a more remote and wilder Asia .

Friendly PeopleOrdinary Chinese are very friendly and hospitable people who will o ( en go out of theirway to help a lost looking foreigner . Much of China has signi cant ethnic minoritypopulations who are proud of their own culture and traditions .

New China BuzzThe glow of rapid economic development shines bright in China ’ s large cities . Asidefrom the pretty lights the real experience comes from the sheer feeling of dynamismand energy that this booming country gives o ff to the visitor .

High AdventureChina o ffers some fantastic chances for adventure with the Western provinces inparticular o ffer remote wild scenery and trekking opportunities to little visited areas . Tibet and Xinjiang are probably the most adventurous provinces .

Tranquil Temples Many temples have been surrounded by the buzz and noise of the fast expanding citiesbut once inside their courtyards it is possible to be transported to a world of tranquilityand calm that predates the modern world outside .












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red tape - visas, vaccinations & currency

China planning tip!We recommend taking a mixture of cash UK

pounds , US dollars or Euros ) and an ATM card . Tryand avoid taking travellers Cheques .

The Chinese Visa Everyone requires a Chinese visa but the good news is that it iseasy to obtain although you shou ld allow plenty of advanceplanning . Normally visas are issue d up to 3 months in advance oftravel and are valid for stay s of up to 30 days . You need one fullyblank page and minimum 6 months validity of your passport . Allow plenty of time to obtain the visas in order to avoid lastminute panics and embassy express fees!

Vaccinations There are no speci c vaccinations required for China in most cases but we do suggest that you clarify thiswith your doctor in case there are any issues unique to your medica l history which may make certainvaccinations advisable .

You will not be asked to provide proof of any vaccinations on arrival in China unless you have arrived froma country where Yellow Fever exists in which case a Yellow Fever vaccination certi cate may be asked for .

Note that malaria protection is not necessary for any of the places usually visited although insect repellentis advisable for destinations in the south of China .

Currency Chinese Yuan , also known as “Renminbi ” RMB ) and “Kwai ”, is king in China and used for almost alltransactions in what is still very m uch a cash orientated society .

The largest denomination i s 100 which is approximately £ / € 10 or US $15 so you ’ ll get used to carrying f armore cash around on you than you do at home . Other denominations are 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. You rarelycome across coins which we think is a good idea!

Our advice is to wait until you arrive in China to obtain localChinese RMB Yuan . The rates you receive outside of China areusually poor as RMB is not o fficially traded internationally . Onarrival at the airport in China you will have the option of changingmoney at banks or using an ATM . Most hotels will also change

cash US $ or Euros and less comm only pounds . Note that TravellersCheques can be changed in China but only certain banks o ffer thisservice and cashing these cheques can be very time consuming .

Note that exchange rates within China at hotels , banks and ATMs are the same everywhere on any givenday although commission rates may vary .













































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Recommended China Itineraries Below are some of the more popular itineraries through China . If you have this guide open on your computer you can click on the itinerary itself to be taken to the full trip description on our website .

Discover China Your Way Distinctive China Tours - click here for more details...

Short Introductory Tours 7 - 10 nights This length of time is perfect for an introductory tour covering some of China ’ s most famous highlights . Such trips are popular with those looking for a quick holiday or visiting China as part of a more extensivetrip . They can also be added onto conferences or the end of the pop ular Trans -Siberian railway .

Beijing ➤ Xian ➤ Shang hai

Beijing ➤ Xian ➤ Guilin ➤ Yangshuo ➤ Shanghai

Beijing ➤ Xian ➤ Chengdu ➤ Yangtze River ➤ Shanghai

Beijing ➤ Xian ➤ Lhasa ➤ Shanghai

Classic China Journeys around 2 weeks This is an ideal length of time to visit China allowing for a good cross section of destin ations to give anfantastic all round experience of the country .

Beijing ➤ Xian ➤ Chengdu ➤ Guilin ➤ Yangshuo ➤ Hong Kong

Beijing ➤ Xian ➤ Guilin ➤ Yangshuo ➤ Chengdu ➤ Yangtze River ➤ Shanghai

Classic China Journeys up to 2 to 3 weeks With two to th ree weeks available most of the highlights can be covered as well as some of the equallydeserving but less commonly visited destinations .

Beijing ➤ Xian ➤ Chengdu ➤ Yangtze River ➤ Shanghai ➤ Guilin ➤ Yangshuo ➤ Hong Kong

Beijing ➤ Xian ➤ Chengdu ➤ Lijiang ➤ Kunming ➤ Guilin ➤ Yangshuo ➤ Shanghai

Family Friendly China Itineraries One of our spe cialities are China tours that are family friendly with a good range of a ctivities to suit allages and designed to keep the whole family happy!

Beijing ➤ Pingyao ➤ Xian ➤ Chengdu ➤ Hangzhou ➤ Shanghai

Beijing ➤ Shaolin Si ➤ Longmen Grottoes ➤ Xian ➤ Kunming ➤ Lijiang ➤ Chengdu

China planning tip!These are just some of the more popular options .

We recommend you contact us to discuss yourspeci c requirements so we can advise accordingly



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What Style Of Trip For You?

Our Self -Guided trips o ffer all the security of pre -booked accommodation , arrival transfers , transport between destinations , helpful orientation tours and a good balance of free time todiscover China by yourself . All of this plus 24 hour backup from us . You are treated as individualsand never as part of a group!

Your Personalised

Trip GuidebookAll our trips come with our

exclusive 100+ page guidebookpersonalised to your trip and

packed full with useful ideas asto how to make the best out of

your China experience!

Our high quality private tours of China include a full itinerary of professionally guided private daytours , all transfers , quality accommodation and a mixture of plane and train transport . These toursare ideal for those on their rst visit to China and who want a well thought out , hassle free Chinaexperience that makes the best use of the precious time available for your holiday .

China trips are o ( en the experience of a lifetime . Our Fully Tailored Service is designed so that youcan make the most of the amazing opportunities China o ffers the traveller . We will work with youto design a unique trip just for you from well thought out general tours , honeymoons , anniversaries , family holidays and more educationally orientated tours .

We o ff er a range of di ff erent travel stylesdesigned to suit peoples di ff ering needs .

The three main options we o ffer are belowbut in addition we have “off The BeatenTrack ” tours , “City Breaks ,” “Busi ness Travel ” and “Family Tours .” Note that we do not o ffer

join in group travel as we do not believe thatis the best way to travel and experience sucha complex destination as China .

Discover China Your Way -click here for more details...

Distinctive China Tours -click here for more details...

Discover China Your Way Bespoke China Trips -click here for more details...








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“The best holiday we have ever had in our lives. It is definitely the way to seeand learn about the proper China. A careful balance of seeing the people and sights and local but comfortable hotels with good facilities and we would

recommend you to anyone - a beautifully thought out tour.”



Client Feedback

Click here to read more client reviews & testimonials

We look forward to hearing about your trip!

Hugh & Alison Durell

“The best pre-trip support we had on our 3 month trip around the world, you listened to what we asked for and provided a tour tailored to our every request. Not only would we recommend you, we will use you again.”

Vicky & Simon White

“The guides were outstanding. They were flexible, provided a friendly and very rofessional service and reall brou ht our tri to life.”

Cathy & Owen Finnie

“We enjoyed our trip from the moment we started to plan it till the very end.

During the whole trip we didn't have a chance to complain even once. It was a real tailor made trip and we felt that we were treated this way.” Bella & Andre Lisovitskaya


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