China Travel Information & Tips

China Travel Information & Tips

The People's Republic of China is the third largest country in the
world in terms of area, but some have

said it isn't even a country - it's a different world.

Geographically, it is situated in eastern Asia on the western shore of
the Pacific Ocean, with an area of

9.6 million square kilometres. China's continental coastline extends
for about 18,000 kilometres, and its

vast sea surface is studded with more than 5,000 islands, of which
Taiwan and Hainan are the largest.

China has shared borders for centuries with Korea, the formerly Soviet
Union, Afghanistan, Pakistan,

India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma, Laos and Vietnam.

China today offers shop-till-you-drop metropolises, big city
attractions, but yet retains its heritage,

historical and cultural value through the epic grasslands of Inner
Mongolia - with deserts, sacred peaks,

astounding caves, imperial ruins, terracotta warriors and so much
more.

It will take a lifetime to uncover even a fraction of China, but it
certainly is a destination that has

long captured the imagination of tourists worldwide.


Airport Taxes
RMBY90. Children under 12 are exempt.


Electrical Appliances
220V


Airport Transfers
Beijing/Peking airport (Capital International Central) is 28km
northeast of the city, about 30-40 minutes

by bus and taxi to town.

Guangzhou/Canton airport (Baiyun) is 7km from the city, about 20
minutes away.

Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) airport is 15km southwest of the city with a
travel time of about 25-40 minutes).

Shanghai Pudong (PVG) airport, in the new eastern financial district
is 30km from the city centre. It

takes about 30-40 minutes.


Currency Matters
1 Renminbi Yuan (RMBY) = 10 chiao/jiao or 100 fen. Notes are in
denominations of RMBY100, 50, 10, 5, 2 and

1, and 5, 2 and 1 chiao/jiao. Coins are in denominations of RMBY1, 1.5
chiao/jiao and 5, 2 and 1 fen.

RMBY is not traded outside China. Foreign banknotes and tavellers
cheques can be exchanged at branches of

The Bank of China. In hotels and Friendship Stores for tourists,
imported luxury items such as spirits may

be bought with Western currency.


Special Prohibited Items
Arms, ammunition, censored (photographs in mainstream Western
magazines may be regarded as censored),

radio transmitters/receivers, exposed but undeveloped film, fruit and
certain vegetables, political and

religious pamphlets (a moderate quantity of religious material for
personal use is acceptable). Any

printed matter directed against the public order and the morality of
China.


Special Health Regulations
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers
if arriving from infected areas.

Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination
certificate is not a condition of entry to

China. However, cholera is a slight risk in this country and
precautions could be considered. Up-to-date

advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions
should include vaccination as medical

opinion is divided over its effectiveness. A strain of Bengal cholera
has been reported in western areas.

Poliovirus transmission has been shown by reliable data to be
completely interrupted since 1994 through

eradication programmes. Malaria risk exists throughout the country
below 1500m except in Heilongjiang,

Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Beijing, Shanxi, Ningxia, Qinghai,
Xinjiang (except in the Yili River

Valley) and Tibet (Xizang, except in the Zangbo River Valley in the
extreme southeast). North of 33¡ãN,

the risk lasts from July to November, between 33¡ãN and 25¡ãN from May
to December, and south of 25¡ãN

throughout the year. The disease occurs primarily in the benign vivax
form but the malignant falciparum

form is also present and has been reported to be multidrug-resistant.
The recommended prophylaxis in risk

areas is chloroquine, or mefloquine in Hainan and Yunnan.


Drinking Water
Outside main centres all water used for drinking, brushing teeth or
freezing should have first been boiled

or otherwise sterilised.


Dress Code
Casual clothes are acceptable everywhere, although smarter clothes can
gain more respect. Revealing

clothes should be avoided.


Travel Wisdom
Serious crime against foreigners is rare. However, crime does occur in
both Chinese cities and in the

countryside. Do not trek alone in isolated or sparsely populated
areas, including those that follow parts

of the Great Wall. If you do so, you should leave your itinerary and
expected time of return at your

hotel/hostel or with a third party. Extra care should be taken when
moving around street markets and when

visiting popular expatriate bars after dark. Major tourist sites also
attract thieves and pickpockets. If

you resist a robbery attempt it could lead to serious violence (knives
are fairly common).

Areas bordering on Siberia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Laos and Burma are
poorly policed. In Yunnan, drug

smuggling and related crimes are on the increase. There is also a risk
of attack from armed bandits in the

more remote areas of China, such as those on the Gansu/Sichuan border.
Trans-Siberian express trains are

noted for smuggling. Search your compartment and secure the cabin door
before departure. Petty theft from

overnight trains and buses is common.


Weblinks To Visit

www.sortchina.com
China.Guide is an English portal website directory and search about
China for the people who are

interested in China.It provides up-to-date information and news
including Chinese Life, Chinese Economy,

Chinese Culture, Chinese Sports, Chinese Health, Chinese Science-
techonology and Chinese Society etc.,

such as BBS, BLOG, CHAT, B2B, yellowpages. ChinaGuide has the most
authoritative and comprehensive English

website navigation about China.

www.chinats.com
Maintained by an Internet service provider, this site is clean and
clear in its presentation and affords

visitors good and useful information including geography, economic and
physical conditions, and other

tourist type information. It even provides a comprehensive list of
good restaurants for various types of

cuisine. However, accommodation listing is missing, although it does
provide a contact point for further

information. A useful starting point for first time visitors.

www.cnto.org
This is the official China National Tourism Organisation site. As
such, it doesn't provide any commercial

propositions - it is only for information - most of which are
provided. Visas, climate, geography,

history, and tourist attractions. Good guide book to the country, but
do not expect any help with hotels

and other tourism products.

www.chinatour.com
A US-based tour operator, Access China Tour, which specialises in
arranging tours to China and its

neighbouring regions, runs this site. Hence, the tours are ex-US, but
the site contains good information

on the country and possible ideas of educational and cultural tours
that can be organised within China.