Posts Tagged ‘China’
There are many reasons why many people all over the world want to visit China. The country, being one of the oldest civilizations in the world, opens new windows for visitors who would like to experience unique landscapes, architecture, customs and delicacies.
You may want to visit different parts of China for various reasons, but you may want to take note of some pointers that would help you to be prepared and have a more pleasant experience while exploring the country. Here are some China travel tips that will help you.
What to pack
Making preparations for your trip to China regarding what you should bring is essential for an enjoyable trip. A pair of good walking shoes is absolutely essential, especially if you visit the main attractions as there is a lot of walking involved. The Great Wall of China, for example, has many rough surfaces and lots of steps.
You will also be exposed to the elements in open places like the Forbidden City, so an umbrella or raincoat is essential. Insect repellent is also helpful in keeping the pests away during hot summer months. Most importantly, you should dress according to the weather conditions that apply to the specific time and place of your visit.
Shopping
If you are visiting different cities or regions during your trip, it is recommended that you spread your buys out such that you can purchase the unique products of each place. For example, Xinjiang is famous for carpets while Suzhou is well-known for its silk. Do feel free to bargain to get the best prices for your goods, except in malls and department stores.
Dining
China is a haven for food lovers with a taste for both the familiar and exotic. It is not uncommon to find dishes that make use of many different plant and animal parts, thus usually evoking a variety of reactions in foreigners. Every region has its own specialty dishes and different ways of cooking and preparing that will deliver a range of satisfying culinary experiences to the discerning gourmand. You are not required to tip, although a service charge may be included in some cases.
Safety and security
China as a whole is a safe country to visit, with many helpful and friendly locals. However do take precaution at night and in crowded places, so do carefully safeguard your belongings and valuables and keep them where they are visible. Be careful not to flaunt your jewelry or other indicators of wealth unnecessarily. Most importantly, do not fall prey to scams by keeping your wits about and not following strangers.
How to get around on your own without getting lost
If you are out exploring on your own, it is often a wise idea to bring along your hotel room card as the printed information of the hotel will help you to find your way back if you are lost. When taking a taxi to get around, do bear in mind that many taxi drivers do not know English. Hence it is advisable to get assistance in writing down the name of your destination in Chinese so that he knows where you are going.
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Located in the Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province, Poyang Lake is the largest fresh-water lake in China. Having experienced many geological changes, Poyang Lake is now wide in the south and narrow in the north, like a huge gourd tied o-n the waist of the Yangtze River.
Poyang Lake is a resplendent pearl o-n the vast Chinese territory. For thousands of years, Poyang Lake has been nurturing the people in Jiangxi Province and attracting visitors with her charm.
Looking out over the vastness of Poyang Lake, with its blue waves that stretch to the horizon, is much like standing o-n the shore and looking out over an ocean. o-n days when the sun shines and the sky is a clear blue, the sky and the water of the lake seem to meet o-n the horizon. Sailboats o-n the lake dart back and forth, appearing to joust with the billowing clouds. Rafts float along o-ne after another like a big moving dragon. Poyang Lake is rich in aquatic plants, which create a hospitable environment for many rare species of freshwater fish. In addition, many kinds of rare birds are attracted to the lake, making it a popular destination for birdwatchers.
Higlight
The Poyang Lake Bird Protection Area is a sanctuary for many rare species of birds. Measuring 224 square kilometers (about 86 square miles) in area, it offers a mild climate and a habitat rich in aquatic plants and fish with no industrial pollution. In winter, Poyang Lake is home to the world’s largest population of birds.
Every November, thousands of birds fly in from Siberia, Mongolia, Japan, North Korea, and the northeastern and northwestern regions of China. These migratory birds spend the long winter in Poyang Lake together with the native widgeons, egrets, and mandarin ducks, leaving gradually as the weather starts to warm in March. Poyang Lake is considered by many to be the largest bird sanctuary in the world. Every winter it plays host to 95% of the world’s white cranes, a fact that gives it two of its popular names: ‘World of White Cranes’ and ‘Kingdom of Rare Birds’.
The white crane, which is o-ne of the world’s endangered species, is a large wading bird about 135 cm (about 53 inches) tall. All of its feathers are pure white except for a few black o-nes o-n the tips of the wings, which give it its alternate name of ‘black sleeve crane’. Its sword-like beak is brownish yellow, and it stands o-n a pair of long, pink legs. White cranes mate for life, and because they can live 70 years or more, the Chinese call them ‘immortal cranes’ and consider them a symbol of propitiousness.
Serious birdwatchers use telescopes to get a good look at the birds, which are very shy and will fly away if you get too close to them. Colorful birds are everywhere, skimming the surface of the water, soaring high in the sky, or circling and diving for a morsel of food. The elegant white cranes can be seen flapping their wings and playing with each other. There are so many of them that they can look like a great white wall – a truly incredible sight.
Other rare birds that can be seen here include white storks, black storks, bustards, pelicans, and many more.
Transportation and accomodation:
You can fly to Nanchang first. Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi province and most big cities of China (like: Beijing, Shanghai,Wuhan, Guangzhou,Shenzhen,Hong Kong,Nanjing,Hangzhou,Chengdu,Chongqing) have non-stop flights to Nanchang. Poyang Lake is about 228 km from Nanchang. (You can drive to Poyang Lake and the cost is 120 rmb for the high way fees and 112 rmb for the gas) In your way, you will see Jiujiang city. The hotels in Jiujiang are much better than the ones in Poyang Lake. You can choose them if you don’t like the Hostels(or inns) in Poyang Lake. These inns are much cheaper of course, only cost 40-70 rmb for a night. Another option is Nanchang, it is easy to find 4 stars or 5 stars hotels there. The cost is 300-800 rmb for a night.
Eat:
Lots of people recommend the fish and crab here. Not a bad choice for the tourists.
Bird watch spot:
Poyang Lake is a popular destination for birdwatchers. You need to get up early in the morning if you wanna go to this bird watch spot. All the birds will fly away if you get there late. A powerful telescope is very useful for a birdwatcher. You don’t need a tour guide any more if you get a good telescope. The admission fee is 15 rmb for a person.
Copyright belongs to Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM . You can find more information about china travel,cheap flights,non-stop flights,direct flights from our web site. (This article written on 03/09/2011).
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This article is about the China vacations and Great Wall travel. You can find some useful information in it if you are planning your Great Wall travel now.
Badaling Great Wall is the site of the most visited part of the Great Wall, approximately 80 kilometers northwest of Beijing in Yanjing County, which is within the Beijing municipality. The portion of the wall running through the site was built during the Ming Dynasty, along with a military outpost reflecting the location’s strategic importance.The highest point of Badaling is Beibalou, approximately 1015 meters above sea level.
The portion of the wall at Badaling has undergone heavy restoration, and in 1957 it was the first section of the wall to open to travellers. Now visited annually by millions, the immediate area has seen significant development, including hotels, restaurants, a cable car, etc. The recently completed Badaling Expressway connects Badaling with Beijing.
Badaling and the expressway were the site of the finishing circuit of the Urban Road Cycling Course in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Laps of the circuit passed through gates in the wall.
It was here that President Richard Nixon and his wife visited on 02/24/1972, during his historic journey to P. R. China. ( From Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM, you can get more info about China vacations)
Travel tips for your Badaling Great Wall tour:
1. To get here, you can take the Line 919 city bus in Deshengmen (Desheng Gate) of Beijing. This is the cheapest way to get to the Badaling Great Wall. The Line 919 bus is available at 6:30 – 17:00 and the bus station is right there under the Deshengmen (Desheng Gate). The cost is 12 rmb ( for the bus goes through the Badaling express way and with air condition in it ) for one person. It takes about 1 hour to get to Badaling Great Wall. One thing I have to mention is that there is another type of Line 919 bus here. It is cheaper (only 5 rmb) and also heads to the Badaling Great Wall. But this bus doesn’t have air condition and takes 2 hours to get to the Badaling Great Wall because it choose another road, not the Badaling expressway. The Line You 1, You 2, You 3, You 4, You 5 bus is another option for you (“You” is the meaning for travel in Chinese). These buses can take you to the Badaling Great Wall, The Ming Tombs, etc. The disadvantage is that you will not have enough time for each scenic spot. If you wanna spend more time in the Badaling Great Wall. This Line You bus is not your best choice.
2. To get back, you can take the Line 919 bus or the Line You 1 – You 5 buses. Some friends told me that the Line 919 was very crowded and it was not easy to find a seat in Lin 919 bus. But it is in a totally different situation now. There is a starting station in Badaling now and you will be able to find a good seat in this place. I once made a mistake there. I found a Line 919 bus with many people in it. I thought it was goting back to Deshengmen and when I got on the bus I was told that this bus was the free bus for the Badaling Zoo. I had to take the same bus to get back when I arrived this Badaling Zoo. If you don’t want to make the same mistake, you’d better ask the driver about their destination before you get on the bus.
3. The train is also a good choice for your Badaling Great Wall travel. You can take the train to Badaling at the Wudaokou station. There are trains heading to Badaling every morning and they will get back in the afternoon.
4. If you wanna rent a sedan or minivan to Badaling, the cost is about 300 rmb for a whole day.
4. If you do not want to have lunch in Badaling (a little bit expensive and not delicious in my point of view), you can bring some food with you.
5. There is a big toilet in the entrance of the Badaling Great Wall. It is clean and free. In other toilets of Badaling, you will need to pay for it and will not be able to find some water to wash your hands. 
6. The sourth part and north part of the Badaling Great Wall are different and you’d better see both.
7. The ticket price is 45 rmb for the entrance of the Badaling Great Wall. This includes the entrance fees for a Bear Garden and a Great Wall Museum.
8. Again, leave nothing but prints, take nothing but photos.
Copyright belongs to Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM . You can find more information about china vacations, lhasa travel guide and travel tips from our web site.
NOTE: Permission is granted by the copyright owner to disseminate this article in whole or in part provided credit is given to the author (with a link to the article’s source URL Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM ) and this NOTE is not removed.
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TOP TEN BEIJING SIGHTSEEING SPOTS
Beijing also known as Peking ,is a metropolis in northern China, and the capital of the People’s Republic of China.
Beijing has a whole area of 16808 sq km (about 6500 sq mi), stretching 160 kilometres from east to west and over 180 kilometres north to south. 38% of it is flat land and 62% mountains.
Beijing’s population has reached 1382 million people, including floating population has reached 303.9 million
Beijing,the most representative city and symbol of China.
1. Tiananmen Square
Tian’anmen Square is a largest City square in the world (440,000 m – 880m by 500m). located in the centre of Beijing. located to its north, separating it from the Foebidden City . Since it was enlarged four times its original size in the 1950s. It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several important events in Chinese history.
2. Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is located in the middle of Beijing, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five hundred years, it served as the home of Emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.
3. Summer Palace
The Summer Palace or Yihe Yuan It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is Water. The central Kunming Lake covering 2.2 square kilometers was entirely man made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill. In the Summer Palace, one finds a variety of palaces, gardens, and other classical-style architectural structures.
4. Great Wall
The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups. Several walls have been built since the 5th century BC that are referred to collectively as the Great Wall, which has been rebuilt and maintained from the 5th century BC through the 16th century.
5. Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It is regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, pre-dates Taoism.
6. Lama Temple
Lama Temple Beijing (Yonghegong), or Palace of Peace and Harmony Lama Temple or Yonghegong Lamasery, a renowned lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, is situated in the northeast part of Beijing city.
7. Frangrant Hill
The Fragrant Hills Park (Xiangshan gongyuan) is located 20 kilometers northwest of Beijing and not far from the Summer Palace. The name of the park derives not from the fresh air or aroma in the area, but in the shape of the hills themselves. If you look close enough (and with a bit of imagination thrown in) you can just make out t he shape of an incense burner at the peak of the hills.
8. Olympic stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird’s Nest, is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics .
9. 798 Art Zone
798 Art Zone or Dashanzi Art District, is a part of Dashanzi in the Chaoyang district of Beijing that houses a thriving artistic community, among 50-year old decommissioned military Factory buildings of unique architectural style. It is often compared with New York’s Greenwich Village or SoHo.
10. Ming Tomb
the Ming Tombs – the general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. Because of its long history, palatial and integrated architecture, the site has a high cultural and historic value. The layout and arrangement of all thirteen mausoleums are very similar but vary in size as well as in the complexity of their structures.
http://www.bestbeijingtours.com is a lead of the Beijing tourism travel agency.
Special provide an elaborate tour package for your visiting.
Carefully designed Beijing tour itineraries ensure a perfect combination of historic culture and modern civilization.
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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.
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