Category: Vacation

China is situated in the south-eastern part of Eurasia and the eastern and central part of Asia. The region totals 9.6 million square kilometers. From bustling metropolises to the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, China is characterized by a diversified culture. Whether you are following the Silk Road, sailing down the Yangzi River, or exploring the Dr. Seuss landscape of Guangxi Province, the cultural feast is its chief draw. However, standard tourist sights like The Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Terracotta Army are relatively few, considering the size of the country.

Contrary to popular perception, China has not done away with its Maoist past; the revolutionary fervour is balanced by economic pragmatism. However, the change of pace is visible in modern day China. Travellers who visit the country would be surprised to see how much China has opened up and how many liberal trends have materialized subsequent to the late Deng Xiaoping’s free market economics. Whether travellers are attracted to the country’s rich history, architecture, culture, or politics, the speed with which things are changing ensure their vacations are unparalleled.

In the plains, villages appear to amalgamate while big cities are sprawling affairs with the majority of their inhabitants residing in uniform dormitory buildings. There are several regional discrepancies. Some areas of the People’s Republic are not populated by the Chinese but by supposed minority peoples, of whom there are over 200 groups. Nevertheless, enduring images of China are fundamentally stereotypical Chinese ones: chopsticks, tea, shadow-boxing, karaoke, Dickensian train stations, smoky temples, red flags, and the aroma of frying tofu, in addition to the industrial landscape a person would expect from one of the world’s largest economies.

Spring and autumn are the best times to visit China. Daytime temperatures range from 20xb0C to 30xb0C in these seasons but the nights can be cold and damp.

Fuelled by interesting travel services, international travellers to China are increasingly opting for unique experiential vacations. In fact, more and more people are buying customized travel packages, whether it is a leisurely river cruise, a historic tour, martial arts experience, or exploring the Silk Route. With more and more people becoming travel savvy, the traveller now demands specialists and not generalists.

To meet the demands of the travel-savvy generation, several China travel services are making an effort to entice them with experiential tailor-made packages. For example, the ’14-day Journey to the Home of Martial Arts’ is an inexpensive travel service for martial arts aficionados. The travel service includes round-trip air transportation from the U.S.; intra-China air and land transportation transfers; China airport departure taxes; 12-night hotel accommodations with daily buffet breakfasts; escorted sightseeing tours; Tang Dynasty show; Shanghai Acrobatic show; and round-trip transfers between airport and hotels; hotel taxes and service charges in each city.

Books written by Stein, Hedin, and others have generated interest in the oriental mystery of the Silk Route, and a number of international travellers are keen to visit these places. Travel services are capitalalizing on the benefits of the country’s ancient culture. Packages like the ’15-Day Ancient Silk Route Escapade’ offer a distinctive experience of Beijing, Urumqi, Turpan, Dunhuan, Xi’an, and Shanghai. This includes round-trip transpacific air transportation from the U.S.; intra-China air and land transportation; 12 nights in deluxe and superior first-class hotels; one night aboard an overnight train in a private compartment; round-trip transfers between airport and hotels; hotel taxes and service charges in each city; sightseeing tours; and $100,000 Automatic Flight Insurance for transpacific air ticketed by PDT.

Yangtze River Cruises and few other travel services offer a downstream Yangtze River Cruise. The tour includes round-trip air transportation from San Francisco; intra-China air and land transportation transfers, sightseeing; five nights in superior first-class hotels; three nights aboard Victoria Cruises’ ship; hotel taxes and service charges; cultural entertainment; and $100,000 Automatic Flight Insurance for transpacific air ticketed by PDT.

Americans visiting China are advised to register with the U.S. Embassy in Beijing or the nearest U.S. consulate. Registration will aid their posts in China to locate the travelers in the event of an emergency at home or in replacing a lost or stolen passport.

Owing to the sheer size and diversified environment of China, it is not possible for an international traveller to truly experience its myriad of treasures like Yangtze River, the Great Wall of China, pastoral villages dotting the country, and some of the most magnificent art and architecture in the world, without the services of a good travel agency.

Travel agencies across China are moving beyond the traditional elements of a holiday, like Beijing, Great Wall, Yangtze cruise and the Terracotta Army. The inclination is now towards more variety; and there is a demand among international travellers for the traditional China experience. Regions such as Yunnan in the southwest, with its stone forest, are now regularly found in travel agency pamphlets. Unfamiliar regions such as Shaxi, west of Beijing, or Shadong, to the east, are being promoted. Gauging travellers’ interest in China’s historical sites, China Highlights Travel has introduced an ’18 Days of China Historical Tour.’

An increasing number of travel agencies are offering customized packages based on travellers’ individual interests and budget. For example, China Tour Service offers tailored tours like the Yangtze River Cruise, Tibetan Adventure, Silk Road Tours, Shangri-La China Travel, and World Heritages Tours. China Highlights Travel provides Yangtze River Cruises in a choice of over 40 ships including deluxe Victoria Cruises, the 5-star luxury East Queen, the smaller, yet comfortable, Princess Sissi, and budget ferries that natives take as daily transport vessels.

China Custom Tours, with associates in China and the United States, offers special-interest tours. The travel agency concentrates on popular places as well as off-the beaten-path locations. They arrange package tours and travel arrangements for individuals, groups, business leaders, and professional and educational communities, and they supplement their programs with international air arrangements, visa processing, and a travel protection plan.

Whether travel interests range from travel by bicycle to remote villages or a shopping marathon in metropolises, eating Western or ‘clashing with chopsticks,’ a leisurely cruise or sightseeing, it pays to spend some time in choosing a good travel agency.

China is slightly larger than the United States. It is the most populated country in the world, with over 1.25909 billion people, about 22 percent of the world’s total.

As a tourist spot, China offers a limitless variety of spectacular scenery and historical wonders. Generally May, September and October are ideal for touring anywhere in the country. During June to August, travelers often visit central and northern China, as rainfall is likely to occur in southern China during this time. Moreover October is ideal to travel anywhere and any region in the country. Because of the popularity of this tourist destination, large numbers of flights between China and countries like the United States, France, Britain and Hong Kong have been added, making it easier to make travel plans. As a matter of fact, during 2004-05, the revenue of the tourism industry of China exceeded $30 billion and is expecting to rise. The Chinese government has spent billions developing China’s tourism industry by establishing international five star hotels including Hilton, Hyatt and Sheraton. They have also improved their rail system and are continuously spending money to upkeep their many ancient monuments and historical sites.

The terracotta army of Xian, Buddhist caves, temples of Tibet, Great Wall of China, the ancient places of Beijing and Shanghai are some of the most popular attractions in China. There are over 13000 travel agencies offering adventure tours in mountains and rivers in the different provinces of China. Tour operators include China International Travel Service, China Comfort Travel and online agencies like ChinaTravel.com, ChinaHighlights.com, Chinatour.com, Travelchinaguide.com, and Warriortours.com. These agencies will plan your entire trip from start to finish and offer individual and group packages at reasonable prices. You may even design your own customized tour with many of these agencies. As a tourist, you can request a travel guide who will help interpret the ancient history and culture of China.

Tour operators are companies who offer tours and packages all over the world. Many tour operators in the United States are members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) is a professional association representing the tour operator industryin the U.S.

When traveling to a country like China, it is wise to consult a tour operator to make sure that you are getting the most for your money, and to discover the activities that most closely match your interests. The tour operator will help book all accommodations and recommend popular structured escorted group tours with group leaders. The tour operator will handle everything from airfare to hotels, meals, tours, admission costs, and local transportation.

In China, you may choose the option of an unescorted package. While this may seem convenient, you usually end up paying. This package is purchased when you arrive in China. Therefore, any foreign tour operators you may purchase your package from are required to use Chinese state-registered travel agencies to act as local handlers. They usually quote very high rates, which become even higher when the tour operator adds the middleman fee. This is because Chinese travel agencies are controlled by CITS, (China International Travel Service) which keeps prices high. You can check with the China National Tourism Office for a list of registered Chinese agencies that can give you information on packages tours that includes choices of airlines, hotels and other hidden expenses. Try to avoid booking with a private Chinese tour agency or guide online because many are not licensed.

Every individual should visit China at least once to enjoy the scenic beauty of the terracotta Army of Xian, Buddhist caves, temples of Tibet, Great Wall of China and the ancient places of Beijing and Shanghai. There are thousands of travel agencies that offer a wide variety of guided and non-guided tour packages to China visitors. Many different packages are offered that include a tour guideA tourist traveling through China who wishes to truly experience the history, civilization and natural beauty really should opt for a guided tour package.

Most of the tour operators in China like OrientTravel.com, China Travel service (CTS), InfoHub, GAT China Vacation etc offer guided tour packages for the visitors at different competitive prices depending upon the tastes and interests of the visitors. An experienced guide will meet you (or your group) when you arrive and stay with you through the tour. The travel agency where you book your trip will arrange hotel and room accommodations as well as set up your itinerary for touring. They will also give you information about transportation, currency, tipping, health and hygiene and weather and temperature.

A 15 day guided tour of China will usually take you to various cities such as Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin and Hong Kong. This is one of the more popular itineraries and offers wonderful highlights including museums of art, a day trip to Suzhou to visit the famous gardens and the Li River cruise in Guilin. A package will run generally around $2300 per person.

The Great Wall of China, one of the most appealing attractions of China and one of the greatest wonders of the world, was constructed by the Vassal states under Zhou Dynasty for defense purposes. The construction began during 7th century B.C. and was completed between the 14th and 17th centuries. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized the Great Wall of China as the World Heritage in 1987.

Once the state of Qin was unified with China, China joined all the walls to impede invaders from northern China and extended them to more than 10000 li, which is equal to 5000 kilometers. Like a Chinese holistic dragon with a zigzag shape, the Great Wall of China stretches across mountains, plateaus, deserts, rivers and grasslands with a length of almost 6,700 kilometers. It is over 2000 years old and runs from East China to West China. Unfortunately, portions of the wall are in ruins due to lack of interest on the part of the Chinese Government. This magnificent piece of Chinese history touches the provinces of Shanhaiguan Pass, Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu and finally ends in Jiayuguan Pass.

China tour operators like Beijingguide.com, Chinahiking.com, and Orientaltravel.com etc various tours to the Great Wall of China at discount prices and outstanding services. Tourists stay at the beautiful places near the wall like Jinshanling and Simatai, where there are restaurants, guest houses, shops and transportation agencies. The entire Great Wall of China can be broadly divided into four popular sites namely Badaling, Mutianya, Simatai and Shixiaguan. Of these, Simatai is the steeper portion of the Wall. Generally May and October are ideal months for touring.

China is a wonderful country filled with exciting places to experience. The most popular and perfect mode of transportation in China is the bicycle, so it makes sense to take a bicycle tour in the world’s largest population and largest cycling population. Cycling in China will take you by the ancient Great Wall of China, the holistic temples of Beijing or any of the scenic beautiful and historic sites of China.

You can bicycle around China on your own, but a custom, private or small tour is highly recommended. Tours allow you to stop at historical sites and interesting villages, as well as take photographs wherever you like. Small group tours are designed to be ridden at a moderate pace and you will learn all you need to know about proper cycling techniques to make your tour pleasant and relaxing. Your guide will help you learn the ways of the locals and help you design a tour that fits your abilities and interests. A good guide will help you with the Chinese language, safety tips and how to find a hotel.

Most tourists rent mountain bikes while in China for a reasonable cost. If you don’t feel like pedaling all day, there are even electric bikes that can be rented. The cost of the tour generally depends on the number of people, the length of the tour and other transportation that will be used (trains, planes, automobiles) during the tour. Cost usually runs somewhere between $100 to 200 per day for a guide, hotel, group meals, other transportation, entry fees, etc. Any cost not included in the tour will be the responsibility of the individual. To keep costs down, it is better to find a group to travel with.