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Q & A:  others

1.What kind of electrical adaptor should I bring? - Top

Electricity in China is 220V, 50 cycles, AC. Two-pin sockets and some three-pin sockets are in use. Most of the hotels have a socket in the bathroom for both 110V and 220V. Most hotels have built-in convectors in bathrooms for shaving, hair dryers, etc. Outside of the bathroom, only 220V sockets are provided so a converter will be required to change the voltage from 220v to 110V and well as an adopter to allow different pins to be used. Most hotels will have adopters but it is always wise to be prepared if you have some piece of electrical equipment which is essential to operate.

2.How to contact my family when I travel in China? - Top

You can always use the hotel telephone. But be aware that it could be as expensive as US$3 per minute. On the Yangtze cruise ships, it could be $20 per minute as they are using satellite telephone.

Suggestions:

1: leave the phone numbers at home and ask them to call you;

2: send faxes from the business centers at the hotels and ships;

3: send emails from those business centers at the hotels and ships (note: you can not bring your own email account there as China's ISPs and ICPs are independent).

3.Is Train Travel comfortable and convenient in China? - Top

Traveling by train in China is one of the cheapest ways to travel some of the long distances in China and is used widely by the local population. It is important to know what to expect if you decide to travel by train in China.China Highlights have included detailed information on China Train Travel and please click here to read it.

4.I'd like to bring something as small gifts to the people I will meet in China, what will be alright? - Top

If you will just send something to some one who has helped you, things like postcards of your country will be fine, nothing expensive and they will be really happy about that. If you meet lovely little kids, you may give them something like a balloon bought on street, and some little items. They might be quite shy to accept it. Don't worry about that, Chinese people are quite friendly to foreigners. Bringing gifts to Chinese is not really a must. And if you could take photos with them and give them a copy, they will be very happy.

5.What to pack? - Top

1.The passport with all necessary visas and travel authorities, for identification purposes and the visa.

2.The Dress standard for most places in China would best be described as casual and modest.

3.'Carry On' luggage for air travel in China is limited to 2 pieces for first class travelers and one piece for business and economy class travelers. The dimensions of each shall not exceed 20X40 X55cm and the total weight of the above two pieces shall not exceed 5 kg. The carry-on items in excess of the above two pieces shall not exceed 5 kgs. The carry on items in excess of the above mentioned pieces, weight or dimension shall be checked-in as checked baggage according to regulations.

4.Wallet.

5.Credit cards.

6.Traveler's checks.

7.Airline, Cruise or Train tickets

8.First-aid kit

9.Medicine and vitamins.

10.Hat, Sunscreen and sunglasses, depending on the season and your destination.

11.Rainwear.

12.Address and telephone number list. A list of e-mail addresses, mailing addresses and telephone numbers will help keep you in touch. Type them onto a sheet instead of taking a your whole address book. It will save weight.

13.Itinerary with confirmation numbers and addresses and phone numbers of the places you'll be staying

14.Insect repellent. Especially for summer months and for travelers who are visiting rural areas.

15.Do not bring expensive jewelry and watches.

16.Medical records Daily necessities such as bathroom requirements are readily available throughout China and you may wish to save space by purchasing these items while you travel.'

6.In my schedule I will go and watch Beijing Opera. What should I wear? - Top

It's not necessary to dress formal for Beijing Opera. Dress slacks will be fine.

7.What lawful rights and interests and obligations are foreigners entitled to in China? - Top

The General Principles of Constitution of PRC indicate definitely that

1) Within Chinese territory, the legitimate rights and interests of the foreign visitors are protected by the People's Republic of China. And the freedom of person of the foreign visitors is inviolable as that of the Chinese nationals. And likewise, all foreign visitors must abide by the law of the People's Republic of China. Any activities that disrupt public order, disserve public security and infringe upon the interests of the state, of society and of the collective would be punished according to the laws of China.

2) Within the period of validity of their visas, foreign visitors can freely travel the areas open to foreigners. But they should respect the folkways and customs of local areas. While, those who what to visit areas that are not opened to foreigners should apply for a Foreigners Travel Permit from the local public security organ. Only after the approval is granted, can they enter the area legally.

8.Is language a problem there? - Top

Mandarin is spoken throughout China, and most people in Hong Kong speak Cantonese and English. English is the first foreign language of China and becoming more and more common. In areas frequented by tourists, you won't have problem using English.

9.What are the public holidays in China? - Top

There are three key national holiday periods in China, when a large part of the population is on the move – all travel bookings are extremely tight at these times, hotels generally increase their rates and flights and trains can be very crowded. The main, week-long holidays are: Chinese New Year in February; International Labour Day the first week of May, and to celebrate National Day the first week in October.

10.How can we find a laundry? - Top

There are few public laundries on the streets. Laundering services are available in your hotels and cruise ships. In some hotel, they offer the One-day dry cleaning and pressing services.

11.Will I have all the same facilities that I have at home? - Top

China is a developing country with traditions, culture and habits that are very different to many foreign countries. We are sure that we can give you a great Chine experience and we will assist you over most of the problems but it good to be aware that differences exist between our countries.As few important things.

1. Most people do not speck English. Our guides will be available in most case but please be patient and you will achieve your goals.

2. Chinese food is one of the most popular cuisines worldwide but we understand that you may want a change sometimes. Your evening meal is not included so that you can choose the food of your choice.

3. Toilet paper will not be available in most toilets including trains and some small hotel.

12.Do lots of people speak English in China? - Top

English is taught in all Chinese schools but most of the population can not speak English. It takes years of full time study for most people to be able to speak English so that they can be understood. Even in the big cities English is very limited so part of our job is to make it easier for our customers to get the most out of their tour by reducing the communication gap as much as possible. We also want to assure that Chinese people want to communicate with you. Its amazing how much can be achieved with signs and gestures when buying and bargaining for your souvenirs.

This a short guide to what level of English can be expected as you explore China.

Tour Guides:  All English speaking guides have to have passed a national exanimation and should be quite fluent English speakers. The standard of English spoken by guides in more remote areas like Tibet or the Silk Road may not be as high. Drivers rarely speak English.

Hotels

Tourist Class: Limited English may be available at the reception desk but it is unlikely that any other employees will speak English.

Deluxe Class: English should be available at the reception desk and other employees may speak limited English.

Superior Class: English will may be available at the reception desk and other employees should  be able to speak English.

Local Restaurants:  Little or no English is spoken at most local restaurants, however some may have English menus. Our guides will be available to assist when you visit a local restaurants as part of your tour.

Taxi Drivers: As a rule taxi Drivers do not speak English. Always carry the "Take me to" card from the hotel or ask the hotel to write a note.

Tourist Attractions: As a rule staff at tourist attractions do not speak English. Our guide will always be available to take care of admission and guiding you though the attraction.

Local Markets & Shops: No English will be spoken at most local shops. Tourist markets or places with high tourist traffic may have limited English especially "Hello" or "lookie lookie".

13.Air condition in China - Top

On the byproducts of economical development and urbanization is pollution and China's nation's water and air quality have suffered. In the large industrial cities of the north, pollution can be quite bad and this occurs even in some famous tourist cities including Beijing, Shanghai,Xian Hangzhou and Guilin.

14.Brief Traffic status in China - Top

Although China's is trying hard to improve its transportation infrastructure, it is still struggling to meet the demands of its huge population. It is not uncommon that travelers will see crowded, sometimes chaotic traffic jams in China's larger cities, including some important tourist cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Xian. It is also very common to see packed public transportation facilities like trains, public buses.

Unfortunately Chinahighlights can not change this problem but we do provide excellent driver who take great pride in the service they provide. We believe that you are in safe hands when you travel with us.

15.What are the traditional festivals in China? - Top

Traditional festivals of China are colorful and rich in content. This is an important part of Chinese culture. We have included all the major traditional Chinese festivals in our travelguide page. Please click here to read.

16.What do I do when I am harassed by beggars and hawkers while I am visiting the attractions? - Top

The beggars around the well known attractions are usually people getting money by misrepresentation. They often work in gangs and if you give to one, others may be attracted to you. Likewise, hawkers sell low quality products and discounted services and are not trustworthy.

17.My friend told me that the toilets in Chinese restaurants are "squat toilets". Is that true? - Top

Yes, most of toilets in Chinese restaurants and public areas are squat toilets. Hotels always have western toilets.

 

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