|
|
| Tourist
Guides for China |
This page
offers Tourist Guides for China (July 2010) |
|
Planning
a Holiday or Visit to China?
Get the information you need here |
|
General Comments:
You will normally be able to book internal trips and
tours during your holidays. Chinese people tend to book
all their own trips just a day or two before leaving
- it really is that instant! The benefit is that you
will pay local prices and have personally definable
options. Here is a quick resume:
1..When booking locally you will need to show your passport
with valid visa and entry stamp. This is normal, and
expect to pay 'Cash', again normal practice
2. China International Travel Service (CITS) can be
considered the local benchmark, but local booking agencies
may offer better and different deals - However, you
may need a translator
3. Prices are likely to be the same figures in RMB when
booked inside China, as with comparable deals booked
before your arrival in $ US Dollars
Guangdong and the Cantonese Speaking
World
We live in Guangdong, which you may know as Canton.
Therefore the majority of our guides are for local places
we have personally visited, or received feedback about
from other travellers we know personally.
The Cantonese World includes: Guangdong + Hong Kong,
Macao, and Hainan Island of course; Guangxi Province,
Northern Vietnam; and Southern regions of: Guizhou,
Hunan, Jiangxi, and Fujian Provinces.
Standard Chinese Tours:
There are basically three types of Chinese Tour, namely:
City Breaks, Local Tours, Regional Breaks, and Whistle-Stop
Multi-Destination Packages. They share a lot in common
= Great value for money (Booked locally in China), and
very exhausting.
Whistle-Stop Multi-Destination Packages:
These are ideal if you have 3-weeks and want to see
everything China has to offer. With these you can cram-in
packages such as: Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin,
Yunnan, and Hong Kong - with options to fly into one
city, and leave from your final destination. Agents
also offer more leisurely Yangtze River cruises, etc.
We suggest you look at deals offered by specialist agencies
such as our featured company China Travel Guide. They
will also offer bespoke itineraries and group deals
Regional Breaks:
These usually feature a particular area - such as Yunnan
Province, ethnic minorities, specific culture, and also
activities such as seeing the Panda Reserve in Sichuan
Province
Local Tours:
As Expats who know our local area, we can offer excellent
advice and adventures regarding local attractions; and
even peasant village excursions - basically anywhere
in Guangdong Region. Foshan itself is also the Premier
World centre for Kung Fu. We offer specialist Kung Fu
tours of 5-day multiples, with options for disinterested
companions. We also highly recommend relaxing short
breaks to other unique Guangdong cites such as ZhaoQing
and Kai Ping
As well as local attractions there are zoos, theme parks,
and theatre to enjoy. Alternatively, we can take you
onto our local streets to meet our friends - shop, explore,
or relax with a beer?
Please note: We are not a travel
agency - we simply live here and know what to do!
City Breaks:
Name any famous City in China, and there will be a City
Break package for it. The top International destinations
are probably: Beijing and The Great Wall, Xi'an for
Terracotta Warriors, Shanghai, Guilin, Hong Kong, and
Macao. Most follow a similar routine, and are exceptionally
good value for money. However, with our personal insights,
you may find these tours can be far more relaxing and
enjoyable...
There are basically only two classes of travel, International
4* and Chinese 2*. The differences only include: Slightly
posher rooms, International breakfast option, English
speaking (ish) Guide for trips. The charges can be alarmingly
dissimilar, or almost identical - Here is China! Shop
around for the best deals. Virtually everything else
is identical
Chinese will endeavour to show you the maximum number
of attractions during your visit - which may not be
your personal plan? Read-on...
Let's take a standard 5-day, 4-night tour of Beijing
as prime example:
Standard Beijing Itinerary:
1. Arrive mid-afternoon at Beijing airport and transfer
to Hotel - via some nondescript attraction. Arrive hours
later than planned, have dinner. Go to bed
2. Every day starts at 7am sharp into the charabanc,
so rise at 6am if you want any breakfast! 4* tours usually
return around 7pm; whilst 2* ones can be as late as
9pm, but you do get to see little more
3. This is your daily schedule for your entire stay,
with one afternoon off
4. That stated, you will be taken to all noteworthy
sights, and have shopping expeditions also
5. Nightlife is not normally included
6. Visits to what are essentially 'Guide Sales Commission'
venues are always included. This is Chinese philosophy
I am afraid + some are quite interesting, prices are
very good, and goods sold are genuine
7. As a general rule, buy souvenirs inside attractions,
as you are normally only offered inferior copies outside
- at inflated prices
8. Your time at any given destination is strictly controlled,
so you may prefer to make your own arrangements?
9. All meals are usually included, but expect to pay
minor additional charges for most entrance fees, nominally
less than Y100 per attraction
10. If you decide to skip a day, or leave a tour to
do your own thing; please tell the guide as soon as
possible, and only be as forceful as necessary - they
are usually students working their holidays for a pittance,
and they make commission from what you buy (Which may
be their only income from their work!). Answer = tip
them and be polite
Our Version:
As Westerners ourselves, we obviously have a very good
idea what you are actually wanting. We usually recommend
you take a standard tour package, because the basics
such as flights, hotels, and transfers are cheap and
sorted.
You can book a trip to The Great Wall from any hotel
- this being the only attraction that requires a little
planning, plus we can tell you how to enjoy the rest
of your trip at your own pace; focusing only upon what
you want to do
Compare a Standard Beijing Package Tour vs Our Own Version
here
About Your Destinations:
Notes for Independent Travellers Only:
We can offer practical advice and local knowledge, supported
by experiences from other independent travellers who
have gone before you. Contact
Us for further information, stating you
intended destination or what you would like to experience.
We can also give you a free point of contact whilst
in China = ourselves. We live here and understand how
China works!
See our dedicated page for Independent Travellers here |
|
| Related
Pages: Ten
Tips Independent
Travellers China
Guides |
|
| This
information is as supplied by China Expats as dated
2nd August 2010, and/or other reliable sources. Please
check this information yourself as it may alter without
notice, and whilst we try our best to ensure it is correct,
please do not hold us responsible for any errors - this
is intended as a simple guide only |
|
| Search
this Website |
|
|
| Our
Friends |
Excellent
& Free Online Chinese Language Portal
Thousands of free print-friendly Chinese reference sheets,
tests and revision aids.
Easy Learning format &
Listen to Spoken Words |
British Foreign Office
Resource and Advice for Travellers Worldwide |
Chinese Embassy in UK
Information About China
International Relations
Visa & Consular |
UK Embassy in China
Information About UK
International Relations
Visa & Consular |
Down The Road.org
How We Traded Our Ordinary Lives For a Global Bicycle Touring Adventure
See
Us in China |
Based in Shangri-la,
Yunnan
Province
Dedicated to Exploring Remote Areas of China
Committed to Nature Conservation and Preserving Ethnic
Cultures & Traditions
|
Based in Xi'an,
China's Premiere Travel Agency and International Travel
Community -
Committed to providing:
Best travel deals & current information for all
International Travellers |
|
