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Useful Information on China
Tourist Information
From China National Tourist Information Center
Accommodation
Luxury hostels are available in major cities. Reservation can be made through
traveler agents. These hostels have everything you need, including gropes,
hairdressers, toothpaste, shaver, etc In remote areas or small cities,
hostels are clean but not luxury. Foreign visitors have to bear with the
condition in those small hostels.
LANGUAGES: The national language is Putonghua (the common speech) or Mandarin,
which is one of the five working languages at the United Nations. Most
of the 55 minority nationalities have their own languages. Cantonese is
one of the local dialects of southern China. As a written language, Chinese
has been used for 6,000 years.
NATIONALITIES: China is made up of 56 ethnic groups. The Han people make
up 91.02 percent of the total population, and the other 55 national minorities
8.98 percent. They are Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan, Uygur, Miao, Yi, Zhuang,
Bouyi, Korean, Manchu, Dong, Yao, Bai, Tujia, Hani, Kazak, Dai, Li, Lisu,
Wa, She, Gaoshan, Lahu, Shui, Dongxiang, Naxi, Jingpo, Kirgiz, Tu, Daur,
Mulam, Qiang, Blang, Salar, Maonan, Gelo, Xibe, Achang, Pumi, Tajik, Nu,
Ozbek, Russian, Ewenki, Benglong, Bonan, Yugur, Jing, Tatar, Drung, Oroqen,
Hezhen, Moinba, Lhoba and Gelo. All nationalities enjoy equal status according
to the Constitution. The State protects their lawful rights and interests
and promotes equality, unity and mutual help among all nationalities.
China Airlines
From North America or Europe, all major airlines provide flights to Beijing,
Shanghai, Guanzhou and Hong Kong and then transit to other cities. Domestic
flights can be booked when you arrive in China through local airline offices
or the hostels.
Business Center
Most of the hostels have business centers for business travelers. They
may have staff to help you to translate, copy, fax or even draft documents.
You can also rent computer or computer time for using email.
Currency Regulation
Conversion Rate
You are advised to exchange foreign currency into RMB, in your guesthouse or local
banks, for shopping although most of the shops may accept US dollars.
Credit cards are accepted in the major shops in the tourist areas but
small shops may only accept cash.
Drink
Never drink tap water in China. Stiller water bottles are available in
fridge or boiling water from the your guesthouse. On a long ride on private car
or bus, take with you some drinks.
Entertainment
Most of the hostels are close to cinemas, opera, music hall, disco and
other entertainment. CNN program is also available in China. Gambling,
drug and sex-related business are prohibited by law.
Electronic equipment
China uses 220V of European system. Most of the hostels have a socket in
the bathroom for using both 110V and 220V. Outside of the bathroom, you
should not connect your 110v to the outlet unless your device has a transformer
or can be used with 220v.
Food
If you enjoy eating, China offers you many varieties of foods in the styles
of Cantonese, Beijing, Szechwan, Shanghai and many others. Drink Chinese
tea to help you to digest after a heavy Chinese dinner. Always have food
in a big restaurant or in the your guesthouse if you have a sensitive stomach. Western
food and fast food, such as Macdonald, Kentucky fry Chicken and pizza,
are now available everywhere. For details, see Food Culture.
Visas, Embassies
Most of the foreign embassies are in Beijing. There are also offices in
other major cities such as Shanghai, Chonging, Gongzhou and Hong Kong.
Health Concern
Get advice from your family doctors for vaccination required for China
visit. Bring with you medical kit that some of the drugs may not be found
in China.
Travel Insurance
It is advised to have insurance to cover sickness and other possible traveling
accidence. For hospitalization in China, you may have to pay first and
then claim it back from your insurance company.
Language Info
There is English speaking staff on duty in hostels of major cities. You
find no difficult to go around in major cities too. For visit to remote
area, you may find difficult to communicate. Be patient and ask the your guesthouse
to find an English interpreter to assist you. To learn some simple English-Chinese
phrases, click on the left.
Phone and fax
You are advised to bring with you a calling card, instead of making international
call through your guesthouse. You may rent computer, pager or portable phone on
short term from or through the business center.
Safety
China has very low crime rate, comparing with a lot of other countries.
It is still wise to be cautious with your personal possession in public
place. There are pickpockets active in crowded areas such as stations,
markets, shopping areas, etc. Do not show off your money in public. Use
your safe in the your guesthouse room and don't bring too much cash with you when
you don't need it. If there is any problem, report to the your guesthouse or police
immediately.
Shopping
Daily use goods are inexpensive in China. CD, electronics and books can
be purchased everywhere. For expensive items such as antique, arts, jay,
jewelry, etc., unless you are an expert, you will be better off to purchase
these goods from government owned shops.
Sport
Book golf and tennis through your hostels. Swimming pool and gyms are available
in major hostels. Pool table and bowling are in most of the cities. For
horse riding, sailing and other sports, they are available in major centers
only.
Taxi
Book your taxi or limousine from the your guesthouse and fix the price before you
go. From or to Airport, better use your guesthouse shuttle bus.
Tourist attractions
Museum, temples, historical sites and scenery are the major attractions
to foreign visitors. First study the background and it will help you to
appreciate the difference in culture and historical events. For details,
see Index - China.
Traveling Documents
Visa must be obtained from Chinese Consulates in your country. It will
take a couple days to process the application. If you plan to stay in
Hong Kong before entering China, you may apply Visa in Hong Kong.
Tourist Package
Book your tour through your own agent or the your guesthouse. It may be more expensive
but the quality is guarantied. You may prefer to go on your own if you
know how to get around.
Traveling season
The best season for traveling to China is May or late October. The weather
is nice and it is not high season too. The worse is after or before Chinese
New Year (January and February). The weather is cold and people are too
busy in preparing for Chinese New year.
Washroom
Washroom in public or even some of the restaurants are poor managed. Go
to hostels or big restaurants if you have to go to washroom.
Weather
China covers regions from Hainan, an island in the South, to extremely
cold Inner Mongols in the North. Generally, summer is very warm and humid,
winter is bitterly cold in the North. Southern part and coastal area have
a better climate than the inland and North.
FAMILY NAMES: Chinese family names came into being some 5,000 years ago.
There are more than 5,000 family names, of which 200 to 300 are popular.
In Chinese names, family names comes first and given name second. For
example, in the case of Deng Xiaoping, Deng is the family name, Xiaoping
the given name. The most popular Chinese family names are ZHANG, WANG,
LI, ZHAO, LIU, CHEN...
RIVERS: China has 50,000 rivers that cover a catchment area of at least
100 square kilometers, and 1,500 of them cover a catchment area of more
than 1,000 square kilometers. Most of the rivers flow from west to east
to empty into the Pacific Ocean. The main rivers include the Yangzi (Changjiang),
the Yellow River (Huanghe), Heilongjiang, the Pearl River, Liaohe, Haihe,
Qiantangjiang and Lancang Rivers. At 6,300 kilometers long, the Yangzi
is the longest river in China. The second longest is the Yellow River
at 5,464 kilometers. The Grand Canal from Hangzhou to Beijing is a great
water project in ancient China. 1,794 kilometers in length, it is the
longest canal in the world.
RELIGIONS: China is a multi-religious country. Buddhism, Taoism and Islam
are the three major religions. Catholicism and Protestantism have smaller
but substantial followers too. Different ethnic groups usually follow
different religions. Islam is followed by the Hui, Uygur, Kazak, Kirgiz,
Tatar, Dongxiang, Salar and Bonan peoples; Buddhism and Lamaism are followed
by the Tibetan, Mongolian, Dai and Yugur nationalities; Christianity is
followed by the Miao, Yao and Yi nationalities; Shamanism is followed
by the Oroqen, Ewenki and Daur nationalities; and the majority Han nationality
believes in Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity.
TOPOGRAPHY: With a broad area, China has a very complex topography. The
outline descends step by step from the west to the east. Mountains and
hilly land take up 65 percent of the total area. There are five main mountain
ranges. Seven mountain peaks are higher than 8,000 meters above sea level.
The Bohai Sea, East China Sea, Yellow Sea and South China Sea embrace
the east and southeast coast.
MONEY: Chinese Money is called Renminbi (RMB) (means "People's Currency").
The popular unit of RMB is Yuan. The official exchange rate between U.S.
Dollar and RMB Yuan currently is about 1 : 8.3 (1.00 Dollar = 8.30 Yuan).
1 Yuan equals 10 Jiao, and 1 Jiao equals 10 Fen. (There are parts of China
the Yuan is also known as Kuai, and Jiao is known as Mao.) Chinese currency
is issued in the following denominations: one, two, five, ten, fifty and
a hundred Yuan; one, two and five Jiao; and one, two and five Fen.
CIVIL ELECTRICAL POWER: AC 220 V, 50 Hz (bathrooms of many luxury and
medium-grade hostels may have 110-volt sockets).
TELEVISION SYSTEM: PAL (In addition to Chinese language TV broadcast,
English and Japanese TV programs are available in many hostels via satellite
relay. China Central Television Station (CCTV) and some local TV stations
also provide English news and other programs in English.)
TELEPHONE AREA CODE: Mainland China 86; Hong Kong 852; Taiwan 886. (Special
Telephone Numbers: Police 110; Fire 119; Emergency 120.)