The two main factors to consider in planning when to visit China are the climate and the number of other visitors you'll have to share key attractions with. In terms of the weather, spring, summer and fall are the best times for a visit. While summers are hot and often wet, spring and fall see less rainfall and generally offer the clearest skies. But, in a country as big as China, if you plan to travel to more than one region, you're bound to witness both rain and sunshine, no matter when you come. For more detailed climatic information see Climate.
The tourist season for foreign visitors starts around March or April (with the exception of Hong Kong and Macau, which are mild throughout the winter) and runs until October. If you want to avoid the crowds, you can visit in winter, but be prepared for some bitter temperatures, especially in the north. But, in a country with almost 1½ billion people, the greatest numbers of tourists are, as you might expect, Chinese, so it is their vacation times that you want to avoid (see below).
China's rich ethnic diversity has given it a whole host of festivals and holidays, some of which are unique to individual areas, while others are celebrated nationally. In the 1990s the government introduced so-called "Golden Weeks” to help develop the tourist industry and these week-long national holidays (Chinese New Year, Labor Day and National Day) see China's emerging middle classes all taking a break in the same time period. Transport services are booked beyond capacity, hotels are bursting at the seams and everyone inflates their prices. Traveling during these periods, you'll truly come to grips with the fact that China is the most populous nation on earth, and these weeks have become so troublesome that, in recent years, some Chinese families have elected to stay at home and relax, although you'd never guess that when you see the number of people visiting tourist sights.
In addition to the holidays and festivals listed below, there are also countless regional celebrations and (see individual chapters for details) and Western celebrations such as Christmas and New Year are becoming increasingly popular.
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival; Jan/Feb) – The start of the Lunar New Year is the most important of all Chinese festivals and falls between January 21st and February 20th. It will fall on February 7th in 2008 and January 26th in 2009. Each year one of the 12 zodiac animals is ushered in (see The Chinese Zodiac for more) and the whole nation (and Chinese world) celebrates the week-long holiday – it's a time when people return to their hometowns to be with their families. In preparation for the holiday, it's customary to give a thorough "spring-cleaning” to the house and buy new clothes for the coming year. On New Year's Eve the whole family sits down to enjoy a feast. Among a host of dishes, fish usually takes pride of place, symbolic of abundance and prosperity. Fruits, especially oranges are seen to represent regeneration, and these are often eaten after the meal. Red is an auspicious color in China and after the meal children are given red envelopes (hong bao) containing money. The money is usually given in amounts that feature the numbers one, six and eight, which are lucky. People also put red banners on their doors to welcome in the New Year and there are public celebrations, often involving lion dances, pounding drums and spirit-scaring firecrackers.
Lantern Festival (Feb/March) – This festival marks the end of the New Year's celebrations and is held on the first full moon of the year. Lanterns are made from paper and silk and are hung outside homes and along the streets, which makes for a magical atmosphere. Lanterns were traditionally red or yellow and of a conventional shape, but today in the cities you can see all manner of creations – from monkeys to spacecraft! During the festival glutinous rice dumplings stuffed with sweet fillings are a popular snack.
Tomb Sweeping Day (Qingming Festival; April) – Ancestor worship is still popular in China and the Qingming Festival is a day put aside for cleaning family graves. In the countryside, tombs are swept, cleaned and often decorated. However, in urban areas it is law to cremate the dead, so tomb sweeping is a less common practice, although ancestors are still commemorated. The festival usually falls on April 4th or 5th.
Labor Day (May 1st) – The start of another of China's three golden weeks.
Youth Day (May 4th) – Youth Day commemorates the 1919 student demonstrations in Tian'anmen Square, which led to the May Fourth Movement.
Children's Day (June 4th) – Kids go on field trips around the country, so beware if you're heading to a major sight!
Dragon Boat Festival (June/July) – This is one of the most spectacular of Chinese festivals, involving teams across the country racing boats adorned as dragons, spurred on by the steady sound of an onboard drummer. The festival commemorates the suicide of the poet Qu Yuan, and the boats are re-enacting the unsuccessful chase to try and save him. Bamboo-wrapped glutinous rice parcels (zongzi) are the food to eat during the festival. The festival takes place on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and races can be seen on rivers around the country.
Ghost Month (Aug/Sept) – This is the time when ghosts return to earth and is regarded as an inauspicious time to travel, particularly on water. Unless you're afraid of ghosts this should make it a good time to visit China, but you'll find that plenty of Chinese don't seem too scared either!
Confucius' Birthday (Sept 28th) – The Old Sage's birth is celebrated with elaborate ceremonies at Confucian temples around the country.
Moon Festival (Mid-Autumn Festival; Sept/Oct) – This festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon is at its brightest. Delicious but filling mooncakes are eaten and it's a popular time for a barbeque under the moonlight.
National Day – This week-long holiday celebrates the foundation of the People's Republic.
If you have limited time, then an organized tour can help you get the most out of China, removing the hassles of booking tickets, finding accommodation and picking which of the country's manifold attractions to include in your trip. Tours can also help get you closer to the Chinese people. Tour leaders and guides should be able to facilitate communication and private transport will enable you to get to places that may otherwise difficult to reach. For potential routes see Suggested Itineraries.
However, the downside of tours is that you may feel shielded from the "real world” at times, they tend to be more expensive than independent travel and you might have to put up with group members, guides and even tour leaders you don't see eye to eye with. This said, as a tour leader for several years, my experience has been that most people feel they got the most out of their time and enjoyed being in a group. Meals in China, for example, are designed to be eaten in large groups and if you dine alone or as a couple your options are more limited. Possibly the best way to travel if you have money, but not time, is on a private tour where you and a few friends or family have your own guide and can tailor the itinerary to your preference.
When choosing a tour company, make sure you pick one that's suitable for you – don't let an agent make the decision for you; carefully read about the nature of the tour and what's included. The most disappointed guests I led were those who had expectations that were very different from those detailed in the brochure. All good agents have consumer protection insurance, meaning that, if the company defaults, you should get compensation; companies affiliated under USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association, www.ustoa.com) or IATO (International Association of Tour Operators, www.aito.co.uk – they also offer tours) are covered.
Recommended Tour Companies
The letters before the comma indicate which country the company is based in, although you can book a tour from any country and all companies will arrange tailor-made packages to fit your needs.
Luxury Tours
Abercrombie & Kent (US, www.abercrombiekent.com; UK, www.abercrombiekent.co.uk)
Absolute Asia (US, www.absoluteasia.com)
Audley Travel (UK, www.audleytravel.com)
Bales (www.balesworldwide.com)
Cox & Kings (US, www.coxandkingsusa.com; UK, www.coxandkings.co.uk)
CTS Horizons (UK, www.ctshorizons.com)
Hayes & Jarvis (UK, www.hayes-jarvis.com)
Imperial Tours (US, www.imperialtours.net)
Magic of the Orient (UK, www.magic-of-the-orient.com)
Virgin Holidays (UK, www.virgin.com/holidays)
Voyages Jules Verne (UK, www.vjv.co.uk)
Adventure Tours
Adventures Abroad (US, www.adventures-abroad.com)
The Adventure Company (UK, www.adventurecompany.co.uk)
Asian Pacific Adventures (US, www.asianpacificadventures.com)
Backroads (US, www.backroads.com)
Explore Worldwide (UK, www.exploreworldwide.com)
Freestyle Adventures (Taiwan, www.freestyleadventures.com)
G.A.P Adventures (US, www.gapadventures.com)
Grasshopper (www.grasshopperadventures.com)
Imaginative Traveller (UK, www.imaginative-traveller.com)
Intrepid (Australia, www.interpidtravel.com)
Sundowners (Australia, www.sundownerstravel.com)
Travel Indochina (Australia, www.travelindochina.com.au)
World Expeditions (UK, www.worldexpeditions.co.uk)
Agents in China
Choice Travel (www.choicetravel.cn)
CITS (www.cits.net)
China Odyssey (www.chinaodysseytours.com)
Specialized Tours
Many of the companies listed above also operate specialized interest tours; Grasshopper runs great bike tours through Bike Asia (www.bikeasia.com) as well as photographic tours. Both Backroads and World Expeditions run hiking and cycling tours and Intrepid operates culinary tours. Imaginative Traveller offers tours suitable for families and The Adventure Company has trips suitable for infants over a year old. Other specialized companies include:
ACIS (US, www.acis.com) – educational trips for students.
Beijing Xinhua International Tours (China, www.tour-beijing.com/disability_travel/) – Beijing and China tours for disabled travelers.
Birdfinders (UK, www.birdfinders.co.uk) – operates a few birdwatching trips a year.
Birding Worldwide (Australia, www.birdingworldwide.com.au) – searches out rare bird species.
i-to-i (www.i-to-i.com) – two- to 12-week trips and volunteer placements, principally around Xi'an.
Kumuka Worldwide (UK, www.kumuka.com) – overland truck journeys.
Naturetrek (UK, www.naturetrek.co.uk) – wildlife-focused trips throughout China.
Oasis (UK, www.oasisoverland.co.uk) – overland truck journeys.
Saga (UK, www.saga.co.uk) – tours for over-50s.
Every foreign visitor to China needs a visa to enter the country and these must be obtained in advance (with the exception of arrivals to Hong Kong, Macau and Hainan Island), not at the point of entry as is the case with some other Asian countries. Visas can be obtained by either applying in person at the nearest Chinese embassy, through an agency or by mail (although this is no longer possible in the UK). Complete visa applications will need to include all required fees, a passport photo, a passport with at least one blank page, six months validity and possibly proof of onward travel. For all visa types you must enter within three months of the issue date. Standard tourist visas (L-type) are the most common and are usually granted for 30 days to a maximum of six months. If you're coming here to work, you can apply for an F or Z visa and you'll need a letter of invitation from the company you'll be working with in China. To study in China you can apply for an X visa and will need a letter from the college where you'll be studying. Note that citizens of most Western countries do not need a visa to visit Hong Kong or Macau for periods of under a month. In Hong Kong you can easily arrange a China visa from a local travel agent or the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs – see Hong Kong for more.Wherever you get your visa, it will cost between US$30 for a single entry to over US$150 for a two- to five-year multiple-entry visa – check websites for the latest prices.
Chinese EmbassiesOverseas
Australia: 39 Dunblane Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW (tel.02-8595-8000, www.au.china-embassy.org/eng/). Consulates, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.
Canada: 515 Patrick Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5H3 (tel.613-7893-434, www.chineseembassycanada.org). Consulates, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver.
Ireland: 40 Ailesbury Road, Dublin 4 (tel.053-1269-1707, www.chinaembassy.ie)
New Zealand: 2-6 Glenmore Street, Wellington (tel.04-4721-382, www.chinaembassy.org.nz). Consulate in Auckland (tel.09-5251-589, www.chinaconsulate.org.nz).
Thailand: 57 Rachadapisake Road, Huay Kwang, Bangkok 10310 (tel.02-2247-7554, www.chinaembassy.or.th/eng/). Consulate in Chiang Mai.
UK: 49-51 Portland Place, London W1B 1QD (tel.0207-7631-1430, www.chinese-embassy.org.uk; visa applications Mon-Fri 9 am-noon). Consulates, Manchester and Edinburgh.
USA: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008 (tel.202-3282-500, www.china-embassy.org/en). Consulates, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.
Vietnam: 46 Hoang Dieu Road, Hanoi (tel.0845-3736, www.vn.china-embassy.org)
Extending your Visa
If you need to extend your visa while in China, this can be done by visiting the local Public Security Bureau (PSB – see Emergency Services and the Public Security Bureau). Visa extension applications will need to be supported by justification, more passport photos and payment. Costs, duration of processing and length of extension all vary from city to city – visa extensions are by no means a right and are sometimes refused; some travelers search out small town PSBs as they are thought to be more generous with extra time granted. If the PSB won't extend your visa, the only options left are to try in another town, or head to Hong Kong to apply for a new visa, which can be issued within a day or two (outside of weekends). PSBs are generally open Mondays to Fridays from 9-11:30 am and 2-4:30 pm. If you do overstay your visa for any reason you will usually be fined $500 for each extra day you have spent in the country, although long overstays can incur harsher penalties.
As a rule travelers should certainly have medical insurance and, ideally, possessions insurance for any trip. China is no exception and while no-one will ask to see your documentation unless you are seriously sick or injured, the peace of mind afforded is worthwhile, regardless of any actual reimbursement. Before booking any insurance, check the coverage your existing homeowners or medical policy offers. You can often buy medical insurance only, but in order to get possessions coverage you'll usually have to purchase medical. Make sure your policy includes all activities that you'll be involved in during your trip – if you are going to be climbing, jet skiing, whitewater rafting or even just hiking, check that it's covered. If you're on a guided tour, the travel company may have their own insurance which should be sufficient for all activities undertaken on that trip, although you may not be insured if the company goes bankrupt – ask before buying.
While possessions insurance can be seen as less of a necessity, it is still recommended. As people take ever more technical tiny gadgets away with them, and move from place to place in unfamiliar, exciting new surroundings, there is always the risk of leaving something behind and that is before you consider the fact that petty crime is on the rise in China.
Insurance policies come in many different forms and can cover just a few days or a whole year. If you're going to be traveling a lot in a year, it's worth considering a yearly package, which normally covers you for as many journeys as you'd like, as long as no single trip is over 31 days. When you're buying your insurance, check the comparative amounts on offer in case of serious emergency (hospitalization, repatriation, etc.), along with catches such as "single item limits” on your possessions (if your camera's worth US$1,000 and the limit is US$500 per piece, it's no good for you, even if it is cheap!) Once you have your insurance policy, photocopy it, leave one copy with relatives at home and put another somewhere separate from the original in your baggage.
Below are some recommended insurance agents – the letters before the commas indicate where the company is based.
Access America (US, www.accessamerica.com)
Association of British Insurers (UK, www.abi.org.uk)
Columbus (UK, www.columbusdirect.com)
Insurance Council of Australia (Australia, www.ica.com.au)
Insurance Council of New Zealand (NZ, www.icnz.org.nz)
Insureandgo (UK, www.insureandgo.com)
Royal Bank of Canada Insurance (Canada, www.rbcinsurance.com)
Wexas (UK, www.wexas.com)
World Nomads (worldwide, www.worldnomads.com)
Making a Claim
If you have to make a claim, you'll need receipts for everything you're claiming for, be it medical expenses, or an electronic item. To claim for stolen items you'll also need a police report issued within 24 hours of the theft; make sure the PSB (see Emergency Services and the Public Security Bureau) understand you need the report for insurance purposes. Otherwise, you could be in for a long wild goose chase. If possible, take someone who can speak Chinese and English along with you (or see Language, Emergencies in the Chinese language section at the end of this guide for helpful terms).
While there are some important things you should remember to pack, in general, the less you take the better, particularly if you'll be using lots of public transport. Obviously, what you pack depends to an extent on where you're going, when and in what style. I find a rucksack perfect for adventure travel, but if you'll be staying in upscale hotels, taking taxis and planes and using porters at train stations, a suitcase may be more appropriate. In terms of clothing, you should obviously pack according to the season, although a hat and waterproof jacket can be useful any time of year. Remember that dark colors will hide the grime better and taking a number of layers will give you more flexibility in your attire, while still allowing you to keep warm if needed.
Aside from TIMP (tickets, insurance, money, passport), which you've got to have, you can find most things you need more cheaply in China than at home, although the following may come in handy:
As China becomes an increasingly popular destination (for both travel and work), there are more sources of information found on the country, both at home and in China. While the concept of tourist information is still finding its feet on the mainland, Hong Kong (www.discoverhongkong.com) and Macau (www.macautourism.gov.mo) have excellent tourist offices. As the most important cities in the country, Beijing and Shanghai also have good information resources, some of which are government-run, while others are private and include a host of ex-pat magazines and webzines.That's Magazines have printed magazines and websites with useful listings and well-researched reviews of bars, clubs, restaurants and cultural events. The main website is www.thatsmags.com, where there are links to its Beijing, Shanghai and Pearl River Delta pages, or you can pick up copies of the magazine in bars and hotels. The Ismay Network produces equally useful magazines to many of the cities in this book – Beijing Talk, Shanghai Talk, South China City Talk (Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai) and Macau Talk. Talk and that's Magazines are available in bars, restaurants and hotels in the relevant cities. In addition to those listed here, there are other websites that are helpful for specific cities – see the Information Sources sections in individual chapters for listings.
China Excursions (www.chinaexcursions.com) – brief histories and descriptions of destinations around the country.
China Travel News (www.chinatravelnews.com) – the latest on everything to do with travel in China.
Travel China (www.travelchinaguide.com) – information on travel and a host of Chinese destinations.
Travel Advisories
The following governmental websites offer the latest information on the potential hazards of travel to countries around the world, including China.
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (www.dfat.gov.au)
British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk)
Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs (www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca)
Irish Department of Foreign Affairs (www.irlgov.ie/iveagh)
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.safetravel.govt.nz)
US State Department (www.travel.state.gov)
Having a good map of the country always helps in envisioning your trip and the type of landscapes it will encompass. A good map of the whole of China is GeoCenter World Map but, other than providing an interesting overview, maps that cover such a large area are of little use, although some include city plans for major cities. Throughout this guide there are maps to help point you in the right direction (see the map list in the table of contents for details). However, for more detail, it's worth buying a local city map once in China. Up-to-date city maps are available from vendors who operate outside train and bus stations; these usually cost around $5 and may include some English. Another place to find city maps (usually for free) is in upscale hotels – if you're staying, there will probably be one in your room; otherwise just ask at reception.
However you arrive, you'll have to go through immigration and customs, which can be a lengthy process and you'll need to fill in an arrival card and a quarantine form. Note that if you have any particularly valuable items (or over US$5000 cash) you are supposed to declare them upon entry. You're not allowed to bring more than $6000 in Chinese money, 400 cigarettes or two liters of alcohol. Firearms, recreational drugs and animals are all prohibited items and, theoretically, you can't bring in media material critical of China, though this is seldom enforced. Note that if you buy any antiques over 100 years old during your trip, you must obtain an export form (available from Friendship Stores) before departing. It is illegal to take anything home that dates from before Qianlong's death in 1795.
There are also restrictions on what (and how much) you're allowed to bring back to your home country, which generally allow at least for a bottle of spirits, 200 or more cigarettes, some cologne or perfume and up to a certain value of souvenirs – check the following websites for the latest: