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China Travel Tips
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Customs
Regulations
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Visa
required. A three-month visa costs US$30, and processing time is four
working days.
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Entry: Tourists must fill out a baggage declaration
form (in two copies) and hand it in to customs, retaining the carbon to
show upon exit.
Personal belongings will be admitted duty free, including food, two
bottles of liquor and two cartons of cigarettes. Wristwatches, radios,
tape recorders, cameras, movie cameras, and similar items may be brought
in for personal use but cannot be sold or transferred to others and must
be brought out of China. Gifts for relatives or friends in China,
or articles carried on behalf of other, must also be declared.
Visitors can bring in an unlimited amount of foreign currency and Chinese
Renminbi (RMB) traveler's checks, and the unspent portion can be taken
out.A customs declaration must be completed on arrival and surrendered on
departure. Valuable items, such as video cameras, laptop computers, etc.
which are declared on the form must be exported, otherwise import duties
will be charged.
Exit: On leaving China, tourists must again
submit the baggage declaration form for customs inspection (the second
copy). Travelers by ship are exempted.
Items purchased in China
with RMB converted from foreign currencies may be taken out or mailed out
of the country after receipts are presented for customs inspection. In
cities where a Customs Office does not exit, this can be arranged through
the local Friendship Store. The export of antiques, without official
dealer's receipt, is prohibited.
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Generic Tips
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- Remove your shoes before entering Buddhist pagodas. Don’t let
the soles of your feet face any sacred monument, such as a statue of
Buddha
- To fit in at a Chinese restaurant or teahouse, remember when
someone serves you hot tea, it's customary to tap two bent fingers
on the table as an expression of thanks. The story goes that a
Chinese king in ancient times disguised himself as a commoner and
traveled around the country. When he poured tea for his servants who
accompanied him, they tapped their fingers instead of bowing so his
identity was kept secret.
- Flying the Taiwanese flag is against the law.
- There are laws against public spitting and littering, but
they are rarely enforced
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Business Tips
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- Avoid any embarrassing errors. Learn some useful phrases to
get you around town. Find out whether you should bring a gift to a
business meeting.
- Name cards are distributed like confetti, so you should carry
them with you at all times. Receiving a card without offering one in
return is a signal that you do not want to make the other person's
acquaintance or that you lack status yourself. The card is presented
immediately on the first meeting with both hands and a slight bow
from the waist. The other person's card is received in the same
manner.
- Entertaining in local restaurants may take place in the
general dining area or in a private room. Typically your local host
will ask you to choose off the menu, but the best advice is to defer
to his or her judgment.
- Chinese 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...
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When travel
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Children Travelling with children
in China
is not difficult. If with toddlers or babies, note that disposable
nappies and baby food in jars are not readily available. Big hotels offer
childcare for a fee. On trains and planes, children travel at reduced
cost.
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Luggage Designer luggage with
fine leather isn't suitable. Take sturdy luggage. This is especially
recommended if travelling independently or away from the catered tourist
venues. Sometimes luggage is required to be lockable for transport.
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Departure Tax There is an airport use
tax, called a "construction tax", of 50 yuan for domestic
flights and 90 yuan for international flights (including flights to Hong Kong). This tax is not included in the ticket
price. Coupons are sold at booths inside the terminal and collected at
the entrance to the main departure hall.
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Photography Taking photographs or
videos of military installations is prohibited. Most museums, palaces, or
temples will not allow photograph to be taken, notably the main pit of
the Terracotta Warriors, but some institutions permit it on payment of a
fee in advance. As the atmosphere in China is often hazy, filters
are advisable. Colour print film is widely available, black and white or
slide film much less so. Video film can be found but not always readily.
All security X-ray machines on Mainland China
and at Hong Kong airport are film-safe.
Cameras must be declared when arriving in China. If video or movie
cameras are for professional use, special permits must be claimed.
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Road Names may have suffixes to
indicate north, south, east or west, and additionally, to indicate the
middle section. The middle section is called zhong; nan means
south; bei, north; dong, east and xi, west. A main
road is lu or dao, smaller is jie. A small lane is
named xiang.
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Crime and Safety : China has a low crime rate;
however it has increased in the past few years principally in the major
cities.
Pick pocketing and bag snatching are fairly
serious problems. It is wise to remove any jewellery that may draw a
thief's attention. Never wear a bag or purse on your street-side shoulder
in order to avoid becoming a victim of the "snatch-and-ride."
Be especially cautious when entering a marketplace or other busy
district. If you are robbed, it is inadvisable to pursue the thief, as
many assailants carry knives.
Theft
is the most common crime affecting visitors and occurs most frequently in
crowded public areas, such as hotel lobbies, bars, restaurants and
tourist and transportation sites. The loss or theft of a passport should
be reported immediately to the local police and to the nearest foreign
embassy or consulate. Police reports of the theft are required before
travellers may obtain new visas from Chinese authorities. Chinese authorities
require that travellers have valid visas to exit China and even to travel and register in
hotels within China.
When
you've lost something, notify the hotel, tour group leader,
transportation authorities and the police. If credit cards or traveller's
cheques have been stolen, inform the issuer as soon as possible. If in
serious difficulty, get in touch with your embassy.
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Currency
and Foreign Exchange
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The Chinese
currency is called Renminbi, and is issued by the People's Bank of China. The unit of
Renminbi is the yuan and the smaller units are the jiao and fen (10 fen=1
jiao, 10 jiao=1 yuan). Yuan, jiao and fen are issued as paper banknotes
but there are also yuan, five jiao and fen coins. Denominations of yuan
banknotes are 1 yuan, 2 yuan, 5 yuan, 10 yuan, 20 yuan, 50 yuan and 100
yuan. Jiao banknotes are 1 jiao, 2 jiao and 5 jiao and fen banknotes are
1 fen, 2 fen and 5 fen. The abbreviation for
Chinese currency is RMB¥. Many hotels and stores accept major credit
cards. At present, the following credit cards can be used in China:
Master Card, Visa Card, American Express, JCB, Diners Card. Holders of
these cards can draw cash from the Bank of China, buy goods and pay for
purchases at exchange centers of the Bank of China, appointed shops,
hotels and restaurants.
For the
convenience of tourists, the Bank of China can cash travelers' checks
sold by international commercial banks and travelers' check companies in
the United States, Canada, Australia,
Hong Kong, Japan,
Britain, France, Switzerland, Germany and other countries
and regions. Also the Bank of China sells travelers' checks for such
banks as American Express, Citibank, Tongjilong Travelers' Check Co., the Sumitomo Bank of Japan, the Swiss Banking
Corporation and others.
Foreign
currency cannot be circulated within the People's Republic of China
or used to determine the price and settle accounts. At present, China
will accept and convert into Chinese Renminbi such foreign currencies as
the US dollar, British pound, Euro, Japanese yen, Australian dollar,
Austrian schilling, Belgian franc, Canadian dollar, HK dollar, Swiss
franc, Danish Krone, Singapore dollar, Malaysian ringgit, Italian lira,
Macao dollar, Finnish markka, and Taiwan dollar. Exchange rates are
issued every day by the State Administration of Exchange Control. Before
leaving China,
unused Chinese Renminbi can be converted back into foreign currency with
a "foreign exchange certificate" which is valid for six months
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Tipping
Practice for Visitors to China
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It is a common practice for visitors to tip the
tour guide and driver in recognition of their good service. Hotel bellboy
expects your tips as well. Tipping is still not accepted in most
restaurants and hotels, although it is common in the top-class hotels and
restaurants. It is not customary to leave
tips at hotel or local restaurant as the bill usually includes 10-15%
service charge . So ask the hotel or your guide whether a tip is
necessary and how much. Sometimes it may be part of the ritual that any
gift or tip will, at first, be firmly rejected.
- Consumer taxes are included in the price tag of goods but big
hotels and fine restaurants may charge a service tax of 10% or more.
- Tip only upon receiving the service.
- As a foreigner, the locals may overcharge you.
- Bargaining is expected almost everywhere except in larger
stores
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Electricity
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220
volts, 50 cycles. There is no standard electrical outlet, although the
outlet or three-prong plug is the most common in hotels. Hotels usually
have prong adapters but no voltage transformers.
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Drinking
Water
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Bottled
mineral water, is widely available in all stores
and street kiosks and sometimes provided free by the hotel. Potable water
is available only at a few of the better hotels. Visitors should always
ask to make sure. Water in thermos bottles in rooms is non-potable tap
water.
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Emergency
Medical Service
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The clinics in large hotels and
restaurants offer medical and first aid services to travelers. If you
feel uncomfortable while on a tour, you may call the outpatient
department of a local hotel, or ask your guide to take you to see the
doctor
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Telephone
, Postal Service , Communication
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In towns and cities, IDD service is provided at
all hotels and post offices. Phone cards are available in post offices
inside hotels or in the streets. Even more conveniently, most newsstands
in major cities also carry phone cards. Telephone booths in the streets
are mostly for local calls.
Tourist
hotels provide postal services. If you want to send important items such
as antiques and cultural relics that are under customs control, you will
have to ask for the help of the local branch of the international post
office, instead of the small post office in a hotel.
Telephone
area code: Mainland China 86; Hong Kong 852; Taiwan 886. (Special
Telephone Numbers: Police 110; Fire 119; Emergency 120.)
Television
system: PAL (In addition to Chinese
language TV broadcast, English and Japanese TV programs are available in
many hotels via satellite relay. China Central Television Station
(CCTV) and some local TV stations also provide English news and other
programs in English.)
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Transport
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By Air There are three Chinese national airlines: China
Southern Airline and Air China,
and China Eastern all of which fly some international routes.
China's
major cities, such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Guangzhou,
are all served by direct flights from other countries. The domestic
airlines radiate from Beijing
to all the provinces, autonomous regions and centrally administered
municipalities, open cities and border areas. Air travel within China
leaves a lot to be desired. It is still, the quickest way to get around
such a vast country, but outside of the major routes it’s advisable to
choose another form of transport.
Delays of china's airlines are much less frequent
than in the past. Tickets for domestic flights are reasonably priced.
Main routes need to be reserved well in advance. Airport tax must be paid
for domestic flights, usually at a special desk before you check in. All
flights are no smoking. Flight announcements are generally (though not
always) in English as well as Chinese.
Foreigners bear an additional 50% when purchasing
airline tickets in China.
It is a regulation imposed by the Civil Aviation Administration of China
(CAAC) and the only exemption provided is for foreign residents with all
the necessary paperwork. You are required to produce your passport for
inspection when reserving and purchasing tickets, and when boarding
Tip: A Y50
departure tax applies to all passengers at all airports and is almost
never added to the ticket. Check with your travel agent in advance
By
Train This
is the best value mode of transportation in China, and the network is
extensive. The Chinese rail network covers 66,000 km, of which 11,900 km
are electrified. The speed can be graded as slow, fast, and express.
Trains are usually fully booked and it is essential to get a ticket well
in advance. Tickets can be obtained through agents or directly from
stations. There are special ticket counters for foreigners at railway
stations. Fares are higher for foreigners than for the Chinese. There are
four categories or classes: soft-sleeper, soft-seat, hard-sleeper, and
hard-seat. The soft-sleeper class has 4-bed compartments with soft beds.
It is recommended particularly for long journeys. The hard-sleeper class
has open, 6-bed compartments.
An English version of the China Rail timetable, including all
trains can be found in the official booklet published by China
railways.
Tips: Boiled water is always available on the
trains. The toilets are usually not very hygienic, so bring your own
toilet paper. Very few routes are air-conditioned; most are cooled in the
summer by fans. There are dining cars on long distance trains. They have
pre-set times for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At all other times, hungry
travellers will have to make do elsewhere thus it’s advised that
travellers take a supply of snacks.
By Bus Public transport is
frequently crowded to say the least. Minibuses are a compromise between
the expensive taxis and crowded urban buses. Many hotels have shuttle
buses that can take tourists to the airport and other places downtown.
Long-distance buses are the most important means of transport in many
parts of China,
especially where there is no railway line. Buy tickets in advance from
the bus station. There are main bus stations for overland buses in most
cities.
Beijing and Shanghai
are the only cities in China
that boast a subway system, although Guangzhou is currently building one. Beijing's subway has
two lines, a giant loop line under the first ring-road, and a line
running West, currently being extended to Tian'anmen gate.
By Taxi Taxis are easy to
rent in most cities and can generally be hailed on the street. It is wise
to agree to a price before you start. The smaller the taxi is, the
cheaper the fare.
By Sea or River Jetfoils
and turbo-cats make regular runs from Hong Kong to Macau and Guangzhou. There are also ship services between most of China's major ports, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hainan, Macao, Shantou,
Shenzhen, Xiamen,
and Zhongshan. There are regular ferries and boat connections between
Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
The same is true for some of the big rivers, particularly the Yangtze, Heilong Jiang River,
Pearl River and the Grand Canal between Beijing
and Hangzhou.
The Yangtze River is the 'golden waterway' of China's inland river
transport.
By Bicycle Bicycles are widely used and can be rented very cheaply in
most cities, from hotels or at special hiring shops. It is advisable to
park the bicycle at guarded parking spaces in case of theft. Repair shops
can be found almost everywhere so you won’t walk far if you get a
puncture.
By Car It is convenient to rent a car in some major
cities. Cars with drivers may be rented at a price on a daily or weekly
basis. Driving in China
is much more difficult than in other countries. generally
roads and traffic regulations tend to favour pedestrians and bicycles.
Traffic in cities moves very slowly. Patience is vital. Drive on the
right-hand side of the road. It is permissible to turn right on red.
While driving or walking, do pay attention to your safety.
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