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| F A Q's |
Q: What the Climate like in China?
Q: What shall I wear for my trip to China?
Q: Could CSHTS help me for the visa to China?
Q: What kind of cuisines are there in China?
Q: What shall I take care while traveling in China?
Q: the Customs
Q: How about the photography in China?
Q: What is China's time zone?
Q: What are the business hours in China?
Q: What are the major state festivals and holidays in China ?
Q: What about immunizations for traveling to China ?
Q: Where do I change money for RMB in China?
Q: Can credit card be used in China?
Q: How much is the airport departure tax in China?
Q: What is China's Electricity ?
Q: How about China's Taxi?
Q: What the Climate like in China?
A: The enormous size of China dictates that it is
inevitably composed of a number of smaller climatic microsystems.
With the exception of rain which falls largely in the summer
months, it is more useful to break the country down into
roughly four regions:
North: Winters in the north fall between December
and March - they are cold, although quite pleasant due to
the abundance of sunshine and the dry ness of the air. Summers
here are from May to August, and the temperature in Beijing
can easily reach 30 degrees centigrade. Because of the extremes,
spring and autumn are the most pleasant times to visit the
north.
Central: In the Yangtse River Valley area summers
tend to be longer and more humid. One can also expect very
high temperatures between May and September. Winters on
the other hand are shorter than in the North.
South: Around Guangzhou (Canton), the summers are hot
and humid with the likelihood of heavy rains. The winters
are mild and pleasant. Once again autumn and spring are
the most pleasant with day time temperatures averaging around
the mid-20s. It is often said that Kunming in the South
West has the best climate in China. It is universally known
as the 'Spring City', because the winters are extremely
mild with plenty of sunshine, and even during the rainy
season which lasts from May to September there is sun between
the showers on most days.
The North West: If one word could capture the climate
of this vast region it would be 'extreme'. The majority
of the Silk Road has a severe desert climate. June, July,
and August are hot. There is very little rain, and the air
which hovers around the 30C mark, is dry. Alternatively
the winters are severe, with an average temperature in Urumqi
of around -10 C, and -4 C in Xi'an. Spring and autumn are
consequently the most comfortable seasons for travel.
Q: What shall I wear for my trip to China?
A: During the summer light cotton garments as well as
a thin sweater and a rain cover are essential. Strong robust
shoes are recommended over sandals which are not always
comfortable. In the winter warm layers, thermal underwear,
and a thick (down) jacket/wind breaker is required. Gloves,
woollen hats, and thick socks are also recommended. Other
items include: sun glasses, sunscreen, lipcream, and shampoo.
A First Aid kit and a multipinned adapter are also useful.
Q: Could CSHTS help me for the visa to China?
A: You should apply for your China visa through the
normal channels. Groups will be issued with one group visa
and the individual passports will not normally be stamped.
If the Chinese Embassy in your country requires an invitation
from us to confirm the tour we can quickly arrange this
as soon as we have received your deposit. In such cases
we must have a complete list of names for the group, as
well as their basic details: age, sex, nationality, passport
number, occupation, and address, preferably 45 days prior
to departure.
Q: What kind of cuisines are there in China?
Pekinese & Shandong: the great speciality is Peking
Duck, eaten with pancakes and plum sauce. This reflects
the tendency in the north to favour wheat products (bread,
noodles etc.) over rice. Often regarded as the least interesting
style of cooking, the region nevertheless boasts some delicious
plates, among them: Beggar's Chicken, Mongolian Barbecue,
Bird's Nest Soup, and Sweet-and-Sour Yellow River Carp.
Cantonese: Characterized by lots of steaming and
boiling, this style is perhaps the healthiest and the most
widely known outside China. Plenty of seafood, fresh vegetables,
roast pork and chicken.
Sichuanese: This is the spiciest of all the styles,
and is characterized by heavy usage of chillies, ginger
and garlic. Some of the favourites include an excellent
fish in spicy bean sauce, Double Cooked Pork, shrimps with
salt and garlic, aubergines in garlic, and spiced bean curd.
Yunnanese: Although Yunnanese cuisine is not widely
known, it does in fact offer some excellent dishes. The
region abounds in fresh vegetables; among them lotus root,
bamboo shoots, pea-sprouts, broccoli, garlic shoots, and
mushrooms are a common sight all year round. Specialities
unique to the region include a superb hot pot in the Mongol
style, and the famed 'Steam Pot Chicken'. During their stay
we will make sure that your group has the chance to taste
Yunnan's most famous dish, 'Crossing the Bridge Noodles'.
Shanghainese & Jiangzhenese: A style of cooking
noted for its use of seafoods, it is somewhat heavier than
Pekinese or Cantonese. Popular dishes include 'Drunken Chicken'
cooked in a potent wine, Ham and Melon Soup, Tientsin Cabbage,
Crab, and various cold meet-and-sauce plates.
Uygur: On the Silk Road traditional turkik foods
offer a pleasant alternative to mainstream Chinese dishes.
In Xinjiang Province, home to the Uygur people, these include
the famed 'whole roast sheep', mutton shiskebab, pilau rice,
excellent noodles, and very good freshly baked bread.
Q: What shall I take care while traveling in China?
A: No vaccinations are required for China, however travelers
going to the extreme southern regions of Xishuangbanna may
want to take malaria tablets. Altitude is not a problem
unless one is traveling into the mountainous regions of
the West. Immodium, Tetranidazol, and some laxatives are
helpful for the gut, while a general combination of vitamins
is also a good idea. Your clients are advised not to drink
tap water. Boiled water is available everywhere, and mineral
water is common in all cities(big or small) though lack
in remote area.
Q: the Customs
A: Foreigners are generally not subject to more than
perfunctory baggage checks on entering and leaving China.
However certain items such as antique objects, statues,
or jewellery which were made before 1959 can be difficult
to bring out. Sixteen mm movie cameras are not allowed.
Q: How about the photography in China?
A: Basic films are commonly available, however, groups
may want to purchase more specialised films before arrival.
Those entering through Hong Kong can take the opportunity
to stock up there. In the larger tourist sites a fee (occasionally
rather high!) is sometimes demanded. While 16mm movie cameras
are strictly not allowed, 8mm and Super 8 along with home
video equipment is usually no problem. For diapositives,
Kodakchrome gives excellent results, although one may want
to include either a roll of Tungsten film or a bluish filter,
to balance the high proportion of orange light found inside
temples where flashguns are seriously not recommended !
A dust brush and a 'skylight' filter are also indispensable.
Q: What is China's time zone?
A: All of China observes Beijing Time, GMT+8. China
doesn't observe day-light saving time in the summer as some
countries do.
Q: What are the business hours in China ?
A: Government --- 08:00-12:00 & 13:30-17:30 , from
Monday to Friday,
Sat.& Sun. off
State Owned Enterprises -- 08:30-12:30 & 14:00-18:00
, from Monday to Friday. Except
some private owned and travel agents which opens longer.
Shops -- 10:00-22:00 daily , except some private shops which
have days off during stated
published holidays . Goods in local shops are very cheap
and convenient to do in
all China big cities .
Q: What are the major state festivals and holidays in
China ?
A: 1) China Spring Festival ( China's New Year )
-- One week-ten days long / exact dates .
refer to the Lunar Calendar , usually between the end of
Jan. to begining of Feb.
2) International Labour's Day -- One week long ,
starting from 30th Apr-6th May .
3) National Day -- 01-8th Oct ( 01Oct , 1949 was
the day when new China announced its' founding of People's
Republic of China ).
Q: What about immunizations for traveling to China ?
A: There are no particular immunizations required for
entry into China, unless the traveler is coming from a yellow
fever infected area. The Canadian and US disease control
and prevention authorities recommend the all travelers have
current polio and tetanus immunizations. For traveling into
the countryside and remote areas, immune globulin is also
recommended to combat hepatitis A, as is typhoid immunization.
It is very important that you consult your own doctor or
local clinic for more information. We advise you to bring
along a supply of antibiotics, an anti-diarrhea agent, and
any other prescription drugs required by your current medical
conditions.
Q: Where do I change money for RMB in China?
A: Banks, airports and major hotels. The rate is the
same everywhere. China currency is renminbi, abbreviated
and commonly used as RMB. The basic RMB unit is the yuan,
and subsidiary units are the jiao and fen. 10 jiao equal
a yuan; 10 fen equal a jiao.
Q: Can credit card be used in China?
A: Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and state-run
shops in major cities. Accepted cards include Visa, Master
Card, and American Express.
Q: How much is the airport departure tax in China?
A: Approximate tax rates are as follows:
For China domestic Flights: All cities in China US$7.00
For International Flights: US$12.00
Hong Kong: US$7.00
Q: What is China's Electricity ?
A: The electric voltage in China is 220V/50Hz and the
standard wall socket has three-connectors (L, N and E).
However, in hotel bathrooms there is usually a 110V socket
for electric razors but not for hair dryers. If you'd better
bring along a 220-110 adapter. What about the Taxi in China?
Q: How about China's Taxi?
A: China enjoys adequate taxi service. In most cities,
the taxi tends to be a small local-made car painted in either
red or yellow. In large cities, there are luxurious sedans
at a higher rate. Taxi fares vary from city to city but
they are always clearly marked on the taxi window. Most
taxi drivers do not understand much English, although those
in tourist cities are encouraged to learn and speak some
simple English. Non-Chinese speaking visitors are advised
to have their destinations written down in Chinese and show
the address to the cab driver.
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