Beijing  Travel Tips (2)

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Tours
Beijing, with the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven, is a great city destination. It is usually one of the destinations in holidays based on a cruise or tour (Beijing is close to the port city of TianJin). Other places that may be included in an 'all-China' type tour are the modern port city of Shanghai, the ancient city of Xi'An (past capital and home to the famous Terracotta Warriors), Tibet and many others.

There are many tours and holidays available to Beijing. It is also very possible to create your own plan, or even simply to fly in, take a bus downtown and check-in somewhere that takes your fancy! Although not everyone speaks English (most older people speak little, with some notable exceptions), younger people often speak english well and you will never have much difficulty finding help with communication if you need it.

Whether you choose a package tour or go as an independent traveller depends on your personal preferences.

Flights
A number of airline companies fly to Beijing and they often have special seasonal low fare offers. When buying an air ticket, consider if and how much it costs to change the return date and maximum stay - and also the maximum allowable luggage weight. The same ticket may vary widely in price depending on where you buy it, so it certainly pays to shop around.

Hotels
From 5 star hotels to budget hotels and hostels, Beijing has a vast array of choice.

Health and Travel Insurance
Vaccinations are not mandatory and probably unnecessary unless part of your journey will take you to tropical areas. You can check the recommendations of your health service or tour operator.

You should consider travel insurance and health insurance (travel insurance with medical cover). If you visit China on a package tour or cruise, check with your holiday company about opt-in or opt-out cover and exactly what is, and what is not, included.

What to Pack

If you are planning to go to China for traveling, there are some things which must to be packed. Hereunder are some tips on packing just for your reference. Remember that the packing should be light and compact. Leave more space to make your trip comfortable and pleasant.

The Basics
1. Passport & Visa
2. Air tickets to China
3. Emergency Card with your detailed contact information including full name, address, phone number¡­
4. A guide book with Chinese translation (Beijing Map attached)
5. Money: Traveler's cheques, credit card or cash - cash must be changed for RMB at Beijing Airport; suggest you come to China with a sum of about US$ 2000 (all cash or half cash/half TC); bring with you a debt Card (Visa is a good one ¨C MasterCard is well used too).
6. Use only the ATM of Bank of China and withdraw the maximum every time (to save the tax).
7. A water bottle
8. First-aid, especially protection against leech-bite.

Clothing
We suggest you pack as few things as possible. Everything necessary can be bought easily in China. Things are not very expensive and the quality is generally good. What kind of clothes you have to pack depends on the season.
In summer: light and comfortable clothes that can be easily washed and dried such as T-shirt, pants¡­
In winter: Down garment or winter jacket, hat, scarf, gloves¡­
In spring and autumn: Sturdy, warm and washable clothes, maybe a comfortable jacket, sweater, casual coat¡­

Shoes
It all depends on the season. But a good pair of comfortable and waterproof walking shoes, sandals, running shoes, hiking-type boots or maybe dressy shoes (if you plan to be present at some formal occasions) will be necessary.

Other Items
Camera, films and batteries
A knife used to peel fruit
Stationery like pen, notebook¡­
Toiletries

Beijing Standard Time

Beijing Standard Time (BST) is observed in mainland China. Although Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan have their own local times respectively called Hong Kong Time (HKT), Macau Standard Time and Taiwan Standard Time (TST), they are essentially the same as Beijing Standard Time. The time is based on a line of longitude at 120o east, eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and thirteen hours ahead of New York Time.

Golden Time for Beijing Tour

Beijing lies at 39o56' north, 116o21' east, giving the city four distinct seasons. It is burning hot in summer and piercing cold in winter. As sandstorms might occur in the warm spring, autumn is the best time of a year for sightseeing in Beijing. The average annual temperature is 11.8oC/53.2oF. January is the coldest month, July the hottest. January has an average temperature of ­-4.6oC/23.7oF and July 21.6oC/70.9oF. The temperature may sometimes reach 40oC/104oF in July. May is also a good choice, for many international performances are held at that time. May, September and October are the most pleasant time for visiting Beijing.

Also, you can dial 12121 for forecast in both English and Chinese to get the weather information in advance.

Holidays in China

To have a comfortable tour in Beijing and China, it is better to avoid visiting China during the national holidays. The Spring Festival (Usually in January or February), National Day (October 1), and International Labor's Day (May 1) are the three busiest tourist periods. For the three holidays, three public holidays are given, together with two weekends makes a week for the Chinese to relax. In addition, the traditional celebration for Spring Festival is for people away from home to rush back for a family reunion. There are many marvelous and interesting activities during the Spring Festival, but a visit during the holiday needs patience and bravery. Other holidays, such as Youth Day (May 4), International Women's Day and Children's Day would not affect your Beijing trip and China tour

Practical Tel

Services

Fire Alarm: 119
Police Need: 110
Ambulance: 120
Phone Number Inquiry: 114
Weather Forecast: 12121
EMS Postal Service: 11185
Tour Complain: 010-65275315 (China National Tourism Administration)

Transportation Inquiry

Train Inquiry: 962585
Train Ticket Booking: 962586
International Aviation Inquiry: 962580
Air Ticket Booking: 962581