Posts Tagged Travelling
China Hotels – Offers a Wide Choice
The third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada, China is located in the Eastern Asia. It is not a country but a different world all together and one needs to visit it to experience it. Importantly, travelers come here for many reasons as the country gives many reasons. If the Chinese history, culture, and the beautiful landscapes interest you then this is the place. Looking for a relaxing beach holiday or an exciting time trying out adventurous activities to vibrating nightlife, China has it all and no reason the Chinese tourism is on a rise.
Finding hotels in china is not difficult with a wide-ranging accommodation available throughout the country. One can conveniently find china hotels, which matches the taste and budget of one’s choice. Touring the country on business or leisure, there are choices from five star hotels, cheap hotels in China to inexpensive hostels, inns and guesthouses. Not all the accommodation in the country accommodates the needs of the foreign visitors but with the international run hotels and domestic China hotels in the major cities of the country cater to the tourists. Visit China and travel to the wonderful cities, staying at the comfortable typical style hotels in China, or the modern hotels. Below listed cities are some of the many beautiful and alluring cities of China that one must undertake, while visiting the country.
Beijing
Explore the wealth of Beijing’s ancient past and the modern metropolis, on your travel to the city. One of the six ancient cities of China, Beijing is not only the political center of China but the cultural and economical center too. Beijing has a very long history starting about 500,000 years back. It was ruled by many dynasties, invaded many times, and today it has grown into a lively, modern and vibrant city. Travel through the city’s past with a city tour but do not take in that Beijing is only a historical city, be ready for surprises in the form of shooing malls, skyrocketing skyscrapers, city traffic and what not.
Shanghai -Of what started as a fishing village has today developed in to a modern metropolis with the time. Shanghai China’s industrial city, business and commercial center, is catching the attention from all over the world. The manes like ‘Oriental Paris’, ‘Paris of the Oriental’ have become associated with Shanghai, as it beautifully fits the bill of a modern and traditional Chinese heritage and traditions. With the numerous historical sites and modern entertainment, the city sees millions visiting it.
Guilin- The natural beauty and ancient treasures of the Guilin city has made the city a gem of China’s tourism industry. The city has a unique charm of it’s own that the spectacular landscape lends, makes it an important destination when travelling to China. An important historical city, Shanghai has a past behind it of about 2000 years. The lush green mountains, striking caves, crystal clear waters and much more all make Guilin a popular tourist place. Today, it is a well-developed tourist center, with excellent accommodation and transportation facilities.
Xian- The city of Xian has historical and cultural importance in the country, getting it the title of ‘Natural History of Museum’. Moreover, it is an eternal city that has witnessed the country’s changes in history. It is more of a history book where you will find many sites and museums showing the ancient records. It is very place where the ancient civilization in the Yellow river basin flourished. All through the 3,100 years of development many dynasties ruled here and is one of the four important ancient civilizations, the others being Rome, Athens and Cairo. A favorable geographical location helps in a pleasant weather and any time is perfect for travelling here except the winters.
Guangzhou- The Guangzhou city is fast developing a reputation for being a city of overseas Chinese people as it was the first city to open its doors to outside world, leading to economic development. The flourishing city of Guangzhou is a metropolis, lively and exciting place. Enjoying an ideal location in the center of Guangzhou province, on the Pearl River and very close to the North Sea, Hong Kong and Macau, the city is often called as the South Gate of China. This famous tourist destination is a historical and an ancient town, which remained the capital for three dynasties.
Lhasa – Lhasa as the capital of the Tibet region is beautiful, different and with a charm of its own, making it a unique place. The name of the city means the holy land or the land of Buddha and so it is as it is the center of all Tibet activities. Home to the world famous Potala palace, the city has found a place in the list of Chinese cultural and historical cities. Located at a very altitude, the best period to visit is from March to October. The splendor and the grandeur of the city’s heritage and culture make it worth visiting.
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Travelling in China by Train
It’s fantastic to travel around in China because there are domestic flights, trains and coach routes all over the place. China itself is a huge place and so you will always be able to find something to suit you, there are so many things to discover and so many places to travel to! The transport system is fairly decent especially between the bigger cities, you can find a train from Shenzhen all the way up to Beijing if need be but I can’t say too much about the standard since I don’t have much experience in that department…
When you travel around by train within China, one of the few main things you have to note is the 4-5day ticket system where you can only purchase tickets 4-5days before you leave. And this is why China train tickets can be a pain to get your hands on unless you are staying in a hotel. Having experiencing for myself personally what a local person has to go through just to get their hands on a crappy 18hr train ride on a “hard seater”, it really makes you appreciate the wonderful staff in the hotels!
Another thing about getting a hold of tickets is that you need to remember that peak periods such as National Day and Chinese New Year is not ideal times because that’s when there is mass movement within China. If you want to see any cultural or historical sites during this time, just remember that millions of Chinese people are thinking the same thing. Attempt to go when there’s less chance of Chinese tourists unless you don’t mind having every photo to be a sea of black heads.
Now, when you are travelling around china on the train, you need to prepare yourself a little bit. First of all, the squat toilets (as pre-mentioned in my other post) are back with vengeance! Just imagine what kind of mess you can find in a squat toilet which is used by both male and females on a moving vehicle… Don’t be surprised to find Mr Hankey (refer to southpark) hanging around the shoddy compartment.
The second thing is the types of seats you get, always try and get the sleeper if you are on a long journey or a night train! The seaters are crowded and you might end up with strange people drooling on your shoulder, it’s just best to avoid this if you can. The thing with the sleepers is that they have 6 bunk beds in the little alcove, three on each side. The bunk beds are only for lying down, there is just not enough room to sit on them except the bottom bunk. But if you don’t like other people sitting on your bed then it’s best not to reserve the bottom bunk as it’s common for people to use it as a communal seat. I personally prefer the top bunk so that I can have as much privacy as I can.
Also be aware that the very narrow bunk bed doesn’t really give you much room to manoeuvre around. I had quite a bit of trouble twisting and turning so that I could settle into a comfortable position, even with my small size! But the good thing is that those train bunk beds are VERY comfy, this is especially true if you compare it to the dorm beds which feels like you’re sleeping on the floor.
The next thing to note is the fact that you share the alcove with 5 other people, less if you’re lucky. And if you’re a light sleeper then don’t forget ear plugs!! I’ve been pretty luck during my few trips on a train… There was one occasion where the person on the other side of the wall next to me couldn’t sleep because of some extremely LOUD snores, and every now and then they became so frustrated that they would bang the bed in an attempt to wake the snorer.
I haven’t experienced it myself but I have been advised that there is very little difference between the “hard and soft sleepers” and the “hard and soft seaters”. Having to be unfortunate enough to experience an 18hr night train on a hard seater and a crap train, I would strongly recommend that you at least try to get the window seat because this way you have something to lean against.
There is very limited leg space and you have very limited movement on a “hard seater” as you’ll be surrounded by people across from you and beside you. If you are thinking of taking the aisle seat to have better access to the toilet or to plan your escape, you can forget about it. It’s not uncommon, especially during peak season, that the local Chinese people will purchase “standing tickets” and they’ll take up your escape route in the aisle. You’ll just have to climb over them if you need to use the toilet.
Overall, I rather quite liked travelling around on the train. I don’t plan on travelling any other way but on the new bullet trains or on a sleeper if I’m travelling long distances though!! The locals are very friendly, especially to foreigners, and they like to offer food or drinks to you frequently (don’t think it strange that they offer at least 3 times). And when you are stuck on a train for such a long period of time, the time passes much more pleasantly when you are having fun practising your broken Mandarin or teaching them some broken English.
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Tour China – Exploring The Red Giant
These days it’s almost impossible to open a newspaper or turn on the news without hearing some mention of China. This vast, spectacular and very beautiful country is already playing a huge part in global markets and interest in China as a tourist destination is mirroring its economic growth.
One of the dilemmas that face travellers wanting to visit China is its vast scale. China is the 4th largest country in the world, and has huge diversity; from high-tech skyscraper cities like Shanghai, to the snow capped mountains of Tibet; from the ‘wild west’ of Xingjian province with its shifting sands and desert outposts, to tropical bamboo forests of the Sichuan – where giant pandas roam – the choice of locations may seem bewildering.
With this in mind, it’s little wonder that escorted tours to China are one of the most popular ways to enjoy the country. These touring holidays offer visitors an opportunity to see the best parts of the country and really get the most out of the China experience. A wide range of escorted tour holidays are on offer to suit all types of traveller, from the adrenaline seeker who wants activity and adventure in remote parts of the country, to those who’d prefer to explore the history and culture of China.
There is also the choice of opting for a private guide, or joining a group tour. If you already have a group of friends who intend to travel together, a private tour might be preferable. However, group tours are very popular with small groups, single travellers or couples, as it is a great way to meet others with similar interests and also share the camaraderie of your trip.
Another massive advantage of joining an escorted tour group is that it removes the headaches of travelling in an unfamiliar place. China can be a tricky country to navigate for the foreigner who doesn’t speak Chinese and is unfamiliar with the culture. A tour holiday means that all accommodation and travel is already arranged, leaving visitors free to enjoy their trip; while having an English speaking guide who also speaks the local language, on hand to answer any questions and attend to any problems, not only provides peace of mind for travellers but also means that you can learn much more about the people and places you visit.
It’s worth taking your time when choosing China tours that are most suited to your tastes; do you want an urban experience, or an outback adventure? Are you a culture vulture or are you more interested in China’s history? Whatever you’re looking for in China, with an escorted tour group you’re certain to find plenty of eastern promise in this huge, diverse and fascinating country that offers so much for visitors.
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