Posts Tagged Trips
China Tours… Just as Varied as the Country Itself
China tours have become highly popular since the People’s Republic opened its doors to mass tourism. There are so many options now that it’s easy to get confused. Let’s describe what you can expect, depending on where you go.
The Chinese capital Beijing, the ancient city of Xian and cosmopolitan Shanghai are included in most China tours – unless you opt not to go for the major cities. Guilin and Hong Kong are also popular among tourists.
The North China plain, with Beijing and the Yellow River, has always been one of the most important regions for Chinese civilization, and it’s almost inevitable you will go there. It’s also possible to book a tour that also takes you further down the countryside, for a example for a river cruise on the mighty Yangtze.
Being a country with a great variety of landscapes it’s also worthwhile to go and see beautiful mountains like the majestic Yellow Mountain, China’s most celebrated mountain with three peaks above 1,800 meters. You’ll find the Yellow Mountain in the southern part of Anhui Province. If you think of mountains, you’ll quickly think of Tibet. It has never been so easy to visit this remote land in the south west of China since a new railway to Lhasa was opened. Yes, you can now travel to the roof of the world in a comfortable train carriage!
Train travel is popular in China and a great way to discover the country’s cities and nature. Trains also offer excellent opportunities to get acquainted with the Chinese people.
Neighboring Tibet is the mountainous borderland of Yunnan, known as China’s kingdom of flora and fauna. This is another fascinating part of the country and recommended to all lovers of exceptional natural sceneries. Several China tours include Yunnan’s capital Kunming, because of its pleasant weather also known as the city of eternal spring.
If it’s your first time visiting China I recommend booking a tour that includes the major cities and the Great Wall. For future trips some of the numerous other China tours will definitely satisfy you too.
Tags: Beijing, China, China Tour, China Tours, Chinese, City, Cruise, Great Wall, Guilin, Hong Kong, Ming, Shanghai, The Great Wall, Tour, Tourism, Tourist, Tours, Train Travel, Travel, Travel To, Trip, Trips, Visit, Visiting, Visiting China, Weather, XianRelated posts
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.
Tags: Beijing, Bunk, Bunk Bed, Bunk Beds, China, China Train, Chinese, Flight, Flights, Food, Hotel, Hotels, Tickets, Toilet, Toilets, Tour, Tourist, Train Tickets, Travel, Travel To, Travelling, Trip, TripsRelated posts
Short Guide To Travel Packages In China
China is a huge country, home to the largest population in the world, hundreds of historic and beautiful sights, and of course, the Beijing Olympics in 2008. It can be quite an overwhelming task to try to explore the country by yourself – and that is why a wealth of travel packages to China have sprung up in the last decades. The relatively low cost of living in the country makes these packages quite affordable to Westerners, allowing them to travel in luxury for the same budget as average accommodation in the West. Here we explore the best of the luxury travel packages in China.
Xian is the home to the famous Terracotta Warriors, and was also the first capital city of China. If you are taking a luxury rest in China, Xian is a city not to miss. There are literally hundreds of travel packages to Xian, and luxury packages in China to this city might include the Terracotta Warriors and the Horses Museum, the Provincial Museum, and the Great Mosque. While most of the country is Buddhist, there is also some beautiful Islamic architecture to be appreciated by people of all faiths. Luxury travel packages in China will ensure that you eat at the finest restaurants in the city, often ferrying you back and forth from attractions to restaurants with gorgeous native cuisine.
If you want to know what China used to look like before the advent of Western building technology and the population explosion in the latter few centuries, then Guilin will be the luxury tour in China for you. Bicycle trips around Guilin often feature in tours, and the scenery is breathtaking. In many luxury packages in China to Guilin, you can visit the homes of local people and see how Chinese live in the countryside – a wonderful traditional education. The Sheraton Hotel in Guilin is one of the best five star accommodation facilities around, and a great base from which to explore the countryside. Many regional facilities are three stars and under, so if you are looking for a luxury rest in China, make sure you book in advance and check the luxury option with your tour operator.
If Shanghai is your city of choice, ensure that you stay at Shangri-La Pudong. In a city known as the Paris of the Orient, Shangri-La is one of the best among the best accommodation facilities in China; contemporary designs feature traditional motifs, and there is an extensive health and leisure complex. Using Shangri-La as a base, your luxury travel package in China should include sights like the Bund and Nanjing Road, two of Shanghai’s busiest streets and China’s cultural hubs. Zhujiajiao is close by to Shanghai, and your luxury travel package to China might include this famous water city, where Qing and Ming dynasty architecture, some of the most studied and beautiful on the planet, abounds. The gorgeous Qing and Ming buildings sit alongside ancient stone bridges and streets, as well as some locals who preserve the older ways of life.
Lhasa, Tibet’s capital, is a city not to be missed when arranging any luxury tour in China. See one of the world’s most dedicated Buddhist cities, through such sights as Potala Palace, Sera Monastery and Norbulingka Park. The Tibet Traditional Medicine Hospital is a sight not to be missed, opening your eyes to what traditional medicinal knowledge really can do.
There is a wealth of Chinese luxury resorts and hotels, and a good travel package will make use of the world-class facilities in China. We have surely whetted your appetite, at least!
Tags: Attractions, Beijing, Best Of, China, Chinese, City, Guide, Guilin, Hotel, Hotels, Luxury Tour, Luxury Travel, Luxury Travel Packages, Ming, Package, Package To, Packages, Resorts, Shanghai, Terracotta, Terracotta Warrior, Terracotta Warriors, The Terracotta Warriors, Tour, Tour Operator, Tours, Travel, Travel Package, Travel Package To, Travel Packages, Travel Packages To, Trip, Trips, Visit, XianRelated posts