Monday, July 26, 2010

China Travel Advice To Get You Started On Preparing For Your China Trip

By James Brad Lee

China is a country with a long and illustrious history, colourful ethnic traditions and sumptuous cuisine, besides its breathtaking natural and architectural sites. These are some of the reasons why China is a very popular destination for visitors from all over the world.

Regardless of what is the purpose of your visit to China, it is important that you get yourself well prepared so that you know what to bring and what to expect during your exciting trip. The following useful information and advice about China travel would help inform you about how you should go about preparing for your trip.

What to pack

You should always pack according to the specific time of the year and your destination when you visit China. For instance, decent walking shoes are a must if you visit places such as the Great Wall of China which requires a great deal of walking. These attractions often have plenty of steps and uneven surfaces.

To shield yourself from the elements in exposed areas like the Forbidden City, have an umbrella or raincoat handy. The sweltering summer might see an increase in insects which you can keep away with insect repellant. The most important thing to remember is to dress appropriately and adequately for the season and destination.

Some shopping insights

The various regions and cities have their very own specialty products. Hence it is wise not to purchase everything in the first few days of your trip if you are visiting these different regions. For instance, you can get mounted butterflies in Yunnan and silk carpets in Shanghai. Bargaining is common in China and even encouraged if you want to get the best prices for the products you wish to purchase.

Food, glorious food!

No other country elicits strong reactions in its cuisine like China. With a diverse array of regional cuisines that utilize the different parts of plants and animals, be prepared for a gourmet experience like no other. Nonetheless, the many different styles of cooking and preparation result in gourmet masterpieces that are unique to each region. That is the alluring appeal of Chinese cuisine. Tipping is not necessary for most cases, although a service charge will be levied in some restaurants.

How to keep yourself safe

China as a whole is a safe country to visit, with many helpful and friendly locals. However do take precaution at night and in crowded places, so do carefully safeguard your belongings and valuables and keep them where they are visible. Be careful not to flaunt your jewelry or other indicators of wealth unnecessarily. Most importantly, do not fall prey to scams by keeping your wits about and not following strangers.

When getting around on your own

If you decide to go exploring without a guide, it is recommended that you have your hotel card in your possession wherever you go. This is because the card has information of your hotel printed so that you can get directions to return to your hotel if you are lost. If you cannot speak Mandarin, riding a taxi would be much easier for you if you show the driver the name and address of your destination in Chinese. This is because many taxi drivers barely understand English.

About the Author:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...