China Guide > China GuidebookAn ABC of Traveling in China
An ABC of Traveling in China
Transportation
- There are two cities in China that have two airports: Beijing (Capital International Airport and Nanyuan Airport) and Shanghai (Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport). If you choose to board a plane by yourself, please make sure of your flight information: departure time, flight terminal and airport.
- Please let us know if you are a member of a certain airline company. When you book flights with China Highlights, we will contact the airline company and consult about membership points for you.
- 4. If you choose to take a train and get onboard by yourself, please make sure of your train information and get to the train station 30–40 minutes before the train departs.
- If you travel on an overnight train, please prepare some bottled water, fruits, snacks and convenience food to eat and drink on the train. Usually you need to go up and down lots of stairs at the train station, so it is advisable to bring suitcases with wheels, as there are ramps by the stairs to tow your luggage on. See China Train Travel
- In some big cities, there are two or more train stations, make sure that you get on or get off at the correct train station. See Major China Train Stations List
Traveling
- China Highlights’ tour guides meet customers at the arrival hall exit of train stations or airports. The tour guide will hold a plate with the China Highlights logo and one of the customers’ names on it.
- Day tours usually begin at 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning.
- Visiting tourist attractions involves much walking. Please let us know your health condition and other related matters, so that we can design a suitable tour for you and make proper arrangements.
- When traveling to Tibet, due to the high altitude there, if there are senior citizens or children in your group, please consult a doctor about whether they are suitable to travel in Tibet or if there is anything that needs to be noted. See Tibet Travel Tips and Altitude Sickness
- Tibet Travel Permits are required for foreign tourists to enter Tibet. For tour packages that include tours to Tibet, China Highlights takes care of the permit application for customers. See Tibet Travel Permits
- Passport holders of many countries are not required to apply for a China visa for visiting Hong Kong and Macau, but a China visa is required for entering Mainland China. If travelers’ tour routes are of the form Mainland China–Hong Kong (Macau)–Mainland China, they need to apply for a double entry visa. See China Visa
- In some remote areas, such as Guizhou, Tibet and Xinjiang, where road conditions are not so good and attractions are far away from each other, travelers need to spend a lot of time on the road. In addition, accommodation facilities are not so good. It is suggested that travelers lower their expectations for facilities or comfort in these areas. See Hotel Facilities.
Dining
- Tell us in advance if you have any specific requirements about meals, such as vegetarian food, Halal food or any food allergies.
- Usually China Highlights only arrange breakfasts and lunches during the tour, and leave dinners to customers’ own arrangements. But in some remote areas, such as villages, China Highlights arrange all the three meals for customers’ convenience as well as for sanitary concerns. See Food and Dining.
- If you don’t want to have lunch, or prefer to have lunch on your own arrangement, please spare about 30 minutes for the guide and driver to have lunch.
Miscellaneous
- Take toilet paper whenever you go to a public toilet, because it’s not provided most of the time.
- After a day's touring, sparing one or two hours in the evening and treating yourself to a body or foot massage would be very relaxing.
- Bring a small notebook and pen with you, so that when you want to keep track of some exciting things or notes on the trip, they are handy.
- If you travel without a tour guide, make sure that you take your hotel name card with you whenever you go out. In case you get lost, you can take a taxi or ask for directions by showing it to others.
- Prepare some small change for buying inexpensive stuff. Vendors are usually reluctant to find change for a 100-yuan note.
- You might encounter some strangers who want to practice English with you. If you have enough time, then it’s ok to have a conversation. However, don’t go along if they start insisting on you going with them to some special places that you didn’t plan to in the first place (they probably will be taking you there to get a commission). Don’t be afraid to say no. If you intend to continue the conversation, make sure that it is you who chooses the place.
- Outside tourist spots or on the road, there might be some vendors who follow you and try to sell you something. If you are not interested, just ignore them and keep going.
If you have any questions concerning traveling in China, please visit our Q&A page page and pose your questions.