China Travel Blog

I have read something about a “visa on arrival” and also a “no visa policy” for travel groups over 5 persons. We are only in port for 7 hours and it seems absurd. The cruise company is Scandinavian and has made some kind of arrangements for them but nothing for Americans, although this is a very popular cruiseline for Americans.. Any advice or recent experience will be greatly appreciated.

I am planning a trip to China to visit the Great Wall. What are the necessary steps that I should take to have a successful trip? What costs should I expect? Should I hire or talk to a travel agent. How much time should I plan between preparation and the actual trip? Can I plan a trip for two or one (with less then average Chinese speaking and reading ability) successful without having a horrendous experience?

Hong Kong is one of the most frequented cityscapes in all of Asia. It is known to possess a mystical cultural heritage and is loaded with many tourist attractions which bring people from over the globe to this cosmopolitan center. In Hong Kong you will be able to find a diverse range of activities and experiences ranging from breathtaking natural landscapes to the biggest and best of shopping malls and entertainment areas. Plus the city has developed its hospitality industry to offer excellent accommodation to tourists in the form of apartments in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Major Attractions

Amongst the must-see sights in Hong Kong is the Peak. As the name suggests this is an elevated spot from where you can get a stunning view of the entire city. No visit to Hong Kong will be complete without capturing a comprehensive view of the city from this site. The peak is not a mountain rather it is a very unusual building which cannot miss your eyes. It has a special place known as the sky Terrace which allows you to get a 360° view of the city through its glass walls. Inside the tower you will also be able to tantalize your taste buds in a variety of different restaurants.

If you are looking for something different then Hong Kong has many unusual activities that you can engage in. One of the most unique experiences that you will be able to partake in Hong Kong is to take a trip on the 800 m long escalator. This is something that you will not find anywhere else in the world and hence this visit should be on top of your list. It is a covered escalator which gradually climbs up and then changes direction in a sideways manner. Along the way you will find many shops, cafés and places to visit during this long escalator trip.

Another must see cite in Hong Kong is the Victoria Harbor. Here you will be able to take a ride on the famous Star ferry and view the city from a totally different perspective. There are a number of ferries that have been based on classic designs from the early 1900s that run the course of the waterways 24/7.

Hong Kong welcomes tourists all year around and getting to this unique city is quite easy as many different airlines have countless flights going to and fro from the location. When in Hong Kong you will have a wide variety of accommodation choices where you can stay during the length of your visit.

If you are coming along with your family for a couple of weeks then Hong Kong serviced apartments are your ideal choice. It is generally cheaper to rent out Hong Kong apartments than it is to book a hotel room. Furthermore you have a lot more freedom in these apartments as you can cook your own food and do your own laundry thereby saving up on finances. You will surely enjoy a comfortable stay in these apartments which give you a home like environment while you explore what the city has to offer.

So you’ve always heard about HK, but never visited it, or are some what pessimistic as to what you may do in Chinese town. What’s the food going to be like, the people, the culture, the temperature and most important of all what the heck will you do there? Well, these instincts are standard, but not true. You see, I’ve always just heard about HK and its progress in their infrastructure and design, but never had I imagined it to be my favourite city in the world. I’m not Chinese, neither did I have any Chinese buddies convincing me to go. I always knew that I needed to go to China to experience their culture, food and to particularly find out what makes them so unique and different in the world. So, I scheduled a flight to HK and next the thing I knew, I was in HK in the scorching hot summer with 32 degree and 95% humidity. My experience in hong kong was impressive. Words unfortunately have limits ; pictures can only give you a sense of how a town is, but when you actually live in town of hong kong the experience is bind blowing.

Now before I left to hong kong, just like any travel, some research and planning should be done about the city. I searched google endlessly, but failed to find a site with great pro photographs that described the life-style of hong kong and some of the things I should and shouldn’t do in HK. After endless looking, I finally found a perfect website by a student who went to university of Hong Kong to study for one month from university of Toronto. I must say, the way I saw HK was precisely like it was displayed in his footage. Folk just relaxing on the side of the roads, loads of construction employees just working round the clock and variety of food offered by different street vendors. If your interested in visiting HK, then visiting his site is an absolute must and even if your not especially interested in hong kong, then just checking out the city is still a thrill!

Hong Kong Photos:
http://viewhongkong.com.

A visit to china is like a visit to another world. China has different culture, food and people. It is necessary with some paperwork before you enter the country, among other things you need to apply for a visa. This are some of the reasons why you need some China travel tips before you go visit this vast and beautiful country.

When you are planning your trip to China there are some things you should take care of. Here is a list with the most important things;

* Ensure that you have all necessary paper-documents, you need this in order to entry the country. A Chinese visa you could get at a Chinese embassy in your country, some travel agencies may also be able to arrange this for you.

* For group travel, your travel agency will help you get a group tourist visa, which is acceptable for entry into the country.

* Travel insurance is also recommended to buy even though it is not absolutely necessary.

* Make sure that you bring small amounts of the local currency, named Yuan, and American dollars. American dollars is good to have in case of emergency. Keep the American dollars in your socks or shoes.

* Undergo all requisite immunizations.

* Learn the geography and the different time-zones.

* Memorize the location to one of the embassies that belongs to your country.

Before you leave home, brush up on the country declarations. There are certain rules about what you can bring into the country that may limit you on certain items, especially electronics like cameras, camcorders, laptops and more. Items like these will need to be declared in customs upon entrance to the country.

China has a very large land-areal, it is one of the largest countries in the world, because of this the climate is very different across the country. Some places it can be snow while it is summer and sun in others. A good tips is to choose the time of travel carefully.

The best times to arrive are in May, September and October. Although the country can be visited year-round, these three months are the most comfortable weather wise but you might find some great travel deals in the winter months.

A good advice is not to try to cover all the great tourist-attractions in one trip, the country is simply way to big. Your best bet would be to identify a few areas that you want to explore and then try to plan your itinerary based on these places.

Some nice places to visit may be;

* The great wall of China

* Hainan island

* Beijing

* Yangtze river

* Shanghai

These places are awesome and it is highly recommendable that you visit them, even though it is a great distance between some of them. You can get to them by take the train, bus or plane. I would recommend to take the plane because China is very large country and you don’t want to spend all of your vacation on a bus or train, even though bus and train are a cheap way of travel in China.

Be prepared and you will do fine in China. Have a nice trip.

I want to visit China (Cheng du) for a week (last week of January), but want to get my passport/visa next month. How much will it cost and do I have to wait a while for it to process?

An ancient Chinese temple built in 537 AD, located in Guangzhou. Southern China. This temple has a fascinating history behind it. Initially called Baozhuangyan Temple, built during the Liang Dynasty the temple has its present name attributed during the Northern Song Dynasty, a writer by the name of Su Shi saw six banyan trees near the temple and so inscribed the name Liu Rong, meaning the Six Banyan Trees, and hence the temple is now know as the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees.

As you enter the Temple through the mountain gate, the famous Laughing Buddha is there to greet tourists in the Tianwang Hall. Behind this lies the Weituo Hall. Legend has it that a general by the name of Weituo recaptured the stolen Buddhist relics. A serious and a military type figure, an expression less face can be seen on the statue of Weituo, a great distinction from that of the Laughing Buddha.

An eye catching architectural pagoda is the Six Banyan Pagoda. The Pagoda resembling a flower with its up-tuned dark red roofs, like petals, and its tips resembling stamens, hence the popular name the Flowery Pagoda. This is an ideal site to take a look at the breath-taking scenery around the place. To the west is situated the main hall, the Daxion Boadian Hall. A notable attraction here is the three biggest copper Buddhist statues at the temple, symbolizing the past, present and future.

Each year during the Chinese traditional Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, the area is a buzz with the people burning joss sticks which is a huge event here at the temple. Spending a few nights here site seeing and joining in the festivities would be a good choice. To find accommodation in Gaungzhou look for a serviced apartment. Guangzhou has some notable places for your stay, one of which is the Ascott Guangzhou.