China Travel Guide

Prior to your departure

  • Inform your credit card companies before your trip if you normally don't swipe your cards very often since they might decline the charges out of suspicion.
  • Be sure to bring along your adoption agency's emergency contact number in case you need assistance. At the same time leave this number with your relatives and friends so they can call for you as well if you failed to reach the agency yourself.
  • Contact airlines to reconfirm your flights after you've received your plane tickets; most airlines required reconfirmation at least 72 hours prior to departure.
  • For U.S. major airlines, seat assignments, baby bassinets, meals and other requests can be made when you reconfirm your flights.
  • Bulkhead seats are usually allocated to those who have physical disabilities and special needs first.
  • Chinese airlines do not pre-assign seats. Be sure to arrive the airport airline counter early to receive better seat assignments.

    • Health care and immunization

  • Visit your family doctor before and after your trip to ensure good health.
  • Be sure to visit a travel clinic for information and to plan what vaccines your family needs.
  • Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/travel/) for further details on vaccination and related health precaution.
  • Make sure your children's immunizations are current and if you have children near 12 years of age, they are due for their next tetanus vaccine.
  • Tetanus vaccine is given every 10 years for your entire life, so you might be overdue already!
  • Adult travelers need to have titers checked for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella. If titers are undetectable, you will need an MMR and/or varicella (chicken pox) vaccine.
  • Kids are highly recommended to have a varicella booster vaccine.
  • Bring benedryl for unexpected allergic reactions, ciprofloxacin for travelers' diarrhea and possibly Tamiflu.
  • Remember to pack tylenol, ibuprofen and anti-diarrhea medication to play safe.
  • Bring bandaids and topical antibiotic ointment for minor cuts.
  • Create a list of your daily medications, allergies and any chronic conditions, such as hypertension and keep it along with your identification.

    • This section is written by ER nurse practitioner Patricia Lyman.

    Ticketing

    • All U.S. airlines issue electronic tickets, whereas most Chinese airlines issue paper tickets. Note that passports are required upon check in for both types of tickets.
    • Be sure to retain all boarding passes to obtain frequent flyer miles. You would not be qualified for air miles if those were lost.
    • Infant lap tickets are not required for air travel in the U.S.

    Luggage Restrictions

    • Most U.S. domestic and international flights allow two checked bags per person, up to 50 pounds per bag and one carry on bag per person (no larger than 14"x 9"x 22").
    • China domestic flights allow one checked bag per person, up to 44 pounds and one carry on bag per person (no larger than 14"x 9"x 22").
    • All airlines reserve the right to charge an additional fee for excessive luggage, in which varies from airline to airline. Make sure you check with your airline for specific charges.
    • Note that the aircraft may not have enough room for over-weighted luggage if the flight is completely full. Avoid over-packing your luggage.
    • Contact the airline counter immediately in the case of a luggage loss; you may want to consider purchasing a travel insurance plan with luggage loss and delay coverage to play safe.

    Intra China Travel

    • Chinese airlines usually don't pre-assign seats. Be sure to arrive the airport airline counter early to receive better seat assignments.
    • When traveling within China by plane, be sure to reclaim and transfer your own baggage if you are making connections. For instance, if you are traveling from Beijing/Shanghai/Wuhan, you will need to reclaim your bags in Shanghai for them to get to Wuhan.
    • Tipping is a matter of personal preference and should be given as a reward for good service. Lotus Travel recommends a total of $6 for a guide, $4 for a driver per day and $1 to a hotel bellboy per piece of luggage.
    • Most evening entertainment is not included in your tour package. If you are interested in attending shows and love your tour guides, you might want to purchase show admission tickets since your guides will receive incentive bonuses from the ticket sales.
    • Train rides can provide a good experience for first time China travelers. In China, trains can be classified into four categories: hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper.
    • The compartments of the hard seat slow train may or may not have air-conditioning, and usually have five seats on each row. It stops at each tiny station and farmers mostly utilize it to transport produce and livestock.
    • The compartments of the hard seat express train may or may not have air-conditioning and usually have five seats on each row. It normally only have one stop in big cities and does not pass by small counties. For example, the hard seat express train from Guilin to Nanning stops at Liuzhou.
    • The compartments of the soft seat express train contain air-conditioning and usually have four seats in one row to provide passengers with more space. However, it only operates among cities with short distance (five hours ride at most).
    • The compartments of the hard sleeper express train may or may not have air-conditioning. It contains no privacy and safety as everyone who passes by the aisle can have access to the three bunk beds on each row. Keep an eye on your valuables while traveling on it as pickpocketing is very common in China.
    • The compartments of the soft sleeper express train contain air-conditioning and sliding doors. The doors lead to individual cabins with four bunk beds each. Lotus Travel recommends purchasing extra seats to guarantee privacy if there are less than four people in your party.

      • View Train Compartment Photos Now

    Hotel Accommodation

    Hotels in China are rated between one through five- star.

    • One-star hotels: there are minimal facilities to meet the needs of hotel guests.
    • Two-star hotels: A lot cleaner compared to the one-star ones and have affordable room rates.
    • Three-star hotels: Contain basic amenities, such as furniture, television set, diners, meeting rooms, pubs, beauty parlors, etc.
    • Four-star hotels: Contain upscale facilities and provide outstanding service.
    • Five-star hotels: Offer various restaurants, big banquet halls, meeting rooms, entertainment centers and provide the best service.

    Room Categories

    • Single Room (Economy Room): room with a single bed.
    • Double Room: room with one double bed.
    • Twin Room (Standard Room): room with two single beds.
    • Triple Room: room with three beds.
    • Superior Room: it can be classified into two types: with a double bed or two single beds. Generally speaking, it is nicer than the standard room.
    • Deluxe Room: more spacious compared to the superior room, contains either a double bed or two single beds; decorations and facilities are also much more luxurious.
    • Executive Standard Room: the room has usually one double bed, a business center and coffee bar. Most star-rated hotels allocate several floors as executive room floors.
    • Business Standard Room: room with two single beds or one double bed. Computer, secretarial services and other work-related facilities are included.
    • Suite: two or more rooms with bathroom and other attached amenities.

    Swimming Pool

    • Four and five-star hotels usually have swimming pools; some hotels have both indoor and outdoor pools.
    • Most indoor heated pools are closed during winter to reduce maintenance cost.

    Safety

    • Leave your valuables in the hotel safe. Don't leave them in your hotel room.
    • Remember to lock the door before sleeping.
    • There are usually no child care facilities in major hotels and restaurants; be prepared to watch over your children at all times.
    • Avoid communicating with strangers.
    • Don't hang around bars and night- clubs until their closing time.
    • Put your passports, travel documents, credit cards, traveler's checks and money in your inner pockets when traveling in China.
    • Respect local customs and stay away from disputes.
    • Don't travel to places that are not opened to foreigners.

    Shopping

    • Tour guides usually will take tourists to shop at government-ran stores. You are not obligated to make any purchases, but if you think your guides provide outstanding service, you may consider buying some souvenirs, as your guides will receive commission.
    • Note that souvenirs at the Great Wall might only be available there. If you are interested in a certain souvenirs during your Great Wall tour, be sure to purchase them right away.
    • Remember to bargain before purchasing anything.The following bargaining techniques might be useful:
    • 1. Visit different vendors to check on prices for the goods you wanted to buy.
    • 2. If a seller refused to honor your favorable price, walk off immediately and he/she might ask for further negotiation. Try not to let the seller sense that you are very eager to purchase the merchandise since that will make the negotiating process difficult and you will most likely be offered an extremely high price.
    • 3. If the price the vendor offered to you is way over your budget, try to praise his/her products and state that they are the best out of your other choices. The vendor might reduce the price further in response to your positive remarks.
    • 4. The bargaining power will be increased tremendously if you buy the merchandise in bulk or invite more friends to purchase the same product.
    • 5. Pretend to be very familiar with the product price and you will probably obtain a satisfactory price.
    • 6. Never be shy when bargaining! First offer a price way below the one that you will finally agree upon to allow room for the vendor to increase the price. If he/she refuses to honor your selected price and you really want the item, just increase your offer little by little until the two of you reached an agreement.

    Public Restrooms

    • Always bring your own tissue.
    • The usage fee ranges between 20 cents to $1 Yuan/RMB depending on the location.
    • Be prepared to squat over while using the toilet; western style toilets are not that commonly used yet.

    Currency Exchange

    • It is highly recommended to have at least $50 Yuan/RMB before your departure in case you need to make purchases at the China airport.
    • Chinese currency can be exchanged at all Bank of China branches and foreign currency exchange counters at major airports and hotels.
    • Do not exchange any currency with strangers as it is strictly prohibited by Chinese laws.
    • Most hotels in China provide currency exchange service; please note that the service is only available to hotel guests in some hotels.
    • Major vendors accept Master Card, Visa, American Express, JCB and Diners Card; you may also withdraw Chinese Yuan/ RMB with them at all branches of Bank of China.
    • Be aware that credit cards are not acceptable in remote areas.
    • Despite there is no limit on the amount of Chinese currency you bring into the country, you must declare the amount upon entry.
    • Keep all foreign currency exchange receipts issued by the Bank of China at all times; they are necessary if you would like to convert the Chinese Yuan/RMB back to your country's currency. Be aware that each foreigner is allowed to take no more than $6,000 RMB out of China.

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