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Do before you go
Check TSA (Transportation Security
Administration) MUST
READ for all air travelers. Follow
instructions to reduce your wait time at the
security checkpoint.
Make two copies of
your passport identification page. This will
facilitate replacement if your passport is lost or
stolen. Leave one copy at home with friends or
relatives. Carry the other one along with a
passport size photo with you in a separate place
from your passport.
Leave a copy of
your itinerary and contact information with family
or friends at home so that you can be contacted in
case of an emergency. |
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Air Flights
Contact airline concerned prior to
leaving for the airport to confirm flight number
and any possible schedule changes. Connecting
passengers should verify, at the time of check-in,
that luggage can be checked through to their China
destination. For transpacific flights, you must
check in at least three hours prior to the
scheduled departure time.
If you choose to
arrange your own add-on flights to the designated
gateway city, you must take the following facts
into consideration before booking any flights.
China Travel Service is not responsible for any
missed connections and penalties/loss as a result.
Note:
- For transpacific flight, you
must check-in three (3) hours ahead of departure
time.
- It takes at least one (1) hour
to clear customs and claim your checked baggage.
- For domestic flight, you must
check in at least two (2) hours prior to
departure time.
Most airline
tickets are issued using special fare which
cannot be changed or canceled without incurring
additional cost. Should you lose or misplace
your tickets while traveling, you should
immediately notify the airline. In most cases
they will have you complete a Lost Ticket
Indemnity Form, and for a fee, issue replacement
tickets.
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Passport & Visa
All
foreign nationals traveling to the People Republic
of China must travel on a valid passport with at
least six(6) month remaining validity after the
entry date into China . Tourist visa must be
obtained prior to entering the PRC. Please read
complete details about Chinese Visa.. |
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Arrival Procedures
Your
China Travel Service representative will greet you
once you have cleared the Custom area at your
China arrival airport. Please wear your name badge
for easy identification, and look for China Spree
sign. |
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Baggage
Always remember, "He who would travel
happily must travel light". We strongly recommend
you limit your baggage to one(1) piece of checked
luggage and one(1) carry-on bag per person.
Baggage Allowance
Baggage allowance differs for the transpacific
and the China domestic sections of your trip.
Baggage allowance for transpacific flight is two
pieces of checked baggage per person. Total
dimensions (Length + Width + Height) of the two
pieces must not exceed 107 inches ( 273cm );
maximum dimensions of single piece shall not
exceed 62 inches ( 158cm ). Maximum weight per
piece is 70bls (32kilos). Each passenger may carry
one hand baggage, the combined dimensions of which
shall not exceed 45 inches ( 115cm ).
China domestic
flights have stringent luggage restrictions
allowing one piece of checked baggage that must
not exceed 44 lbs per person, plus a carry-on bag
not to exceed 5 lbs . The carry-on must fit in the
overhead bin or under the seat.
Baggage in excess
of allowances will incur excess baggage charge
payable on site by the passenger.
Baggage Precautions
Make sure you have luggage tags for each
checked suitcase. A copy of your itinerary and
contact information should also go in an outside
pocket of your luggage to aid the airline
personnel to locate you in case you and your
luggage become separated.
Never check luggage
containing prohibited items (i.e. lighters),
valuables (i.e. cash, jewelry, and cameras),
fragile items (i.e. undeveloped film, bottles,
eyeglasses) or critical items (i.e. medicines,
travel vouchers). You should read more information
about TSA Permitted
and Prohibited Items .
Lost/damaged
Baggage
China Travel Service will not be
responsible for loss or damage to your luggage and
personal belongings. You must report any loss or
damage immediately at the time of the incident and
obtain a written report from the local authority
for submission to your insurance provider. If you
luggage is lost or damaged by the airlines, a
baggage claim form must be filled with the carrier
before leaving the airport.
Baggage Lock
Your checked baggage must be locked during
transportation while in China . This is a Chinese
regulation.
Due to increased security
measures in U.S. airports, if you wish to lock
your baggage, you MUST use a TSA
recognized lock , which allows TSA screeners
open and re-lock your bags for security screening.
Ordinary locks are cut if physical inspection is
required. |
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Tour Guides
For a
guaranteed departure with no less than 10
passengers, a professional Tour Director will be
assigned to escort the group throughout Mainland
China . Local guides are assigned along the
program to offer in-depth narrative about local
attractions. |
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Group Size
Our
group size is limited to no more than 32
passengers. A minimum 10 travelers is required to
guarantee a group departure. In case we have to
cancel a departure due to low participation,
clients will have the options to either reschedule
the trip or receive a complete refund of all
payments they have made to us. |
Money Matters
It is
wise to carry your currency in different forms of
cash, traveler's check, and credit cards. Use
credit card whenever you shop in tourist stores
especially when making big purchases. Take
advantage of traveler checks' favorable exchange
rate against Chinese currency. Use local currency
wherever credit cards are not accepted. Tip with
U.S. dollars. Pay in single dollar bills for
bargains from street vendors.
- Chinese Currency
The
Chinese currency is known as Renminbi (RMB),
literally "People's Money". The basic unit of
RMB is Yuan (dollar), which is divided into 10
Jiao (dime), which is divided again into 10 Fen
(cent). Bank of China issues RMB bills in
denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100
Yuan and 1, 2, 5 Jiao. Bronze and nickel coin
equivalents exist for the smaller units.
As of Nov. 2006,
USD$1=RMB 7.81 by cash/RMB 7.89 by traveler's
check. Exchange rate fluctuates daily. Check here for current rate.
Chinese RMB is not
internationally convertible; you must wait until
you arrive in China to change your money and spend
it all or exchange back to U.S. dollar before you
leave the country. Hong Kong 's currency is the
Hong Kong Dollar. It is internationally
convertible and worth about 5% more than RMB.
- Exchanging money
You can
change money at hotels, China arrival and
departure airports, and at Bank of China
branches. The official exchange rate is adopted
in most places so it's unnecessary to shop
around for a better deal. For the sake of
convenience and safety we suggest that you
change money in your hotel. All hotels you will
stay in your China trip offer foreign currency
exchange service supervised by Bank of China.
Retain a few of your exchange receipts because
you will need the receipt to convert RMB to your
home currency at the end of the trip. Those
traveling to Hong Kong can change RMB to Hong
Kong Dollar there.
- Traveler's Checks
The
advantage of Traveler's Check is: a) It's
exchangeable at all your China hotels; b) The
exchange rate of Traveler's Check is better than
cash rate (approximately 2% higher); c) You can
always cancel it if you loose it.Keep your
exchange slip; you will need it when buying back
your home currency. While Traveler's Check from
most of the world's leading banks and issuing
agencies are now acceptable throughout China ,
we recommend you secure major company checks
such as American Express, Thomas Cook and Visa.
- U.S. Currency
Cash advance
service is not commonly available in China ; you
need to bring some cash
with you. Bring a
supply of single dollar bills. You will find it
very convenient to use
particularly when
shopping with street vendors. Please note:
foreign coins are not acceptable in China . All
paper bills should be complete, not badly worn
and free from graffiti. Partial, badly worn or
defaced bills will not be accepted
- Credit Cards
Master Card,
Visa, American Express are accepted in hotels,
tourist shops, and upscale shopping centers, but
may not be particularly welcome in smaller local
stores or in remote areas.
- Personal Checks
Personal
checks are generally not acceptable outside
North America .
- ATMs (Automated Teller
Machine)
Do not count on ATMs in mainland
China , although they are commonly used in Hong
Kong . ATMs can be found in a growing, but still
limited number of large banks in mainland China
. You can use Visa, Master card, American
Express, Cirrus and Plus to withdraw cash. The
network is only available in sizeable cities
like Beijing and Shanghai . Most ATMs in China
can only be used for withdrawing RMB. The
exchange rate on ATM withdrawals is similar to
credit cards but there is a maximum daily
withdrawal amount. For credit-card cash advance,
service fees apply.
- Carrying Money
You may
feel more comfortable using a money belt for a
large sums of cash and credit cards. Care and
good judgment is a must in all travel
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Time Difference
Although P. R. China covers five time
zones, only Beijing Standard Time is adopted for
the entire country. It is 8 hours ahead of GMT, 16
hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time (15 hours
ahead of PST in daylight saving time). People in
China 's far western regions like Tibet follow a
later work schedule to keep pace with the official
centralized Beijing Time. Please check World
Clock for current regional time.
When
it's 9am in Beijing , the time in other U.S.
cities is:
San Francisco : |
5pm (previous day) |
6pm Daylight Saving Time |
Denver : |
6pm (previous day) |
7pm D.S.T |
Chicago : |
7pm (previous day) |
8pm D.S.T |
New York : |
8pm (previous day) |
9pm D.S.T |
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Electricity
China 's electrical current is 220V,
50 cycles AC. Plugs and Outlets come in a variety
of shapes. You are advised to bring along adapters
and converters for your U.S. purchased appliances.
Clients can borrow adapters and converters from
Housekeeping at most hotels. Hair dryer and iron
are readily available also. Simply contact hotel
housekeeping when you need them. |
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Water
Tap
water is not considered safe to drink in China
except Hong Kong despite the fact that water in
China is commonly chlorinated and processed. Drink
only bottled water or boiled water. Bottled
purified water and soft drinks are easily obtained
at reasonable prices. You will find either You
China hotels either offer boiled water to your
room daily; with this boiled water you can safely
make your own tea. |
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Meals
All
meals are included per itinerary. Breakfasts
included on your tour are familiar American
Breakfast to give you a good start to the day.
Lunches and dinners are usually served in set menu
family style and feature a variety of regional
specialties.
A routine
lunch/dinner is composed of 6-12 dishes shared by
6-10 people sitting at a round table (which
symbolizes union and perfection-harmony). One
beverage of your choice (beer, mineral water and
soda) is included per person per meal at no
additional charge; Chinese tea is usually
complimentary.
Special meals such as an
authentic Peking Duck dinner in Beijing is
included for all tour programs to enhance your
culinary experiences. |
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Dress
China is a country with few dress
taboos. Dress for comfort. Sandals, shorts, and
jeans are widely accepted. Coordinate your outfits
for multi-tasking. Dress in layers to suit various
weather/temperature changes. No formal dress is
required. For Yangtze cruise "casual smart" should
be enough for various occasions such as the
Captain's Welcome Party. |
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Climate
China is a huge country with varied
climates. In general, the north is cold and dry in
winter. In the south, summer is hot and humid. The
raining season is in July and August. Climate in
Hong Kong is sub-tropical, similar to that of
Hawaii . |
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Telephone
Both
international and domestic calls can be made from
your hotel room. Domestic long-distance rates in
the PRC vary according to distance and are usually
inexpensive. Local calls are either at a very low
rate or free of charge depending on the hotel.
International Direct Dial (IDD) calls made from
hotel room could be expensive when hotel adds
surcharge on top of China 's already high IDD
rates. Some hotels may request that you pay a
deposit before you can access international line
from your hotel room. Use phone card for
international calls; it is becoming more widely
available and the rate is reasonable. Simply
consult your Tour Director regarding this matter,
he (she) will be more than happy to assist you.
- Calling North America from
Mainland China
Dial 00(international access
code) + 1( North America country code) + local
number
- Calling China from North
America
Dial 011(international access code)
+ 86( China country code, or 852 for Hong Kong
regional code) + China area code (minus initial
zero) + local number
- Essential Numbers in China
There are several telephone numbers that are
the same throughout China . However, only
International Assistance and Local Weather
Forecast are likely to have English-speaking
operator.
International Assistance: |
115 |
Local Directory Enquiries: |
114 |
Long Distance Enquiries: |
113 or 173 |
Local Weather Forecast: |
121 |
Police Hotline: |
110 |
Fire Hotline: |
119 |
CITY |
CODE |
CITY |
CODE |
Beijing |
10 |
Guilin |
773 |
Shanghai |
21 |
Wuhan |
27 |
Suzhou |
512 |
Chongqing |
23 |
Xian |
29 |
Hangzhou |
571 |
Nanjing |
25 |
Wuxi |
510 |
Lhasa |
891 |
Canton |
20 |
Chengdu |
28 |
Hong Kong |
852 |
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Internet & Fax
Fax
and internet access are commonly available at your
hotels. Check the Business Centers for details. |
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Mail
Your
China hotels have postal service allowing you to
send postcard and letter to overseas. It usually
takes more than 10 days for a postcard to reach
North-America. The postage is charged in Chinese
RMB equivalent to about 50 cents U.S. for a
postcard, and 80 cents U.S. for a letter up to 20
gram. |
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Media
China publishes various newspapers and
magazines in English. Among them, China Daily is a
popular English newspaper, complimentary at most
hotels. Imported publications like Time, Newsweek,
and The Economist can be found at certain hotels.
BBC, CNN or even HBO are becoming commonly
available in most tourist hotels. |
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Laundry
All hotels on your China trip have
same day laundry service. The price is fairly
reasonable. |
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Film
When
fly U.S. domestic and transpacific flights, you
should pack all undeveloped film in carry-on
baggage. e Repeat screening on checked baggage
will damage undeveloped film. Most X-ray machines
in China 's airports and railway stations are
marked "film safe". However, films with a higher
ASA rating could be fogged by repeat exposures to
X-rays. You should carry such film by hand. |
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What to pack
Pack
light and you'll soon find you are better off with
less!
The best packing question a traveler can
ask is "do people where I am headed live without
this item"? Don't pack the stuff which is readily
available in the hotels you will be staying. Don't
cram your suitcase with unnecessary items so
you'll have room for the "treasures" you collect
along the way. Remember that you will have access
to:
- Convenient, same day laundry
service in all your hotels, if you send clothes
in the morning you should have them back in the
evening. Price is reasonable. For any
destination city you stay 2 nights or more you
can do laundry.
- Hair dryer and iron are
readily available at most hotels for your use;
simply contact the Housekeeping.
- Bath accessories in your
private bathroom include disposable tooth brush
and toothpaste, comb, soap, shampoo, body
lotion, sewing kit, sanitary bag, shower cap
etc.
- You can easily purchase a
shoulder bag or small piece of luggage to carry
your purchase back home.
- Virtually anything you require
can be secured along the way. It is part of the
adventure.
Travel in China
involves a lot of walking. Comfortable walking
shoes are essential. Make sure to check current
weather before you decide what clothes to
pack. |
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Medication
If
you take prescription medication, be sure to bring
enough to last the entire trip. Always carry
medications in the original prescription container
when traveling. Keep the medications with you and
do not pack them in checked baggage.
Long-term travel
overseas might cause tourists to develop stomach
upset; a change in water, food, sleep habits
and/or climate may all cause discomfort. Bring
anti-diarrhea medications such as Imodium and
Lomotil just in case. |
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Vaccinations
Vaccinations are
not mandatory to travel to China . However we
remind you that traveling in China does require
certain precautions. It is therefore highly
recommended that you check with your personal
physician to verify your particular needs. For the
latest overseas travel health information, please
contact the Center of Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) by visiting http://www.cdc.gov/travelor
by calling toll-free 1-888-232-3228. |
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Gratuities
Tipping is often confusing for the
traveler. Your Tour Director, local guides,
drivers and porters are professional,
conscientious, and are most thankful for your
acknowledgment. We realize that tipping can be
confusing on a group tour; the following gratuity
guideline is introduced solely for the convenience
of our group travelers:
Tour Director: |
$2.5 |
per person per day |
Local guide: |
$2 |
per person per day |
Coach driver: |
$1 |
per person per day |
Porters : |
$0.5 |
per person per day |
Included Meals:
gratuities are not expected
Outside Dining:
service charge is included
Detailed gratuity
suggestions are also listed for specific programs
and will be sent to you with you travel documents.
Since your Tour Director will accompany you
throughout the trip, and is responsible directly
to you, you may choose to give all gratuities to
your Tour Director entrusting him/her dispense
them along the way on your behalf. With gratuities
given this way you will enjoy the journey in a
more relaxing way. Under any circumstances,
gratuities are customary and totally depend on the
satisfaction of the services. |
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Shopping
Shopping is always a part of the
travel experience. China is known as bargain
shoppers' paradise, offering a marvelous selection
of arts and crafts such as jade, silk, rugs,
cloisonne, ceramics, antique, painting, furniture
and more. Purchasing an item in the area where it
is "noted for" has proven to be the best value.
Your Tour Director and local guides will be glad
to assist you with detailed shopping orientation.
When shopping it
wise to use credit card for large purchases.
Retain all receipts. Purchase insurance for items
that you have shipped. A supply of one dollar
bills is very handy when shopping with street
vendors.
Always keep in
mind that a purchase is between the buyer and the
seller. Tour Beyond Inc. is not involved in and is
not responsible for any purchases you make during
the trip, whether that merchant is part of the
scheduled itinerary or not. |
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Travel Insurance
We
strongly recommend you buy travel insurance to
protect yourself and your travel investment
against the unexpected. |
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Seat assignment
Seat
assignment with Air China can only be arranged
upon check-in. If you request specific seat
because of a medical condition you should phone
Air China office per departure gateway no sooner
than 5 days prior to departure:
San Francisco Office: |
1-800-986-1985 |
Los Angeles Office: |
1-800-882-8122 |
New York Office: |
1-212-371-9899 |
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Frequent Flyer Miles
Currently, Air China is code sharing
with United Airlines. Your transpacific flight air
miles could be credited to your UA Mileage Plus
account. China domestic flights don't count. It is
your responsibility to call Air China or present
your UA Mileage account number at airport
check-in. |
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Jet Lag Precautions
Jet lag happens when your body's inner
clock falls out of sync with daily cycles of
light, rest and meals as you cross time zones to
reach your destination. Its symptoms are fatigue,
irritability and vague disorientation. You cannot
totally avoid jet lag, but you can minimize its
effects. Here are suggestions:
Get several
good nights of sleep before your trip
departure.
Set your watch to your destination
time when you board the plane, and adjust sleep
and meals accordingly.
Try to sleep on the
plane.
Walk around the plane occasionally, do
isometric exercises at your seat.
Drink plenty
of water and fruit juice while flying.
Avoid
alcoholic and caffeinated drinks during and after
the flight.
On arrival, throw yourself into
your new schedule, avoid naps, and try to stay
awake until your normal sleeping time at home.
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U.S. Duty-free Exemption
When
shopping in China , keep receipts of all
purchases. Upon reentering U.S, be ready to show
customs officials what you've bought. Effective
November 4, 2002, the standard personal duty-free
exemption is $800 if you are a returning U.S.
resident and the items you acquired abroad
accompany you.
Duty on items you
mail home to yourself will be waived if the value
is $200 or less. Antiques that are at least 100
years old, and fine art may enter duty-free, but
folk art and handicrafts are generally dutiable.
Only 1 liter of
alcohol and 200 cigarettes or 100 cigars may be
included in this exemption. Items purchased in
"Duty Free" shops are subject to duty if the value
of your total purchases exceeds $800.
Family members who
live in the same household and are returning
together to the United States may combine their
standard personal exemptions. Children and infants
are allowed the same exemption as adults, except
for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. |
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