Visa Requirements
Passport(s) must be valid for at least 6 months on the return date of your trip. A visa is needed for all tourists enteringChina. Visa must be obtained prior to arrival in China. You may obtain a China Visa from Chinese Embassy or Consulate near your place. To get a China Visa, you need a valid passport at least 6 months, 2 passport photos, and a visa application, available at the Chinese Consulate. If you need invitation letter from Grand China Travel for obtaining your China visa, please submit the following information and documents 4 weeks prior to your departure date: your passport copy; name in full; sex; date of birth; profession or occupation; nationality & passport number.
Tibet Travel Permit
Foreigners traveling to Tibet need a Tibet Travel Permit. Grand China Travel will help to obtain this permit from the Chinese authority. As for Tibet Travel Permit, we need you to email us the photo copy of your passport and China Visa; meanwhile you need to inform us your profession or occupation.
Travel Documents
Please bring the name, phone number and address of the person you wish to contact in case of emergency. We suggest you make photo copies of all your travel documents and keep them in a safe place. Also, we recommend that your passport, air tickets, cash and other travel documents not be kept together, so you would not lose everything in case something happens. Be sure you have everything before leaving for the airport.
Chinese Customs and Immigration Procedures
When you arrive in China, you will proceed through Immigration and passport inspection. You will then proceed to the baggage carousel and claim your checked luggage. From there you go through Customs and present your “Customs Declaration Form” which you filled out on your flight. You will be given the carbon copy of this Customs Declaration Form. Be sure not to lose it, as you will have to show it to the Customs Officer upon exiting China. After reaching the arrival hall, please look for Grand China Travel representative who will be holding a banner or a sign with your name on it.
Health & Medical Matters
Due to the length of the trip and local traveling conditions; it is advised that you consult your doctor for existing medical/ dental conditions before departure. If you are taking prescription medicine, please pack (in your hand luggage) sufficient quantity for the duration of the trip. It may also be useful to bring aspirin, over-the-counter medicine for flu, indigestion, motion sickness, etc. In case of illness during the trip, please immediately notify your local guide for assistance.
If you are traveling to Tibet, please be aware of Acute Mountain Sickness which is also called Altitude Sickness, is the biggest health risk to tourists in Tibet. An altitude over 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) is usually defined as high altitude and most places in Tibet are higher than this level (the average elevation in Tibet is 4000 meters above sea level). Symptoms of AMS include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite and disturbed sleep. Most people will experience one or more AMS symptoms upon their arrival in Tibet. The symptoms will usually gradually decrease in severity during acclimatization. Mild AMS usually will not interfere with mild activity. However AMS can be very serious, with the most serious symptoms being High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), which can be fatal. Symptoms of HAPE include weakness, shortness of breath, even at rest, impending suffocation at night, and a persistent productive cough with white, watery, or frothy fluid. Symptoms of HACE may include headache, ataxia, weakness, hallucinations, psychotic behavior, coma and loss of memory. If you have records of heart, lung, other organ problems or anemia you should consult your doctor before making the decision to visit Tibet.
Clothing
Dress casually and comfortably throughout your trip. Comfortable and reliable walking shoes are a must to enjoy the sightseeing places. A collapsible umbrella or raincoat is also advised although you can purchase these items in China cheaply. Some of the 5-star and 4-star hotels have umbrellas for rent; please contact the hotel concierge if you need it. When you rent umbrellas at your hotel, it is always required to pay a deposit which will be refunded when you return the umbrella. Do not over pack; you can buy thing you need cheaply in China.
Things to Bring
Contact lenses solution, sun glasses, hat and shavers. Hair dryer, electrical converter and adapter will be provided by hotels free of charge. Once you check in a hotel, please contact house keeping for hair dryer, electrical converter and adapter. Since you may not have time during the tour to replace something or finding the brands you like, it is worthwhile to bring extra quantities of certain items.
Baggage
For your convenience, we suggest you bring one large suitcase and one carry on bag. Please do not over pack, leave space in your suitcase for purchases in China. Since your suitcase will be transported frequently during trip, please be sure it is strong enough to withstand all the handling. Also be sure it has wheels and locks.
For China domestic flights, each passenger is allowed one piece of check-in luggage per flight, up to 20 kilo (44 pounds), and one carry on bag with a combined total dimension not exceeding 45in. Checked luggage must have a lock (combination locks are recommended) and a luggage tag showing the name and contact information of the owner. Baggage without a lock may be refused for transport or you may have to buy a lock at some of the airports in China. Consider packing one change of clothing, one set of underwear and toiletry in your carry on bag to avoid inconvenience caused by delayed or lost luggage.
DO NOT pack medicine, valuables and other personal necessities in checked luggage. Keep them in your carry on bag.
Telephone
For direct dialing to China, the country code is 86. Major city codes: Beijing-10, Shanghai-21, Guangzhou-20, Xian-29. For other city codes, please contact telephone operator for assistance. Your China Hotel telephone operators can dial your home country numbers for you, but the cost is high. You may want to bring a calling card (AT&T, MCI etc.). Prepaid local phone cards are available at hotel shops or reception. All hotels in China offer international direct dialing phones at rooms. However, some hotels need a deposit before they provide this service. If you can not call international phones, you need to go hotel front desk and inform receptionists that you want to make international calls. After you pay a deposit, you will be able to call.
Cell Phone
There are three mobile carriers in China; China Mobile; China Unicom and China Telecom. China Mobile and China Unicom use GSM technology while China Telecom uses CDMA. Of the three, "China Mobile" boasts the biggest number of subscribers and the highest user penetration rate and China Mobile’s national network is the best. You can get access to GSM service of China Mobile everywhere in China, even in the remote areas of Western China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Tibet Autonomous Region. Come to an authorized China Mobile Service Centre and purchase an Easyown SIM card, pop the SIM card into your mobile phone, dial 13800138000 to activate, hang up and you're ready to talk or text. You can buy an authentic China Mobile SIM card at any authorized newsstand or corner store, but China Mobile Service Centers usually sell them for much less; about 20 RMB (3 USD). China Mobile charges no monthly fees and no bills will be sent. To check how much time you can still call - dial its hotline 10086, key in the authorization code on the card and within seconds you'll receive a text telling you how much credit you have. You can check your balance anytime by dialing 10086 and following the English prompts.
Each China Mobile branch sets its own Easyown fees and plans and the fees and services vary from region to region. Please check with your local China Mobile's Service Centre or call China Mobile bilingual operators at 10086. The operators can fully explain and initiate the plan that best suits your needs and phoning habits. The plan you join will come into effect on the first day of the following month.
For Easyown customers there's an easy way to substantially reduce the cost of long distance calls. Simply add the prefix 12593 before you dial the complete number with area code.
Adding this five-digit prefix also applies to international long distance. Dial 12593 before the complete international number and your long distance fee can drop to as low as 1.2 RMB per minute in total (including the normal outgoing call charge). Without the prefix, international long-distance can cost 8 RMB per minute plus the local outgoing call fee. The international toll is charged at six-second intervals.
Try your phone from overseas
Many visitors to China can use their phones from home to get connected to China Mobile's network by simply switching to a China Mobile SIM card. There are several important things to know about using phones you bring from aboard: if your phone is 'locked' by your phone company at home, it will not work with a China Mobile SIM card. You must also have a GSM compatible phone, not a CDMA phone. Your mobile phone must operate on the 900 and 1800 bands, as do most phones in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Africa. Some North American phones are 'quad-band' phones so they may be able to access the 900/1800 bands. There may be other technical requirements your phone will need to meet and China Mobile will be happy to test it for you. Bring your phone to any China Mobile service centre and the'll pop in a China Mobile SIM card and see if they can get you connected with a local number. If your phone from home doesn't work, China Mobile service centers sell a wide variety of mobile phones at reasonable prices.
Weather
As China is a huge country, weather varies quite a bit depending on the region and elevation. Please see our Weather Chart or give us a call for further information.
Average Temperatures in Major Cities of China (°F)
City\Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Beijing |
24.3 |
28.4 |
39.0 |
55.9 |
67.8 |
75.4 |
78.4 |
76.1 |
67.1 |
54.7 |
39.2 |
27.5 |
Shanghai |
38.3 |
40.8 |
36.8 |
56.7 |
65.0 |
74.0 |
82.4 |
81.7 |
74.3 |
64.0 |
54.5 |
41.9 |
Xian |
30.6 |
35.2 |
46.6 |
56.5 |
66.7 |
78.2 |
80.2 |
78.4 |
66.3 |
56.5 |
43.9 |
33.0 |
Guilin |
49.3 |
51.8 |
57.9 |
64.0 |
66.7 |
79.1 |
82.9 |
82.0 |
78.4 |
69.2 |
59.3 |
50.4 |
Hangzhou |
38.3 |
40.5 |
48.6 |
59.3 |
69.0 |
75.0 |
83.7 |
83.1 |
74.8 |
63.7 |
54.0 |
42.6 |
Nanjing |
35.0 |
39.0 |
47.5 |
58.2 |
68.5 |
75.9 |
82.8 |
82.8 |
73.4 |
62.2 |
51.0 |
40.0 |
Chongqing |
46.4 |
49.8 |
57.2 |
65.7 |
72.7 |
77.0 |
83.4 |
84.0 |
75.6 |
66.6 |
57.6 |
51.0 |
Wuhan |
36.9 |
47.3 |
50.0 |
61.1 |
70.0 |
80.0 |
84.4 |
83.1 |
75.0 |
63.7 |
52.5 |
42.0 |
Guangzhou |
56.7 |
58.3 |
64.2 |
71.2 |
78.0 |
81.1 |
82.9 |
82.8 |
81.0 |
74.7 |
67.1 |
59.3 |
Kunming |
49.2 |
51.8 |
57.9 |
64.0 |
66.7 |
67.1 |
68.2 |
65.8 |
64.9 |
60.2 |
54.9 |
50.3 |
Lhasa |
26.6 |
34.9 |
41.9 |
48.4 |
55.4 |
62.6 |
61.5 |
60.1 |
57.7 |
48.6 |
39.0 |
32.0 |
Urumqi |
4.6 |
10.0 |
32.7 |
61.1 |
66.0 |
74.1 |
78.2 |
74.8 |
63.3 |
46.8 |
27.3 |
10.4 |
Voltage
Standard voltage in China is 220 and wall plugs vary from city to city. Most 5-star and 4-star hotels used by GCT supply a plug with a 110 current adapter in the bathroom. If there are no 110 current adapters, please contact hotel house keeping which will provide adapters free of charge.
Meals
Breakfast is served in your hotel as either western buffet or Chinese buffet style. Lunches and dinners may be included (check your itinerary to see which meals are included: L stands for lunch and D stands for dinner) are served at restaurants during your day of sightseeing. A fixed supply of beverages is served with the meals at no charge. One glass of soft drinks (coke or sprite), or mineral water, or a cup of local beer is included with lunch and dinner. Unlimited amount of tea is included with all meals. Additional drinks are available for purchase. Please verify cost before ordering. Beverages in hotels are normally more expensive than local restaurants.
Drinking Water
We do not recommend you drink tap water. In most modern hotels in the larger cities they operate their own "in-house" water treatment systems providing safe drinking water throughout the hotel. Other hotels provide thermos bottles of safe drinking water. Bottled mineral water is also available in your hotel mini-bar at an additional charge. Some hotels provide one bottle of complimentary water every day which is normally arranged in the bathroom.
Local Transportation/Getting around
Most major sites are included in our sightseeing program and transportation is provided in an air-conditioned vehicle. For one or two travelers, we will arrange a private car; for three to six travelers we will arrange a van; for over 7 travelers, we will arrange different sizes of buses from 17 seats to 51 seats. If you wish to do some sightseeing or travel to some places on your own, you will find taxis are readily available. Fares are generally quite inexpensive and most taxis are metered. Taxi rates can be different depending upon the 'grade" of the taxi. Taxi drivers don't speak English in China; therefore please make sure to get directions written out in advance in Chinese before you call a taxi. You may ask hotel staff such as receptionists or your tour guide to write the places that you are going in Chinese before you get on a taxi.
Laundry
All hotels that we use provide laundry and dry-cleaning services. It's fast and of high quality. Items collected in the morning are returned the same evening. Charges are included in your personal room bill for payment upon checking out. Some hotels are providing laundry bags which can be recycled. Please bear in mind that those recycled laundry bags are not free. Upon check out, you will be charged if recycled laundry bags are missing.
Gratuities (Important Note on Tipping)
Please note that gratuities are not included in your tour cost. They are customary, and their purpose is to encourage and reward quality service. Our local guides and drivers do their utmost to make your trip smooth and pleasant. Gratuities are a way of showing your appreciation and also constitute a large part of their monthly income. We suggest $5 USD per person per day to both local guide and driver (you may tip them before you leave each city). Hotel Bellboys and luggage person will expect your tip for the delivery of your luggage, it is suggested that CNY5 for each delivery. If you are in a hotel bar, tipping is customary. If you are taking a taxi, you don’t need to tip the driver. You don’t need to tip at local restaurants either.
Shopping
Although GCT Tour Guides will be happy to assist you with any shopping requirements; GCT does not assume responsibility for any items purchased at shops while on tour. You are never required to purchase any items while on tour and thus must be responsible for your own purchases. Any after sales correspondence must be between the passenger and the shop in question.
Miscellaneous Reminders
1: Please keep an eye on your valuables at all time. Watch out for pickpockets while sightseeing.
2: Bring name and phone number of an emergency contact.
3: Read your itinerary and hotel information before departure. Leave a copy of your itinerary and hotel list with your family.
4: For special requests (China domestic flight reservation, flight change & confirmation, China hotel reservation etc.), please have all arrangements made with your travel agency before departure. GCT does not take any responsibilities for itinerary deviations or bookings made by other travel agencies.
5: Hotels in China charge extra for adding a bed. Please take into consideration the comfort of your traveling party and the length of the trip when request a triple room hotel occupancy.
6: Frequently when you are working alone on the street, you will encounter local people who will start to talk to you in English. He or she may say that they are students studying English at universities and they would like to practice English with you. It is a good way to know China if the person is a real student. However, in most cases, you will be taken by so-called student to a art gallery, a bar or a disco where you will receive a very expensive bill and suddenly the student will disappear. Please be careful if a student raises such a request of going to a certain place.
We hope you have a wonderful trip and thank you for choosing Grand China Travel.