China is the third most visited country on the planet and a Chinese vacation is one of the exotic, once-in-a-lifetime dreams of many people from all over the world. Because China is so vast and so varied the choice and variety of places to visit is almost endless. Whether the visitor is interested in Chinese culture, Chinese cities and their architecture, beautiful Chinese landscapes or Chinese beach resorts, or even all of them combined, there is a China travel package for everyone!
There are, of course, always a minority of people sightseeing in China who wish to do it the hard way and travel independently in order to see the “real” China and her culture. They will find that hotel reservations in China are very reasonably priced and the hotels very comfortable. However, because of the difficulties with language, most visitors on a Chinese vacation find it easier to use either a Chinese travel agent or one from their home country to purchase a Chinese tour package and often these can be “tailor-made” to suit the traveller.
These packages may include cultural tours of China, visiting places such as The Great Wall, the Terracotta Army and the Forbidden City. Other packages may include some of the major cities such as Beijing, where anyone on holiday in China can arrange to meet a panda, or Hong Kong, where the shopping is out of this world. Some visitors on a vacation to China may wish for a relaxing holiday on a beautiful Chinese beach and there are many of these, some, such as Sanya, are on exotic tropical islands. Other holidaymakers on a tour of China may wish to cruise down the mighty Yangtse River and enjoy visiting Chinese destinations such as Nanjing along its banks. There are also areas of spectacular countryside near Guilin with the most amazingly-shaped mountains. Whatever the choice, in a Chinese tour package the traveller will have no worries about booking hotel reservations in China, flights or day trips. Everything will be done. All he will need to do is relax and enjoy his Chinese holiday!
Some visitors on holiday in China may wish to explore parts of the ancient Silk Route. This was a five thousand mile-long interconnected series of trade routes initiated around 114 BC during the Han Dynasty, linking traders, soldiers, pilgrims and nomads from Xian in China to the Mediterranean Sea. This is definitely a Chinese trip for the adventurous and travel along this route may include trains, planes, cars and camels and will pass through snowcapped peaks, windswept desert fortresses in the Gobi Desert, lively local markets and much, much more.
Every visitor on a Chinese vacation will need a Chinese visa and visa forms are available for download from the Chinese Embassy. It is usual that the applicant will need to apply for the visa in person and then visit the embassy again, possibly several days later, to collect it. A bit of a hassle if the embassy is some distance away! It is possible to fly into Hong Kong without a visa and obtain one within a couple of days. Those on business travel to China will need a business visa.
Travel to China is an exciting adventure, and sightseeing in China reveals many very ancient cultures, which will remain in the heart and the memory of its visitors. However, in many Chinese cities there are also new and modern areas, some still in the process of erection, so that the new and the old stand side by side. China is a country so vast and so varied that anyone on a Chinese holiday may catch only a fleeting glimpse of her beauty and her culture. Other Chinese destinations that we recommend include Hangzhou, Macau, Shanghai, Suzhou and Xiamen. Wherever you go in China, please enjoy!
