I am planning to visit Beijing and Shanghai and im not sure if i’ll be able to tour on my own~ Is it difficult getting around with no Chinese speaking ability?
..any good get advice and arrange tours from the hotel in Beijing/Shanghai or should I pre-book it ?
over the years tours have gotten worse and worse, a friend of mine just went to Beijing, he lives in Shanghai, he paid 50 RMB to take the bus to the Great Wall, they started at 8 and did not get there until after 2, the tour guide took them to all these other places of interest and wasted the entire day, he tour guides get HUGE kickbacks from the stores and places they take you to eat, my suggestion is that you just prepare before you go, map everything out, search it on the Internet and do it yourself, you should have no problem getting around with a map, there is plenty of people that speak English, there are signs in English and it is easy to get around both Beijing and Shanghai
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Travel and Tour Tips for China
"China is a large country at a size of 9,596,960 sq km. China was only partially open to the world from 1980 onwards and has been a communist country for many decades. Although there is much progress in the travel industry and infrastructure of China, there remain areas that need to be improved before it can match the level that most tourist would require.
However, much of the fun remain that it is different from the rest of the world. China will be the host nation for the Olympics in Year 2008. Travel facilities and infrastructure will be improving quickly as we approach Year 2008.
China is rich in culture and history. Visit the Great Wall of China in Beijing, sip Chinese tea in Xiamen, dance with ethnic tribes in Yunnan, check out 19th Century European buildings in Qingdao – there are just so much to do and see in China! Go travel China now!
Below are some travel tips to make your travel in China easier:
Apply for Chinese Visa
China require entry visa from most countries. Apply at the Chinese consulate or through your travel agent before travelling to China. Visit our Apply for Chinese Visa section for more information.
Climate in China
Weather can be extremely diverse; tropical in south of China to subarctic in north of China. Check early and be prepared with the right seasonal clothing.
Foreign Exchange in China
The unit of currency in China is known as Renmembi(RMB) or Yuan. Get some Chinese Yuan in your local country before travelling. When in China, exchange foreign currency for local currency in the banks or at the hotel. Banks tend to give slightly better rates than hotels. Take note that some banks close for a noon siesta between 12-2pm.
Payment facilities
Most better class hotels and shopping centres in China take Credit Card or Travellers cheques. Smaller hotels and shops take cash only. Once out of the bigger cities, credit card and ATM cards tend to be almost impossible to utilize. Cash is still king in Chinese business and trade.
Counterfeit notes are common in China. Check carefully before accepting change, especially if it consists mostly 100RMB notes. You can feel a texture difference where counterfeit notes is concerned.
Use of English in China
Most civil servants, custom officials, police, hotel staff and men in the street do not speak English or at best a smattering of English.
Most signboards and notices will carry both English and Chinese. However, be aware that some translations can be so notorious that one can hardly understand what was it’s original Chinese intention.
Do not expect hotels or shops to understand English. Only the very big hotels will have staff that will understand English.
Most young people can understand basic English if you speak slowly.
Social Security in China
China is generally a safe country. However, hang on tight to your wallet especially in crowded, popular tourist sites in tourist cities such as Beijing and Xian.
These tourist cities also has a lot of touts in the streets touting tourist from currency exchange to jewelleries to female companionships. Avoid at all cost! See our China Public Security page for more details.
Domestic Travel within China
Bus, train, ferries and domestic flights in China are quite well developed. Avoid the crowd at thetrain or bus stations and book your tickets through the hotel tour desk or the nearest tour agent. Prices are likely to be competitive and tickets will be delivered to your hotel room. Again, avoid ticket touts who approach you in the streets.
Local buses are cheap (US$0.10 or YS$0.20) and you may want to try out. Taxis are convenient and are available at all hours. Starting fares differ from each city and may be as cheap as US$0.70 in Weihai and US$1.50 in Shenzhen.
Avoid travel in China during peak holiday seasons or book tickets well ahead.
Local Hotels in China
There is a good choice of hotels in China ranging from one star to the most luxurious 6 stars. Most of the time, the rooms are safe and clean and in my opinion, cheap does not mean bad.
There are many websites selling China hotel rooms on the internet. You can also check out the travel counters which are available in most train, bus stations as well as airport.
Book ahead if travelling in peak seasons.
Peak Tourist Seasons in China
Chinese New Year: Date varies but generally late January or early February.
May Day: First two weeks of May
China National Day: Middle two weeks of October
Avoid travelling during these period. Book rooms and travel modes way early if need to travel. Believe me, the crowds during these period of time will be scary. What do you expect when the entire Chinese nation of 8 billion people are on holiday as well!
Chinese Food
Local food is absolutely fabulous. Try as much Chinese food as your wallet or stomach can afford. Restaurants are available everywhere and open to late hours. Most restaurants will have a menu that include photographs of the various dishes. Better yet, simply point at the food that your next door table is having, especially if it looks delicious!
However, avoid street side stalls and drinking directly from the taps if you have delicate stomach.
Telecommunications in China
Mobile phone coverage in China is good in most locations. Global auto-roaming within China is not a problem.
Internet in China
There are cyber-cafes everywhere in China, especially in tourist areas. Most are patronised by young people playing online games but you still can check your Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail. Access may be a bit slow for international websites.
You will need to show your passport as China has tight regulations at Internet Cyber Cafes.
Toilet facilities in China
One of the worst experience many has with China is the atrocious toilet facilities. Things has improved very much but it may still be a good idea to empty your stomach or bladder at every opportunity in a hotel, restaurant or departmental store. Public toilets and toilets in small shops can be a nose hazard!
* Useful China travel tips *
Try to get a English speaking tour guide at every opportunity you can. China has a rich and wonderful history and culture and without a guide, somehow, the flavour and significance of most tour sites can be lost.
*Sneaky tip: Hang around a group that has a English speaking guide if you cannot afford one!
Always ask for a receipt from a taxi driver so that you can complain if you have been cheated or for tracing purposes if you happen to leave your camera behind in the taxi.
Try to take the namecard for each hotel that you are staying at as these cards will have a Chinese address and the map of your hotel location. This is useful if you need to seek assistance to find your way back as the English version or pronounciation of a hotel or a street name may be quite different from the Chinese version.
After a tiring day, check out Chinese foot reflexology or Chinese TuiNa (Chinese massage). Wonderful for the body after a hard day and very cheap to boot. Simply look out for shop signs that shows two feet! They are everywhere.
Make friends with the Chinese whenever you can. They love to meet foreigners and will make good tour guides. Just buy a small present as a small token of appreciation."
source from:http://blog.chinesehour.com
i suggest that even more and more chinese people can speak English,but you can study some spoken mandarin by your self before you come to China.it can help you have more funs in China .this is a new website to learn chinese,and it’s free now .i think it’ll free a longtime,you can try it.and learn some sentences for your travel.
welcome and good luck!:)
References :
http://www.chinesehour.com
You’re not going to have much too much trouble getting around in Beijing and Shanghai without speaking Chinese – sure, it will have some challenges and you’ll make mistakes, but millions of other tourists do it all the time. Just make sure you have your destinations written down in Chinese whenever you get a taxi.
I wouldn’t pre-book tours before you arrive in China. You’ll pay a LOT more from outside of China, and you won’t have much flexibility if everything is already arranged. If you’re staying at a good hotel, your concierge desk will be able to help you arrange tours for a reasonable price.
If you’ve got a guide book, you’ll be able to get a good idea of what kind of things interest you… if there’s a few sights that you think sound interesting and you want to do in tours, speak to your hotel… there might be other sights that you’d prefer to do on your own, and you can just get a taxi there.
Another option if you don’t want to explore the cities on your own would be to arrange for an English speaking guide – go around with them (just taking taxis and the subway from place to place) for a day – learning about history and the big sights, and getting a feel for the city – and then you can spend the rest of the time getting around town yourself. A guide for a day will vary depending on how good their English is, and the kind of tour company/hotel you arrange it from – it could be anything from 300RMB/day to 800RMB/day.
References :
Definitely do some research in advance on the cities you will be visiting.
When you arrive, look for free English language city magazines like That’s Beijing, That’s Shanghai, City Weekend, Time Out. They are chock full of listings, articles, and reviews on places to go and things to do. The hotel should have them on hand, otherwise bars and restaurants in touristy areas will.
No need to book a tour before you arrive — you can arrange it through your hotel. Or you can try a tour via the listings in the magazines — buyer be ware. Try to get a reputable guide who will not try to scam you into buying a bunch of overpriced fake goods.
If you do not speak Chinese it WILL be challenging getting around by yourself — but for many that is part of the adventure. It really depends on how well you travel.
DO ALWAYS KEEP NAME CARDS FROM YOUR HOTEL ON YOUR PERSON. That way if you get into trouble, you can always get back, or have a number to call. Develop a good relationship with the concierge desk and they will try to take care of you. (Four star and up hotels will probably provide better service.)
Have a wonderful time!
References :
yes,here.
References :
over the years tours have gotten worse and worse, a friend of mine just went to Beijing, he lives in Shanghai, he paid 50 RMB to take the bus to the Great Wall, they started at 8 and did not get there until after 2, the tour guide took them to all these other places of interest and wasted the entire day, he tour guides get HUGE kickbacks from the stores and places they take you to eat, my suggestion is that you just prepare before you go, map everything out, search it on the Internet and do it yourself, you should have no problem getting around with a map, there is plenty of people that speak English, there are signs in English and it is easy to get around both Beijing and Shanghai
References :
living in China long time
http://www.chinesecultureclub.org/ They run some tours that are great. We used them 2x during a 10 day stay. It was reasonable and the Great Wall trip included lunch at a really good restaurant. Also try Cycle China in Beijing ask for Leo he was wonderful and it was quite an experience. Check out the Red Rose Restaurant in Beijing for some great ethnic Uighur food and bellydance.
References :
It is advisable to confirm you booking in advance. Sometimes you may have difficulties to confirm the rooms. You may Chariot Travels Mr. Ale or send email ale@chariot.com.sg for attractive hotel rates.
References :
I agree that Beijing and Shanghai can be traveled around in without needing too much Chinese. This won’t be true in most smaller cities.
It helps to know that you are physically relatively safe in China. Your wallet or your camera might disappear given even a brief chance, but your ass is probably going to be completely safe from violence here.
A city tourist map in both languages will help you a lot in navigating; these are widely available very cheaply in both cities. Virtually all hotels have them.
Without a guide or translator, you’re probably going to get a bit stuck when trying to go somewhere in a taxi, order lunch, or do some other transaction. Handled right, these experiences can be a boatload of fun and might be one of your more memorable times here.
If you decide you feel too uncomfortable, you can indeed fall back and book a tour through your hotel’s travel office…expensive there but less likely to be dodgy.
A guide might be nice if you’re really into background and history of the places you see. Some sort of local help will be invaluable if you want to buy truly high-quality handicrafts…most vendors charge foreigners 2-10 times (or more) what a local Chinese would pay, so hard bargaining is a must.
However, keep an eye on your guide, too. Many of them will steer you to certain shops, vendors, restaurants, etc. and will strongly resist changing these plans. This is because they receive kickbacks from the businesses in question. In Beijing, don’t let a local guide take you to see the Great Wall at Badaling…again, they get a kickback for taking you there and may raise quite a fuss about going somewhere else. Don’t get bulled: the crushing press of vendors, beggars, pickpockets, etc. have made Badaling a place you really don’t want to go.
Make it clear when arranging a guide that YOU may want to select restaurants. (It’s actually fairly hard to find bad restaurant food in most of China, and the neighborhood places often have better food than the tourist joints anyway) Also reserve the right to comparison shop when buying souvenirs or handicrafts…you may speak no Chinese and the vendor may speak no English, but EVERYONE understands written numbers. Get your best price…then ask the guide if they can beat it.
Raoul
Raoul’s China Saloon
http://raoulschinasaloon.com
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