China Tour Q & A
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What is a package tour?
A Tour Package is a China trip which has been constructed by China Highlights Travel and will include all the components to make your China visit an unforgettable experience as follows:
*Domestic fares including airfares, rail or road as specified in the tour
*Accommodation as specified
*Meals as specified
*Guide and driver
*Taxes and fees as specified
We do the organization so you just have to enjoy your trip.
1. Private China Tours
Does your small group of family or friends (1-9 People) want privacy and freedom to change the schedule at short notice? Yes? Then work with our travel advisors to design an Independent China Package to suit your needs.
2. Organized Small Group Tours
Our experience guarantees that you see the best and get the best at the best price by joining one of our Organized Small Group Tours. The quality doesn't change we guarantee it!
Private China Tours are usually small groups consisting of 1-9 people (individuals, family or friends). Group members can enjoy the convenience and privacy of traveling in one vehicle by themselves. Choosing a PRIVATE TOUR will give much more flexibility with your itinerary and time. Your group will have an experienced private guide and driver at your disposal to ensure that you experience the best we have to offer. Groups of 1-3 guests will usually travel by air-conditioned car while groups of 4-9 will travel by air-conditioned van. Is your group 5 or larger? Check our price for a PRIVATE CHINA TOUR! You will be pleasantly surprised.
Organized Small Group Tours can be divided into 2 categories:
1. Single City/Short Tours
2. Multi-destinations China Packages
1. Single City Tours are 2-5 day packages
Are your tour packages customizable (tailor-made by our travel advisor)
Yes, all the packages we offer are customizable to meet your satisfaction. We know everyone wants something different, so our job is to work with you to design a perfect trip to
What is the difference between Superior, Deluxe tours and Tourist Class Tours?
The difference between Superior, Deluxe Tour and Comfortable Class Tour are reflected in the hotel which is provided. On most circumstances Tourist Class will quote to 3 star, 4 star will quote to Deluxe and 5 star will be Superior Class. In some cases however this may vary. If we consider a hotel does not reach the required standard we will use a hotel that is rated as five star in Deluxe Class. Range of tours uses the best of the best in hotels but also provides many other luxuries for discerning travelers.
What is the content of western breakfast and Chinese breakfast?
A western breakfast will usually consist of buffet that contains - breakfast cereal, fruit, eggs, sausages, bacon and bread and toasting facilities.
A Chinese breakfast will usually include a number of hot dishes such as noodles,vegetables and rice congee (porridge) and will probably also include fruit.A selection of steamed buns containing meat or red beans will probably also be available.
Water and green tea is always available and black tea bags and coffee are usually available.
What's a private China tour?
Private China Tour gives you the opportunity to enjoy many highlights and privileges that the other two methods can not provide.
- Private cars or minibuses – A clear, air-conditioned car or minibus that will hold all the members of your group is at your service while sightseeing in a city or town, except when sightseeing is arranged by the cruise ship. Only your group will share your vehicle. Your group will usually use planes, trains or public express buses when transferring between cities or towns. Private cars or minibuses are not available except by special request and extra charges would apply.
- Private local tour guide – A local English-speaking guide (guide speaking other languages is available upon request) is available for your group in each city or town that you visit. The guide will take care of all tour arrangements. The guide is assigned to only your group, except if for Yangtze River cruises where the guide on the ship serves all the passengers
- Private driver – An experienced driver is at your disposal in each city or town.
- Flexible tour arrangements – You can be with your tour package arrangements according to your varying. This gives you the flexibility to change the visiting order or extend visiting time of some attractions.
Do I need to include all the meals in the package?
China Highlights used to include all meals for our clients traveling in China. But from the previous customer's responses, we find that most of our clients prefer to leave the dinners open on their own so that they can enjoy some time themselves after a day's tour with our guide and driver. They can choose either to go to a local restaurant for a little adventure or to have a simple dinner in the hotel where they stay. They may also prefer to choose a unique restaurant which appeals to their own unique interests. We have previous clients saying that they missed western food after 10 days' lunches and dinners all in Chinese style and at last they decided to skip the Chinese dinner in local restaurant and choose to have a western dinner in hotel.
If you decide to have local meals on your own in local restaurant in different cities, please do ask our guides' recommendations.
For some "off-the-beaten-road" destinations, we will take the liberty to include dinners in those places where we think it is better to get meals pre-arranged, because our clients may find it very difficult to communicate with the locals or hard to find a restaurant.
Are breakfasts included in my tour?
Packages arranged by China Highlight always include breakfasts. If you book travel (plane or train) or hotel accommodation independently, then breakfast may not be included. Please confirm these details and advise your requirements.'
I had booked a private tour, but why bus transfers were not provided during my tour?
I want to join a seat-in coach tour. Do you operate seat-in coach tours directly?
"Discovery You Way" is our motto, and discovering Chinese food can be one of the great adventures and most pleasurable parts of any China trip. Food is an extremely important part of Chinese culture with food and eating being the center of many aspects.
We select local Chinese restaurants which are very popular among the local Chinese people and are fresh and authentic for private tours under 10 people. By moving from city to city during the tour, our guests can sample food which has local characteristics spicy, light, more salty and so on.
Mixing it with the local means that you get great food but it also means that you experience all aspects of the local lifestyle. Chinese people show their enjoyment and can be very loud during their meal. Most restaurants do not have non smoking areas and smoking while eating is very common. The rest rooms are usually Chinese style. The tour guide or travel advisor is always ready to help or make adjustments if some aspects become too much.
Many tour operators use only tourist restaurants which are cheaper and save time on waiting as all meals are ordered in advance. The staffs know some simple English and offer knives and forks. Unfortunately the dishes are not quite Chinese and definitely not Western. Ever worse, most seem to use the same menu and inexplicitly are located next to shopping opportunities.
On a rare occasion China Highlights has to use a tourist restaurant. This is done when a scenic spot is far away from the city or no suitable local restaurants are available. Please understand that this is only done when no other option is available.
China Highlights includes a meal allowance of RMB80 per person per meal in big cities, like Beijing, Shanghai, and from RMB50-RMB80 in smaller cities. We believe this will provide a great Chinese meal that will give you the opportunity to try the local cuisine. We cover the cost of 1 glass of beer or soft drink. Customers are required to pay for additional drinks, wine and spirits.
Why there is a price right next to all the meals that are included in the package?
Is there a bullet train between Beijing & Shanghai?
Though every day there are several bullet trains between Beijing and Shanghai, and it takes about 10 hours for each train ride, so I'm afraid that it is impossible to go to Shanghai then return to Beijing within only 1 day. It is better to take flights.
Could you please send us your enquiry to contact@shanghaihighlights.com, our travel advisors will reply soon within 1 working day, with more details and will come up with a tailor-made tour for you.
Or you can also contact us by telephone:
- 800-2682918 (Free in USA & CA)
- 800-8793-007 (Free in China)
- 86-773-2831999 (International)
What are the Methods of obtaining a China Visa?
Shanghai Highlights recommends that you obtain your visa before leaving the country where you live.
The costs and the length of time to process a visa vary from country to country. Please check the website for the Chinese Embassy in your country to find the information applicable to you. Application forms can usually be downloaded from the web site. China Highlights Travel Service can also supply a current visa application form.
Do I need visa for China?
All visitors traveling to mainland China, whether for business or pleasure, require a visa. No Visa is required prior to enter Hong Kong, a Visa will be issued upon arrival. If you travel beyond Hong Kong, even for a few hours, you will need a China visa to enter China.
How to get an invitation letter from your company for my visa application?
In order to apply for a visa to our country, you may need an invitation letter from an official travel company. We will supply this letter to our clients after they confirm the tour booking by written form.
Please E-mail us the following information so that we can complete the invitation.
1. Names as the same on the passport;
2. Sex: male or female
3. Date of birth:(Example:SEP.6th, 1962)
4. Passport No:
5. Your fax number
Upon receiving your information, we will fax you your tour confirmation letter on our official stationery with our company seal.
Should I apply for visa now, or should we wait until we are closer to the time of travel?
The Chinese visa is generally valid for 3 months from the issue date to enter China. Please apply for your visa within 3 months of entry into according to your travel itinerary, and avoid expiry of visa, or extra cost of urgent fee due to lack of application process time. Please also decide the duration of stay in China. The permitted duration of stay of Chinese visas are generally up to 30 days. If you need to stay longer, please apply to the local public security bureau in China for visa extension.
What type of visa do I need? Should I apply for special visa when leaving and re-entering mainland China?
Single-entry China visas are usually valid for 3 months after the issue date, and will permit you to stay in China for a maximum of 30 days. This visa will allow you to travel as a tourist or conduct general business activities. Most people need only to apply for a single-entry.
You need to apply for 'double' or 'multiple'entry Visa if you need to leave and re-entering mainland China. Please keep in mind that even when you leave for Hong Kong, Macao from mainland China, you still need to have 'double' or 'multiple' entry Visa.
How to have my visa extended?
Foreigners who want to stay in China beyond the duration of their visa need to apply for an extension.
The visa extension application should be a form submitted to the Local Public Security Bureau 7 days before the expiration date of the visa.
Visitors traveling with a group on a group visa and who want to stay longer than the group should apply for an individual visa.
Visitors who want their visa to be extended should provide the following evidential materials:
1. Valid passport and visa
2. A completed application form for visa extension
3. Reason for the extension.
The length of the extension depends on the type of visa and Multiple entry visas can not be extended
You are advised not to overstay the duration of your visa or fail to apply for an extension before your visa expires as you risk being heavily fined and have your travel plans disrupted.
Please contact your travel advisor for assistance in visa extensions.
What should I do if I lose my passport during my stay in china?
- Be sure to check if your passport is indeed lost before you report it. Once it is reported lost, it is cancelled and no longer valid, and you’ll need a replacement. Also note that offices handling such issues usually close on weekends and public holidays.
- Ask your tour guide for assistance, and immediately report the loss to the nearest Public Security Bureau, who will issue a proof of loss for you.
- Go to your hotel and ask for stamped proof of your residency.
- Have your original identity and proof of citizenship (must be the original government-issued photo ID document).
- Have about 8 passport photos 2" X 2" (5 cm X 5 cm) with a white background. It usually needs 2 photos for the application of new passport, but you will also need photos to apply for visa, emergency passport and your new passport.
- Have a copy of your passport (Suggest you take several copies of your passport before you start your trip just in case)
- With all the things prepared, locate the nearest embassy or consulate of your own country and apply for a replacement passport in person. You’ll be required to complete a new passport application and there will be fee charged for replacing passport.
- After the new passport is issued, go to the Public Security Bureau and apply for new visa, so you can go on your trip or re-enter your country. Please note that in some cases, a replacement may take weeks to process, and it may be valid only for a limited time. So take especial care of your passport in your journey.
What To Pack?
1. The passport with all necessary visas and travel documents. We recommend that a copy of all documents be kept separately to the original documents in case original document are lost. Copies are very useful for identification purposes.
2. Casual outdoor clothing depending on the time of year that you travel and your destination. A pair of good walking shoes is necessary. Most tours involve plenty of walking, sometimes on hard or uneven surfaces and stairs.Many attractions are also quite exposed to the weather – sun, wind, rain etc; for example the Forbidden City has many large open spaces, and many of the Temples have large courtyards between their halls and pagodas.
3. 'Carry On' luggage for air travel in China is limited to 2 pieces for first class travelers and one piece for business and economy class travelers. The dimensions of each shall not exceed 20X40 X55cm and the total weight of the above two pieces shall not exceed 5 kg. The carry on items in excess of the above mentioned shall be checked-in as checked baggage according to regulations.
4. Wallet
5. Credit cards
6. Traveler's checks
7. Airline, Cruise or Train tickets
8. First-aid kit
9. Medicine and vitamins
10.Hat, Sunscreen, lip creams and sunglasses, depending on the season and your destination. If you will go to places with high elevation such as Tibet, parts of Sichuan, Yunnan and Xinjiang provinces, these items are vital to protect your skin and eyes as the high altitude and the thin atmosphere allows the sun's solar radiation to strike the earth with unusual intensity.
11.Address and telephone number list. A list of e-mail addresses, mailing addresses and telephone numbers will help keep you in touch. Type them onto a sheet instead of taking a your whole address book. It will save weight.
12.Itinerary with confirmation numbers and addresses and phone numbers of the places you'll be staying.
13.Insect repellent. Especially for summer months and for travelers who are visiting rural areas.
14.Do not bring expensive jewelry and watches.
15.Medical records, daily necessities such as bathroom requirements are readily available throughout China and you may wish to save space by purchasing these items while you travel.
16.If you are taking a more adventurous trip, it's a good idea to take your own silk sleeping bag liner and lightweight travel towel along with a reasonable supply of tissues, torch, personal toiletries.
17. Chargers for your mobile phone, digital camera etc. An electrical transformer could be useful. China uses 220V electricity for 110v devices cannot be used on this system.
Are the major sites wheelchair friendly?
Most of the attractions in big cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong are wheelchair friendly.
Are wheelchair accessible vans expensive? Can I use a normal van?
The number of vans and coaches fitted with either ramps or lifts is quite limited and rental rates are much higher. If you believe that you can use a folding wheelchair we can organize a standard van. Our tour guide will be happy to assist.
I can’t walk quickly; can you guarantee that I will be looked after?
Our itinerary is tailor-made to fit your needs travel. Our travel advisor will make sure that they work out the perfect plan in consultation with you.
My Friend Told Me That The Toilets In Chinese Restaurants Are "squat Toilets". Is That True?
How Can We Find A Laundry?
There are few public laundries on the streets. Laundering services are available in your hotels and cruise ships. In some hotel, they offer the One-day dry cleaning and pressing services.
My children are traveling with us to China. What and how should I prepare when traveling with children?
We have the following suggestions that are hopefully useful for your preparation.
Documents:
Passports /ID cards: in most countries, children no longer share their passports with parents, also usually children’s passports expire faster than parents’
Visa: Children need their own visa on their passports
Insurance, doctors and emergency contact email address or telephone no.
Safety
International Vaccination Card – some countries have different requirements.
Children should have the copy of contact information for each city in case they become separated.
Sunscreen, UV protection, Umbrella, Insect repellent, Band-Aids, regular medicine for cough, headache, diarrhea and allergy. Any special prescription suggested by your doctor with clear instructions.
Instruct children to drink only bottled water in China.
A push car/stroller or a baby carrier may be an advantage.
Clothing
Comfortable clothing, Swimming suit and or warm clothing depending on the location and expected weather.
Baby oil, baby cream and lip balm, tooth brush or their own preferred soap, shampoo and toothpaste, Wet wipes.
A large range of baby item are commonly available at supermarkets including disposable diapers and famous brand of milk powder.
Food
If you children have food allergies, you can make a list and alert your travel advisor, tour guide and the restaurant. We are also glad to help by translating the information into Chinese and arranging meals for you.
Music, DVD, comics or small snacks for long time drive and small, light and not easily broken toys (no guns)
Your children might enjoy taking photographs video to record so that they can write their own dairy or travelogue.
You can see this page (http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/guidebook/travel-with-kids.htm) for more information about traveling with kids in China. If you have any further inquiries or need tour services in China, feel free to send us an email to service@chinahighlights.com, our travel advisors will reply within 24 hours.
Is there an electricity plug so I can charge my cell phone during the train ride?
According to our experience, there are electricity plugs available in the soft sleeper carriages of some newly-run deluxe trains, such as trains with initial letter D and Z. However, this is subject to the specific trains’ condition and cannot be guaranteed. Usually they are shared by all the passengers in the same carriage and some of them will probably not work due to the over usage. The passenger needs to check with the train attendant for the exact information.
Is it possible to order train tickets in advance?
The selling date for the tickets is about 4-10 days before departure. The Railway station ticketing office does not accept advanced bookings before the selling date. However, we will record your ticket request and then try to purchase the tickets on the selling date. Due to the large demand, we cannot guarantee the tickets you require, but we'll do our utmost to satisfy your request. If tickets are unavailable then, we’ll inform you immediately and the full payment is refundable.
when was Nanpu Bridge opened?
The Nanpu bridge was opened in Dec,1, 1991, it is the first steel and concrete composite girder cable-stayed bridge built in Shanghai. The total length of the bridge is 8346 meters with a centre span of 423 meters, ranking third among cable-stayed bridges in the world. The tower height is 150 meters with two lines of strong cables suspending the bridge. The spiral bridge approach in puxi is considered to be a wonder in world bridge construction.
Location: 1410 Nanma Road (sightseeing office)
Transportation: Bus Routes (from puxi) bus43, 64, 65, 89, 109, 144, 801, 802, 868, 869, 910, 928; (from pudong) bus83, 588, 624, 633, 637, 772
Open Hours: 8 :30am -16:30pm
Admission Fee: RMB5 ( by elevator )
Evaluation
The Nanpu Bridge is the fourth longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.
Is your company can apply for a visa?
Shanghaihighlights.com is a tour organizer and provider that is authorized to provide Visa Invitation Letters. We provide this letter to our clients after they confirm a tour booking. Visas must be issued through Chinese embassies and consulates before entry to China. The tour companies cannot apply for visas on behalf of customers. All visitors traveling to mainland China whether for business or pleasure require a visa. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the duration of your intended stay. It's very difficult to obtain a China visa at the Chinese border entry points.
Autumn months in shanghai ?
In general, from October to November is autume in Shanghai. The temperature is about 15-22°C in Oct. and 10-16°C in Nov. It's cool and it's suitable to wear the shirts. It's also a good time for traveling. If you would like to visit Shanghai at that time, you can check the weather on this website before leaving to Shanghai.
What is the population of Shanghai and How big it is?
Shanghai has a permanent resident population of over 14.57 million, of which 12.21 million live in the urban areas. Shanghai population accounts for 1.1% of the Chinese population, with the average density of 2059 inhabitants per square kilometers (3854 in the urban areas). there is a huge floating population of itinerant workers, probably numbering two million.
when was Nanpu Bridge opened?
The Nanpu bridge was opened in Dec,1, 1991, it is the first steel and concrete composite girder cable-stayed bridge built in Shanghai. The total length of the bridge is 8346 meters with a centre span of 423 meters, ranking third among cable-stayed bridges in the world. The tower height is 150 meters with two lines of strong cables suspending the bridge. The spiral bridge approach in puxi is considered to be a wonder in world bridge construction.
Location: 1410 Nanma Road (sightseeing office))
Transportation: Bus Routes (from puxi) bus43, 64, 65, 89, 109, 144, 801, 802, 868, 869, 910, 928; (from pudong) bus83, 588, 624, 633, 637, 772
Open Hours: 8 :30am -16:30pm
Admission Fee: RMB5 ( by elevator )
Evaluation
The Nanpu Bridge is the fourth longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.
where can I find hight and fashional cashmir garments in Shanghai?
There are three renowned business circle in Shanghai downtown area, and sale world famous brand. They are Nanjing Road, Huaihai Road and Xujiahui Business circle.
If you stay in a downtown hotel, you could easily access to these places by subway or take taxi.
I want to travel to Regal Shanghai East Hotel (close to Metro Station) from Pudong International airport. Will the Maglev Train take me to the Metro Station?
The terminal of the Maglev Train is Longyang road station. You can take Line 7 subway at Longyang road subway station and change to Line 4 subway at Dong’an road station, then get off the subway at Shanghai Indoor stadium station. It’s about 5 minutes walking from the stadium to your hotel. You also can take Line 2 subway at Pudong airport and change to Line 4 at Century Avenue station. Get off the subway at Shanghai Indoor stadium station.
I want to travel around Shanghai side cities by train, can you provide Shanghai Railway timetable?
There is very convenient that travel to the side cities by bullet train from Shanghai, most of the train departure from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, for example, the trains from Shanghai to Hangzhou or Suzhou in every half an hour, for more information, click this page to see details: http://www.shanghaihighlights.com/shanghai-train-schedule/
What kind of currency in your price, Chinese money or US dollar?
The price in the tour is in US dollar, The Chinese currency is currently fixed to the value of the US Dollar, so as the value of US Dollar changes on international currency market, the relationship between the Chinese Renminbi and the US Dollar remain the same. Some countries say that this does not give a true indication of the strength of the Chinese currency internationally and there is pressure on China to change the current relationship to the US Dollar.
How much money is spent on movies, dining out, and bars in one day in Shanghai ?
Here I will point out the average cost to those activities. Based on my information, the cost for the normal seat for the movie in Shanghai and HK is around CNY100-150 (USD15-23) per person. Usually both English and Chinese subtitles are available in the western films.
The cost for dining in Shanghai restaurants are various base on the location and popularity, the average consumption in down town area is 80-160 per person