FAQ's

Best of China Singles Tour

Beijing / Xi'an / Shanghai

9 Days - 7 Nights

May 2010

www.singlestravelservice.com

 

Passports and Visas

Entry/Exit Requirements:  A valid passport and visa are required to enter China and must be obtained from Chinese Embassies and Consulates before traveling to China. Americans arriving without valid passports and the appropriate Chinese visa are not permitted to enter and will be subject to a fine and immediate deportation at the traveler's expense. Chinese authorities have recently tightened their visa issuance policy, in some cases requiring personal interviews of American citizens and regularly issuing one or two entry visas valid for short periods only.

 

Requirements:

The visa application form shall be filled out completely, correctly and legibly, otherwise this can cause a delay in processing or the refusal of the requested visa.

How to apply:

Visa Validity and Duration of Stay:

Usually the validity of a Single Entry or Double Entry "L" visa is 90 days or 180 days from the date of issue. This means the holder of the visa shall enter China no later than 90 days or 180 days from the date of issue, otherwise the visa is expired and is null and void. The duration of stay of an "L" visa is 30 days, which means the holder of the visa may stay in China for up to 30 days from the date of entry. The visa officer may extend the Duration of Stay if the applicant needs and requests a stay in China for more than 30 days.

 

Visa fee and processing time:

Number of Entry

American Citizens

Single Entry      

$  50

Double Entry    

$  75

Multiple Entry for 6 Months

$100

Multiple Entry for 12 Months

$150

Multiple Entry for 24 Months

$150

*Current fees – subject to change.

 

 

 

A self-addressed pre-paid return envelop with sufficient postage must be included. The following return envelops with tracking number / bar codes are also acceptable: Fedex, Express Mail, etc.   Meter stamped envelops, and certified or registered return mails are not acceptable. The applicant shall fill in his/her name and address as the SENDER on the return envelop instead of the Chinese Embassy or Consulate.

 

Visit the Embassy of China web site at http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/ for the most current visa information.

 

Climate

Weather conditions and temperatures in China vary considerably which provide endless year-round variety for visitors, from ice festivals in the north to tropical beach resorts in the south.

 

While China is a year-round destination, the months of May, September, and October are ideal months for travel anywhere in the country. In the north, the winters are cold, and summers warm, with moist monsoon air streams making it hot (80% of China's rainfall occurs between late May and early October).

 

Clothing

In spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) you will need a linen jacket or woolen sweater over light clothing. In summer (June to August) cool cotton garments are recommended. In winter (December to February) a light cotton-patted coat will keep you warm enough in the south; but in the north a heavy woolen coat or down parka is a must. Late spring and late summer are often rainy, especially in the southern part of China, so it would be wise to bring some wet weather gear with you. And of course, good walking shoes are essential at any time of the year.

Time

8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+8 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed. Thus when it is 8.am central time in the USA the time in China is 9pm same day in China.

 

 Health Requirements and Hospitals

Immunization is not required for visitors to China except for yellow fever if coming from parts of Africa and South America. Rabies, bilharzias, dengue fever, malaria and cholera are all present. Immunization against cholera, hepatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis, polio, rabies and typhoid is considered essential but is not required. The common cold is of particularly high incidence in China and visitors are advised to bring along a few cold remedies.

 

Chinese medication is very popular with few places practicing Western medication, thus it is recommended that you carry any medication you may be using regularly along with you from the USA. If traveling in the countryside, there may not be appropriate medical services beyond primary health care. Some city hospitals have special sections for visitors and English is spoken there. Doctors may be found in many of the large hotels in China. Payment must be made direct for treatment, medicine and transport. If planning to visit areas outside of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, emergency evacuation insurance is advised.

 

Languages 

The national language of China is Mandarin, known in China as Putonghua. Nearly everyone speaks Mandarin, but many also speak a local dialect that uses the same characters as Mandarin but whose pronunciation can vary greatly. Chinese appreciate you making the effort to speak a few phrases. Try "Hello" - "Ni hao" (nee how); "Thank you" - "Xie xie" (hsyeh, hsyeh); and "Good-bye" - "Tsai jian" (chai chiyan). You can usually find someone who speaks English in the major cities, but in places outside of the big cities English is not spoken fluently and even those who do speak it have a very heavy accent which at times may be difficult to understand.

 

Traveler's Checks

Travelers Checks may be changed at the main branches of the Bank of China, major hotels, Friendship Stores, and major department stores. Thomas Cook, American Express and Bank of America are generally accepted. The exchange rate for travelers’ checks is more favorable than that of cash. Exchange receipts should be kept to enable the conversion of any remaining RMB at the end of your trip.

Credit Cards

Most of the internationally accepted credit cards are usable in China. They include: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diner's Club, and the JCB card of Japan.

Credit cards are accepted only in large shopping malls and stores. Credit card symbols are displayed in the visible place in shops and hotels indicating credit cards are accepted.

 Currency

China's legal tender is Renminbi (RMB). Foreign currencies cannot be used directly in China.
The basic unit of RMB is yuan. 1 yuan (or kuai) =10 jiao (or mao). RMB is available in both paper notes and coins. The denominations of paper notes are 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 yuan; 5, 2 and 1 jiao. The denominations of coins are 1 yuan; 5, 2 and 1 jiao. Hong Kong uses HK dollars.


Foreign currencies may be converted into RMB at all banks, bank branches or hotels at the exchange rate quoted on the foreign exchange marker on the day of exchange and the rate will be the same at all places. Black market in foreign currency is forbidden in China. People may approach you in front of hotels, at tourist spots or at banks for a black market exchange. You should be extremely careful. The exchange rate may be attractive (higher than the bank rate) but it is illegal and you risk being cheated. Sometimes these people don't give you the right amount, since you don't have time to count the money or, even worse, they may give you fake notes or a bundle of plain paper with a few notes on the top.

The official exchange rate at this time is 7.93 Yuan to 1 U.S dollar (When you exchange money at the banks, you should ask for a certificate, with which you can change RMB back to foreign currency when you leave the country). 

Business Hours

Government stipulated working days are from Monday to Friday. Banks, offices, government departments and public security bureaus open 08:30 am to 6:00 pm, with a lunch break from noon to 2:00 pm. Stores usually remain open every day, including public holidays. Opening hours are usually from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. Monuments and museums usually are open seven days a week. Restaurants and bars stay open later at night. It is possible to eat as late as 10:00 pm and some open-air restaurants stay open into the small hours. Times are approximate and subject to local variations. In western China, for example, due to the time difference with the Beijing time, offices often open later.

Electricity

220 volts, 50 cycles. There are no standard electrical outlets, although the outlet or three-prong plug is the most common in hotels. Hotels usually have prong adapters but no voltage transformers. If you are planning to bring a video camera charger or any other electrical device, please bring voltage and plug adaptors where appropriate.  

 

Departure Tax

The airport tax or the airport construction fee is already included in the airfare when an air ticket is purchased.

 

Luggage allowance for domestic flights

Carry-on baggage: The maximum Carry-on baggage allowance for each economy class passenger is 11 pounds. The size may not exceed 8 x 16 x 21 inches Carry on baggage in excess of the limit is subject to an excess baggage fee and must be carried as checked baggage.

Check-in Baggage: You are entitled to a free checked baggage allowance of 20 kg/44 lbs in total for economy class.

 

Drinking Water

Tap water is not drinkable except in some of the hotels. All hotel rooms are supplied with a thermos of boiled water, to make tea or drink as you wish. We recommend that you buy bottled water, it is inexpensive and available everywhere.

 

Photography

Taking photographs or videos of military installations is prohibited. Most museums, palaces, or temples will not allow photograph to be taken, notably the main pit of the Terracotta Warriors, but some institutions permit it on payment of a fee in advance. As the atmosphere in China is often hazy, filters are advisable. Color print film is widely available, black and white or slide film much less so. Video film can be found but not always readily. Cameras must be declared when arriving in China. If video or movie cameras are for professional use, special permits must be claimed.

 

Public Conduct & Dress Code

Remove your shoes before entering Buddhist pagodas. Don’t let the soles of your feet face any sacred monument, such as a statue of Buddha.

Telephone Calls

In the hotels are usually free of charge. Like many nations expanding their domestic telephone networks, China's telephone numbers change often, so don’t be surprised if the number you dial, doesn’t get a response.

Tipping

Although gratuities are not required (official announcements), and are entirely voluntary, tipping has become a common practice in China. It has become a very popular norm to tip the tour guide and driver, hotel bellboy in recognition of their good service. It is not customary to leave tips at local restaurant. Normally, you do not need to tip at hotel restaurants, as the bill includes 10% to 15% service charge.

A rough guideline for tipping:  $5 to $10 /per guest per day as tips for tour guide and $3 to $8 to the driver and about $2 for hotel bellboys as a gratitude for their service.

Tipping is only recommended if you are satisfied with the service you have received and is entirely at your own discretion.

 

American Embassy in Beijing

Add: 2 Xiu Shui Dong Jie (northeast of Jianguomen Wai Friendship Store) 
Tel: (010) 6532-3431 (weekdays 8am-12pm, 1-5pm)
Duty Officer can be reached at any time (010) 6532-1910

  

Shopping

Most travelers want to take home some bargains or mementos. With so many options available, shopping can be time-consuming, confusing and exhausting. The following tips may make it easier for you:

Large Department Stores and Shopping Malls

Large department stores and modern shopping malls are commonly seen in China's major cities. Most of them are located in the bustling commercial areas in city hearts. A wide variety of goods are sold including silk, jade, pearl paintings, art crafts, pottery and much more. Prices are usually fixed and a little higher than at the free local markets but the goods are often better quality than the local markets.


Language may be a problem but with a little ingenuity, you can usually manage to communicate through a variety of gestures.

 

Local Markets

China's local markets are a quite interesting place to purchase inexpensive things. The markets usually have many small stalls selling a great variety of items. The motto should be "let the buyer beware" as it is not uncommon to find fake brand name products. Bargaining is usually expected.

How to Bargain
Bargaining for goods and services is normally acceptable except in large department, and restaurants.
Tips on how to bargain: