China Vacations: China Tours, Custom Packages & FAQs About China Travel

For discerning travelers seeking to discover the best on a China tour, luxurious experiences that are extraordinary and unique to China are readily arranged. From accommodations, dining, sightseeing and unique experiences, we can provide unmatched experiences on either customized private programs, scheduled tours, and themed excursions.

Our on-the-ground Western experts in China craft in-depth, culturally enriching itineraries that deliver an unequalled set of luxury travel experiences. Some of these unique experiences can include:

• A private banquet on the Great Wall
  
• Insider access to contemporary art and design studios
  
• Floating on bamboo rafts down a tributary of the Li River
  
• A Private Kung Fu and Shadow Puppet performance
  
• Insider access to an acclaimed Shanghai fashion designer
  
• Shopping for antiques with an expert or visiting the largest open-air market in Beijing, perhaps China's largest "museum" of modern cultural life
  
• Enjoy a private opera performance in a Huangshan village
  
• Visit a Tibetan village and learn about textile making
  
• Savor a meal in a stunning artist-designed limestone cave
  
• Visit closed areas in the Forbidden City

Other speical moments can include hot air ballooning over scenic mountains, playing table tennis with an Olympic Champion, or having a private Taichi lesson with a sixth-generation Master, learning to make dumplings or calligraphy. For the ultimate escorted journey in style, bi-lingual, China-based Western hosts can accompany you as your traveling concierge.

For more information on traveling to China and our China FAQs, please read on.

US Citizens must hold a valid passport valid for at least six months after travel, and must obtain a visa from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate. Our China travel experts can assist you with arranging your visa. Currency: Renminbi. Credit cards are accepted in hotels catering to foreigners, but most local businesses accept cash only. ATMs are available in major cities, but traveler’s checks are still recommended. Currency can be exchanged at the desk of your hotel at good rates with minimal fees. Electrical Current: 220 volts, multiple plug types in use. Airport and departure taxes: Included in air ticket cost. Time Zone: All of China is on Beijing Standard Time, which is GMT plus 8. China does not use daylight savings time. During winter hours, China is 16 hours ahead of the west coast, during the summer, it is 15 hours ahead.

China is a very large country that boasts thousands of years of history. The question is not what to see, but how much can you squeeze into your allotted travel time! This is where the China travel experts from our agency truly shine. Whether you want to take an escorted tour or have a completely customized, personalized itinerary, we invite you to contact us.

Obviously history and culture are at the top of the list for anyone visiting China. And there is great scenic beauty in China. The starting points for any China itinerary are Beijing, Xian and Shanghai.

Beijing has the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and many other sites relating to the history of imperial China. Xian is home to the Terra Cotta Army, but also has a spectacular museum, a thousand year old pagoda, and an intact city wall. It was the capital of China’s first dynasty and was the starting point of the Silk Road. Shanghai is modern China, the vision of what China is becoming. The skyline of the Pudong District is one of the world’s most amazing. Shanghai is also the center of China’s emerging fashion industry and is an incredible shopping destination.

Beyond these basics, one may wish to visit Guilin for the scenery of the Li River. The Li River cruise in Guilin is breathtaking. In the vicinity of Shanghai are the classic cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou, referred to by the Chinese as earthly paradises. , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a fascinating medieval city.Yangtze River cruises include the Three Gorges and a visit to the world’s largest hydroelectric project.

For the adventurous, there is Tibet, Inner Mongolia or the Silk Road. One could visit the ethnic minority enclaves of the southwest, see the panda reserves of Sichuan Province or visit the ice festival in Harbin. There is so much to see!

China is the third largest country in the world, and it takes time to get around and see the country. An escorted China tour of 17 to 20 days will provide you with the major highlights and a good taste of what the country has to offer. First-time travelers might want to consider escorted China tours.

Less expensive China packages will usually feature larger groups and hotels less centrally located, and they may include fewer meals and more “optional activities.” Higher-end China tours will often have small groups and will stay in elegant, centrally-located hotels. Not only will more meals be included, but the meals will be better and more varied. Indeed, there are restaurants in China that offer gourmet-quality cuisine.

China is becoming a multi-trip destination. Travelers are now going back for a second or third trip to see some part of the country in more depth or to explore more off-the-beaten-track areas. For shorter holidays, packages of several days to just Beijing or Shanghai are also popular.

Customized tours can be tailored to any taste or style of travel and can include just about any destination or special interest. Our travel experts have arranged cooking tours, archaeology tours, educational tours, etc.

Group travel to China is also becoming very popular. We have done travel for companies, alumni associations, family reunions, museum associations, school groups, and many other sorts of groups.

For those who visited China in years past and remember austere hotels and tiny, over-crowded airports, you need to go back! Even smaller, lesser known cities now boast fine hotels that match any western standard. And in the major cities, you can enjoy the luxury of the Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Fairmont or Peninsula - truly great hotel brands.

There is no simple answer to this. In most of China, summer is hot and humid, and in the north, the winters are bitterly cold. Fall is the traditional "peak season" for China vacation travel. The weather is generally good throughout the country, but one can expect massive crowds of domestic tourists during the fall. October 1st is China’s national day, and most of the country has a one week vacation surrounding this holiday. Whether you're going for business or a quick vacation, it is best to try to avoid China during this week, especially Beijing. There is also a major holiday around May 1st; that week is also best avoided.

There are some issues to which travelers to China need to pay attention. The language gap is substantial. Most people in the travel business in China, i.e. hotel front desk staff, tour guides and cruise ship staff, will speak English to some degree. But once one gets a bit off the beaten path, the level of English proficiency drops pretty quickly. As Chinese is not the easiest language to pick up from a phrase book, it is usually recommended to use some sort of guide service for your China vacation.

Food in China is diverse, usually delicious, inexpensive and a truly wonderful part of the experience. But you do need to pay attention to the conditions of the dining establishment you choose. If you are eating in a major hotel, you can dine with confidence. But stay away from street food, and if eating outside your hotel, do not eat any vegetables that are uncooked or unpeeled. Tap water in China is not potable. Drink only bottled water. Most hotels will provide a couple of bottles per day at no charge, and bottled water is easily available and inexpensive.

Health care conditions in China vary enormously by location. Beijing and Shanghai have state-of-the-art medical facilities. In the remote parts of the country, health care facilities may be primitive. Travel insurance is recommended for all travelers to China, preferably insurance with emergency evacuation coverage.

Whether vaccinations are required depends much on where you are going. We recommend that you consult your physician before traveling, and be sure to tell them what part of China you are traveling to and at what time of year.

Generally speaking, China is a fairly safe country in which to travel. There is very little crime against foreign tourists. Even in medium-size cities, taxis are metered, heavily regulated and inexpensive. Only the bravest of foreign tourists will attempt to drive in China. To the untrained eye, the best description of Chinese traffic is chaos. Be careful crossing the street!

China has something for just about any traveler. It even has beach resorts on Hainan Island. The issue is not finding information on traveling to this incredible country, but how to sort through and make sense of all of the information out there. Please feel free to consult our agency's China travel experts for help in arranging the China trip of your dreams.