Vacations in China
Introduction to China
Located in eastern Asia, China is the third largest country in the world, next to Canada and Russia. It covers an area of about 9.6 million square kilometers, or one-fifteenth of the world’s landmass. Due to its size, China has a very extreme climate ranging from the bitterly cold -40°C in the far north during winter, and the unbearable 48°C in the northwest during summer. With 1.3 billion people unevenly distributed across the country, China has been the world’s most populous nation for many centuries. The eastern part of China is heavily populated while the west is scarcely populated.
Transportation in China
There has been tremendous development in China transportation over the years. Currently China has a modern and comprehensive transportation system which includes domestic and international airports in all major cities, railway network linking cities and smaller towns, express highways that span northern and southern China, and ferry services along rivers in China. In larger cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, modern modes of transportation like metro, light railway and maglev railway are becoming increasingly common.
Official Language in China
The official language is Mandarin, also known as “Hanyu” or “Putonghua” belonging to Sino-Tibetan. English is not widely spoken in China but in larger cities, most people would be able to speak basic English especially the younger generation and those in the hospitality and service and retail industries.
Currency in China
The Renminbi (RMB) is the official currency in China. The units for the RMB are yuan and jiao, where 1 yuan is equivalent to 10 jiao. The banknotes are denominated in 1yuan, 2yuan, 5yuan, 10yuan, 20yuan, 50yuan and 100yuan, while the coins comes in 1jiao, 5jiao and 1yuan. There are many banks available to exchange cash and travelers’ check.
Best time to Travel to China
China has a very diverse climate so the best time to travel to China depends on the region and the preference for weather.
Summer (June to August) can be extremely hot especially in the “four furnaces” of China, namely Wuhan, Tianjin, Chongqing, Nanchang. Summer is also wet and rainy in most part of China.
Autumn (September to November) is normally the most comfortable time of the year, with limited amount of rain and adequate temperature. September is also the only month of the year when ancient paintings of the Forbidden City are displayed due to its low humidity and proper temperature conditions.
Spring has similar weather conditions as in Autumn except that it tends to be more unpredictable.
Winter is mild in the south but very chilly in the north, typically in the subzero temperature range. One good reason to travel in the off-peak season is the Harbin Winter Ice Lantern Festival.
Places of Interest in China
Great Wall of China
Great wall is the symbolic structure of China tourism. It was built, reconstructed, strengthened throughout few dynasties and finally connected by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who had also built a gigantic mausoleum and terra-cotta army for himself.
Forbidden City
Royal palace to 24 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1645-1911). The palace is decorated in extensive carvings, sculptors, paintings, precious porcelain and other valuable items with great historical value. This royal palace was the official residence for the royal family, including the concubines, as well serving as an official hall for the Emperor for his daily meeting with his officials.
Terra-Cotta Warriors (China Clay Soldiers)
Guardian of tomb to the first Emperor of China, Emperor Qin Shi Huang. This life-sized warriors each has it’s unique facial expressions to himself. No two faces are the same. Over 8,000 pieces of Terra-Cotta were unearthed nearby Xian, Shaanxi province. Xian was once the capital city under Qin Dynasty by the name of ‘Chang An”.
The Bund Shanghai
The economical hub and the fastest growing city in China. Come experience a modern city greatly influences by European cultures and architectures. Exciting city lives awaits you.