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Home / Discover Asia

China


China is so mind-boggling huge it is difficult to know where to start! It is a country that boasts so much in terms of history, culture, geography and attractions; it is home to one of the oldest continuous civilisations on earth, as well as an impressive history of art, language, architecture and gastronomy. Both ancient and recent history have shaped the China you see today – from the historic landmarks of China’s imperial past to the hangover of both the Japanese occupation (1937-45) and the 1945 Civil War which led to the Communist foundation of the People’s Republic. China also boasts a diversity of landscape that cannot be matched anywhere else in the world, ranging from the windswept plains of the Gobi Desert to the shimmering skyscrapers of Shanghai, the north face of Mount Everest to the languid waters of the Yangtze River, and the picturesque rural landscapes. Thankfully, China is blessed with an efficient transport network, so that despite the staggering size of the nation, it is possible to travel around quite easily and see the highlights you particularly wish to explore – for most visitors, high on the wish list of things to do in China are Beijing and the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, Shanghai and the Terracotta Warriors at Xi’an, but the list of attractions is never ending – take in the historic Silk Road, of the bamboo forests that are home to the endangered Giant Panda. Not for nothing is China home to 33 protected UNESCO World Heritage Sites. China is on course to become the world’s major economic power within the next two decades, and this economic growth has had a huge environmental impact on the country, but it has also forced China to “internationalise” itself, and as a result the tourism network has been massively enhanced. The hosting of the next Olympic Games has also played an enormous part in the improvement of the nation’s infrastructure, making it a less daunting place to travel around than once it was. Visitors to China need to be both flexible and patient, but those that are will be rewarded with unmatched holiday memories that will surely last a lifetime.


Cities and places within China
Fast Facts
Capital City: Beijing
Population: 1.3 billion (or around 25% of the world’s population!) of which around 15.2 million live in Beijing.
Area: 3,696,100 sq miles
Geography: China shares borders with Russia and Mongolia to the north, with the Democratic Republic of Korea, or North Korea, to the east, with Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Nepal and Bhutan to the south, and with India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to the west. Being such a vast country, the landscape is understandably varied, ranging from flatlands in the east to high mountain plateaux in the west. Almost one third of China is comprised of mountains, including the Himalayas – Mt Everest is located on the Chinese-Nepalese border. China also has many river systems, including the Yellow River and the Yangtze. Agriculture is only possible on around 10% of China’s land.
Climate: Again, given the size of China, it is not surprising that the climates vary massively from region to region. The north east experiences huge regional variations, from bitterly cold winters to hot summers. In the north and central regions, it is predominantly wet, with hot summers and cold winters; in the south east, there is heavy seasonal rainfall, with cool winters and semi tropical summers; the Central, southern and western parts can experience flooding.
Language: Mandarin Chinese is the official language, though there are many many local dialects. The autonomous regions of Tibet, Mongolia and Xinjiang have their own languages.
Currency: Renminbi Yuan Current rate £1 = Y15.33
Time: GMT+8 hours (despite the size of China, there is only one time zone, based on Beijing’s location)
Visa Requirements: UK passport holders travelling to China do need to be in possession of a valid tourist visa (valid for single entry).


Getting To China
By Air
China’s national airline is Air China.
Numerous airlines operate flights from the UK to either Beijing or Shanghai. Only Air China operates direct flights from the UK to Beijing, though non direct flights are available on the following airlines: Lufthansa, China Southern, Austrian Airlines, Finnair, KLM Royal Dutch Airline, Air France, China Eastern Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Aeroflot, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Eva Air, Thai Airways, and Japan Airlines. Flight time from London to Beijing is around 10 hours, and Beijing’s Capital International Airport is 18 miles north east of the city centre, a journey taking around 40 minutes by bus and taxi, though an airport express subway line is due to open in 2008.
 
Flights from the UK to Shanghai are as follows: China Eastern Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Eva Air all operate direct flights between the UK and Shanghai. Non direct flights are available on the following carriers: Lufthansa, Alitalia, KLM Royal Dutch Airline, Air France, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Korean Air, China Airlines (Taiwan), Royal Brunei Airline, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and Thai Airways. Flight time from the UK to Shanghai is around 10 hours, and Shanghai’s Pudong Airport is in the eastern financial district, around 19 miles from the city, a journey that takes just under an hour. There is a Maglev magnetic elevation train and an underground link which ferries passengers from the airport to Longyang Road where you can board the Shanghai Metro. There is also a link to Shanghai’s Hongqiao airport, which is mainly for domestic flights.
 
The other main international airport in China is at Guangzhou. There are no direct flights from the UK, but non direct flights are available on the following airlines: China Southern, Finnair, Air France, Air China, Lufthansa, Korean Air, Malev Hungarian Airline, China Eastern Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport is 7 miles north of the city, and the journey takes around half an hour.
 
By Boat
China’s main ports are Shanghai, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hong Kong/Kowloon and Qingdao. There are some major cruise liners which include China on their itineraries, and there are also ferries which link Chinese ports with Kobe in Japan and with ports on the west coast of the Democratic Republic of Korea. There are also ferries between Shanghai and Osaka (Japan), and Incheon in Korea. Regular fast ferries make the crossing between Hong Kong and Macau and towns in Guangdong province.
 
By Train
You can catch the train all the way from Moscow to Beijing, travelling on the Trans-Mongolian Railway (via Ulaanbattar, Mongolia) and the Trans-Manchurian Railway via Zabaikalsk, Northern China. Alto the Trans Siberian Express runs twice weekly trains, one to Moscow via Harbin and one to Beijing via Ulaanbaatar. You can also catch a train from Hanoi, Vietnam to Nanning, as well as from Kunming to Hanoi. Trains also operate between Pyongyang in the Democratic Republic of Korea and Beijing. Trains also run to Almaty in Kazakhstan.
 
By Road
The historical trade routes in China have formed the backbone of the modern road system, and there are routes through Myanmar, India, Mongolia and some of the former Soviet republics. You can travel to Xinjiang from Pakistan, and there is a motorway linking several cities with Hong Kong and Macau.


Getting Around China
By Air
Given China’s vast size, the best way to travel around is by air, and there are three main regional airlines – China Eastern Airlines, China Southern and Air China. There are also budget carriers starting to enter the market. Almost 150 cities are covered by China’s domestic air network, meaning you can pretty much get anywhere you want. Flights are regularly overbooked so it is important to re-confirm your flights.
 
By Boat
There are river ferries on all of China’s major waterways, especially the Yangtze. There are also coastal ferries linking many coastal towns, as well as linking mainland China with Hong Kong.
By Rail
China’s railway network is generally well maintained and represents good value for money. There are train services between most major cities, and three different categories of train – go for express trains where possible. Be warned that although comfortable, rail travel is incredibly time consuming, given the vast distances you need to travel. For something a little different, you can take a trip on the world’s highest rail route from various cities in China to Lhasa in Tibet.
 
By Road
Although there are plenty of buses, many of which are very reliable, you should not underestimate the distances involved and unless you have limitless time to spend in China, they are probably best avoided other than for relatively short journeys. It is 908 miles from Beijing to Shanghai.
 
Getting Around Towns and Cities in China
Beijing, Shanghai and several other cities have underground systems, and most cities and larger towns have a bus network. Taxis are widely available, and are generally metered though if they are not it is wise to agree your fare in advance. It is also a good idea to have your destination written down in Chinese characters as many drivers will not understand English.


Top Ten Things to Do and See in China
  1. BEIJING
Almost all travellers to China will either start or end their journey in the capital city, Beijing, and here you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to must see attractions. Most famous of all is the Forbidden City, or the Palace Museum, which for 500 years was the imperial home during the reigns of the Ming and Qing Emperors. Other famous attractions include Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world; the Summer Palace; Beihei Park; the Temple of Heaven, and the old city wall gates. Also worth exploring are the traditional alleys, or hutong. From Beijing, a popular day trip is to a restored section of the Great Wall of China at Badaling, just 44 miles from Beijing. Also worth seeing on the way are the Ming Tombs, where most of the emperors from that dynasty are buried.
 
  1. SHANGHAI
Shanghai is China’s second city, and one that is stunningly different from Beijing. It is the economic and commercial hub of this immense national, and has a vibrant, cosmopolitan edge that is not so obvious in Beijing. There are huge skyscrapers, and many features which are more reminiscent of a European city (The Bund is the waterfront area of the city which has earned Shanghai its nickname “The Paris of the East”), but these are in contrast with the traditional delights of the Yuyuan Gardens and the Yuyuan Gardens Bazaar, a rabbit warren of lanes and market stalls selling tourist goods and some excellent food; and the Temple of the City God.
 
  1. XI’AN
Xi’an is China’s historical capital, which at points in history has competed with Rome and later Constantinople for the accolade of being the greatest city in the world. There are numerous monuments and archaeological sites around the city, but it is for one thing that the majority of tourists come to visit the city, the 2000 year old Army of Terracotta Warriors, that was discovered by chance in 1974, when peasants were digging a well and stumbled upon what ranks with the tomb of Tutankhamun as the greatest archaeological find of the twentieth century. The stunningly well preserved army is comprised of thousands of life-sized terracotta soldiers and their horses, all standing in battle formation.
 
4. OTHER CITIES
Given the enormity of China, it is never going to be possible to see all the cities of major interest, but other cities with important historical and cultural significance include Suzhou and Hangzhou. Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province, is famous for its silk production and its canals, which have earned it the nickname “China’s Venice”. It boasts stunning gardens, including the Garden of the Master of the Nets, the Garden for Lingering In, and the Humble Administrator’s Garden. There is also a famous nine storey pagoda, Shop here for silk fabrics and embroidery. Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, on the east coast of China, is one of China’s most popular domestic tourist attractions, most well known and loved for its stunning West Lake scenic area. Marco Polo is said to have described the city as “the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world”.


 
5. TREKKING AND HIKING
For hiking enthusiasts, there can be no greater place than Everest Base Camp. It is Tibet’s most popular trekking destination, although there are plenty of others throughout the country, including other parts of the mountainous Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, as well as the Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan, and of course, along sections of the Great Wall itself. And if those challenges are not enough, then there is always Qomolangma, or Mount Everest at 29,021feet, or the slightly smaller Namcha Barwa (25, 445ft). Rock climbing is also growing in popularity in China, with the limestone karst mountains near Guangxi Province’s Yangshuo being a popular centre, with well marked routes suited to all abilities.
 
 
6.  BEACHES
China is not generally known as a beach destination, but in recent years travellers from the west are discovering that the beaches on the southern coast of China’s most southerly province are quite stunning. Hainan Island’s Sanya, is growing in popularity with the international market, and there are now numerous international hotels, as well as golf courses, watersports facilities and other resort features dotted along the fine sand beaches. After an exhausting tour of China, there is no better place to come and relax.
 
  1. NATURAL WONDERS
China boasts a huge array of scenic natural wonders, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Popular places include the Oomolangma Nature Reserve, around the foothills of Mount Everest in Tibet, Mount Taishan Mountain Park, Huangshan Mountain, the Buddhist mountain Emei Shan, and the lakes and waterfalls of Jiuzhaigou Valley. River cruising is also popular in China, and nowhere more so than along the Yangtze River with its spectacular gorges. This has been the setting for one of China’s most controversial recent schemes, the construction of the Three Gorges Dam which will raise the river levels by 175m in the next couple of years, forcing thousands to leave their homes and livelihoods. There are also numerous cave systems to explore in China, including the Yellow Dragon Cave in Zhangjiajie, which is the largest cave in Asia. One of South West China’s best known natural attractions is the Shilin Stone Forest, close to Kunming, capital of Yunnan province – here there are limestone stacks which look like petrified trees.
 
  1. WILDLIFE
Although numbers have dwindled in recent years, China is still home to some unique wildlife. The ancient parks and bamboo forests of Sichuan are some of the last places on earth where the endangered giant panda still survives and you can get a closer look at them in Chengdu’s China Research and Conservation Centre for the Giant Panda and at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base There is also a mountain sanctuary at Wolong, though your chances of seeing a panda in the wild are pretty slim – they find it hard enough to find each other! The park is closed during springtime so that visitors don’t disturb the panda’s search for each other in mating season. North Eastern China is also home to the endangered and very rare Manchurian Tiger, though numbers have fallen so greatly in recent times that the Chinese Government has established a number of breeding centres to try and save the species.
 
  1. CULTURE AND TRADITIONS
China has a rich history of culture and traditions and many of these are on view for visitors to watch or even participate in. Tai Chi is traditionally practised in the early mornings, before work, all over China, so wherever you are, you are sure to see it going on – one of the best places to watch (and join in!) is in Beihai Park in Beijing. Temples and shrines are an important part of Chinese life and there are so many that are worth a visit it is impossible to mention them all. Some of the most remarkable include the holy Buddhist mountain of Emei Shan, where the Grand Buddha of Leshan is carved out of the cliff and is so huge that 100 people can fit onto its instep; some of China’s oldest Buddhist shrines can be found at Dunhuang’s Magao Caves; also worth a vist is Confucius’s Tomb, Temple and Mansion at Qufu, China’s oldest wooden pagoda in Yingxian, and Guangzhou;s Huaisheng Mosque, built by Arab merchants in AD650.
 
  1. CYCLING
300 million Chinese people can’t be wrong! Cycling is an excellent way of exploring parts of China, and it is very easy to hire a bike, no matter where you are. Some of the most popular cycling routes include sections of the Great Wall of China, and areas of Guilin and Yangshuo. 





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