Tourist Cities in China - Do you know that Beijing, Xian, Guilin and Hong Kong are the most visited cities in China?

The Top Four Tourist Cities in China
by: Anna Yuen

Do you know that Beijing, Xian, Guilin and Hong Kong are the most visited cities in China?

A lot of people refer it as the 'golden route' or 'presidential route' after Bill Clinton visited these cities in 1998.

Certainly the golden route has a good combination of everything: great historical heritages, beautiful landscape, delicious Chinese food, great shopping and so on.

Best time to visit China is spring and autumn when China has beautiful weather and fewer tourists.

If you are a first-time visitor to China, the golden route is your top pick. You would need at least two weeks to complete the tours.

Beijing – you would need at least four nights to complete what you need to see and do.

Great Wall of China - the longest man-made architecture on earth. This should be your number one destination in Beijing.

Forbidden City - the former palaces and offices of Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is currently a museum with countless treasures.

Summer Palace - the most well preserved royal resort of Qing Dynasty.

Temple of Heaven is the symbol of Beijing. Ming and Qing emperors worshipped Heaven here.

Please do include a hutong tour in order to have an old Beijing feel. After all, don't forget a Beijing duck feast.

Tip: Beijing travel requires a lot of walking. Please be prepared for it.

Xian – everyone should visit Xian at least once in life, Chinese and foreigners alike. Spend three nights here is necessary to cover the most important sightseeing.

Xian has been a capital city for 13 dynasties, totaling 1,100 years. It was the world’s most prosperous city in Tang Dynasty, 1300 years ago.

The Terra Cotta Warriors is a full-scale replication of the Qin Dynasty army. There is no other place in the world you can see a life-size army of over 2,000 years old.

Banpo Neolithic village is a famous site of 6,000 years old which has typical features of a matriarchal society. You’ll also see clues of ancient burial, marriages, creative tools and artifacts.

In Xian, don’t forget to go for a dumpling feast which usually goes with a first class entertainment show of Tang Dynasty music and dance.

Guilin is ranked second on China’s list of top 10 tourists’ destinations. It has beautiful landscape integrated with fabulous countryside. Make sure you won’t miss the Reed Flute Cave, the Crown Cave and some of the beautiful peaks.

Don’t forget to make a day trip to Yangshuo where the best hills and waters are. Go there on a Li River cruise and return by bus. If you choose to stay overnight, you would be able to watch the spectacular ‘Liu Sanjie’ performance, which takes place on the Li River. Yangshuo is truly a place for you to relax and enjoy.

In Guilin, make sure to go for a rice noodle feast. Or you can just eat it as a street food at ¥2 per bowl. They are extremely yummy.

A Guilin tour including Yangshuo would require a minimum stay of three nights.

Hong Kong is very different from any other mainland Chinese cities. In Hong Kong, you can experience one-country-two-systems. I would suggest a minimum stay of three nights here.

Being Asia’s World City nowadays, Hong Kong is an important leg on the China travel golden route.

There are several ‘bests’ of Hong Kong. The world’s best night view, best skyline, best shopping paradise, best gourmet’s paradise and so on. You would be able to buy the trendiest everything here at the lowest prices in the world, including authentic luxury goods.

Cantonese cuisine is one of the yummiest among Chinese foods. Don’t forget to go for a dim sum lunch and a typical Cantonese seafood dinner.

Visit this site for more travel information of the China travel golden route.

Tour tips for China - China is a large country at a size of 9,596,960 sq km. China was only partially open to the world from 1980 onwards and has been

Travel and tour tips for China
by: Ken Cheong

China is a large country at a size of 9,596,960 sq km. China was only partially open to the world from 1980 onwards and has been a communist country for many decades. Although there is much progress in the travel industry and infrastructure of China, there remain areas that need to be improved before it can match the level that most tourist would require.

However, much of the fun remain that it is different from the rest of the world. China will be the host nation for the Olympics in Year 2008. Travel facilities and infrastructure will be improving quickly as we approach Year 2008.

China is rich in culture and history. Visit the Great Wall of China in Beijing, sip Chinese tea in Xiamen, dance with ethnic tribes in Yunnan, check out 19th Century European buildings in Qingdao - there are just so much to do and see in China!

Below are some travel tips to make your travel in China easier:

Entry Visa

China require entry visa from most countries. Apply at the Chinese consulate or through your travel agent before travelling to China.

Climate

Extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north. Be prepared with the right seasonal clothing.

Foreign Exchange

The unit of currency is known as Renmembi(RMB) or Yuan. Get some Chinese Yuan in your local country before travelling. When in China, exchange foreign currency for local currency in the banks or at the hotel. Banks tend to give slightly better rates than hotels. Take note that some banks close for a noon siesta between 12-2pm.

Payment facilities

Most better class hotels and shopping centres take Credit Card or Travellers cheques. Smaller hotels and shops take cash only. Once out of the bigger cities, credit card and ATM cards tend to be almost impossible to utilize. Cash is still king in Chinese business and trade.

Counterfeit notes are common in China. Check carefully before accepting change, especially if it consists mostly 100RMB notes. You can feel a texture difference where counterfeit notes is concerned.

Understanding of English

Most civil servants, custom officials, police, hotel staff and men in the street do not speak English or at best a smattering of English.

Most signboards and notices will carry both English and Chinese. However, be aware that some translations can be so notorious that one can hardly understand what was it's original Chinese intention.

Do not expect hotels or shops to understand English. Only the very big hotels will have staff that will understand English.

Most young people can understand basic English if you speak slowly.

Social Security

China is generally a safe country. However, hang on tight to your wallet especially in crowded, popular tourist sites in tourist cities such as Beijing and Xian.

These tourist cities also has a lot of touts in the streets touting tourist from currency exchange to jewelleries to female companionships. Avoid at all cost!

Domestic Travel

Bus, train, ferries and domestic flights are quite well developed. Avoid the crowd at the stations and book your tickets through the hotel tour desk or the nearest tour agent. Prices are likely to be competitive and tickets will be delivered to your hotel room. Again, avoid ticket touts who approach you in the streets.

Local buses are cheap (US$0.10 or YS$0.20) and you may want to try out. Taxis are convenient and are available at all hours. Starting fares differ from each city and may be as cheap as US$0.70 in Weihai and US$1.50 in Shenzhen.

Avoid travel in China during peak holiday seasons or book tickets well ahead.

Local Hotels

There is a good choice of hotels in China ranging from one star to the most luxurious 6 stars. Most of the time, the rooms are safe and clean and in my opinion, cheap does not mean bad.

There are many websites selling China hotel rooms on the internet. You can also check out the travel counters which are available in most train, bus stations as well as airport.

Book ahead if travelling in peak seasons.

Peak Tourist Seasons

Chinese New Year: Date varies but generally late January or early February.

May Day: First two weeks of May

China National Day: Middle two weeks of October

Avoid travelling during these period. Book rooms and travel modes way early if need to travel. Believe me, the crowds during these period of time will be scary. What do you expect when the entire Chinese nation of 8 billion people are on holiday as well!

Chinese Food

Local food is absolutely fabulous. Try as much Chinese food as your wallet or stomach can afford. Restaurants are available everywhere and open to late hours. Most restaurants will have a menu that include photographs of the various dishes. Better yet, simply point at the food that your next door table is having, especially if it looks delicious!

However, avoid street side stalls and drinking directly from the taps if you have delicate stomach.

Telecommunications

Mobile phone coverage in China is good in most locations. Global auto-roaming within China is not a problem.

Internet

There are cyber-cafes everywhere in China, especially in tourist areas. Most are patronised by young people playing online games but you still can check your Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail. Access may be a bit slow for international websites.

You will need to show your passport as China has tight regulations at Internet Cyber Cafes.

Toilet facilities

One of the worst experience many has with China is the atrocious toilet facilities. Things has improved very much but it may still be a good idea to empty your stomach or bladder at every opportunity in a hotel, restaurant or departmental store. Public toilets and toilets in small shops can be a nose hazard!

* Useful China travel tips *

Try to get a English speaking tour guide at every opportunity you can. China has a rich and wonderful history and culture and without a guide, somehow, the flavour and significance of most tour sites can be lost.

*Sneaky tip: Hang around a group that has a English speaking guide if you cannot afford one!

Always ask for a receipt from a taxi driver so that you can complain if you have been cheated or for tracing purposes if you happen to leave your camera behind in the taxi.

Try to take the namecard for each hotel that you are staying at as these cards will have a Chinese address and the map of your hotel location. This is useful if you need to seek assistance to find your way back as the English version or pronounciation of a hotel or a street name may be quite different from the Chinese version.

After a tiring day, check out Chinese foot reflexology or Chinese TuiNa (Chinese massage). Wonderful for the body after a hard day and very cheap to boot. Simply look out for shop signs that shows two feet! They are everywhere.

Make friends with the Chinese whenever you can. They love to meet foreigners and will make good tour guides. Just buy a small present as a small token of appreciation.

Great Wall of China - The Great Wall of China as some believed originated as a military fortification against intrusion by tribes on the borders

Great Wall of China
by: Jeff Anderson

The Great Wall of China as some believed originated as a military fortification against intrusion by tribes on the borders during the earlier Zhou Dynasty. In 770-BC-476BC, the ducal states extended the defense work, and built large structures to prevent the attacks from other states. The Great Wall of China was eventually separated during the Qin Dynasty, which preceded the Zhou Dynasty. The Zhao, Qin, and Yan kingdoms were connected to form a defensive system on the northern border of the country of Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. In 214 BC the building of the Great Wall of China was on its way. The Great Wall of China took as long as ten years to build.

The Great Wall of China took hundreds of thousands of laborers working daily beyond human limitations to construct and build. Many persons that did not work were thrown into the foundation trenches starving from hunger and exposure of the earths changing weathers. The Great Wall of China was then called The Longest Cemetery on Earth. Buried beneath its structure were more than 400,000 persons.

The Great Wall was stretched from Linzhao (eastern part of Gansu Province), in the west to Liaodong (Jilin Province) in the east. The Great Wall of China served as both a defense and symbolized the power of the emperor. The Great Wall of China was partly successful in repelling invading Mongol forces more than a century ago.

The Great Wall of China has more than 300 million trees, and its purpose was to serve as a barrier from the dust storms that swept into China from the Gobi Desert and other low-rainfall areas. The Great Wall of China was dubbed This Great Green Wall. During the 50's, the city of Beijing was beset by 10 to 20 dust storms every spring. Visibility was only half a mile for 30 to 90 hours each month. By the 1970's the storms had reduced resulting in greater visibility at less than ten hours per month. The reduction made work easier for the many laborers.

The Great Wall of China towered China's mountains, plunging to the lower valleys, and marching across burning desert plains. Very cold winds coupled with snowstorms, made it very difficult for workers. At the same time raging desert sun and stinging sandstorms oppressed the workers, making their jobs difficult, and often risky.

Today the Great Wall of China is a captivation for tourists around the world.

BEIJING - Though Beijing is an ancient city, used as the capital by many warlords, yet its modern history as a capital begins in the Yuan dynasty

BEIJING
by: David Chandler

Though Beijing is an ancient city, used as the capital by many warlords, yet its modern history as a capital begins in the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) under Kublai Khan, the great grandson of Chengis Khan. Beijing was built for inspiration- to awe the populace with the emperor's strength. Beijing meant for the occasions and ceremonies, which were performed to balance the Mandate of heaven as well as a safeguard of defense.

Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China, located in the Huabei (North China) Plain. With a population of more than 13.8 million, Beijing covers an area of 16,800 square kilometers.

BEIJING RESOURCES

Beijing comprises of plains, mountains, as well as hills. Inadequate water supply, poor quality of the soil and huge areas of rocky mountains does not favor farming and agriculture at all. Minerals such as iron and limestone are mined. The forest areas of Beijing are also reducing day by day- but the Beijing tourism is very prosperous.

BEIJING ECONOMY

Beijing, being the main centre of the political and cultural activity, Beijing is economically quite well developed. The per capital G.D.P. sums up to around 22,000 Yuan.

BEIJING LIFESTYLE

According to statistics, there are 6.14 million employees compared to 4.54 million workers. The education level is also quite high with 95% of the students, graduating from junior high school, entering senior high school.

BEIJING POPULATION-

Beijing is one of the biggest cities in China, and has a total population of more than 13.83 million, most of who reside in the plain areas. The Beijing population in the hilly areas is quite less, compared to the plain area. Even the population density in Beijing is the highest.

To sum up, Beijing is a magnificent place. The local residents of Beijing are hard working and they drop their sweat to earn their livelihood.

Delhi Vacation - Places to visit - Delhi has been a major tourist destination and is the perfect holiday destination for the tourists in India.

Tour to Delhi
by: Neeraj Kumar

Delhi has been a major tourist destination and is the perfect holiday destination for the tourists in India. Delhi is the capital of India. It is the largest city of northern India. The rich heritage and cultural past of this metropolitan city gets revealed in many ways.

Amongst the must to visit places during tour to Delhi are its monuments, museums, galleries and other places of interest. The most visiting places in Delhi for the Delhi tour that can not be left unseen are-

"The Red Fort (Lal Qila)", one of Delhi's top tourist sights. A brilliant red sandstone fort built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (who also built Agra's Taj Mahal) as his ruling palace.

"Jama Masjid", opposite to the Red fort, next to Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. The largest mosque in India and a must-see while in Delhi tour.

"Humayun's Tomb" is the tomb of the second Mughal emperor Humayun.

"Jantar Mantar" appears like a gallery of modern art.

"India Gate", This monument has been built as a memorial for the Indian soldiers who died in World War One. There is also a fire ("eternal flame") burning for all fallen Indian soldiers.

Apart from these, there are many other places in Delhi like Lotus temple, Museums and Art Treasures, cultural performances and crafts and many more places can be visited during Delhi tour.

Delhi attracts numerous tourists from everywhere in the world to show the glory of the ancient India. This city provides many hotels and resorts to their tourists. There are many budget hotels, luxury hotels, three star hotels, five star hotels and resorts in Delhi that provides a best quality and homely stay to the visitors. Hotels in Delhi welcome the tourists to Delhi for an enticing experience. All hotels in Delhi provide easy access to any place to the city. Luxury hotels in Delhi give the perfect destination for International Traveler looking for elite Delhi hotels.

Hotels and resorts in Delhi can be booked online; visitors can also book some attractive tour packages in Delhi to make their vacation more enjoyable. There are many other cities near to Delhi that can be chosen by the visitors for their vacation. Online booking of hotels and tour packages in Delhi assures the better services and facilities to the tourists.


About The Author
Neeraj Kumar

For more details on Delhi Tours, Hotels in Delhi and Delhi tour packages you can visit getsetbook.com, it is an online hotels directory.

Traveling To Goa For A Vacation - There are people in America that have a special liking towards the Asian culture. Especially Goa, this is known to

Traveling To Goa For A Vacation
by: Cathy Peterson

There are people in America that have a special liking towards the Asian culture. Especially Goa, this is known to be a tourist spot for many years. There are many tourists all over the world who spend their vacation or holiday in Goa.

Goa is one of the famous exotic places, it is not only reasonable but people genuinely enjoy there. There are many families who travel there, it is also a very safe location to travel to, and over the years there has been Police security especially for the tourist in Goa.

Hindi is a national language and it is advisable to know a bit of Hindi before making traveling plans. English is also very well spoken in Goa and so it won’t be a problem most of the time, to be on the safe side it is very important to know a bit of national language.

It is understood, when going to Goa, Families also would like to go shopping one very important thing is to understand is how to bargain bargain shop on different 'soil'.. Goa being tourist place, there are many stalls aside the beach of various kinds. Price for clothing or a gift item is always exaggerated than its original price. Therefore it is important to know, whatever price is told, have to bargain twice less than the original price.

Usually people do get corned, when shopping and so it is important that people are aware about bargaining.

If you choose to go to Goa to spend your holiday, let me guide you to some of the best places in Goa

Some of the best beaches in the North of Goa are, Anjuna beach, Candolim beach, Dona Paula beach, Miramar beach, Baga beach, Vagator beach, Sinquerim beach, Bambolim beach.

Some of the best beaches in the South of Goa are, Colva beach, Benaulim beach, Bogmalo beach, Verca beach, Palolem beach, Agonda beach, Cavelossim beach, Benavali beach.

All the above-mentioned beaches have different kind of houses with varieties of different restaurants. Some of the preferable houses are right towards the beach and they are made of bamboo shoots. Some have toilets attached and some have general ones. Good thing about them is after having a swim; families don’t have to go far, after being tired and can just go and crash in their beds.

Goa also has many traditional church buildings that attract the tourists too. One of the famous churches is of St. Francis Xaviers church that is one of the oldest churches in Goa. This is for the ones who are interested to know about churches.

In conclusion, Goa has good ratings to spend a holiday so why not consider it.


About The Author

Cathy Peterson writes about

http://www.traveldealsdiscounts.com/,

http://www.traveldealsdiscounts.com/discount-travel-deals/Site59.com and http://www.traveldealsdiscounts.com/discount-travel-deals/Hotels.com/.

Things To Do In Goa - Firstly there is some of the most stunning buildings to visit, and a trip to Panaji will lead you St Cajetan’s Church

Things To Do In Goa
by: Ken English

There are so many things to do in Goa, it is difficult to know where to start.

Firstly there is some of the most stunning buildings to visit, and a trip to Panaji will lead you St Cajetan’s Church, Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate, Secretariat’s Building, the Se cathedral; Asia’s largest church and Basilica of Bom Jesus.

If you are a museum lover, then the Rachel Museum of Christian Art is unmissable, and you can add to this list the Kerkar Art Complex, and the Cocoon Art Gallery.

For those interested in military history, you must visit Fort Aguada.

Temples are another ‘must see’ in Goa, and principally on your list should be the Shree Mahalaxmi Temple, the Shree BhagawatiTemple, the Shree Hanuman Temple, and the Damodar Temple. You should also visit the holy centre of Safa Shahouri Masjid.

There are several wildlife sanctuaries, and you must visit the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary which is rich in wildlife, and a definite must for birdwatchers. The Dudhsagar Waterfalls are a mighty 600 meters high, and there are few more impressive waterfalls. Finally you could if you wish take an elephant ride. The Carambolin Lake is a place to visit for bird watching, possibly a bit boring for children, so take them to the artificial Mayem Lake, where you can take them in pedal boats, and if you choose to, try the Kesarval medicinal Spring bath.

Most Goa Hotels have Ayuvedic Therapies, which are reputed to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul, but the most famous place for Ayuvedic Therapy is Keri village..

Why not take a Crocodile Cruise into the backwaters around Goa, and see not only crocodiles but also all sorts of wildlife. Water is so closely associated with life that a river cruise on the River mandovi is yet another option.

Finally we return to the beautiful beaches of Goa where apart from sunbathing, why not try parasailing or jet skiing.

The list whilst by no means endless will I hope help you to plan your vacation in Goa.


About The Author

Ken English writes about exotic vacation destinations so check out

http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com/categories/Indian-Sub-Continent/Goa/.

Beaches Of Goa - The beaches in fact cover 83km of the coastline, and almost wherever you go, you can choose your water sports, shop, eat remarkable

The Beaches Of Goa
by: Ken English

There is a belief that Goa is one long beach, whereas the reality is that Goa has seven rivers, so what with that and the towns and roads, Goa is in reality several beaches on its 125 km coastline.

The beaches in fact cover 83km of the coastline, and almost wherever you go, you can choose your water sports, shop, eat remarkable food, and drink exotic cocktails and beers, all at an amazingly cheap price.

Somewhere there is a beach for you, just waiting on you to arrive and explore, and your options are summarized below:

The Aguada Bay is between two promontories the Cabo and Aguada. Parts of the bay are known as Caranzalem and Sinquerim Bay. Here you will find 40 lovely beaches, nearly all are very clean and unpolluted, but not necessarily safe for swimming. The most torist would be the Calanguta, Baga, Anjuna strip in The Bardesh subdivision which is north of Panaji.

Go north for the untouched unspoiled beaches, these are found in the Pernem subdivision and the names to watch for are Keri Beach, Arambol[Harmal], Mandrem which has two little beaches Lemos and Asvem, and Morji. Up here you won’t get so much hassle, although the accommodation tends to be in thatched huts.

The previously discussed Bardesh subdivision is bordered by the Chapora River, and this is where you will find the following beaches. The Chapora, Anjuna, Baga, Calangute, Candolim, Sinquerim and an inner rocky beach called Quegdevelim, which is worth visiting for shell collecting.

The Tiswadi subdivision off the Mandovi estuary there are small tranquil beaches here worth trying.

Other beaches worth mentioning are Caranzalem, marvel, Dona Paula, Bambolim and Siridao, they are close to Mormuga harbour and the Mormugao sub division where you will find truly excellent beaches with names like Bogmalo, Cola, Issorcim, Pale, Velsao, and Cansaulim. Seafood is particularly good in this area, but be warned the Vasco da Gama beaches of Cumberthi and Baina are very polluted.

You will find in the Salcete subdivision Goa’s widest and cleanest and widest beaches, so look out for names like Gaudalim, Colva, Benaulim, Mobor, Varca, Carmona, and Cavelossim, although it is now the home to far too many new hotels.

If you travel further south you will find more primitive beaches again, probably most suited to young adventurers, who don’t mind camping. They are in the sub division of Canacona, which is where Goa ends, and here you will find the Palolem, Colamba, Talpona, and Galgibaga beaches.

There are so many beaches Goa you can’t possibly visit them all, but you can give it your best shot.


About The Author

Ken English takes many vacations in the tropics and his opinions are sought after, check out http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com/categories/Indian-Sub-Continent/Goa/