China Travel

Overview
China is a vast country in Eastern Asia with the world's largest population and also an amazing cultural treasure of the world. Its natural wealth, five millennia of history, and an old continuous civilization,  place China as a great travel destination. Numerous historical monuments scattered across the colossal territory are vestiges of the ancient Chinese culture, which includethe Great Wall, the Forbidden City, X'ian's Terracotta Army and Tiananmen Square. The vast land of this country also hosts various natural landscapes, such as the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, the Silk Road, the Tibet or Hainan Island.

Climate
Spread over such a vast area, China is subject to the worst extremes in weather. The northeast experiences hot and dry summers and bitterly cold winters. The north and central region has almost continual rainfall, hot summers and cold winters. The southeast region has substantial rainfall, with semi-tropical summers and cool winters. Central, southern and western China are also susceptible to flooding, and the country is also periodically subject to seismic activity.

Best time to go
Early autumn and spring are generally the best time to visit China. If arriving in winter, heavyweight clothing and boots are recommended to cope with what can be extreme cold. Likewise, lightweight clothing should be packed for a visit at the height of summer.

Shopping
Haggling is a big part of the buying process in markets. In Beijing, Shanghai and many other large cities, massive department stores sell everything from luxury fashion to high-tech electronics. In big cities and tourist towns, English is often spoken by shop assistants. Good shops are found in major centres like Shanghai's Nanjing Road or Beijing's Wanfujing. You can also get handicrafts direct from shops at local factories, from shops specialising in the sale of handicrafts, and at art-and-craft department stores. Special purchases include jade jewellery, embroidery, calligraphy, paintings and carvings in wood, stone and bamboo. Shop personnel often pack and arrange shipping for bulky items. Keep receipts, as visitors may be asked to produce them at customs prior to departure. Hotel shops are more expensive than local shops.

Nightlife
Shanghai and Beijing have world-class nightlife scenes, with an eclectic array of international Big cities have cocktail lounges, live music venues and nightclubs heaving until the early hours. Outside the cosmopolitan cities, evening entertainment tends to be restricted to restaurants, karaoke parlours and gaming halls, where people gather to play cards, snooker and mahjong, while increasingly, bars at newly built international hotels are further options. Travellers to larger cities generally sample the culture with visits to Chinese opera, circus, ballet and theatre. Karaoke (written OK+ on Chinese signs) is very popular countrywide, with some karaoke venues offering over 100 private rooms, dinner buffets and 24-hour service. Traditional local music and dancing is often found in areas where there are strong ethnic minority groups, notably in provinces including Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Sichuan.

Hotels
There is a good range of hotels from budget to luxury. International-standard hotels can be found in cities throughout China, many of them are managed by international hotel chains. Star ratings for domestically-run hotels can be somewhat generous. The most impressive choice of accommodation is in cities like Shanghai and Beijing – unsurprisingly, costs are usually more expensive too. Facilities generally include restaurants, coffee shops, bars, swimming pools and massage rooms. Some include executive floors and lounges, spas, shopping and business malls, banks and post offices.