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CHINA
When to Go
The peak season refers to May, September and October; the shoulder Season refers to March, April, June, July and August; the Low Season refers to January, February, November and December. Most girls go home for Chinese New Year.
Getting There
Entering the country. If you are entering the country from Hong Kong and you are a U.S. passport holder, a visa is not required if your stay is less than 90 days as a tourist. For other passport holders, please inquire with your nearest PRC embassy or consulate.
Valid Visas
are required, and those who arrive in China without a visa may be fined at the port of entry and may not be allowed to enter China. The Chinese government does not permit foreigners to visit some areas of China.
For information about entry requirements and restricted areas, travelers may consult the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. For more information regarding visas, contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China at (202) 328-2517 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Customs
On arrival, each traveler must complete a form declaring foreign currency and valuables such as cameras, antiques and jewelry. The declaration must be handed in on departure; if required, the listed objects must be shown to verify that they haven’t been sold within China.
You can bring in two bottles of alcoholic beverages and 600 cigarettes, as well as foreign currency and valuables for personal use without restrictions.
What to Bring
Toilet articles. Take your usual toilet articles and medicines. You may be able to find most of your basic items in the major cities. The rural areas won’t have them. Bring your own condoms.
Do not bring in weapons, ammunition, drugs, or pornographic literature (broadly interpreted).
Lodging
Airport to Lodging. Write down the name of your hotel and make sure that the driver understands where you want to go before you get into the cab. Have him repeat the name to you.
Health and Safety
Immunizations
Not required for entry into China, unless the traveler is coming from a yellow fever-infected area. The CDC in Atlanta recommends the all travelers have current polio and tetanus immunizations.
For traveling into countryside, immune globulin is also recommended to combat hepatitis A, as is typhoid immunization. It is very important to bring along a supply of wide spectrum Antibiotics, an anti-diarrheal agent, and any other prescription drugs required. For most update information, please contact CDC in Atlanta or visit their web site.
CRIME
China is one of the safest countries in the world. However, in recent years, crime has increased, principally in the major cities. Serious crime against foreigners is rare, however, petty crime such as pick pocketing and purse snatching occur frequently. Pickpockets are active in train stations, markets, shopping areas, sightseeing destinations, etc.
Other precautions are:
- Do not flash money in public.
- Keep only the money you need in your pocket. Hide the rest on your body or leave it in the hotel safe.
- Keep valuables in the hotel safe instead of the room.
- Don’t flash jewelry in public.
- Never put your visa and passport, credit card, traveler’s checks, and other travel documents in a carry bag.
- Recognize the values of different banknotes to avoid being deceived.
- Be cautious of your things in crowded areas: Local festivals, markets, tourist sites, railway and bus stations, on trains and buses.
- Always let your hotel or guides know where you are in your free days during the trip. Report any problems to your guides.
- Respect the custom of the local minorities.
- Do not quarrel with anyone. Do not criticize China’s laws and code of ethics and morals.
- Do not travel to areas not open to foreigners.
Getting Back
Reconfirmation of departure reservations is essential. Travelers have been stranded when outgoing flights are overbooked and reservations have not been reconfirmed.
On departure, antiques such as porcelain, paintings, calligraphy, carvings, and old books must carry the red lacquer seal of an official antique shop. Otherwise, they can be confiscated by the customs officials without compensation.
You must fill in Exit Registration Cards and have your passport and visa checked. Articles registered on the Customs Luggage Declaration Form should all be brought out of China. If any item is missing, a certificate by the relevant department is required (for instance, a certificate from the police is required if something has been stolen); otherwise, the traveler must pay import duty according to the Customs regulations.
Airport Tax
Departure tax when exiting China is 90 Yuan (about $11). The fee must be paid in cash on the spot. Domestic airport tax is 50 Yuan (about $6) per flight and is usually included in your trip package unless specified.
Internet
You can find access in most major cities, though it can be very slow to download. Business centers in 4 and 5 star hotels provide an Internet server for visitors and you can also find cyber cafes in many cities, especially near the universities.
Phones
International country code: [86]
Selected city codes:
Beijing (Peking) (10)
Fujian (591)
Guangzhou (20)
Shanghai (21)
Liaoning (24)
Sichuan (28)
Hainan (898)
Dialing China from Overseas:
Dial your country’s international dialing code, then 86 (the country code for China), then the city code, and finally the number. If you were dialing Beijing from the United States, for example, you would begin with 011, then 86, then 10 (the city code for Beijing), and finally the number of the person or office you were trying to reach.
Assistance Numbers:
Information 116
Local information 114
General information (10) 5130828
Long Distance Calls within China:
Dial 0 before the area code. There is no need to dial the area code when calling within that area.
International Calls:
Because of the antiquated phone systems, it is often easier to make international calls than local ones.
Public Telephones:
There are few public telephones on Chinese city streets. It normally takes repeated efforts to make a successful local call, and clarity is poor. Callers often must shout to make themselves heard. And because the call will be automatically be disconnected after 20 seconds of silence, if you’re put on hold you must keep shouting, singing, whistling, or humming to yourself. Luckily, all calls are free.
About the 11PM rules:
Be careful! A friend of mine in Hong Kong was in the Holiday Inn Lido in Beijing a few years ago and met a girl in the disco. They went back to his room and a little later there was a knock on the door. It was the police and they informed him that what he was doing was illegal in China.
Tipping
Today, attitudes towards tipping are changing. Although the practice is not officially recognized, tips are now frequently offered to and accepted by travel guides, tour bus drivers, porters and waiters in top-class hotels and restaurants.
However, tipping is still not expected in most restaurants and hotels. So ask the guide whether a tip is necessary and how much when you are uncertain. Sometimes, small gifts such as paperbacks, cassette tapes and western cigarettes appear to be preferred. Note that it is part of the polite ritual that any gift or tip initially will be firmly rejected.
Map
http://www.maps-of-china.com/hainan-s-ow.shtml
Restaurants
Hyatt Shark’s Fin Restaurant (Guangdong Cuisine) – Haifu Lu
Hainan Golden Caost Hotel (Chaozhou Cuisine) – Haikou Renmin Avenue
China Chiuchow Garden Group (Chaozhou Cuisine) – Da tong Lu
Xi Men Food Street (Hainan Cuisine) – Wen Ming Xi Lu
Medical
In China, standards of both medical care and the availability of medicines can vary a great deal between one region and another. In major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an, medical facilities are good. Some hospitals have special sections set aside for foreigners. There will be doctors and nurses who speak English. They are well qualified and competent so you will receive good medical care. Medical fees are reasonable and immediate payment is required.
Often, only primary health care is available in rural and remote areas. This is why you must be satisfied that you are in good health before you travel. It is essential that you take all recommended precautions so as to avoid accidents or illness.
Most hotels will have access to a doctor. Should you require treatment, contact your hotel desk clerk, who will arrange for you to either see a doctor or be taken to a hospital, if it is appropriate.
Alternatively, seek the assistance of your tour manager or the local office of your travel agents if for any reason the hotel staff is unable to help you.
Internet
Just as in the rest of the world Internet services are now widely available in China. You will be able find access it in most major cities, though at times it can be very slow to download. Business centers in 4 and 5 star hotels provide an Internet server for visitors and you can also find cyber cafes in many cities. One of the best places to look out for these is near to the universities.
Phones
China is using more and more optical cables and extending its use of ground satellite communication stations. Pagers and mobile telephones cover main cities. China’s phone system is efficient. Direct long-distance dials (DDD) and International calls (IDD) all can be made from hotel rooms or roadside telephone kiosks. When making a domestic call, visitors should dial the domestic prefix 0 plus area code and the number. When making an international call, just dial the international prefix 00, plus country code, area code and number. IDD calls have a six-second minimum charge, the rate is 0.80 yuan per six second. All long distance phone made between 21:00 and 07:00 the next morning only need pay half the daytime price.
In hotels, local calls are generally free or only charged a nominal fee while domestic long-distance and international calls will be charged a variable service fee from 10 to 20 percent.
In some large cities, you can now buy IP phone cards which can save you money. Telegram, fax and telex facilities are available in hotels, post offices and telecommunication centers.
Country Code: 86
Area code 898
Security
Comparing with a lot of other countries, China is one of the safest countries in the world for personal security. However, in recent years, crime has increased, principally in the major cities.
Serious crime against foreigners is rare, however, petty crime such as pick pocketing and purse snatching occur somewhat frequently. Pickpockets active in crowded areas such as stations, markets, shopping areas, sightseeing destinations, etc. So it is still wise to be cautious with your personal possession in public place. Following are some precautions to avoid potential problems:
Do not show off your money in public.
Keep enough money for your immediate needs in your pocket, and hide the rest on your body or, better, leave them inside the safe boxes in hotel. Always keep valuables in safe boxes in hotels instead of leaving them in your room.
Remove any jewellery that may draw a thief’s attention before you go out for strolling.
Never put your visa and passport, credit card, traveler’s checks and other travel documents in a carry bag.
Ensure that you recognize the values of different local banknotes to avoid being deceived.
Be particularly cautious of your possession in crowded areas such as local festivals, markets, tourist sites, railway and bus stations, and of course, on trains and buses.
Always let your hotel or guides know where you are in your free days during the trip.
Respect the custom of the local minorities.
Do not quarrel with anyone during your trip.
Any dissensions should be reported to your local guides for settlement.
Do not travel those areas or sites that are not open to foreigners.
Do not disperse any opinions contrary to China’s laws and code of ethics and morals.
Scams
RECREATION
Haikou Harbour
This is arguably the best place in all of China to see sailing junks, which have sadly disappeared form most other parts of the country; shipyards here welcome visitors interested in traditional boat-building methods.
Sanya
This settlement on the south coast is Hainan’s second-largest city, but is nonetheless a laid-back location where casual clothes are worn for almost every occasion and life proceeds at an unhurried pace.
Dadonghai
Located just 2 km from Sanya city, Dadonghai is a small-but-bustling beach resort with such unexpected amenities as western-style cocktail bars with blues music on the sound system.
Luhuitou
This neatly-kept town is a fishing port as well as a resort, so restaurants here have their daily pick of the ocean’s freshest bounty, and serve some of the best seafood on the island.
Yalong Bay
This tranquil beach resort is where you’d go to get away from everything, including organized tourist attractions. What you’ll find here instead is a stunningly beautiful and remarkably uncrowded beach, a small village – and peace and quiet.
Xinglong
Located on Hainan’s east coast, this area has been famous for centuries for its natural mineral springs, water form which is nowadays piped directly into hotel rooms at a regulated temperature. Coffee is also grown in this area, and provides an interesting change of taste in the world’s largest tea-consuming country.
Baoling
Best reached by means of a 40-km bus trip from Sanya, this settlement is the centre of Hainan’s largest autonomous areas, home to the Li and Miao ethnic minority peoples, and an excellent place to purchase beautiful handicrafts.
The End of The Earth
Located at the extreme southern tip of Hainan (and the limit of civilization, according to ancient belief), and this small resort features a relatively uncrowded beach with food soft drinks and a few guest accommodations.
Shopping
Haikou’s markets offer interesting carved stones, model junks and woodcarving, along with silk and bamboo ware. Among the most memorable souvenirs of Hainan are weaving, embroidery and carvings done by the island’s talented Li, Miao, Hui and Zhuang ethnic minority people.
Hainan Star Shopping Centre – 6 Hai Xiu Lu
Friendship Shopping Centre – Da Tong Lu
Hainan International Commercial Building Duty Free Shop – Da Tong Lu
Long Zhu Xin Cheng Duty Free Shop – Long Kun Lu
Photography
Bring more films than you think you’ll need, as you’ll find there’s a lot to photograph. All security X-ray machines on Mainland China and at Hong Kong airport are film-safe. Camera and video camera should be declared upon entry to China. Most major brands of color print film are available in China, but slide or high/low ASA film may be difficult to find. In the large cities of China, film could be processed in one hour and the quality is acceptable.
Points for Attention:
Do not take photographs at aerodromes, military installations or other politically sensitive areas.
Do not photograph from aircraft.
Do not take pictures of strangers, their children or possessions without asking permission.
Taking photography is forbidden in most museums, palaces, grottoes, and temples.
Some institutions permit photography on payment of a fee in advance.
He was taken downtown and put in a jail overnight. The next day, his agent bailed him out by paying the police 400USD. He was told to leave the country. The whole thing had been a setup. Everyone made some money. The only problem one can run into today, is that the girl would not make it through the security checks in the hotel lobbies after 10:00 or 11:00 pm. But if you walk in with her together, you would normally not be stopped either. Before 10:00, none of the major hotels in town will react. The Lido has always had a special problem with this anyway and yes, the hotel employees are on the take there. After 10 p.m. you will find good looking ladies for about 100$ at the hard rock cafe in Beijing.
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