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China's climate ranges from year-round tropical heat in Hainan to Siberian conditions in the far north and classic desert weather in the far west. Clothing is usually dictated by the weather. In winter it is a good idea to wear layers of garments so as to be able to strip down when necessary. In warm weather clothing should be casual and designed for comfort.
International phone calls can be made direct from hotel room. Long distance phone call
will be charged to your room. All hotels have Business Centers handling fax transmission
and telex or cable services.
China tourism authorities adopt international standards to classify all hotels in China. Aside from guest rooms, a four-star hotel usually has several restaurants serving Asian and western cuisines, swimming pool, full-service business center, gymnasium/health club, shopping arcade, Karaoke bar, tennis courts, clinic, banking and postal service, beauty salon, etc. Many international hotel chains also have properties in China.
All Chinese people speak Putonghua (Mandarin), the national language based on the Beijing Dialect. Many students and young people studying English or other foreign languages. Visitors might be approached for impromptu lessons. Tourist hotels employ staff fluent in English and other languages, who can write down addresses or instructions in Chinese for taxi drivers or others. All major streets in cities are signposted in Pinyin Chinese system of romanization which makes it easy to get around with the help of a map.
The name of Chinese currency is Renminbi (RMB) or Yuan (dollar). Banknotes are in 100 Yuan, 50 Yuan, 10 Yuan, 5 Yuan, 2 Yuan and 1 Yuan. Two new banknotes, 200 Yuan and 20 Yuan, are being introduced into circulation. There are also coins for smaller dnomination such as 10 Fen (cent), 20 Fen, 50 Fen and 1 Yuan. Foreign currency in cash and travelers cheques can be exchanged in all major hotels and banks. Major credit cards in the world are also acceptable at tourist hotels and Friendship Stores.
All of China observes only one time zone, Beijing Time, or GMT + 8. When it is 12 noon in China, it is 6 PM in Hawaii and Anchorage, 8 PM in Vancouver and Los Angeles, 9 PM in Denver, 10 PM in Chicago and 11 PM in Toronto, Montreal and New York, all in the previous day. WORKING HOURS Shops open seven days a week, from 8 or 9 AM till 7 or 8 PM. Restaurants in hotels have long opening hours. Most people in China work 5 days in a week. Saturday and Sunday are statutory holidays. The longest and most important public holiday is the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). Usually fell in late January or early February, the Spring Festival lasts 4 to 7 days.
Taxis are plentiful in all major cities and can be found at airports, train stations, hotels, major department stores and restaurants. Taxis can also be flagged on the street. In smaller cities you can arrange taxi through the hotel you are staying in. Few cabbies speak English so you should have your destination written in Chinese. China domestic air and train tickets can be arranged at most hotels |
