Travel Information for China

Helpful information if your planning a trip to China

Country

The People's Republic of China is the fourth largest country in the world and is, in fact, the largest if measured by population. The total land area is 3.7 million square miles (9.6 million square kilometers) and the country has 1.2 billion inhabitants. China shares its borders with North Korea, the former Soviet Union, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma, Laos and Vietnam. China has a high altitude in the West and slopes downward towards the East. The large mountains, such as the Himalayas featuring Mount Everest, can be found in the Southwest (Tibet). From these plateaus, the big rivers flow towards the coast. The biggest rivers are the Yellow River, Mekong River, Salween River and Yangzi River. In ancient times, Chinese civilization developed primarily along the borders of the Yellow River.
Despite China's vastness, there's only 1 time zone. Since there's no daylight savings time, it's either six or seven hours later in China than in the Netherlands.

Climate

Since China is such a large country, it spans four different climate zones, ranging from very cold to tropical.

China has seasonal changes. The southwestern coastal area has a (sub)tropical climate with very high humidity and warm winters. China's North features more of a desert climate, characterized by severe drought and extreme fluctuations in temperature.

Travel to China is recommended from April to June and from September through October.

• Beijing's current weather report
• Shanghai's current weather report
• Hong Kong's current weather report
  

Language

Stamps can often be bought at the hotel reception, where you can also put your letters in the mail. Packages, however, have to be sent from the post office. In hotels, you can call internationally; domestic calls are often free.

In most cases, your mobile phone has range and you'll be able to call and be called. If you want to make calls amongst yourselves, it's a good plan to buy a SIM card from one of the many traders or stores that supply these. However, make sure that the seller refills this pre-paid card himself, since this can be rather tricky.
Some phone numbers are more expensive than others since they include many 8s, which is considered a lucky number by the Chinese.

Tipping

The more frequently a hotel or restaurant is visited by tourists, the greater the chance that a tip (of about 10%) is expected. Generally speaking, however, tipping is an unknown phenomenon and can lead to confusion.

Opening hours

Opening hours in China are not regulated. State-run shops frequently feature a sign stating the opening hours, usually 7 days a week from 9.30am to 8.30pm. Privately owned shops are often open longer. The opening hours of the larger banks are usually 9am to noon and 2pm to 5pm, whereas the bigger post offices are open from 8am to 7pm.

Do’s and dont’s

• Offering items like a business card or present should be done with both hands. This indicates that you also offer as much of yourself as possible.

• It's customary in China to refuse gifts, even the ones you like, two or three times before accepting them.

• Upon receiving a gift, you shouldn't unwrap it right away, since that will make you look greedy.

• Physically demonstrative acts, such as slapping someone on the shoulders, should be avoided – especially in the presence of people who are older or higher in rank than you are.

• When greeting a group of people, the eldest or highest in rank should be greeted first.

• Posture is important. Don't slump in your seat and don't put your feet up on a chair or table. Also, don’t use your feet to move something.

• Silence is a virtue in China, so don't be upset when silence falls during a dinner or business meeting. It's an expression of politeness and reflection.

• Shoes should be taken off when entering a house.

• Never point with any finger, always do so with an open hand. If you want to gesture for someone to come to you, do this by making an up and downward movement with the palm of your hand facing down.

• The Chinese are enthusiastic applauders, so don't be surprised if you're welcomed with applause.

• Often, Westerners are still an unknown phenomenon outside the big cities. Don't be surprised if Chinese people stare at you.

• Personal space is limited in China. A Chinese person will therefore sometimes stand much closer to you than we're accustomed to in the West.

• In busy stores or when entering public transportation, shoving and pushing can take place. That's pretty common and apologies are neither offered nor expected.

• Before taking someone's picture, ask for his or her permission.

Eating and dining:

• Don't start to eat before the host or hostess has picked up his or her chopsticks.

• Often the table is set with dishes that are for collective use. You're not always supposed to take food from these using the same chopsticks you're using to put food in your mouth. In that case, the host or hostess will serve the food or extra chopsticks will be placed next to the dishes.

• Don't make any wild gestures with the chopsticks and don't use them to point at your table companions. Don't use the chopsticks to prick your food with either.

• Don't place the chopsticks upright in the rice. There is a superstition among some Chinese that this will bring bad luck. In some areas, chopsticks are placed in the rice as an offering to the deceased.

• When you've finished eating, place the chopsticks parallel to each other on your plate.

• Refusing food is impolite. If you don't want to eat it, shuffle it back and forth for a while and then place it on the edge of your plate.

• If a chunk of food is too big to put in your mouth and no knife is available, it's quite normal to just bite off a piece.

• Proposing a toast is pretty simple. After picking up the glass you look at your host or hostess and then at the people sitting around him or her, after which you nod and empty your glass. While doing so you can say 'gānbēi', which is more or less the equivalent of 'bottoms up'. Use the XS2China application to practice the proper pronunciation!

• Never direct the teapot's spout at a table companion. If there's no tea left and you'd like to have some more, you can indicate this by turning the teapot's lid upside down.

Important addresses and help numbers