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Travelling in China Until recently, China was mostly visited as part of a package group tour and the tour guide would arrange all facets of the trip. You wouldn't have had to look for a restaurant or a bar; simply walking behind the tour guide would lead you to your next place to be. Group travel offered a chance to travel with others and to share your experiences with fellow travellers.However, today's China is developing in lightening speed. Remote areas are becoming more available due to new roads, train tracks and airports. The growing Chinese middle class demands transport, restaurants and shopping opportunities. Flying between cities, train travel, taking a taxi cab to the centre of town or looking for a restaurant; everything has been made much easier these days and that is why China has become more attractive for the independent foreign traveller. Independent travellers have more freedom of choice, can travel at their own pace, eat wherever they want to and ultimately they will meet more of the local Chinese population. Click here to see a map of China. |
Choosing a China Travel Plan tripChina Travel Plan is a website designed for the independent traveller. We have personally visited each and every location featured on this site and know the best way and the easiest way to visit them. This site offers as much information as possible as well as our own personal China travel tips for a successful independent journey.Additionally we would like to help you decide where you would like to go and what would be fun to do while travelling. These are important choices to make especially since most China travellers take off 3 to 4 weeks to visit China properly. Visiting China for this length of time allows you to see quite a large portion of China. However, the country is much larger than you can imagine and that is why we would like to assist you in your independent China travel planning to assure you that you won't return home and find out that you've missed certain highlights. To simplify your travel planning we've created independent China tours for the most important destinations. You can combine these modules as you please or choose from one of our favourite combinations, our China itineraries. |
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City, village or countryside?While planning your trip you'll probably book visits to China's most popular attractions first, such as: Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Terracotta Army near Xi'an, the streets of Lijiang and Dali and the karst mountains at Yangshuo. Before you know it you'll be planning a trip that only features city visits. Yangshuo may sound like a village; however it is a mature city with over 300.000 inhabitants. Luckily even cities of millions such as Xi'an have quite compact city centres that make it easy to find your way around. Cities such as Dali and Lijiang not only have growing modern city centres, they also have historic city segments to visit.It would be a shame to miss out on the Chinese countryside and nature during your visit. It's such a great escape from the crowds (especially the large numbers of Chinese tourists visiting their country in groups) and the smog. So how can this be done? When assembling our trips we always take care to include visits outside of the cities and towns. You'll have activity-free days to spend as you wish in nature by foot or by bicycle. All of our travel modules in China can also be extended; out of personal experience we suggest doing this if a particular sounds appealing. It allows you to go out and explore the area independently; you'll get to know the area better and can even get to know the local population which are usually quite friendly and hospitable. While we were in Dali a group of old grandfathers asked to see our cameras. Eventually we spent half an hour taking pictures of and with them and looking at the pictures with them. The pictures were beautiful and the experience was priceless. |
Do you speak Chinese?Although English has become a required course at all Chinese schools these days, most Chinese do not speak foreign languages. Since Chinese writing and speech sound quite odd to us and positive conversations are a must in the Chinese culture, it's quite easy for a misunderstanding to occur. You're more than likely to encounter this during your holiday, especially in restaurants where everything is written in Chinese.Independent travel in China requires initiative and flexibility. Luckily you'll always have our local representatives available to you if you should need them. |
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Our local representativesChina Travel Plan has local, English-speaking hosts and hostesses and a contact address in each city we offer travel to. They are available for all of your questions as well as for tips on excursions and attractions beyond the city limits. Our representatives are mostly young Chinese who have learned a great deal about travelling and foreign travellers during their own backpacking experiences. They are quite accustomed to Europeans and have a good feel for what most travellers would like to do and see during their holidays. Our local partners are accustomed to independent travellers and there is a 24-hour emergency phone number that you can use if necessary. |
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What will we arrange for you? China Travel Plan trips always include: - an information pack along with local travel documents - all transport between large cities; by airplane, train, local bus, mini van or private car - transfer on arrival in a new town/city (unless accommodation is within walking distance) - all accommodation in hotels, guest houses, monasteries, local homes etc. based on accommodation only - all excursions as described in the module outline; these are activities that we're quite of you would want to visit and that can best be arranged ahead of time leaving you more time for your visit - the services of our local representative |
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Meals are not included during your stay unless specifically mentioned, such as when you spend the night at the home of a local family. You can usually choose from a Chinese or Western breakfast at your accommodation. A Chinese breakfast is usually noodles and the Western breakfast can become quite boring, that's why we leave your meal choices up to you. This way you can have breakfast at a bakery on the corner that you discovered on your own or you can order fresh fruit from a street stand. Meals in China are not expensive; on average you'll pay 20 Yuan for breakfast, 60 Yuan for lunch and 100 Yuan for dinner and drinks.
We wish you happy planning and and hope you have an unforgettable China trip!
We wish you happy planning and and hope you have an unforgettable China trip!