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CHINA - Travel Tips
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When to go?
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| China's
geographic area is slightly larger than the U.S.A; it
covers similar latitudes, with the lion's share located
in the temperate zone. This provides endless year-round |
variety
for visitors to the country, from ice festivals in the
north to tropical beach resorts in the south. Keep in
mind the vast distances between destinations when
planning your trip. Travelling, along the popular Golden
Route (Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin) is the rough
equivalent of visiting Chicago, Washington DC, Atlanta,
and Miami, all in one trip. Weather wise, Shanghai and
Guangzhou's climates resemble those of US south-eastern
coastal states, while Beijing's climate is more like
Chicago's.
While China is a year-round destination, the
months of May, September, and October are ideal months
for travel anywhere in the country. In
the north, |
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the winters are cold, and summers warm, with
moist monsoon air streams making it hot (80% of China's
rainfall occurs between late May and early October,
mostly in the Southern regions). June through August is
a good time to visit central and northern China. Spring
and autumn are the best months for travel in Southern
China. The months of March and April are the lower-priced shoulder season; while the lowest price,
off-season travel, is from November through the winter
months. This is when adventuresome travellers are
rewarded with unbelievably low prices and far fewer
fellow tourists.
Where
to go?
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Stretching more than 4,800 kilometres. from the western shore
of the Pacific Ocean across the face of Asia, China is a
country of immense size and variety. |
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This vastness not
only adds to the excitement of planning a trip to the
country, but also to the dilemma of which cities and
regions to visit first. When planning a trip to China,
it is recommended that you don't try to see
"everything" in one start-to-finish, whirlwind
trip. Sure, you'll come home with some great pictures,
but if you want to fully experience the country, allow
enough time to really experience it. China is definitely
the kind of place you will want to visit more than once.
It is best to visit the major sites and cities on the
first trip, at a relaxed pace, then plan to explore the
country region by region on subsequent trips when you
can
experience all the different ethnic minority cultures
and archaeological wonders. Keep in mind that China is a land of extreme climatic
variations. |
| For example during February you can travel
the southern coast and enjoy tropical fruits, sunbathe on the beaches of Hainan Island or visit the Flower
Festival in Guangdong. At the same time, in the north,
Harbin is dazzling travellers at the annual Ice Sculpture
Festival with giant ice pagodas, ice palaces, and
cleverly sculpted panda bears. Meanwhile, Beijing is
celebrating the Longqing Gorge Ice and Snow Festival
with illuminated ice lanterns, spectacular fireworks,
and ice fishing. Witnessing the grandeur of the
Forbidden City in the snow is an extraordinary sight
indeed. |
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480 University Avenue, Suite 806, Toronto, ON M5G 1V2, Canada
Tel: (416) 599-6636, 1 866-599-6636, Fax: (416) 599-6382
E-mail: cnto@tourismchina-ca.com
© Copyright 2002, China National Tourist Office, Toronto, Canada.
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