Asian countries have fascinated global trotters since long. China, with its grand ‘Great Wall of China’, amazing natural and picturesque sites, monasteries perching high on the mountains in Tibet, excellent markets and shops, lip smacking local delicacies etc. has everything for all kinds of travelers. Even as a business center, this country a carved a niche for itself in the world. In 2017, almost 29 million people visited the country from across the world. American citizens too have a fascination for this amazing country and the numbers of visitors are increasing with passage of time.
As a resident of Seattle, USA, if you are intending to visit China, here is a guide, which can be of great help to you. Read on to know more on the same.
- The best time to visit China
Before planning your trip to China, you must find out the best time for visiting the country. China is a large country and different areas have varying weather conditions. In majority of the leading tourist destinations in the country, spring time (April and May) and fall (September and October) are the most suitable times for visiting China. Light comfortable clothes with a light jacket will just be fine.
Also keep a note of the time of China’s national holidays. There are major Chinese public holidays and if possible these times should be avoided by travelers and tourists. Transportation is a mess at these times. Hotel charges surge by quite a bit.
- Arrange for the right kind of visa
For a US citizen, it is mandatory to have a valid visa for making an entry into China. Whether you visit China for business purpose or for travel and tourism, having a visa is mandatory. Arrange for China visa in Seattle, either from the Chinese embassy or from some proper visa agency offering Chinese visa in Seattle. The visas come in varying validities along with varying entry permits – single entry and multiple entries being the most common kinds. Online applications for Seattle China visa can be done.
- Having VPN is very important
China has its own policies and doesn’t budge an inch from there. We all know that Google and Facebook are blocked in China. Not only these, many other services have also been seen to be blocked in the country. If you still want to use these services while being in China, you need to get VPN. With the help of VPN, the internet traffic is routed via a different country. VPN can be set up in the form of an app on the smartphone or even on laptop, as per convenience of the user. There are different kinds of options and prices in which VPN services are available. Choose a suitable one so that you have no issues during your China visit and stay.
- Know about the currency and money matters in the country
This is one of the most important things one needs to know while planning a visit to China. Cash is the most preferred way of making payments in the country. Presently many hotels and restaurants accept cards. Yuan is the official currency of the country and available in various denominations from 1RMB to 100RMB. No other kind of currency is accepted in the country. Money can be exchanged at international ATMs, but they are not widely available in all parts of China. It is recommended to inform the bank in advance that you are visiting China so that they know that the debit or the credit card will be used in the country.
- Have proper travel planning
China has innumerable travel and tourist destinations, all of which are highly fascinating. Depending on the time you have in hand for exploring the country, make a travel itinerary so that you can cover the important places at least during the visit. Exploring the whole of China is not possible with one visit; you have to come back to the country for more. However with proper planning, it is possible to make your trip as fruitful as possible.
China can be visited under a guided private tour program or individually too. It depends on your preference and choice which one you are comfortable in. Visiting China once will not satiate your wanderlust soul; you will look for opportunities for visiting the country again and again.
