Travel Guide East Asia China

The Chinese saying is 一汾钱一汾货, “yi fen qian, yi fen huo” (pronounced ee fen chee-ahn, ee fen hoo-oh). This translates literally to one cent gives you one cent’s worth of merchandise. Makes sense, right?
There’s a whole industry of fake goods in China that lots of visitors to China go wild for when they arrive [...]

Getting to Know the People’s Money or Renminbi
Currency
Mainland China uses Renminbi, which translates to “the People’s Money”. Other, common, terms for the Renminbi, RMB in shortened form, are yuan, pronounced “you-on”, or kuai, pronounced “kwhy”. It is common to see the Chinese currency noted as “CNY” in foreign exchange bureaus and banks. The abbreviation stands [...]

The Population Growth of the World’s Largest Country

With just over 1.3 billion people (1,330,044,605 as of mid-2008), China is the world’s largest and most populous country.
As the world’s population is approximately 6.7 billion, China represents a full 20% of the world’s population so one in every five people on the planet is a resident of [...]

The cost of a taxi is based on the quality of the taxi and the distance traveled. At the time of my visit, there were three types of taxi and thus three different rates for a ride. This is a photo of the medium-rate taxi. Taxis are never difficult to locate but this photo shows [...]

Overview:
Taxis are a good, inexpensive, easy way to get around in Chinese cities – and frankly sometimes to get between them – as long as you know a few guidelines so you won’t be caught off-guard. Read on so you’ll be prepared to use this convenient way to get yourself around in China.
Before You [...]

Step 1: Buy a Ticket
Congratulations! You’ve decided to avoid traffic, go green and take the subway. You might be a little daunted but don’t be, take your time and follow these easy directions and hopefully you’ll get wherever you need to go with ease and aplomb.
Now that you’ve found the station, the first thing [...]

Question: Can I Get a Chinese Visa in Hong Kong?
Answer: While the official recommendation is to obtain a Chinese visa in the country where you reside before you leave for your trip, you can get a Chinese visa in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong does not require visas for entry for residents of most countries. For [...]

Question: How Do I Get an Invitation Letter for China if I am an Independent Tourist?
Answer: If you are traveling independently (without an official tour group), you need to get an invitation letter. It’s a little bit trickier than when traveling with a group or for business. Tour agencies supply the letters for their travelers [...]

Question: How Do I Get an Invitation Letter for China if I am Traveling with a Tour Group?
Answer: If you are traveling with a tour group you will not need to get an invitation letter separately. The tour group company will handle this step and will likely also process your . Check with your tour [...]

Question: What is a re-entry visa for China and why would I need it?
Answer: Re-entry visas are required for China if you are planning to leave the country and then re-enter during your stay. For most people traveling to China on a tour or holiday, it wouldn’t be required. However, if you are planning to [...]