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Banks are open from Monday to Sunday in China. General opening hours are 9:30am-5pm Monday. General office hours, including Post Offices, are 9am-5pm; Mon-Sat. Stamps are often available at front desks of hotels and hostels.

ATM cards can be used in China at some Chinese ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines). The Bank of China accepts all international credit cards. Other banks, such as ICBC or Bank of Construction has limited access. Your ATM card must carry either the CIRRUS, PLUS or STAR international ATM mark or the Interlink or Maestro POS mark. Travelers should contact their bank at home for information on availability, exchange rates, and service charges.

Climate

It is possible to travel in China at any time of the year. Seasons are the similar to those of the Northern Hemisphere.

Spring: March - May

Summer: June - August

Fall: September - November

Winter: December - February

Credit Cards

Credit cards are starting to be more widely accepted in hotels and large stores in China. However, note that cash is still the prevailing form of payment, even for large purchases. The most commonly accepted credit cards are MasterCard and Visa. Use is usually restricted in smaller towns and country areas and small retail shops. There may be a service fee imposed when using credit cards.

Currency & Exchange

Chinese currency is fixed at 7.9 Renminbi (Yuan) to 1 US Dollar.

Changing foreign currency or travelers checks can be done quickly and efficiently at most banks. Always keep your receipt when changing currency, as you will need to show proof of this transaction when wanting to exchange RMB to any other currency when leaving China.

Eating Out

Eating out in China is a joy. From exotic five-star cuisine to economical roadside fare, you will be are spoilt for choice. However, try to eat out at restaurants that are clean (or at least appear to be clean). Food hygiene standards are very different that those of the West. It is still not safe to drink from tap water. Fruit vendors can be found everywhere and fruit is relatively inexpensive in China.

Electricity

220 Volts, Flat 2-pin blade plugs or v-shaped prongs

Health and Safety

It is relatively safe to travel in China. However, it is always advisable to take out Travel Insurance for the duration of your stay.

Come to China in the summer you will, unfortunately, meet some mosquitoes. You can cheaply buy various repellent sprays and creams in China or you may wish to bring some from home.

Insurance

Seriously consider taking travel insurance out. The essential components of good travel insurance fall into three groups - medical insurance, cover for your luggage and personal property, and cancellation insurance.

Language

The official language is Mandarin or Putonghua. Regional dialects are spoken all over China, with the gap between Mandarin and these gaps widening as you travel further down south or west.

It is hard to find people speaking English except if you are in a touristy area.

Telephones

It is possible to make a local phone call from a public phone in China, if you can speak Chinese. A convenient alternative is to purchase a local SIM card that you can use on your overseas cell phone and get a local number. A local SIM card should cost between RMB150-300.

An IP card is a pre paid card for use in regular landline phones or cell phones to make international calls. It is available from a number of retail stores.

Time Zones

There is only one time zone in China GMT +08:00. The Xinjiang Autonomous Region is the far western part of China officially follows the same time zone, but residents follow their own local time.

Tourist Traps

Souvenir Shops and Tourist Restaurants

Be wary of: souvenir shops grossly overpriced items and bad Chinese food in tourist restaurants. Chances are that if you sign up for a day tour to any famous attraction in Beijing, regardless of whether it is a trip to the Forbidden City or the Great Wall, these tours will not only take you to your destination, but also make a stop by at souvenir shops and tourist restaurants along the way. Store or restaurant owners pay tour guides huge commissions when the guides bring in unassuming tourists into their facilities.

Great Wall Tours

Be wary of: dull coach tours to overcrowded touristy section. Many travelers will go to the Great Wall, but what most does not realize is that if they sign up for a trip to the Wall, the tour operator will take them to the overcrowded, touristy Badaling section. This section of the Wall has massive parking lots for huge coach buses and tourists will never get to enjoy the charm of the Wall when countless vendors are on the Wall trying to sell them souvenirs.

For tours to off-the-beaten-path Jinshanling-Simatai hike, know that many hostels organize tours to this same hiking route. You may meet quite a few other tourists on that same route and will have the company of postcard vendors on quite a good stretch of the trail. Some tour operators pick up guests from many hostels and thus if you are unlucky, you may have to sit in a bus for up to 45 minutes before you leave the city for the 3 hour bus ride.

Rickshaw Tour Scam

Be wary of: inflated tour prices, restricted route, and restaurant/teahouse visit. Sitting on a rickshaw is a relaxing way to enjoy a tour of Beijing hutong alleyways. What most tourists do not know is that there is no fixed price for the rickshaw tour, meaning that non-Chinese tourists get quoted inflated prices. Beijing rickshaws are also restricted in their route access; for instance Houhai Lake Area rickshaws cannot go to the ancient Qianmen Front Gate hutong alleyways. Rickshaws driver are paid a fee for taking tourists to local dumpling restaurants or teahouses that take advantage of the language barrier to overcharge for a service or item. These local dumpling restaurants and teahouses in turn charge exorbitant prices to unassuming tourists.

Trains

Taking the train is a great way of traveling around China. Trains are usually very punctual and safe; and there are no price differences for Chinese and foreigners. However, unlike many Western countries there is a very limited time window (usually 4 days prior to departure date) to purchase train tickets in China.

Visas

Citizens of all countries must apply for a Chinese tourist visa (L) if they are traveling in China. Applications may be submitted in person to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate at the closest city or through a travel agent. The following documents are required when submitting a visa application:

>>Completed visa application form. Download visa application http://www.china-embassy.org/chn/hzqz/zgqz/Q1-1.pdf
>>One recent passport sized photograph
>>Valid passport (expiry must not be within 6-mo of visa application)
>>Travel itinerary or flight booking

For more information, visit the official Chinese Embassy website: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/default.htm