See what the experts are saying about Dujiangyan. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
-
Staying healthy
Staying Healthy Plan well ahead. While a trip to Hong Kong or Macau can be made with little extra protection, a trip to mainland China, depending on its duration and time spent outside larger cities, may require a few new inoculations, esp... Continue reading »
-
Tips on accommodations
Choosing a Hotel in China There are two types of hotel in mainland China: the Sino-foreign joint-venture hotels with familiar brand-names, and Chinese-owned and -managed hotels. At the government-issued four- and five-star Chinese properti... Continue reading »
-
Sustainable travel & ecotourism
Each time you take a flight or drive a car CO2 is released into the atmosphere. You can help neutralize this danger to our planet through "carbon offsetting" -- paying someone to reduce your CO2 emissions by the same amount you've added. Carb... Continue reading »
-
Special-interest tours
Audubon Nature Odysseys (U.S.): The Audubon Society has just started to experiment with bird-watching tours in China, and works through a specialist U.S. company with a Sino-American operator based in Kunming. The tour leader is a bird specia... Continue reading »
-
Safety
China was long touted as one of Asia's safest destinations, but this is changing rapidly. So be cautious about theft in the same places as anywhere else in the world -- crowded markets, popular tourist sights, bus and railway stations, and ai... Continue reading »
-
Insurance
The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on the destination, the cost and length of your trip, your age and health, and the type of trip you're taking, but expect to pay between 5% and 8% of the vacation itself. You can get estim... Continue reading »
-
Tips for families
China accepts children traveling on a parent's passport, although the child's photo must be submitted along with the parent's when a visa application is made. Mainland China, however, is not the place to make your first experiment in trave... Continue reading »
-
Tips for gay and lesbian travelers
China is still in denial. Even Beijing boasts only a single gay bar of any note, but it is not permitted to describe it in print as such, and there's less still for lesbians. You don't travel to China for the gay scene any more than you'd tra... Continue reading »
-
Tips for senior travelers
There are no special arrangements or discounts for seniors in China, with the exception of some familiar foreign brand-name hotels that may offer senior rates if you book in advance (although you'll usually beat those prices simply by showing... Continue reading »
-
Tips for travelers with disabilities
China should not be your first choice of destination, and if it is, you should travel in a specialist group (although such tours to China are very rare) or with those who are fully familiar with giving you whatever assistance you may need.... Continue reading »
-
Suggested itineraries
Almost all mainstream tour companies tackle Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, and the overrated Yangzi River cruise. Here are a few suggestions for trips -- most of which are not too far off the main routes -- you can do on your own. China... Continue reading »
-
In one week
Only a week in the Middle Kingdom is a tall order; you could spend 10 years exploring China, and still only scratch the surface. Because of the vast distances involved (both getting to China, and getting around the country), if you have just... Continue reading »
