Cheap Hotels in China

China

China is a cultural and ancient civilisation in East Asia with a population exceeding 1.3 billion and makes up around one-fifth of the worlds population. China is one of the world's oldest civilisations comprising states and cultures, which date back more than 6000 years. Since the last civil war following World War II, it is divided into two separate countries. The Peoples Republic of China which governs China, Hong Kong and Macau and the Republic of China which governs Taiwan and the surrounding islands. Most languages in China come from the Sino-Tibetan family spoken by 20 ethnicities. The most widely spoken dialect is Mandarin by around 70% of the population.

China has coasts onto the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea and South China Sea. It also borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Mongolia and North Korea. China has a vast variety of landscapes and geography with plateau's and mountains in the west and lower lands to the east. Grasslands can be found in the north, and the south is home to the Himalayas and Mount Everest the planets highest peak. Most of China's arable land lies around rivers in the central east areas.

Places to Visit in China

Beijing is China's most important centre for international trade and communications. May, September and October are the best months to visit here with the blue skies and sunshine. With records showing Beijing being inhabited for more than three thousand years, this city is rich with history. Although now a modern and fashionable city, authentic Beijing life can still be experienced. Exploring ‘Old Beijing' many teahouses, temple fairs, the Hutong and Courtyard and the Peking Opera can be found. There is an excellently preserved section of the Great Wall here to be seen and the Temple of Heaven, which is the largest sacrificial complex in the world. Nightlife offers everything from traditional entertainment such as opera, acrobatics and martial arts to more modern treats such as ballroom dancing, bars and clubs.

The Forbidden City in central Beijing is a must see. The Imperial Palace covers an area of 72 hectares and runs 960 metres from north to south. It was the imperial residence and centre of the kingdom during the reign of 24 emperors, which ruled from this palace for 491 years. It is now the largest and best preserved ancient architecture in China.

Shanghai is the largest industrial city in China. This city offers sightseeing, business and shopping alongside the culture. A must for any tourist is Nanjing Road for shopping. Shanghai's restaurants are among the finest in China, and the range of culinary delights is great.

Macau is situated on the southeast coast of China. There are many popular museums, churches and castles to be visited here with a rich and varied culture. Past the heritage in Macau its biggest attraction is the gambling industry and casinos. Through many forms of legal gambling, the most popular in this area is baccarat. It is also home to The Sands Macau casino, which is the largest in the world. There are many other tourist attractions in this area such as the Fortaleza do Monte, Macau Fisherman's Warf and Macau Tower.

Tianjin offers many tourist attractions including Haihe river, Panshan Mountain, Tianjin TV & Radio Tower, Dule Temple, Huangyaguan Great Wall, Hotel Street and Food Street. There are still many places of natural beauty as well as great history to be found. Cuisine in Tianjin is heavily seafood due to its proximity to the sea.

The Great Wall of China was listed a world heritage site in 1987 and is a one of the great wonders of the world. It was originally built as defensive fortification by the three states Yan, Zhao and Qin. After the unification of China Emperor Qin Shihuang succeeded in efforts to have the walls joined together to fend off invasions from Huns in the north. It has since then been a great monument throughout history. Running east to west across China it can be visited at many spots along its length of several thousand kilometres. The most popular are Badaling, the busiest and most visited by tourists, Jinshanling being slightly quieter from tourists, Shanhaiguan where the wall stretches out into the sea and Simtai which is noted as the most authentic part of the wall.

Chinese Cusine

Food varies greatly between regions in China. Cantonese, Guangzhou and Hong Kong is the style of cooking most are familiar with. Fresh ingredients, seafood and small snacks (Dim Sum) cooked not too spicy. Sihuan on the other hand is known to be very hot and spicy.

Beijing offers non fancy food such as noodles, bread buns, peking duck and cabbage dishes. Zhehiang cuisine is often served in as a soup and is a delicately seasoned mix of vegetables and seafood. Fujian cuisine is again heavily seafood. Some food is prepared from endangered species and is best to watch out for.

Green tea is served as free standard in almost all restaurants. Specialist tea houses serve a huge variety of teas ranging from pale light white tea to powerful fermented flavours.

Climate in China

Climate like the landscape in China varies greatly, with arctic winters in the north, subtropical climate in the south and a temperate climate in central areas. All of China is very hot during the summer, the north east in particular becomes very dry. Due to a prolonged drought and poor agricultural practices, dust storms

China Embassy

For your convenience we have listed China embassys below. Embassys can provide you with information regarding visas and other important travel information.