Lonely Planet China
Page 211
Tomb Sweeping Festival First weekend in April; a popular three-day holiday period.
International Labour Day 1 May; for many it’s a three-day holiday.
Youth Day 4 May
International Children’s Day 1 June
Dragon Boat Festival 30 May 2017, 18 June 2018, 7 June 2019
Birthday of the Chinese Communist Party 1 July
Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Liberation Army 1 August
Mid-Autumn Festival 4 October 2017, 24 September 2018, 13 September 2019
National Day 1 October; the big one – a week-long holiday.
Safe Travel
Loss Reports
If something of yours is stolen, report it immediately to the nearest Foreign Affairs Branch of the Public Security Bureau (PSB; 公安局; Gōng’ānjú). Staff will ask you to fill in a loss report before investigating the case.
A loss report is crucial so you can claim compensation if you have travel insurance. Be prepared to spend many hours, perhaps even several days, organising it. Make a copy of your passport in case of loss or theft.
Transport
Traffic accidents are the major cause of death in China for people aged between 15 and 45, and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there are 600 traffic deaths per day. On long-distance buses, you may find there are no seatbelts, or that the seatbelts are virtually unusable through neglect or are inextricably stuffed beneath the seat. Outside of the big cities, taxis are unlikely to have rear seatbelts fitted.
Your greatest danger in China will almost certainly be crossing the road, so develop 360-degree vision and a sixth sense. Electric cars and 'hoverboards' can approach quite silently. Crossing only when it is safe to do so could keep you perched at the side of the road in perpetuity, but don’t imitate the local tendency to cross without looking. Note that cars frequently turn on red lights in China, so the green ‘walk now’ figure does not always mean it is safe to cross.
GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ADVICE
The following government websites offer travel advisories and information on current hot spots:
AAustralian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (www.smarttraveller.gov.au)
ABritish Foreign & Commonwealth Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice)
ACanadian Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade (http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories)
ANew Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (www.safetravel.govt.nz)
AUS State Department (http://travel.state.gov)
Telephone
Nearly everybody in China has a mobile phone (you may be judged on your model). Landlines and calling cards are rare. Some hotels will give you unlimited local or national calls.
Country code (China/Hong Kong/Macau) 86/852/853
International access code 00
Directory assistance 114
Mobile Phones
If you have the right phone (eg Blackberry, iPhone, Android), you can use Skype (www.skype.com), Viber (www.viber.com) and Whatsapp (www.whatsapp.com) to make either very cheap or free calls with wi-fi access, even if your phone is network-locked or you have no phone credit. Communication through Chinese app WeChat (微信; Wēixìn; www.wechat.com), which boasts half a billion users, is standard practice between both friends and small businesses and is not considered unprofessional. (Note that although Chinese also use the word 'app', they spell it out as 'a-p-p'.)
Consider buying a data SIM card plan in China for constant network access away from wi-fi hot spots; plans start at under ¥70 for 500MB of data and 200 minutes of China calls per month. You will be warned about cancelling this service before leaving the country to avoid a hefty bill should you return. For this reason and the language barrier, it can be more convenient (if more expensive) to pick up a SIM card on arrival at an airport in the major cities. Though more expensive, 3G Solutions (www.3gsolutions.com.cn) offers a range of mobile data and voice packages with pre-booking online, and will have the SIM card delivered to your accommodation on the day you arrive in China.
If you want to get a SIM card independently, China Unicom offers the most reliable service with the greatest coverage. China Mobile or China Unicom outlets can sell you a standard prepaid SIM card, which cost from ¥60 to ¥100 and include ¥50 of credit. (You'll be given a choice of phone numbers. Choose a number without the unlucky number 4, if you don't want to irk Chinese colleagues.)
When your prepaid credit runs out, top up by buying a credit-charging card (充值卡; chōngzhí kǎ) from outlets. Cards are also available from newspaper kiosks and shops displaying the China Mobile sign.
Buying a mobile phone in China is also an option as they are generally inexpensive. Make sure the phone uses W-CDMA, which works on China Unicom and most carriers around the world, and not TD-SCDMA, which works only on China Mobile and not international carriers.
Cafes, restaurants and bars in larger towns and cities frequently offer wi-fi. Consider investing in a USB portable power bank for charging your phone and other devices while on the road.
Landlines
If making a domestic call, look out for very cheap public phones at newspaper stands (报刊亭; bàokāntíng) and hole-in-the-wall shops (小卖部; xiǎomàibù); you make your call and then pay the owner. Domestic and international long-distance phone calls can also be made from main telecommunications offices and ‘phone bars’ (话吧; huàbā). Cardless international calls are expensive and it’s far cheaper to use an internet phone (IP) card.
Public telephone booths are rarely used now in China but may serve as wi-fi hot spots (as in Shànghǎi).
Time
The 24-hour clock is commonly used in China. Despite China's breadth, there is one single time zone in China: UTC+8. (You can also find UTC+6 used in Tibet and Xīnjiāng, though it is not official.)
Tourist Information
Tourist information continues to improve, with modern booths with pamphlets springing up even in smaller cities. The quality of spoken English can be hit-and-miss, though.
AChina National Tourist Office www.cnto.org
Travellers with Disabilities
China is not easy to navigate for travellers with limited mobility, but travel in a wheelchair is possible in the large cities at top-end accommodation (with lots of preparation and pre-booking). Even still, expect plenty of stares.
Download Lonely Planet's free Accessible Travel guide from http://lptravel.to/AccessibleTravel.
Visas
Applying for Visas
For China
Apart from visa-free visits to Hong Kong and Macau and useful 72-hour visa-free transit stays (for visitors from 51 nations) to Běijīng, Shànghǎi (144-hour visa-free transit), Guǎngzhōu, Xī’ān, Guìlín, Chéngdū, Chóngqìng, Dàlián and Shěnyáng, among others, you will need a visa to visit China. Citizens from Japan, Singapore, Brunei, San Marino, Mauritius, the Seychelles and the Bahamas do not require a visa to visit China. There remain a few restricted areas in China that require an additional permit from the PSB. Permits are also required for travel to Tibet, a region that the authorities can suddenly bar foreigners from entering.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the expiry date of your visa (nine months for a double-entry visa) and you’ll need at least one entire blank page in your passport for the visa. For children under the age of 18, a parent must sign the application form on their behalf.
At the time of writing, the visa application process had become more rigorous and applicants were required to provide the following:
Aa copy of flight confirmation showing onward/return travel
Afor double-entry visas, flight confirmation showing all dates of entry and exit
Aif staying at a hotel in China, confirmation from the hotel (this can be cancelled later if you stay elsewhere and often just showing the first night is enough)
Aif staying with friends or relatives, a copy of the information page of their passport, a copy of their China vi
sa and a letter of invitation from them.
At the time of writing, prices for a standard single-entry 30-day visa were as follows:
AUK£85 for UK citizens
AUS$140 for US citizens
AUS$40 for citizens of other nations.
Double-entry visas:
AUK£85 for UK citizens
AUS$140 for US citizens
AUS$60 for all other nationals.
Six-month multiple-entry visas:
AUK£85 for UK citizens
AUS$140 for US citizens
AUS$80 for all other nationals.
A standard, 30-day single-entry visa can be issued in four to five working days. In many countries, the visa service has been outsourced from the Chinese embassy to a compulsory Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (www.visaforchina.org), which levies an extra administration fee. In the case of the UK, a single-entry visa costs UK£85, but the standard administration charge levied by the centre is an additional UK£66 (three-day express UK£78, postal service UK£90). In some countries, such as the UK, France, the US and Canada, there is more than one service centre nationwide. Visa Application Service Centres are open Monday to Friday.
A standard 30-day visa is activated on the date you enter China, and must be used within three months of the date of issue. Travel visas of 60 days and 90 days are harder to get but possible just by applying. To stay longer, you can extend your visa in China.
Visa applications require a completed application form (available from the embassy, visa application service centre or downloaded from its website) and at least one photo (normally 51mm x 51mm). You generally pay for your visa when you collect it. A visa mailed to you will take up to three weeks. In the US and Canada, mailed visa applications have to go via a visa agent, at extra cost. In the US, many people use the China Visa Service Center (%in the US 800 799 6560; www.mychinavisa.com), which offers prompt service. The procedure takes around 10 to 14 days. CIBT (www.uk.cibt.com) offers a global network and a fast and efficient turnaround.
Hong Kong is a good place to pick up a China visa. China Travel Service (CTS; 中国旅行社; Zhōngguó Lǚxíngshè) will be able to obtain one for you, or you can apply directly to the Visa Office of the People’s Republic of China ( GOOGLE MAP ; %10-11am & 3-4pm Mon-Fri 852 3413 2424, recorded info 852 3413 2300; www.fmcoprc.gov.hk; 7th fl, Lower Block, China Resources Centre, 26 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai; h9am-noon & 2-5pm Mon-Fri; mWan Chai, exit A3).
Be aware that American and UK passport holders must pay considerably more for their visas. You must supply two photos. Prices for China visas in Hong Kong are as follows:
AStandard visa One-/two-/three-day processing time HK$500/400/200
ADouble-entry visa One-/two-/three-day processing time HK$600/500/300
AMultiple-entry six-month visa One-/two-/three-day processing time HK$800/700/500
AMultiple-entry one-, two- or three-year visa One-/two-/three-day processing time HK$1100/1000/800.
You can buy a five-day, Shēnzhèn-only visa (¥168 for most nationalities, ¥469 for Brits; cash only) at the Luóhú border (Lo Wu; 9am-10.30pm), Huángǎng (9am-1pm & 2.30-5pm) and Shékǒu (8.45am-12.30pm & 2.30-5.30pm). US citizens must buy a visa in advance in Macau or Hong Kong.
Three-day visas are also available at the Macau–Zhūhǎi border (¥168 for most nationalities, ¥469 for British, US citizens excluded; 8.30am to 12.15pm, 1pm to 6.15pm & 7pm to 10.30pm). US citizens have to buy a visa in advance in Macau or Hong Kong.
Be aware that political events can suddenly make visas more difficult to procure or renew.
When asked about your itinerary on the application form, list standard tourist destinations; if you are considering going to Tibet or western Xīnjiāng, just leave it off the form. The list you give is not binding. Those working in media or journalism may want to profess a different occupation; otherwise, a visa may be refused or a shorter length of stay than requested may be given.
VISA-FREE TRANSITS
Citizens from 51 nations (including the US, Australia, Canada, France, Brazil and the UK) can stay in Běijīng for 72 hours without a visa as long as they are in transit to other destinations outside China, have a third-country visa and an air ticket out of Běijīng. Similarly, citizens from the same nations can also transit through Chángshā, Chéngdū, Chóngqìng, Dàlián, Guǎngzhōu, Guìlín, Harbin, Kūnmíng, Qīngdǎo, Shěnyáng, Tiānjīn, Wǔhàn, Xiàmén and Xī’ān for 72 hours visa-free, with the same conditions. Visitors on such three-day stays are not allowed to leave the transit city, with the exception of Chángshā, Chéngdū, Guǎngzhōu and Qīngdǎo, where visitors are given more movement and are not allowed to leave the transit province. Dàlián and Shěnyáng also allow movement between the two cities.
Similarly, citizens of the 51 nations arriving in Shànghǎi, Nánjīng or Hángzhōu can now stay even longer (144 hours) without a visa. An added benefit is that visitors on such six-day stays can move between Shànghǎi, and Zhèjiāng and Jiāngsū provinces – regardless of the transit city of entry. Also, in addition to airports, visitors may enter by ports and train stations.
For visa-free transit:
AYou must inform your airline at check-in.
AUpon arrival, look for the dedicated immigration counter.
AYour transit time is calculated from just after midnight, so you may actually be permitted a little over 72 or 144 hours.
AIf you are not staying at a hotel, you must register with a local police station within 24 hours of arriving.
AHong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are eligible third countries.
AVisitors on the 72-hour visa-free transit must leave the country from the same airport of entry.
Check your eligibility as the rules change quickly and new cities are being added.
Hǎinán has a complicated, 15-day visa-free policy for tour groups of five or more citizens of 21 countries. See this website for details: http://en.visithainan.gov.cn.
For Hong Kong
At the time of writing, most visitors to Hong Kong, including citizens of the EU, Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada, could enter and stay for 90 days without a visa. British passport holders get 180 days, while South Africans are allowed to stay 30 days visa-free. If you require a visa, apply at a Chinese embassy or consulate before arriving. If you visit Hong Kong from China, you will need a double-entry, multiple-entry or new visa to re-enter China.
For Macau
Most travellers, including citizens of the EU, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada and South Africa, can enter Macau without a visa for between 30 and 90 days. British passport holders get 180 days. Most other nationalities can get a 30-day visa on arrival, which will cost MOP$100/50/200 per adult/child under 12/family. If you’re visiting Macau from China and plan to re-enter China, you will need to be on a multiple- or double-entry visa.
Visa Types
There are 12 categories of visas (for most travellers, an L visa will be issued).
Type English Name Chinese Name
C Flight attendant 乘务; chéngwù
D Resident 定居; dìngjū
F Business or student 访问; fǎngwèn
G Transit 过境; guòjìng
J1 Journalist (more than six months) 记者1; jìzhě 1
J2 Journalist (less than six months) 记者2; jìzhě 2
L Travel 旅行; lǚxíng
M Commercial and trade 贸易; màoyì
Q1 Family visits (more than six months) 亲属1; qīnshǔ 1
Q2 Family visits (less than six months) 亲属2; qīnshǔ 2
R Talents/needed skills 人才; réncái
S1 Visits to foreign relatives/private (more than six months) 私人1; sīrén 1
S2 Visits to foreign relatives/private (less than six months) 私人2; sīrén 2
X1 Student (more than six months) 学习1; xuéxí 1
X2 Student (less than six months) 学习2; xuéxí 2
Z Working 工作; gōngzuò
Visa Extensions
For
China
The Foreign Affairs Branch of the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) deals with visa extensions.
First-time extensions of 30 days are usually easy to obtain on single-entry tourist visas, but must be done at least seven days before your visa expires; a further extension of a month may be possible, but you may only get another week. Travellers report generous extensions in provincial towns, but don’t bank on this. Popping across to Hong Kong to apply for a new tourist visa is another option.
Extensions to single-entry visas vary in price, depending on your nationality. At the time of writing, US travellers paid ¥185, Canadians ¥165, UK citizens ¥160 and Australians ¥100. Expect to wait up to seven days for your visa extension to be processed.
The penalty for overstaying your visa in China is up to ¥500 per day, and you may even be banned from returning to China for up to 10 years if you overstay by more than 11 days. Some travellers have reported having trouble with officials who read the 'valid until' date on their visa incorrectly. For a one-month travel (L) visa, the 'valid until' date is the date by which you must enter the country (within three months of the date the visa was issued), not the date upon which your visa expires.
For Hong Kong
For tourist-visa extensions, inquire at the Hong Kong Immigration Department ( GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2824 6111; www.immd.gov.hk; 2nd fl, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai; h8.45am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 9-11.30am Sat; mWan Chai, exit C). Extensions (HK$160) are not readily granted unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as illness.
For Macau
If your visa expires, you can obtain a single one-month extension from the Macau Immigration Department.