The text of the article was updated: 05/29/2018

I'll tell you a secret - I have already begun to test the waters for independent travel on vacation next spring. Nor have I even begun to write travel reports myself in China, Hong Kong, the Philippines and New York. To set myself a goal, a beacon and get off the ground with writing a story, I decided to write this announcement today.

The trip to the Middle Kingdom took place in mid-November 2011, as part of the route "Yekaterinburg - China - Hong Kong - Philippines - China - Yekaterinburg". The Chinese part of our trip included:

1) Guided tours Beijing and the surrounding area. In particular:

• Visit Summer Imperial Palace.

• A trip to the farthest section of the Great Wall of China - Mutianyu Great Wall ... In total, there are three well-equipped and restored sites for tourists to visit.

• Walk along the famous pedestrian wangfujing Street .

2) Flight to the city Guilin in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the PRC. And from it moving to commuter bus to Yangshuo village, where we spent four days.

• Ride bicycles and moped through orange groves and strawberry fields in the vicinity yangshuo village .

• And also rafted along Lijiang River, Li River .

3) Moving by night train to the city Shenzhen), which stands on the border with Hong Kong. We arrived in Shenzhen on the third bunk of a Chinese reserved seat car.

4) We arrived in Shenzhen in the morning. We ate and went to cross the land border with Hong Kong... We walked around Hong Kong until the evening and at night flew to the Philippine island of Cebu.

5) Then we dragged around the Philippines for a week (Bohol, Pangalao, Boracay islands) and flew through Manila to Shanghai thwhere we spent one day.

In Shanghai, we managed to visit the oceanarium and walk around the center.

We really liked China. Absolute safety, friendly people, ancient history and delightful nature. Delicious and varied cuisine!

We will return to this country more than once. That's for sure. At least, to see those sights that we did not have time to see the first time. I have a dream to walk the most terrible path in the world in huashan mountains , meet the dawn in mountains Zhangjiajie and see the clear waters of the national park Jiuzhaigou .

There are many nuances when preparing an independent trip to China. For example, the Chinese do not speak any language other than Chinese. And you need to prepare for this. Train tickets cannot be purchased earlier than 4 days before the trip. And a ticket for 1 flight in an airplane, unlike the rest of the world, costs exactly 50% of the round-trip flight.

Note. In addition to this report, below is a link to a story about a trip to China in the fall of 2017, which details how to buy train tickets from Russia through the Ctrip service. It also describes how many troubles there were due to the presence of Turkish stamps in the passport.

A Chinese proverb says that the journey of a thousand li begins with one small step. Let's assume that today I have already made my first small step in writing a report and recommendations for a savage trip to China ...

How to organize an independent trip to China

Before starting a detailed account of our vacation in the Middle Kingdom, let's tell you how we organized our trip. Maybe my advice will be useful to someone.

So, the procedure for developing a travel plan in China, in general, is similar to organizing a trip to any other country. You need to think through five strategic points in detail:

1. Choose tourist placeswhere you would like to go on an excursion, determine the sights that you would like to see.
2. Draw up a route for travel around the country and book flights. If possible, then also purchase train or steamer tickets.
3. Decide where you will stay and book hotels. In the Middle Kingdom, we booked hotels in advance. But in Mexico and Sri Lanka, they reserved numbers only at the first point of our route. True, then we traveled in rented cars.
4. Go to an insurance company and buy a medical policy. Please note that when you rent a car, you need to inform the insurers about it. Driving is considered a dangerous sport and insurance is more expensive.
5. Get a visa.

Let us now consider these issues in more detail using our route as an example.

First. Choose places for sightseeing in China

Why was China chosen for our trip? Because it is the third largest country on our planet. Its history goes back thousands of years. Choosing which attractions to see in the People's Republic of China is not easy. As I wrote above, I wanted to see the "Avatar Mountains" in Zhangjiajie Natural Park, walk along the most terrible trail in the world in the Huashan Mountains, see the transparent Jiuzhaigou lakes. I really wanted to see rice terraces in Yunnan province and walk along the tiger jumping gorge (Hutiao Xia) in the same area and dozens of other attractions.

At the same time, my wife set a condition: "Take me to whatever pampas you want, but a few days of beach holidays on our vacation should be reserved anyway!" I read reviews of tourists about sea resorts in China and realized that "the service, as in the USSR, does not attract me." Moreover, it turned out that you can buy cheap air tickets from Hong Kong to the Philippine island of Cebu (Cebu).

Many hours of studying reports on the forum of independent travelers Vinsky crystallized the following travel plan for the savages in November:

1. Arrival in Beijing. Visit to the Summer Imperial Palace. If we have time, we will also drive them to the Forbidden City. In the evening, walk along the famous Wangfujing pedestrian street.
2. On the second day we will go to see the Great Wall of China. In total there are several sections of the wall that attract tourists: Badaling, Jinshanling and Mutianyu Great Wall and Simatai. Badaling is the closest, but the entire billion Chinese tourists come there. Symatai, it seems, is not restored and looks cooler. We chose a compromise option: the Mutianyu Great Wall section, where there are not so many tourists, and it is not very difficult to get there and there are very beautiful mountains.
3. Flight by domestic Chinese airlines to Guilin city. Here we had to buy train tickets to the Hong Kong border city of Shenzhen and then to intercity bus go to Yangshuo village for four days. The village is famous for its magnificent landscapes of karst hills. As I said earlier, we rode bicycles and a moped, rafted bamboo rafts on the Yulong River.
4. On the evening of the fourth day, we arrived back in Guilin, where we took a train and on the third berth of a reserved seat carriage, we arrived in Shenzhen overnight. Here we ate at the station and crossed the border with Hong Kong through an underground passage. We took the metro to the terminal station of the express at the airport, left our luggage in the storage room, and went to observation deck Victoria Peak. When it got dark, we took the metro to the Avenue of Stars, where we watched the evening laser show.
5. After midnight we flew to the Philippines to the Cebu island. From Cebu we took a ferry to Bohol Island. From Bohol on tuk-tuk we moved to Pangalao. Here we sunbathed, swam for four days, went on an excursion to see the Chocolate Hills, a butterfly park and a tarsiers nursery. We also went down the Loboc river cruise.
6. Then - the way back to Cebu and the flight to Caticlan Island. From Caticlan every half hour there is a sea minibus to Boracay. There is a wonderful place here - a beach with white sand and crystal clear sea (White Beach). Here we just relaxed at sea.
7. A few days later, we flew to Shanghai with a three-hour transfer in the capital of the Philippines, Manila.
8. We arrived in Shanghai in the evening. We spent the night at the hotel, left our luggage for a respite, and went to the city center. We saw skyscrapers, the famous Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower and went on a very impressive excursion to the Shanghai Haiyang Shuizuguan. In the evening we had a flight to Beijing and five hours later - a flight to Yekaterinburg.

The route of our trip to China looked like this:

Second. Booking tickets for your own travel in China

At the beginning of my report, I already noted that one of the peculiarities of China is that plane tickets cost exactly 50% on the “there” route of the “round trip” price. How to find and book cheap flights, I described in detail in the 10th part of the story about prices in Sri Lanka. Having studied the offers of airlines, we found an acceptable option: a flight Ekaterinburg - Beijing - Ekaterinburg, operated by S7.

To find and buy air tickets within China, independent travelers are advised to use the sites elong.net and ctrip.com... Another difference with the Chinese transport system is that, usually, the closer the departure date, the higher the discount on tickets. So, we booked tickets on Ctrip at 40% off.

The payment was made with a mastercard. When filling out the payment form, the program did not allow you to enter the name of the bank with numbersBank24.ru and I had to print something like “BankTwentyfourdotru "...

On one of the segments of the trip (from Guilin to Shenzhen) it was planned to go by train. Here is the next difficulty: in China, you can buy train tickets only inside the country just a few days before departure (like 4 days). And, according to unverified data, only at the departure station.

Train timetables and prices for train tickets can be seen on the portal TravelChinaGuide.com... Experienced travelers are advised to double-check the accuracy of the timetable on the official website of Chinese Railways. huochepiao.com, as there may be inaccuracies on the TravelChine Guide.

The staff of the TravelChineGide website can redeem train tickets for you and deliver them to a pre-agreed address. Therefore, I placed an order in which I asked to buy travel documents and send them to my hotel in Yangshuo (remember that tickets can only be redeemed four days before the trip). But a day later, the employees of this agency contacted me and said that my payment from the card did not go through and I should call the bank. The bank clerk said that paying for tickets online is possible if only the check function is turned off.CCV bank card code. He could not explain why such a procedure is fraught with the security of payments. In general, I wrote to the Chinese partners that I would cancel the order and rely on God's will. I'll ask the hotel staff to buy us tickets. If we succeed, we will go to Shenzhen by train. But no - then by night bus (in the Middle Kingdom you can move between cities on a comfortable bus with reclining seats. True, the sun beds are short, it is not very convenient for tall people to sleep). Well, or, as a last resort, we will fly by plane or take a taxi.

Looking ahead, I will say that we managed to buy railway tickets at the Guilin ticket office without any problems.

I can give the following advice for planning an independent trip. Be sure to check that public holidays do not fall on the dates of your travel to the PRC. Many travelers write that at this time it is extremely difficult to buy travel documents and find free hotel rooms.

Third. Hotel room reservation

Hotels for travel by savages in China booked on the portal agoda.com... You can also use booking.com.

• I chose an inexpensive hostel to stay in Beijing 161 Hostellocated in the old town. Price per night - 1500 rubles. Our room had a shower, sink and toilet. If the room was with amenities on the corridor, then the price would be less than a thousand per night. The public areas are kept perfectly clean. So, if you want to save money, book a room at a cheaper rate. The staff speaks passable English. There is internet. The metro stop is five minutes from the hotel. Wanwujing Street and the Forbidden City are just a stone's throw away.

A photo. Where to stay in Beijing. Which hotel to choose. The white circle to the top right is the sign of our 161 Hostel.

• In Yangshuo village we checked into the four-star West Street Vista Hotel. The quality is so-so, tolerable. As it turned out, there are a lot of cheaper hotels around. The service in the hotel is "Soviet".
• In Shanghai, we spent one night at the New Asia Hotel. It stands close to the subway, next to the famous Pudong area. You can live ... Adjusted for the Chinese service.

Another tip for traveling the country on your own. In Chinese hotels, it is customary to take a deposit in cash upon check-in. I don’t remember if we always paid 200 yuan, or for 1 night. Therefore, before the vacation, I had to buy yuan in Yekaterinburg. We can exchange them in rubles for Chinese currency, for example, in Sberbank branches at the addresses: st. Moscow, 11 or st. Tveritina, 34. At the same time, I had to place an order in advance. The foreign currency was brought in a week later. The course is not profitable. So we only bought 600RMB to pay for the fare from Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) to the hotel and give a deposit for the first night.

In general, dollars were changed in Shanghai once at a hotel. We waited a long time for the employee to fill out all the papers. They say that if you change at the bank, you will have to wait even longer. And several times we have withdrawn Chinese money from ATMs - very convenient.

Fourth. Purchasing a travel medical insurance policy

Everything is clear here. Going on an independent trip, if you don't want problems, insure your health. We always issue a medical policy for 50 thousand dollars.

The insurance cost 620 rubles per person. Indirectly, this can serve as proof of the safety of tourists. So, in Mexico, an insurance policy cost 2,400 rubles.

From the crime I have heard only about such a layout of tourists. You walk around Beijing and turn your head around with your mouth open. Two pretty Chinese women come up and offer to be your guide in English. They say they want to practice their English. At some point, it is proposed to go to a cafe with traditional Chinese tea, but they have no money. You agree to pay. They are going away. The waiter brings a bill for several thousand rubles ... If you refuse to pay, there are mordovorots ...

Fifth. Obtaining a Chinese visa in Yekaterinburg

If you decide to go to China on your own, you can apply for one of two types of tourist visa "L" category: individual or group. The second costs half the price, but there are pitfalls. I highly recommend getting an individual visa.

The fact is that with a group visa, it is necessary that all members of the group come to passport control at the same time. My wife and I witnessed such scenes:

• At the Koltsovo airport in Yekaterinburg, passengers are denied check-in at the check-in counter: "Please wait until all the members of your group have arrived."
• At the Beijing airport BeijingCapitalInternationalAirport at passport control the whole group cannot go through the procedure, as two figures got drunk in the trash and shout that they will not give 200 rubles for a photo: "We have already paid all the expenses!" The entire delegation of 15 people, exhausted by the seven-hour flight and dreaming of getting to the hotel as soon as possible (it’s two in the morning) is forced to beg the ghouls not to bother.

We, with our individual visa, went through all the procedures without a hitch. And what will happen if one of these drunks is late for the flight? ..

We obtained a visa to China without the help of travel agencies. There is nothing complicated.

• We go to the website of the General Consulate of the People's Republic of China in Yekaterinburg ekaterinburg.chineseconsulate.org/rus/lsyw and download the questionnaire. We fill in.
• We paste a photograph 3.5 * 4.5 cm.
• We arrive at the address: st. Chaikovskogo, 45 with a package of documents for obtaining a visa: application form, internal and foreign passports, copies of important pages of passports, copies of air tickets and hotels, medical insurance and a certificate from work in any form (position, salary) and in a good mood. We'll have to stand a little in the cold (start in batches).

We handed over the documents and received passports with visas in a week.

I recommend that you carefully study the forum of Vinsky's independent travelers. In our time, it was possible for 24 hours (now 72 hours) to be in some Chinese cities. Find out the latest news and details on the forum.

For a savage trip to China, we received an individual tourist visa of the "L" category. The visa was also issued independently.

Sixth. Other travel arrangements

Readers often ask me if it is possible for savages to go to this or that country without knowing English (I speak excellent English, I studied Spanish before going to Mexico, I know a little German). I usually answer like this: “If everything goes smoothly, then you can travel without a foreign language. But in case of problems, for example, during an accident with a rented car in Mexico, ignorance can turn into a bunch of problems. "

Well, a trip on your own through China has become our school of travel without a language. In the vast majority of cases, the Chinese speak only their native dialect. I seriously prepared for the vacation. Took with him on vacation:

• A short Chinese-Russian dictionary with basic expressions (downloaded from the Internet). I helped a lot with taxi drivers, waiters and just passers-by. You point your finger at the hieroglyphs "how to get to the bus station" or "where is the stop" and you are shown the direction with gestures.
• Photos of all hotels along our route and names, addresses in hieroglyphs.
• Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong metro maps.
• A detailed description of how to get to the desired attractions. For example, how to go on an excursion to Summer imperial palace: “4th line in the Beijing subway. Drive to Xiyuan Station. We exit to the surface through exit C2. Then we turn off and walk 500 meters or rent a pedicab for 5 yuan ".

On the right page, you can see the tickets for the Chinese train (for 234 yuan each). In the relevant part of the review, I will tell you how to "read" them.

By the way, so as not to forget, in China, the measure of the weight of food is "jin", which is approximately half a kilogram. Therefore, the price tag is usually given for half a kilo. Keep in mind.

The weather in China during our November 2011 vacation was great. In Beijing it is sunny and +15 degrees. In Yangshuo - sunny and + 25. In Shanghai - cloudy, light rain and +15 Celsius.

The country has one time zone. The time is +2 hours ahead of the Ural time, i.e. Moscow - for 4 hours.

Seventh. The cost of an independent trip to China

So, having completed all the points for planning our vacation in the PRC, described above, I just have to calculate the costs of the trip by the savages.

In the following table, you can see the aggregated planned and actual cost items.

For the convenience of planning your budget and understanding how much money you need to take with you, how much is spent on food and excursions, I will give more data for each day.

As you can see, I would have made a good financier, since the planned and actual budget, in fact, converge on a bullet point. Well, the final plan of our vacation was as follows.

About beach holidays in China

Among russian tourists the most famous seaside resort is Hainan Island. And here the most promoted beaches are Yalong Bay (亚龙湾) and Luhuitou. The best time to travel here is from November to May.

As I found out later, there are other resorts in China where you can go on a beach vacation. For example, according to reviews of a few of our tourists, very nice beaches in the port city of Beihai (北海 市, Beihaishi), located in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the PRC. It is 550 km south of Guilin, in the South-East of the country, slightly north of Hainan. The season is from April to November, when the sea temperature is pleasant for swimming.

In the Shenzhen area (from where we got to Hong Kong) you can relax on the Dameisha (大 梅沙) and Xiaomeisha Beach. The best time for vacation is from November to January.

Another place to spend your seaside vacation is Xiamen City (Xiamen Shi, 厦门 市) in Fujian Province.

Eighth. My first vacation DSLR

If we talk about my photography equipment, then this report can be a good illustration of how the skills of an aspiring photographer grow as they gain practical experience in photography. The fact is that until the fall of 2011, I took pictures only with a soap dish. I never held a DSLR in my hands. And so, a week before the trip, he became the owner of a Nikon D5100 Kit 18-55mm VR SLR camera. So, as you read the report, you can evaluate my progress. In my opinion, by the end of my vacation, I almost turned into a professional photographer ... 😉

A photo. On the third trip to China, we visited the city of Turpan (XUAR), in the vicinity of which we managed to climb the mountains. Read the report - a lot of useful information! Taken on a Nikon D610 with a Nikon 70-200mm f / 2.8 lens. Settings: 1/320, -0.67, 8.0, 110, 155.

The first chapter of the report tells what problems can arise if you have a Turkish visa in your foreign passport, you are given a map and a description of the route, advice on buying a ticket for a Chinese train from Russia, recommendations on preparing for a trip to China on your own.

The purpose of this book is to answer two questions: "How to travel in China on your own without knowing Chinese?" and "Why is China interesting?" The author uses a non-linear way of presenting information familiar to the Internet user, which allows him to show China in all its diversity.

* * *

The given introductory fragment of the book Self-study guide for a traveler in China (Dmitry Finozhenok, 2015) provided by our book partner - the company Liters.

We are driving in China

How to travel in China on your own

The idea of \u200b\u200btraveling on your own through a country whose language you don't understand seems like sheer madness. But if a Chinese peasant from a remote village easily copes with this, then is it worth giving up to a resident of a big city? Moreover, China's transport system is designed for huge passenger flows, and therefore is well thought out and surprisingly friendly to passengers.

According to the visa regime for Russian citizens, the territory of China is divided into two unequal parts: mainland China and special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau).

About mainland China

Formally, this term is not entirely correct: two regions of Hong Kong (Kowloon and New Territories) are located on the mainland.

To visit mainland China, Russians need a visa (the most popular visas are tourist ones for 15 and 30 days), Hong Kong and Macau allow visa-free travel for up to 14 and 30 days, respectively. Remember, when you visit the Special Administrative Region, you are leaving the main Chinese visa area. Therefore, if Hong Kong or Macau is an intermediate point of your travel in China, then you will need a double-entry Chinese visa.

Major international airports in China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Shenyang, Harbin, Guilin) \u200b\u200boffer visa-free transit with the ability to enter the city for up to three days. It is important to remember that when applying for a transit visa, electronic tickets in Russian are not considered documents confirming departure.

A tourist visa to China is the only thing that cannot be done without the help of a travel agency. Even if you are applying for a visa yourself, you will need an invitation from a Chinese travel agency or hotel. You can do the rest when preparing for the trip yourself.

Route selection

Despite the huge leap forward that China has made over the past thirty years, only a small percentage of Chinese people own english language and even less for Russians. All that a tourist can hope for is globalization. The more modern a Chinese city is, the more friendly it is to foreigners and the easier it is to live in it.

How to recognize a modern city

American sociologist Richard Florida, the author of the concept of the creative class, established a direct relationship between the level of tolerance and the innovative potential of a city. A modern city forms an environment open to change, which attracts not only creative people, but also bohemians, migrants, various subcultures and minorities. Therefore, the easiest way to find a modern city is to follow them. If you want to find bohemia - look at night satellite images (the brighter the city shines, the more intense the nightlife); if you want to find geeks - look for Comic-Con venues, etc.

The second limiting factor in choosing a route is the climate. Most parts of China are hot enough in summer. Therefore, cities on the east coast are a smart choice, where the proximity of the sea softens the heat. It should be remembered that in the very south of China, not only tropical showers are possible, but occasionally typhoons.

You should also pay attention to the level of air pollution in the cities you are going to visit. Try not to stay for a long time where the pollution index exceeds 100 points. Air pollution data are updated daily and are available at http://aqicn.org.

The further south you go, the more varied and brighter nature becomes. Everyone who has had to return home from the southern resorts remembers the oppressive impression of the gray and lifeless city compared to the south. Therefore, it is better to start your journey from the north of China and move south.

Between cities

China is the third largest in the world in size, its area is only half the size of Russia. Nevertheless, the transport system of the country is built in such a way that almost every corner of the country is a day away from the capital.

Cartographic illusion of greatness

If you look at the usual political map of the world, it might seem that four or five Chinas will fit on the territory of Russia. But this is just the result of distortions that are inevitable when transferring an image from the surface of a sphere to a plane. The closer the territory is to the pole, the stronger this effect. For example, China is five times the size of Greenland, and on the map they appear almost the same.

There are two main types of transport: plane and train. The high population density in Southeast Asia allows many low-cost airlines to operate efficiently. Unfortunately, with my height of two meters, an airplane with front seats propping up knees is not the most convenient way to travel, I prefer trains, especially since the shelves in them are noticeably longer than Russian ones, and I have to spend the night only once.

CHR (China High-Speed \u200b\u200bRailroad)

Thirty years ago, the main type of locomotive in China was the steam locomotive. The first high-speed train appeared in China in 2007. Today, the length of high-speed lines (200 km / h and more) is 16 thousand km, which is more than all other countries of the world combined. The high-speed trains of the next generation, which are now undergoing test trials, are already accelerating to 500 km / h. Trains have become serious competitors to airplanes and practically displaced them on short routes (up to 500 km).

Most train numbers in China start with a letter for the train category. There are six main types: C, D, G, K, T, Z. Category K is assigned to fast trains, there is a certain irony in the fact that at present it is one of the most slow trains in China (maximum speed - 120 km / h). Category T designates express trains, these are the same express trains, but with fewer stops. Category D is intended for high-speed trains, their speed reaches 250 km / h. Categories G and C are assigned to bullet trains with a maximum speed of 350 km / h. For safety reasons, trains of the last three categories run only during daylight hours, at night these routes are used by trains of category Z, night express trains of increased comfort.

Beautiful far away

If the bullet train ran along the route Vladivostok ‒ Moscow, the travel time would be only 32 hours. Now Russian Railways needs more than six days for this.

Life on wheels

In high-speed trains (D, C, G), as a rule, there are only seats, in night trains of category Z - only compartments. And only in fast trains and regular express trains there are compartments, and reserved seats, and seats.

Pass mode

To enter the platform and to exit the train station, you must present a train ticket. Do not discard your tickets until you have left the station building.

The numbering of seats in Chinese trains differs from the Russian one, the shelves on one side of the compartment have the same number. To distinguish between them, the type of seat is indicated: bottom, middle and top. The third, upper shelf is available only in reserved seat cars. It is located high enough to calmly stretch your legs, but since the distance to the ceiling is not great, you literally have to crawl onto it. The lower the shelf is, the more expensive ticket, therefore, the passengers on the lower shelves feel like wealthy people.

This is how the tickets show the lower, middle and upper seats, respectively.

During the trip on the train, a plastic card is issued - a substitute for the ticket. It is your pass to the carriage if you want to go for a walk at the stops. If you lose this piece of plastic, you will have to buy your ticket again. Half an hour before the passenger arrives at their destination, replacement cards are collected and tickets are returned, so don't worry about missing your station.

How to find your train

Chinese railway stations are designed for a huge passenger traffic, so it is easy to navigate through them. After passing the entrance control, find on the main board the number of the waiting room for your train (if there are several waiting rooms at the stations), in the waiting room - use the train number to find the exit to the platform. The gate opens 20-30 minutes before boarding, the stairs lead only to your platform. If you are not sure of your decision, just show your ticket to any station employee, he will definitely help.

To go to chinese train nice enough. All trains long distance air-conditioned, quiet traditional Chinese music creates a serene atmosphere, and large windows allow you to admire the scenery.

It is not necessary to take food with you on the train, carts with hot food regularly ride around the car. The food is geared towards the Chinese, but the lunch box contains five to six dishes, of which maybe three or four would be delicious. You will have to make tea and coffee yourself, at the end of the car there is a boiling water tap, and in each compartment there is a thermos.

Bed linen is not sold on trains; one set of linen is used throughout the train route. Therefore, never buy tickets with boarding at intermediate stations. The towel is not included in the linen set.

The Chinese produce a lot of garbage, but they clean it up regularly. Every couple of hours, the conductor puts things in order, including wet cleaning. If you do not want your suitcases to be walked over with a doormat, do not put them under the seat, use special luggage racks.

In China, you can buy train tickets no earlier than 20 days before the departure date, therefore, going on a long trip in this country, you will most likely not have a full set of tickets on hand. How to solve this problem with the least amount of vacation time?

The most comfortable option is to pre-order tickets with delivery to the hotel. The advantages of this approach are obvious: all you have to do is pick up your tickets from the receptionist. The main disadvantage is that delivery only works in large cities. In addition, since you are ordering ticket delivery on a date, not a specific time, you will have to stay at the hotel for at least two nights. Of the several delivery ticketing services I have used, http://www.chinatripadvisor.com has made the best impression.

One country, one time

Since 1949, a single time has been in effect throughout China (except for the autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Tibet), GMT +8. This greatly simplifies travel planning, but the further east you go, the more daylight shifts. In the summer in Shanghai, the sun sets at seven in the evening.

If your trip lies far from big cities or if you just do not want to waste a day in some city, you can order a purchase in advance e-tickete.g. via http://www.china-diy-travel.com. All you get is your booking number. Having printed out the document sent to you, you go to the station and receive a regular ticket at a special box office. If you need help finding this ticket office, find any station employee and just show him your printout, he will tell you where to go - tested on his own experience.

End of introductory snippet.

1) Bargaining in the markets and with taxi drivers naturally falls on the fingers. The main thing to know is that the Chinese show numbers differently than the Europeans - they show numbers from 1 to 9 on the fingers of one hand, not two.

2) At bus and train stations, no one often speaks English. It is better to write in advance on a piece of paper the name of the destination and the desired time period of departure, this is done using an Internet translator or dictionary. Just get in line at the cashier and hold out a piece of paper. The exact time and price will be shown to you on a computer screen or written on a piece of paper. Of course, they will also be on the ticket - everything is in Chinese:
In this case, March 7, 14 at 15-40, seat 3, bus number K0935, price 17 yuan, goes to Mengla city

The most important words:
Today is 今天
Tomorrow - 明天
day - 天 (order execution time 1 day) or 日 (day of the month)
month - 月
year - 年
morning - 上午
noon - 中午
evening - 黄昏
and cities: Guangzhou (广州), Shenzhen (深圳), Hong Kong (香港), Guilin (桂林), Kunming (昆明), Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海)

3) In China there is censorship on the Internet, to the point that messages in social networks undergo manual moderation!
Facebook and You tube are banned and unavailable, RenRen is used instead of the first, instead of the second Youku. They use the network and WeChat for instant messages. While Google is available, Baidu is far more popular. Vkontakte works without problems.

4) Almost all public toilets will not have the usual toilet bowl. Instead, there will be a floor-standing toilet, familiar to many from our school toilets. You also need to carry toilet paper with you. But tourist toilets have a star rating like hotels.

By the way, you should also carry a supply of napkins with you. They are not available in cafes and restaurants, or they are sold for a fee.

5) 4 - purely unhappy, it comes to the point that houses do not have 4 floors.
8 is a lucky number. Phones of large companies often end in eight.
The main Chinese color is red.

6) Chinese language is the name of a large group of languages, often mutually incomprehensible. Each city can have its own dialect. The government is trying to lead a campaign to popularize a common language - Mandarin or Mandarin. In Hong Kong, Macau, Canton (Guangzhou) and overseas diasporas, the overwhelming majority of the population speaks the Cantonese dialect. One good thing is that all dialects use the same hieroglyphs, which, by the way, are partially used in Japanese as well. So the spelling of the words is one. If true, there are difficulties with the presence of two systems of notation: traditional Chinese characters and simplified Chinese characters. If you do not plan to read ancient texts, the latter will be enough for everyday needs.

All this works until you find yourself in areas with Tibetan and Mongolian scripts, Thai-Lao, Burmese or Arabic languages. In addition to this, in some villages, many people cannot read.

7) The most stupid application for the phone is Waygo, which can translate inscriptions on the fly, without the Internet using a camera.

Google maps help you not to get lost, and the navigation mode can show you the best route on land transport and tell you which bus to go where, although you need the Internet.

A SIM card can be purchased with a passport. Mobile internet is very expensive: 300 MB for 96 RMB per month.

Hotels can be booked on the booking, but local players give better prices, you should compare on RoomGuru

8) A couple of years ago, there were a lot of counterfeit 100 yuan bills in the south of China. Until now, in any store, such bills are carefully checked. Crooks can try to replace your real bill and return you a counterfeit one, they say, the best protection against this is to jam a corner or fold it so that crooks would not have the opportunity to repeat the same with a counterfeit quickly.

For the same reason, when paying in a taxi, transport cards are handed over in a case - there is no possibility of quick substitution for another card with a zero balance.

9) By the way, about transport. Buses are entered through the front door. Payment at the entrance either by a transport card or in cash without deposit in a special box. The fare can be fixed or staggered. For example 1 or 2 yuan in Kunming depending on the type of bus. The exact value can be seen on the money drawer, though in Chinese: 一 元 (one yuan) or 二元 (two yuan). While in Hong Kong, you need to check the fare from stop to stop in advance at a stop, or if you use a transport card, do not forget to re-lean it at the exit, otherwise the maximum fare will be charged.

Transport cards can also often be used to pay in stores and to enter museums and parks (for example, at 7-11 and McDonald's in Hong Kong)

10) It is very expensive to wash things in hotels. Street laundries are not easy to find, but dry cleaners can sometimes be found. For urgent orders, there is usually a double mark-up. You can also stay in an apartment - there is almost always a washing machine, and powder can be bought at the nearest store.

We urge experienced Sinologists to supplement the story in the comments. Indicate your travel experience or life in the country.

The best places to stay in China for beginner independent travelers and those who have seen everything, but passed the Great Wall of China.
Throughout the history of China, which is more than 5000 years old, the country has formed one of the richest and most mysterious cultures on our planet, with magnificent monuments, a great emperor, amazing evidence of religious worship and works of culture and art that remain alone to this day. of the most remarkable evidence of the flight of the creative thought of mankind.
Empires replaced each other, China's borders expanded, but the traditional Chinese lands in the heart of China - Beijing and Xian remained unchanged; the majesty of the Yangtze River and the Guilin region, as are the modern wonders of Shanghai and Hong Kong. In these lands, the great philosophers - Confucius, Lao Tzu and Chuang Zhou, expounded their teachings about life and the laws of the universe, forming not only Chinese society, but also the society of the entire South Asian region as a whole. Many of the traditional travel experiences in China that are available to travelers are associated with these places and with the world's most famous landmarks in China, such as the Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Army and the Forbidden City. There is also always the opportunity to see giant pandas in the Chengdu Wildlife Sanctuary, take a cruise on the great Yangtze River or relax among the karst landscapes of the Guilin region.

8 reasons to go on an independent trip to China

BEIJING
A visit to the Forbidden City provides an insight into the boundless power and wealth of generations of Chinese emperors.
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA
For many, the Great Wall of China is a symbol of China and one of the most outstanding evidence of ancient design thought.
TERRACOTTA ARMY
It is believed that the terracotta army, consisting of 8,099 figures of warriors, servants and horses made in full height, protected the Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. A man-made necropolis was accidentally discovered by a farmer in 1974 near the city of Xi'an.
SHANGHAI
Shanghai, striking in its scale and speed of technological progress, is one of the most amazing cities in the world, which must be visited.
YANTSZI RIVER
A Yangtze River cruise promises to be a calm and spectacular experience.
CHENGDU RESERVE
Chengdu is a sacred panda worship site. It is almost impossible to see pandas in the wild these days, but in Chengdu they can be safely observed in conditions as close as possible to their natural habitat.
HONG KONG
Cosmopolitan Hong Kong is a great place to start or end your trip - see for yourself with ours.
CHINESE CUISINE
Chinese cuisine is as varied as life itself; it has countless national dishes, and in each region they are prepared differently.

How to get to China

The country has more than 50 international and local airports. You can fly from Russia to China as on direct flights air companies China or Aeroflot, with a transfer in Dubai (Emirates), Almaty (Air Astana) and other airlines, depending on which city is the first route in China. By the way, the best idea would be to land in Hong Kong, and from there start your journey, for example, to Hainan or Chengdu.

From Shanghai, it is convenient to get to Hangzhou to the Yellow Mountains, Guilin and Longzi.

When to go. Best time to visit China

With the weather in China, options are possible - the country is large. Depending on where you plan to go, focus on that region. In the north and south of the country, summers are hot and humid, with frequent rains. At the same time, winter in the northern regions of China (with a suffocating hot summer) is very cold and often the thermometer drops below -40 degrees Celsius. In the northwest, summers are less humid, but drier, the air temperature this season can reach +47 degrees Celsius. In central China, located in the Yangtze River Basin, it is hot in summer and quite cool in winter.
therefore best time to visit China will be spring - from March to April or autumn - in September and October, when, despite the cool nights, the day is comfortable enough and the weather is great for excursions throughout the country. But still, just in case, you should take an umbrella with you so as not to be caught off guard in the rain. Beach season on the island of Hainan begins in Octoberand lasts i'm at home.
It is worth coming to China in winter, despite the cold in most areas, for the spectacular Chinese New Year and Spring Festival celebrations that fall on end of January - February.

Visa to China

To travel to China, Russian citizens need a visa.
1. a passport, which is valid for at least 6 months from the end of the trip, the passport must have at least one free page;
2.a completed questionnaire in Russian, English or Chinese V.2011Asigned by the applicant. The questionnaire is filled in block letters (on a computer or by hand) without corrections and blots;
3. photograph 3 × 4 or 3.5 × 4.5 cm on a light background. The photo must be glued to the profile;
4. invitation from a Chinese travel agency or hotel with a red stamp. If the inviting party is a private person - a free-form invitation, sealed at the local police station, and a copy of the inviting person's ID.
5. hotel reservation for the entire stay;
6. original and copy of the medical insurance policy for the entire duration of the trip, insurance coverage - at least $ 15,000;
7. air tickets;
IMPORTANT! If you are visiting China for the first time, you must provide a certificate of employment. When applying for a visa at the PRC Consulate in Irkutsk, you must provide a certificate from the bank about the availability of funds in the account. Visa-free transit visa-free transit permitted permitted in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. In this case, tourists need to have a permit to enter the third country and booked ticket with a departure date within the next 72 hours.
IN Hong Kong visa-free you can stay for 14 days. Visa to Macau is issued upon arrival and allows you to stay in Macau for no more than 30 days.
Visa upon arrival you can also get on the island of Hainanif you arrive on a direct international flight (Moscow - Sanya), or follow with a transfer in Hong Kong (Moscow - Hong Kong, Hong Kong - Sanya). The visa gives the right to stay on the island for no more than 15 days. In all other cases, it is required to obtain a visa in advance at the PRC consulate.

Features of planning a trip to China

We warn you right away, we are talking about an independent trip to China - a country not for the faint of heart, spoiled by all-inclusive tourists. If once on a beach in Egypt, Turkey or Montenegro, it’s not the point, the thought came to mind, and not whether to give up ourselves to China for two weeks to see everything? We answer: do not give up! Don't ruin your vacation or waste your money. What if you really want to? Or contact a travel agency, but better listen to our advice.
First, the study of China must be done progressively. First, go to, for example, passing to or somewhere else in Southeast Asia. Then purposefully in - try your luck and see the Chinese Las Vegas, perhaps compare with its original in the USA. For the third time, heading on vacation, again to Southeast Asia, book flights with a long stay at. Relax on the beaches of Hainan. And then, when the most "loyal" to tourists cities in China will be walked up and down, you can think about a long trip, two or three weeks, and even visit the country with a romantic visit, having traveled from Harbin to Sanya - by.
Secondly, why, in fact, we warn and almost dissuade from China: be prepared for the fact that not everyone speaks English in China, almost no one will be more honest, of course, except for schoolchildren and expats. You will have to explain yourself on the fingers.
Thirdly, food, hotels, transport ... If you have already visited India, at least in Goa and, then you should go through this quest easily and naturally. To order something in a cafe, point your finger at the picture, if there is no picture, then at the plate of the Chinese sitting at the next table. You can ask the waiter to take you on a tour of other people's plates - walk along the tables and again poke your finger at what you like more.
Hotels need to be booked strongly in advance. The Chinese love to travel anytime, anywhere, and they also love their homeland.
Transport in China is very specific. The buses will be smoking. Smoking is allowed on trains. No smoking on planes. And thanks to the convenience, it is always better to choose the plane. It's fast. simple and cheap. There are airports in China that accept international and domestic flights in almost every large city... Transport links in China are very well developed, and where the plane does not fly, there is always a train, if there are no railway lines, then there is a bus, there are no flights - there is some taxi driver or a private driver who is ready to take you to your destination for reasonable amounts ... Have patience, a philosophical attitude to everything that happens around, and then an independent trip to China will develop in the best possible way.

China cities and sights that everyone should see

BEIJING

The modern capital of China, Beijing, is a real microcosm in this amazing country with its intriguing contradictions and a great place to start exploring China's rich history, landscapes and sights. The majestic Tien An Myn Square with monolithic monuments of the era of the greatness of communism faces one of the most impressive sights of China - the Forbidden City, and crowds of people dissolve in the bustle of the city in the serene expanses of the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace. Traditional “hatongs” - narrow, crowded streets of the city that are rapidly disappearing from the map of the modern city - illustrate the more traditional side of Chinese life, while Olympic Park, city restaurants and hotels speak volumes about the other side of China's life. In both cases, travelers have a chance to dissolve in this multifaceted and complex community - in order to experience its flavor, it is worth spending at least three days here.
One of the days of your stay in Beijing is worth spending on an excursion to the Forbidden City. This place served as the seat of several dynasties of Chinese emperors. The palace, known to us as the "Forbidden City", was named so because it was forbidden to enter this territory to anyone except the emperor himself, his family and courtesans. Anyone who violated this rule and entered there without the permission of the emperor was supposed to be immediately executed. Today, the Forbidden City is one of the main attractions of the capital, allowing visitors to look into the world of unlimited power and wealth of the rulers of the Middle Empire. This architectural ensemble, which includes about 1000 buildings, is the largest and best preserved in China.
Noteworthy are two more sights of Beijing, which are worth seeing at least once in your life, no matter how "tourist attraction" they seem - these are the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace.
Built in austere Confucian style, the Temple of Heaven, completely rebuilt for the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, served as a huge arena for ceremonial ceremonies designed to ensure a bountiful harvest. The refined decoration of its halls and altars is imbued with symbolism. The Summer Palace, a beautiful oasis of palaces, temples, lakes and decorative bridges, served as a resting place for the emperor and his family during the dry and dusty summer season. Its huge park of culture and recreation and classical gardens, which are so popular among visitors to the country and among the indigenous people, has been named by UNESCO "a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design." The temple was built over a number of years; at the same time, more than 100,000 workers worked to excavate a huge artificial lake, which today can be crossed by boat.
And of course, while in Beijing, do not miss the opportunity to appreciate one of the "new" wonders of the world - the Great Wall of China. Stretching along the borders of northern China, the Great Wall of China remains the country's most powerful symbol and one of the world's most impressive landmarks. Construction of its first sections began in the 4th century BC and continued, along with constant reconstruction, until the 16th century.
The wall was built to contain the onslaught of the warlike tribes and prevent them from entering northern China; more than two million people are estimated to have died during its construction.
Nowadays, everyone can quite calmly walk along the wall, enjoying the fabulous views that open to the eyes of the traveler. Closest to Beijing is the section of the Great Wall of China - Badaling, which served as a kind of "gateway to the capital". If you want to see one of the most peaceful and spectacular places, you need to go to Jinshanlin. Due to the fact that this section of the wall is located far from Beijing, there are no large tourist groups that fill other sections of the wall.

WHERE TO LIVE. BEST HOTELS IN BEIJING
Located next to the east gate of the Imperial Summer Palace, it offers relaxation in one of the most luxurious and impressive places in Beijing. Most of the rooms are furnished in a century-old style. There is a private entrance to the territory of the Summer Palace, so this is the first thing that guests of the hotel can visit right in the morning.
More a budget option The Haoyuan Guesthouse... Cozy surrounded by two lovely courtyards, Haoyuan is the former residence of a wealthy Beijing banker. It is located away from the noisy city traffic; however, Tien An Myn Square is only a 15-20 minute walk away. The 16 rooms of the hotel are decorated in traditional Chinese style, and in the backyard of the hotel you can easily immerse yourself in peace and quiet, really feel like in real China.

• DISCOUNTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS FOR ACCOMMODATION IN BEIJING HOTELS

CHENGDU

Quiet city Chengdu, the capital of the "fiery" province of Sichuan, is reliably isolated from the rest of the country by mountain peaks that surround it in a kind of ring. Spicy national dishes, friendliness local residentsand the many temples and teahouses provide some of the best opportunities in all of China to observe local life. In the west, the foggy mountains stretch hundreds of miles towards the Tibetan plateau, while the north, covered with dense bamboo forests, is home to one of China's most famous national symbols, the almost reclusive giant panda. They are extremely rare in the wild, but a visit to a panda sanctuary or research center near Chengdu city guarantees an opportunity to get to know these magnificent animals better.

HAINAN

The Chinese call the sunny island with magnificent beaches and hotels their Hawaii. The island is located at the same latitude as the north of Vietnam. Therefore, the climate in Hainan is very warm for most of the year, and the days are sunny and clear. It has pristine sandy beaches and a range of upscale hotels and resorts, many of which have their own private beaches.
Off the coast, you can spend the day hiking in the rainforest, or visiting the monkey sanctuary, although most people come here to simply relax by the sea. Hainan Island is easily accessible from most major cities China. It develops at a dizzying speed, as a result of which it has lost some of its charm; but, nevertheless, this is a wonderful place for those who want to relax and combine excursions with beach vacation while traveling in China.

• DISCOUNTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS FOR ACCOMMODATION IN HAINAN HOTELS

SHANGHAI

Shanghai is a vivid illustration of the well-known phrase about the city of contrasts. He is the embodiment of the self-confident China of the 21st century. The atmosphere of cosmopolitanism here is very far from that which prevails in most other cities of the country. Surrounded by colonial buildings inspired by 1930s architecture, stroll along the waterfront, a sparkling gem in the pre-war crown of East Asia, overlooking the towering skyscrapers of Pudong.
New Shanghai is made of glass and metal. Futuristic buildings can be found literally everywhere here, and they grow like mushrooms after rain. Further along the river is the French Concession - with streets dotted with shady alleys, with an excellent selection of bars and restaurants; this part of the city is quieter than others. In this area, the history of the city comes alive in those days when Shanghai was an unremarkable fishing village, even before the development of the turbulent trade between the West and China in the 19th century. In the wake of the infamous "Opium Wars", a weakened China has allowed a number of foreign governments, including the French, to open concessions with free trade opportunities. At the beginning of the 20th century, the concession became one of the first residential areas in the city with luxurious villas and green boulevards. Those days are long gone, but the area still exudes tranquility and is a great place for evening walks.
The area crossed by canals and exquisite flowering gardens also deserves the attention of travelers. Suzhou, a wonderful place, located just an hour by train from Shanghai. Water canals and tree-lined squares flank this area, which is famous for its weaving traditions, with the techniques that led to the opening of the famous Silk Museum. In the vicinity of Suzhou, there are picturesque water villages such as Tongli, Zhouzhuang and Zhu jia jiaowhere ancient stone bridges cross winding canals and old merchant houses lined the narrow cobbled streets. The best that these small villages have to offer is a rare chance to experience the era of bygone China; however, it can get quite crowded during peak season; therefore, if you are visiting the Suzhou area, it is best to plan your check-out early in the morning to avoid crowding.

WHERE TO LIVE. BEST HOTELS IN SHANGHAI
Located in the heart of the Shanghai French Concession, Villa Anting offers excellent quality accommodation at a great price. The hotel is housed in a building that blends well with the surrounding colonial era buildings; numbers in Anting located very conveniently and comfortably furnished. There is both a traditional Chinese restaurant and a restaurant serving familiar Western food. But one of the hotel's best features is the lush green gardens, which provide travelers with a welcome escape from the endless bustle of Shanghai.
For those who prefer to live in the heart of the city, it is better to choose a hotel conveniently located in the waterfront area PeninsulaIs one of the largest and most luxurious hotels in Shanghai. Peninsula located in an Art Deco building. The hotel rooms are some of the most spacious in the city, some with beautiful views of the river and the glittering buildings of Pudong.

• DISCOUNTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS FOR ACCOMMODATION IN SHANGHAI HOTELS

HANGZHOU

The Chinese consider their former capital Hangzhou one of the best places in the country and most of the population prefers to rest here. The love of millions of Hangzhou is largely due to the scenic views of the West Lake, a landscape that has been immortalized over the centuries by countless Chinese artists. Although the landscape of Hangzhou's waters is less attractive these days than anywhere else, the calm atmosphere and greenery of the city sets it apart from other more famous places. After the hectic bustle of Shanghai and Beijing, this is a great place to rent a bike and go for a river ride to the nearby hills. You can also visit the local tea plantation, where tea is produced in such high Qualitythat it is regularly presented during the visits of heads of various states, including Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. All of this, combined with the recently introduced choice of highly authentic and comfortable hotels, makes Hangzhou the perfect place to stay near the end of your trip.
In addition to walking around the city and exploring local attractions from Hangzhou, you can go on a trip to one of the most sacred mountains in China - Huangshan - Yellow Mountain, located three hours from Hangzhou; so a visit to this place goes well with a visit to this part of China, which is often underestimated or simply overlooked by tourists.
The mountain is very popular among the people of China, but if you experiment and spend the night in one of the local hotels, you may find that its peak is at your complete disposal. The sunrises are delightful here: the sun slowly rises, revealing a series of jagged peaks melting into a sea of \u200b\u200bclouds. So if you want something mind-blowing and delightful, where you can take hundreds of “no filter” photos, be sure to get to Huangshan and climb it.

WHERE TO LIVE. BEST HOTELS AROUND HANGZHOU
Surrounded by tea plantations and tiny villages, untouched by the excess benefits of civilization, Amanfayun Is the perfect place to relax and pamper yourself. Designed in a traditional rustic style, each of the 47 rooms of this hotel is housed in typical village houses, some of which are over 100 years old. There is a tea house, several restaurants and a SPA-salon. Hangzhou's temples, lakes and other amenities are just a 20-minute drive away.

• DISCOUNTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS FOR ACCOMMODATION IN HANGZHOU HOTELS

GUILIN

Guilin, a town located in the south of China, evokes a feeling of peace and has a relaxing effect on travelers than the more developed cities of the north of the country. The sheer limestone peaks behind the flat plain around the city form a stunning landscape that has been one of the main motifs of Chinese art and literature since time immemorial. Guilin itself is a pretty cute town, but it mostly serves as an "entrance gate" to the region. Yangshuo and Lushen are places that can be easily reached to enjoy the views. A little further, there are several charming villages untouched by civilization, where you can see interesting festivals of local small peoples.

YANSHO

A river cruise from Guilin to the small commercial town of Yangshuo is a popular and highly affordable way to see the jagged mountain peaks from limestone. Sailing downstream, one can observe the classic pictures of provincial China: grazing herds of buffaloes, farmers cultivating fields, and fishermen unloading their daily catch. Despite the fact that in recent years, Yangshuo is gaining more and more popularity with travelers, it still remains calm and welcoming. A trip to Yangshuo is also a terrific excuse to explore the countryside by bike, car, or more modestly on foot. Rafting is available on many tributaries of the river.
Evenings in Yangshuo are best spent with fishermen who use specially trained cormorants for fishing, not fishing rods, or having dinner at one of the many local restaurants in the city. There is also the opportunity to see the spectacular sound and light show Yangshou impressions directed by Zhang Yimou, who directed the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

LONGZI

Located two hours north of Guilin City, Longji's Ancient Rice Terraces, Dragon's Ridge, offer a delightful opportunity to get to know the Zhuang people of the area more closely. Overnight stay in the hotel among the terraces is a great opportunity to escape from the hustle and bustle of modern China and get to know the traditional rural way of life. You can walk for hours through the villages scattered along the surrounding slopes, either alone or with a guide. While the local peasants are already quite used to Western travelers, it is still a great way to see a different side of Chinese life, different from the frenzied rhythms of the country's modern cities.
Outside Longji, the terrain becomes more mountainous and the roads bumpy. This part of China is considered one of the least industrialized in the country. Those who can come to terms with humble living conditions and uneven roads will be rewarded with fantastic landscapes, a variety of different cultures of national minorities and visits to modest, almost untouched villages like Chengyang. For those who are fond of the culture and traditions of China, in the vicinity of Longji there is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the local festivals that take place here throughout the year. One of such interesting celebrations is the Luchen festival in honor of a wind musical instrument made of reeds, which is held in early October. The festival program includes performances by musicians, as well as various performances, dances, bullfighting and horse racing.

Traveling in China

Traveling in China

A huge country with a thousand-year history and extraordinary culture - China - attracts tourists from all over the world. Having started a policy of "open doors" at the end of the 19th century, the Chinese showed their riches to the whole world: snow-capped mountains, wild deserts, the Great Wall of China, spacious beaches and clear seas, fantastic cities that combine traditional architecture and modern life, Buddhist temples, rice fields and ancient graves. If you thought that Greece had everything, forget it and go to China: everything is there and even more.

Forbidden City in Beijing

Before describing the natural and cultural wealth of this country, you need to familiarize yourself with its history. China is the birthplace of one of the most ancient civilizations in the world, and probably the only one where the physical type of the population has not changed for five millennia. Five thousand years is a huge period for artistic, political and philosophical development, which made it possible to create an amazing culture in which Buddhism, Taoism and the teachings of Confucius were mixed. The Celestial Empire harmoniously unites many nationalities under its roof, peacefully coexisting with each other. China is a phenomenon, historical, political and cultural. No one can explain the so-called "Chinese economic miracle" - the unprecedented economic successes of the last quarter of the 20th century. But it is better to be convinced of everything yourself, having looked with your own eyes at the life and life of modern Chinese, at the beauty of nature and the greatness of traditions.

Cities and sights of China

A journey to China should start from its capital, Beijing. it real city contrasts: a huge metropolis with breathtaking skyscrapers, among which ancient temples, palaces, parks and cultural monuments are surprisingly harmoniously adorned. It will take several days to see a small part of these attractions. And the first in a row should be the Forbidden City, the ancient capital of the Celestial Empire, from where the emperors of the last two dynasties Ming and Qing ruled. This is the largest palace complex in the world in terms of area, it houses a museum of imperial treasures: Chinese painting, porcelain, carvings, ancient books and documents. The majestic Tian Tan temple complex, which is an excellent example of the architecture of the Ming Dynasty, will not leave anyone indifferent. No less significant in terms of size and cultural value are the cave-temple ensembles called "Longmen Grottoes" located in sandstone cliffs outside Beijing. Not far from the city is the Valley of 13 Tombs, where you can feel the ghosts of antiquity, walking along the Alley of Spirits through the Great Red Gate. Visiting Beijing, you cannot miss the Beihai Park, which is located on the stunningly beautiful North Lake, the landscape of which is decorated with the tall Lamaist White Pagoda on the Jade Island.

the great Wall of China

But the most important attraction not only in Beijing, but throughout China is undoubtedly the Great Wall of China - a grandiose structure, the eighth wonder of the world, the most famous symbol of the Celestial Empire. The Chinese claim that it is impossible to understand their country without visiting the wall. From the highest points you can admire the most beautiful panoramas, and the safety of the structure, which was built several centuries before our era, amazes all visitors. Tourists on the Great Wall of China can purchase a certificate showing the date and time of the visit.

Despite the greatness of Beijing, for a thousand years the capital of the Celestial Empire was the city of Xian, which was ruled by 13 dynasties, starting with Western Zhou. Today Xi'an is the capital of Shaanxi Province. In that the oldest city there are many cultural monuments, and the most famous and grandiose is the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Army. This find was made in 1974 - six thousand Chinese soldiers in full uniform stand in eleven rows and 38 columns. The tombs of the emperors are located near the army.

The second most important city in China is Shanghai, a real city of skyscrapers, which in a matter of years has become the economic capital of all of Asia. The city's financial and economic strength is symbolized by the ultra-modern Pudong district, with its fantastic buildings, the famous TV tower, luxury hotels and a magnetic levitation train speeding over 400 kilometers per hour. Tourism in Shanghai is developing at a frantic pace.

Nature of the Celestial Empire

Sure, the cities in China are a miracle, but the nature of this country is even more amazing. On the territory of the Celestial Empire there are three hundred reserves and national parks... The relief and landscape of the country is very diverse: the fertile lowlands in the east turn into the highlands of Tibet in the west, reaching incredible heights in the Himalayas in the southwest. The high plateaus and steppe regions of the west are gradually turning into northern deserts. In the very depths of China, there are tropical forests, turning into bamboo on the hills and mangroves on the coast. Famous pandas, leopards, monkeys, antelopes and elephants are found here. The most majestic natural monument in the Middle Kingdom is the Huangoshu waterfall - "The Milky Way on Earth". In winter, there is little water in it, and it flows down with the finest silk threads, in summer the water comes, rushing down in huge streams and striking the imagination. You can admire the spectacle from three different points, and in the evening tourists are presented with a fantastic picture: modern lighting technology transforms the panorama of the waterfall, turning it into a multi-colored fairy maze.

Huangshan mountains

Lovers of natural beauty and ancient civilizations it is worth visiting the "roof of the world" - Tibet. it amazing place, located at an altitude of four thousand meters. Tourists, as a rule, tend to see the capital - the city of Lhasa, which until recently was closed to everyone. Lhasa has a huge palace complex, which is also the largest monastery in the world. The nature of this area is unique - it is the highest and youngest mountain plateau in the world. The mountains are covered with snow, the peaks seem to be crowned with silver that shines in the sunlight. Here is the most high mountain in the world - Everest, from the top of which a silvery glow crumbles, and the most sacred for Buddhists and Hindus - Kailash with white ice towers.