TRAVEL GUIDE 2017

CHINA

1 Do I need a visa? All visitors to China need a visa with the exception of citizens of Singapore, Brunei and Japan. (This is if they are not intending to stay for more than 15 days.) For further information, visit visaforchina. org/SGP_EN/. How long will it take me to get there? Between 4 and 7 hours from Singapore. There’s no time difference between China and Singapore, but Xinjiang and Tibet in the country’s far west use an unofficial time that is 2 hours behind Singapore. What’s the money situation? The official currency in China is the renminbi (RMB); the basic unit of this currency is the yuan. Credit card use is largely limited to high-end hotels, restaurants and shops so your best bet is to carry cash. You’ll find ATMs in most major towns throughout the country. When’s the best time to visit? Weather varies enormously depending on the location, but in general the middle of spring and autumn are pleasant times to go. We don’t recommend you travel during the “Golden Week” holiday at the beginning of October, since half the country will be lining up to get trains and buses too! It can be bitterly cold between December and February, especially in the north, where temperatures get down to minus 40 degrees Celsius. Hong Kong’s best weather is generally from March to May and November to December. other main language, serving as the predominant language of Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong Province. Here are some phrases to get you started: Hello Ni hao What is your name? Ni jiào shénme míngzi? My name is __ Wo jiào How much? Duoshao? Thank you Xiè xie Yes Shì de No, thank you Búyào xièxie 5 What’s the lingo? The official language of China is Mandarin. Cantonese is the A handshake is the formal way of greeting people in China, but it tends to be a less firm shake than you may experience in many Western countries. What’s a must-try dish? Peking duck – roasted duck meat and strips of crispy duck skin topped with scallions and a sweet sauce and wrapped in thin pancakes. 7 2 3 4 6 Is there anything I should know about meeting the locals?

FACT FILE

• Ping pong is

among the most popular sports in China, but it originated from Britain as table tennis. Bridge that links mainland China and Macau, cars switch from left- to right-hand drive and vice versa. • In the district of Datang in Zhuji, also known as “sock city”, one third of the • On the Lotus invented paper, the compass, gunpowder and printing. Toilet paper was also invented in China in the late 1300s, for the use of emperors. Fortune cookies are not a Chinese invention; they first appeared in the early 1900s, in San Francisco. world’s socks are produced. • The Chinese

What should I buy as a souvenir? Porcelain from Jingdezhen, green tea, calligraphy scrolls,

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ornate chopsticks.

Shutterstock.com | Efired

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