China is a very exotic destination for holidays and cultural zen. With 1.3 billion people spread over an area encompassing 17 times that of France, you will make choices to discover its treasures.
China is a very mountainous country with some contrasts, as much a cultural standpoint and geographically. The climate varies from one region to another – the south has a climate almost tropical – and the scenery – rice terraces, desert plateau, mountain range or even higher altitudes.
There’s something for everyone: the urban revelers will find themselves in very modern cities like Hong Kong or Shanghai, where Chinese youth marks a break with the previous generation, more traditional.
Lovers of old stones will go in central China to visit the cradle of civilizations or in Xi’An China Pingyao.
China is full of beautiful natural sites such as Yunnan, the province at the gates of Tibet, where you will see very fertile rice fields waving in the hills.Discover the natural wonders you never suspected: the amount of the sleeping beauty, the forest of stone or reed flute cave.
Admire the huge sites, built in hands, to reflect across the country: the Great Wall of China, the Summer Palace or the Great Buddha Leshan.
Learn the history of the country thanks to the iconic monuments such as Tiananmen Square in Beijing, or the Bund in Shanghai.
Discover the great museums in Beijing and Hong Kong that tell China since ancient times by a sophisticated museum. You can also follow in the footsteps of the emperors of China, the ancient capital of Xi’an to the Forbidden City, located in the capital since 1421, Beijing.
Learn about Chinese culture by practicing tai chi in parks, drinking black tea or playing the game of go on a shaded terrace.
Experience the unique cuisine of China, from rice, noodles, duck, scorpions, eggs and melted one hundred days.
These are unforgettable moments that await you in Middle-earth at 10,000 km from France in an Asian culture deeply rooted in family and traditions.
Mosaic of different ethnic groups, the country long remained closed to the world, is to visit without delay. Discover ancient monuments, an endless array of beautiful scenery, a kitchen and an extremely rich people with fascinating traditions. Real living with a thousand faces, young and old, you may as well do a trek in the mountains that going to the beach, cultural visits or a retreat: it is a destination accessible to all and for all!
But do not wait to visit China as it increasingly becoming more Westernized through an unprecedented economic boom. Today is the third largest economy. Hope it keeps its heritage and cultural assets as long as possible.
Resorts
Located in the southern province of Guangxi, Beihai has a tropical climate.The city offers a superb sandy beach with silvery (it is called “Silver Beach”) of 24 km: a good idea to relax and rest.
The opportunity also to visit the beautiful volcanic island of Weizhou, near Beihai.
Highlights
Sites not to be missed:
The Great Wall
The Forbidden City
The Museum of warriors and horses of Emperor Qin in Lintong Lhasa
Tibetan spiritual center Lijiang,
Venice Chinese
Events worth the trip:
Chinese New Year celebration: the second moon after the winter solstice.
Lantern Festival: 15th day of the first lunar month (after the New Year)
Weaknesses
Hotels and transportation are usually full during New Year celebrations for National Day (October 1st) and Labour Day (May 1).
In Tibet, the situation “tense” with the Chinese authorities and the many controls and permits that must be met during the stay. Note that it is illegal to possess an image of the Dalai Lama on pain of expulsion for tourists.
In the south during the summer and early fall: the risks of typhoon. Also, hotels usually double their rates and the heat is unbearable (40 ° C).
In central China, the risk of severe earthquakes (see May 2008).
Transportation
By plane to reach Beijing Choice of Paris: 10 hours of airplane or 275 days, right? Of course, the airplane is the way to travel faster to reach the Republic of China, 8400 km from France. …
See more
Passport / Visa /
The passport must be valid six months after the date of return. A visa is required to enter the Chinese soil, you should contact the consular department of the Chinese Embassy in Paris, at the consulate …
See more
Money
Payment Traveler’s checks are widely accepted in major cities and have the same exchange rate more attractive than cash. Cards that you can use on-site …
See more
Health / Safety
As the health area, medical equipment in China is very mixed depending on the region. The cities are equipped hospitals, but the campaigns are performing in a very precarious situation. …
See more
Gastronomy
We can not talk about Chinese cuisine, but rather as the cuisines culinary wealth is diversified. Stop the stereotypes, you will not find nem or fried rice in restaurants, they are …
See more
Shopping
Where and what to buy in China? China’s economic boom has led to the emergence of ultra-modern shopping malls. You can find everything from food to clothing or high-tech items. But …
See more
Exit
Between opera and discos, Peking nights are as agitated as the day. This is not the city’s most “connected” in China but you will find plenty to keep you busy. The new generation comes out …
See more
Sports
Sport is a mindset in China. It is even a recommended activity and encouraged by the state. All schools in the country offer sports activities for schoolchildren. Gymnastic exercises are …
See more
What to do / not to
A visit to the Potala Palace in Tibet, located in Lhasa, the capital of the region of Tibet, the Potala Palace is a magnificent site, miraculously spared by the Cultural Revolution. It hosts the …
See more
Lifestyle
Formalities In addition to your valid passport, you will need a tourist visa to go to China. You can obtain a visa by contacting the Embassy or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ….
See more
ID
General Name: China Area: 9,600,000 sq km (17 times France) Capital: Beijing Type of Government: Socialist People’s Democratic Dictatorship Chief of state: Hu Jintao since 2003 …
Useful words
It goes back nearly 600 years ago to discover the origins of Chinese at the time of the first emperors. This language uses symbols, which differentiates our phonetic languages. Indeed, one …
See more
History
We can tell the story of China from the early dynasties established in the Middle Kingdom. Many civilizations have lived on these lands, but few were settled. Archaeological excavations are …
See more
To see
Various: The Lantern Festival Lantern Festival takes place on the 15th day of the first lunar month (that is to say after the New Year), on the occasion of the first full moon of the year. Towns and villages are covered with …
See more
Events
There are many rites and traditions of ethnic Chinese. The list would be too big especially since most of these dates follow a lunisolar calendar is not allowing to easily identify …
See more
Read before you go
Novel Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, by Dai Sijie, published in Mao’s China, the author told through an omniscient narrator the story of two intellectual friends who fall in love a little …
See more
Risks and pitfalls
For stays of more than a year in the Chinese territory, it is required to pass a test for AIDS and a health check. 30 cases of infection with H5N1 (bird flu) have been reported in …
