China

• Language: Standard Mandarin or Putonghua is the official national spoken language but many other dialects exists due to many ethnicities
• Government: :Communist State
• Currency: Renminbi(RMB) or Yuan (CNY)
• Capital: Beijing
• Religion: Majority proclaim non-religiosity.Buddhism, Taoism and Confusionism are practiced in some sort of combination. Judaism, Islam and Christianity are practiced by a minority but if counted they may sum to millions.
• Best time to visit: March-April and September-October. Rainy seasons of June- July, some area of China may be flooded and is not advisable for the river rides. Chinese New year gets a little crowded but if you think squeezing through is part of a great adventure and you have a patience as long as the Nile, then book your flight and accommodation way ahead of time.

• Flights

China has 170 airports, 35 of which are catering to international flights and they are well distributed all over China. Click here to know the airlines that fly in and out of China.

• International Liners

Some ocean liners from Japan and South Korea travel to China. One of its ports, Xingang is three hours land travel from the capital, Beijing.

• Railway

Traveling to China without taking off from the ground is possible by taking a ride on trains. The usual route includes Laos-China, the Trans-Siberian railway, Tibet-Nepal and Xinjiang-Kazakstan.

• By Air

Because of its large land mass, the People's Republic is divided into 33 political divisions which are 22 Provinces, five Autonomous Regions, four Municipalities, and two Special Administrative Regions. Each part of this division have their own airports so they are within reach by domestic flights.View domestic flights from the capital, Beijing.

• By Sea

China has 20 locations of ports and harbors. Some of its cities are accessible from the China Sea. Some of which are Haikou, Lianyungang, Ningbo, Shantou, Xiamen and Zhanjiang . Other cities have ports accessible from other seas like Qingdao and Quinhuangdao from Yellow Sea, and Tianjin from the Pacific Ocean and Yantai from Bohai Sea.Others are interconnected by rivers which also flows out to the sea. These are Guangzhou, Huangpu, Nanjing, Nantong, Shanghai, and Suzhou. Cities like Shenzhen is actually located where the river joins the sea thus making it a major port connecting to ports by the river to ports of neighboring countries like South Korea and Japan.

• By Land

Railways

Travel by train has proven to be the cheapest for long distance destinations. The mainland is dotted with several railway stations serving about 20 principal routes. The trains however suffer an overload before and after the Chinese New Year due to massive influx of passengers. Some cities like Hongkong, Beijing and Shanghai are developing their subways and light rail system. Shanghai even has already developed Maglev(Magnetic levitation transport) from its downtown to Pudong International Airport. This kind of train is propelled and guided by electromagnetic force thus is not dependent on wheels and can travel at a faster speed.

Buses

China has the second longest expressway in the world running to 45,000 kms. It has been a major goal of the goverment to connect the nation through a series of expressway and they have done so with the National Trunk Highway System or NTHS.

• Beijing - Capital City of China. It will be the venue for the 2008 World Olympics. Click to know more about the city and the sights to see.

• Chongqing

• Nanjing - former capital of China

• Shanghai - The largest city of the country and plays a lead role in the economic growth of the China

• Suzhou

• Xian - Home of the life-size stone Terracota warriors

• Hongkong- A favorite destination for shopping and entertainment, especially Disneyland

• Macau - Grand Prix Venue

• Tibet

• Lijiang River - a 7-8 hours cruise/ferry ride from Gualin to Yangshou in the northeastern Guangxi Province. Click on the name to know that sights that one could see along the way of this blue and serene river.

• Yangtze River - Take a 3-5 days cruise along the longest river in China and the third longest in the world(next to Nile and Amazon). Its 6,300 kilometer length traverses 10 provinces and is crisscrossed by several waterways and canals. It also form part of a lake. Click on the name to know the sights to see.

www.Chinahighlights.com - Does not include international airfare in its quotations. They have considerations for your budget though. A drop down box will give you choices as to how much budget you may have. Contact details: Toll free :+ 800-2682918 (USA & Canada- 8:30 -18:00 GMT +800) Tel no. : + 86 773 2831999 (China-8:30 -18:00) Fax: +86 773 282 7424 (24 hours)

www.Travelchinaguide.com - a comprehensive website includes hotels, air travel, and guided tours. Contact detail as follows: Toll Free:1-800-892-6988 (USA & Canada- 24 hours service); +800-600-88-666 (Universal Except USA- 24 hour service); 800 -840-9555 (China Mainland);Tel: (+86)29 852 36688; Fax: (+86)29 852 8897, 852 65801;Address: Suite 508, Yu Yuan Mansion, No. 65 Nan Er Huan Xi Duan, Xian, P.R.C. 710068

www.discoverchinatours.com – Offers live chat in their website or you can call 1-888-803-9432 (Toll Free in U.S. & Canada)

www.chinaodysseytours.com – Provides a guide book in PDF form and a member of American Society of Travel Agents. Contact details: Tel. no. : +86 773-585 4000 or 585 5222; Fax : +86 773-5821166 or 585 4060; Address: English Dept., Shanhu Int’l Tours Ltd., Room 309, No.8 Canluan Road, Guilin, Guangxi 541002 China

Below are some listing of Tour agencies based on some countries. They have been arranged by continents:

Africa

Asia

AT Reservation Network Pte Ltd- a subsidiary of Asiatravel.com Holdings Ltd offering cheap deals for flights, hotels and tours. They have various offices found in Dubai, Hongkong. Singapore, Philippines, Thailand. Click on the name to view contact details.

Australia and Oceania

Europe

Miki Travel Limited (UK-main)- Although they are based in London, they have several affiliate offices in Europe and Asia which makes connections easier. You can check their website at www.miki.co.uk or visit their office in 18/20 Cannon Street, London EC4M 6XD, England. Affiliate offices can be found in the following Asian cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Sendai, Hongkong, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Bangkok, Jakarta. It also has offices in the following European cities: London, Zurich, Dublin, Rome, Madrid, Helsinki, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Brussels, Florence, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Milan, Nice, Budapest, Geneva, Munich, Vienna, Venice, Oslo, and Prague.

Explore Worldwide Limited (UK-main) - the focus is not just in giving you a holiday vacation but one that is coupled with great adventure. Their office is UK based at the following address: Nelson House, 55 Victoria Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7PA,UK. You can check their website at www.explore.co.uk or call their travel agents at # 0870 333 4801.

USA

Artisan of Leisure - located in New York City, across the street from Union Square Cafe—and just steps from the vibrant Union Square Greenmarket. Office hours is 9 a.m.- 6p.m. Mon- Fri by appointment only. Click on the name to view details.

Expedia Inc. - It by far the largest online travel agency with several interfacing famous brands, one of which is Expedia.com. You can book either flights, hotels, cars, a vacation package or a combination of any. You can visit their website at www.expedia.com or call Main Office Phone Number 425-679-7200 Customer Service phone 1-800-EXPEDIA or [1 (800) 397-3342]