Tips for going to China. Join a tour or travel by myself? Where to visit?

tips for going to china asia

Want to visit Hong Kong, Macua and other cities in mainland China? Join some tours from Hong Kong to China? Whether you are visiting China for the first time, planning a family vacation, an in-depth visit and/or something extraordinary, this post is the right place for you as I am going to give you some tips for going to China: whether you should join a tour or travel by yourself; what you should consider before booking a China tour; and what the best cities to visit in China are.

Join a tour to China or travel by myself

You may have been travelled around the world, and planned all the stuff yourself. It’s great and you should be proud of it. But sometimes you need to take a break, you need someone else to take care of you, you need advice from local experts, especially when you travel in group, no matter for business or for leisure, with kids and/or with your whole big family 😊 You just need to book a tour, jump on the coach, and let the tour operator do the rest for you. I’m sure most of us enjoy being served. We have had enough hassles in our lives, joining a tour would be a wise choose, while you can still have an adventure if you choose the right tour.

  • Traveling by yourself or solo

It is suitable for experienced travelers who have plenty of time to plan and arrange their trips. It is not recommended if it is your first trip to China/Asia or the first time your travel outside your own country. As you know, the culture is different and the language barrier is there if you don’t speak any Chinese. If you are experienced enough or ready to face many challenges, go for it.

  • Joining Tours

Most tour operators help tourists arrange domestic transport, e.g. flight/ train/ cruise. You can usually enjoy private transport on road. A tour guide can always tell you interesting stories about the places you visit. If you want to visit Tibet, there is no way except joining tours organized by licensed travel agencies.

  • Group Tours/ Join-in Tours

It is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to travel around China. The thing is, you may have a tight schedule. But hey, let’s be honest, if you really want to visit multiple cities at one time in a safe and efficient way, it would be good to join a tour. You may also make new friends.

  • Private tours

You can have a more comfortable and personalized itinerary. It would be quite cost-effective if you have four or more people.

tours from hong kong to china image

What should you consider when booking a China tour

Q. What does the tour’s price include?

Check these details on websites of tour operators. Make sure you get what you pay for. Let’s see some examples below:

  • Hotel & Transportation

Hotels fees, transport fees, hotel pickup and drop-off and airport transfer are varies depending on the tours. International flight tickets and visa fees are usually not included.

  • Food

The tour’s price usually does not include all the meals, which give you the flexibility to choose what to eat. Most local tour guides are happy to recommend great food and/or restaurants for you.

  • Others

A tour guide and a driver are normally provided. Attraction tickets are mostly optional as you can decide whether you would like to visit those tourist spots or not.

Q. Is the travel agency trust-worthy?

  • Check the year of experience of the company. Do they offer a variety of choices? If yes, it implies that they have more resources.
  • Can you DIY your itinerary (at least parts of it)? It allows you to plan a more personalized journey.
  • Are they based in China with branches in different cities? It is important because some agencies without branches just sub-contracted their tours and therefore the tours’ quality may not be guaranteed.
  • What are the feedback of previous customers? You may check these information on both their websites and social media accounts.

It is recommended that you ask every question you have got in your head before booking any tours. If you have any special requests or allergies, just ask or tell the agency.

Chinatouradvisors.com, the sponsor of this post, is a China-based online travel agency and tour operator offering various tours to China, Hong Kong, and Macau which include private drivers and English-speaking tour guides. They also organize tours to Yangtze River Cruise, the Everest Base Camp and the Silk Road.

Where to visit in China

visiting china for the first time great wall

Now you should have a better idea about booking a tour to China or travelling on your own. No matter what, let’s check out the hottest destinations of China.

  • Beijing – the Capital of China with seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Great Wall.
  • Shanghai — the Largest City of China and a global financial centre with some colonial relics.
  • Hong Kong – International financial centre where the East meets West; a business, shopping and food paradise. Fans of wonton noodles, check out this post.
  • Macau – Blend of Chinese and Portuguese culture with various modern casinos.
  • Guilin – Famous for its Beautiful Natural Landscape like Limestone Karst Hills.
  • Chengdu – for Giant Panda and Spicy Food Lovers.
  • Xian – Home of the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.
  • Hangzhou – Best-known for its West Lake and Dragon Well tea.

Thank you for reading this post. Please feel free to leave us comments or contact us if you have any questions.

Disclosure: I was invited by Chinatouradvisors.com to write a post with a link. The topic of this post is chosen by myself and all opinions are my own.

Disclaimer: Whether you travel to China on your own or book a tour with any agency, http://hong-kong-travelblog.com/ will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with any action you take upon the information you find on this website.

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