As I write this post there are exactly 2 months to go until the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. If you are wanting to go and have the money of course it will be easy to arrange flights, tickets and accommodation. If you are on a bit of a reduced budget and need a cheaper airfare you could look at the following options.

Look at flying to into Tokyo/Seoul and then fly into Dalian/Harbin or some other city in north east China and fly into Beijing from there. Or how about going into the south? Look for flights into Guangzhou, Shenzhen and then from there to Beijing. There are also flights from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore into Kunming, Chengdu, Chongqing. Start shopping around for the airfares now. Time is running short as you also have to remember you will need to apply for a visa.

In addition to trying some different entry points into China followed by an internal flight you could fly to the above mentioned cities and then take the train. I have traveled in China on the train network and found it is comfortable journey and prices are reasonable.

If you are going to the Beijing Olympics in August leave a comment on this blog. Who knows we might meet up over there.

Now the earthquake has struck I don’t even know if the place can be visited. I have been watching the amazing images come out of the earthquake region and feel for the people of Sichuan.

It looks like a war zone, so many buildings have just fallen to the ground. The sad part is that so many schools full of children have been destroyed. Most of them had no chance to get out.

On my www.robkeating.com I have an offer for people that may be interested in a work at home opportunity. If they buy the Stacker Formula for $67 half of this will be donated to the Chinese earthquake victims.

Stacker Formula commissions, 50% to be donated

I have visited the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall on several occasions. It is an amazing sight. On a clear day you can see the skyscrapers of Beijing off in the distance.

One key reason to visit this section is that they have a cable car to take visitors from the car park area up to the wall. This is handy if you have young children or elderly. Or even if you just don’t want to negotiate a heap of stairs.

The Mutianyu section is located in Huairou County 70km (43.5 mi) northeast of Beijing.

Getting there
If you are feeling adventurous you can go by bus. Catch bus no. 916 from the Donzhimen Long Distance Bus Station. Get off when you reach Huairou City. At this stage it is best to take a taxi for the remaining 17km. It should cost around 35 RMB.

For more information visit the Official Mutianyu section of the Great Wall website.

The other way is to read my tips in the flight to Beijing article on the website. Having recently been watching Survivor China and visiting the embassy tonight my desire to visit China is really strong.

In the embassy itself there are many items that showcase China. They have some Terracotta Warriors, a room decorated as if it is out of the Forbidden City in Beijing. There is a bamboo garden and also in the main garden they have several pavilions built in the traditional Chinese style.

Going to the embassy was just like visiting China. Inside one of the halls of the embassy they had Chinese tea tasting. Outside on the main stage a fantastic show was put on to entertain the hundreds of guests. It started with some lion dancing, followed by dancers from Shaanxi which is home of the Terracotta Warriors. Later came some tai chi, followed by more dancing.

Also at the embassy there was a travel information stand operated by Helen Wong’s tours. I grabbed a couple of brochures about some of the places I am interested in visiting. Lucky for me I am off to Beijing for the Olympics in August.

When not attending the Olympics I would like to visit Shanghai and Guilin. Some of the photos I have seen of Guilin are truly spectacular.

If you have visited China I would love to hear about your favorite spots and not so favorite places.

Check back here in a few days and I will have some video from tonights performance.

The airfare is great but don’t you hate it with you get hit for $471 in taxes. This can make what appears to be a cheap flight to Beijing a not so cheap flight. Departures for the above flight to Beijing are from 25/1/2008-31/3/2008.

Other destinations include Dalian, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Xiamen and
Xian. I highly recommend a visit to Qingdao and Xi’an having been there in the past. Qingdao is a nice coastal city with a European influence. Xi’an of course is home of the terracotta warriors. This is a must see if you make it to this ancient city. Home of the First Emperor.

Don’t forget the Olympics will be held in Beijing in August 2008. Prices are sure to skyrocket closer to this time. It is advisable to travel early in the new year if you have no interest in attending the Olympics.

Although history and culture tends to vary considerably between Asian countries, it can be helpful to get some general Asia travel tips. However, China is unique in that it is the world’s most populous country and is under quasi-Communist rule. The government is under the strict control of the Chinese Communist Party. Read up on travel advice that can be found free from various government websites before making travel plans.

The majority of Asian countries are much the same in that they display a high degree of respect for their elders and customs are very prevalent. There are also a number of items that are not allowed to be imported or exported from China. Unauthorized items include guns, ammunition, explosives, certain radio parts, Chinese currency, media that is contrary to China’s politics, economy, culture, and ethics such as pornography or religious texts.

When visiting China one must be careful even when taking what might seem like innocent magazines into the country. The image and suggestions that appear in many magazine ads may be considered pornographic by Chinese officials even though they are completely normal in many other cultures. It is also illegal to export rare items, such as relics, some books, rare plants and animals, as well as precious metals or diamonds. As you find information on this topic, you may find many Asian travel tips that indicate that other countries have similar policies.

In China, there is a low crime rate, but it has increased in recent years. However, foreigners are rarely victims of crime. Many experts suspect that the low crime rate is partially due to the lack of guns in China, but stabbings have become more prevalent. Many of the laws are different in China, although laws and penalties relating to drugs are strict and can result in serious jail time. Occasionally foreigners are detained and fined for improper sexual relations with Chinese citizens.

One of the China travel tips that is likely to come in handy is take some time to learn several basic phrases in Mandarin, the official language of China. Although you do not need to be fluent, knowing how to locate a bathroom and ask how much something costs will help immensely. Depending on how long you are in China, you may be present for one of their many holidays. If this is the case you should find some holiday tips, find out what is being celebrated, and join in on the festivities. Many times knowing the proper holiday tips and customs is enough for Chinese people to make you feel more welcome. The two main Chinese holiday periods are Spring Festival and National Day. A tip for you with these holidays is to try not to travel at these times as it is extremely busy.

Even though it may sound like China is too serious about many issues, their rules and regulations ensure that China remains a safe place for its citizens and visitors. Tourism is emerging as a major industry in China and the laws will likely become more lax in the future. Be sure to search for your China travel tips before departing on your Chinese vacation,and of course don’t forget your travel insurance.

If visiting China you will find getting a cheap flight to Beijing is a great starting point for your vacation. Beijing can be used as a base before heading to attractions such as the great wall of China and the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an. You can also take a train ride down to Shanghai and enjoy many attractions in that region. When taking a vacation in China the options are endless. I hope you enjoy the China travel tips.