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In August 2008 Beijing will play host to the Summer games. You don’t have to wait for this sporting showcase to think about a visit to China. Here are some China travel tips to help you enjoy your next vacation in China.

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.

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The Beijing Olympics are now 457 days away. You may think that is a long time away and you would not need to start making travel plans just yet.

You may think differently when I tell you that the tickets are now available for registration. From now until early July you can register your ticket requests at the CoSport website. CoSport are the official ticketing agent for people from the US, Australia, Canada and a few other countries. You can look through the schedule and select up to 48 event tickets per order.

Once you are ready to make you selection you fill in the order form and submit your order. At this stage you are charged $1 to verify your credit card. I selected some opening ceremony tickets which at the lower end cost USD256. For the A tickets they will set you back USD773.

Some other examples include Athletics from USD9 if you want to attend a morning session sitting in the C class seats. If you prefer to be a bit closer to the action it is USD137 for an A class ticket during a night session. For swimming the price range is USD17 to 107.

If you need a hotel in Beijing you can select accommodation packages from the CoSport website. They have a choice of four Beijing hotels that are all four star. You can choose accommodation only or select an option that includes tickets. Prices range from USD2085 all the way up to USD 9581 for a five night package that includes tickets to Gymnastics - Rhythmic, Beach Volleyball (M Finals), Table Tennis (W Finals), Diving(M Semis), Athletics M&W Finals), Basketball (M Finals) and the Closing Ceremony.

The Beijing Hotels that CoSport have selected are Minzu Hotel, Jianguo Hotel, Novotel Peace Hotel Beijing and Landmark Hotel Beijing. I have personally stayed in the the Landmark Hotel and can recommend it. If you prefer to go it alone with accommodation you could start searching the Hotels Combined website around August this year.

The one thing that remains is to find a flight to Beijing. This is also something you would probably need to wait until around August before you start your search to make flight reservations to Beijing. The main thing at this stage is to secure some tickets to your favourite sporting events.

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In my opinion April and May are the best months to visit Beijing. It is a great time of year for several reasons. Number one is that the heat of summer has not arrived. Also the huge tourist crowds have not made their way to the capital. I also love the fact that the blossoms are in full bloom at this time of year.

A visit to Jingshan Park is highly recommended, first for the views and second to see flowers. This park is located directly north of the Forbidden City Shenwu Gate. The park has a long history going back 800 years. To the west of Jingshan Park is Beihei Park, another great park to visit. What I like most about this Jingshan Park is that it is the highest point in Beijing and is a good photo vantage point. The hill in the park is 48 metres high. It is hard to imagine at only 48 metres that is the highest place in Beijing. The great thing about going to the park is that the hill overlooks the Forbidden City on one side and looks north to the Drum and Bell Tower which are located at the end of Di An Men Da Jie. You also get great panoramic views of Beijing.

The last time I visited Jingshan Park one of the many flower shows that are held in the park was in full bloom to make a spectacular addition to the already impressive park. Most notable were the beautiful peonies flowers for which the Park is well known. April to mid-May is the best time for seeing the large variety of more than 200 peonies you can find in the park. I highly recommend a visit to the park but don’t forget your digital camera.

The park is open from 6.00 am to 9.30 pm year round. The admission price is 5 RMB November through to the end of March and 10 RMB from April to the end of October. Buses that service the park are no’s 5, 13, 103, 105, 107, 109, 118, 121.

If you are considering a visit to Beijing you can start your journey by reading the information on the cheapflightscruises.com website which has tips for booking a flight to Beijing. Just in case you don’t know the Olympics will be held in Beijing starting on August 8 at 8.08 pm in 2008. If you are looking for a hotel in Beijing I suggest checking out HotelsCombined.com. This website allows you to search multiple hotel booking sites with one search.

A flight to Beijing from Washington DC takes around 14 hours. From the west coast of the USA it takes about 12 hours 50 minutes. Air China flights direct to Beijing from Los Angeles every Wednesday and Friday. United airlines provide the service from Washington to Beijing.