Visa Requirements

Passport(s) must be valid for at least 6 months on the return date of your trip. A visa is needed for all tourists entering China. Visa must be obtained prior to arrival in China. You may obtain a China Visa from Chinese Embassy or Consulate near your place. To get a China Visa, you need a valid passport at least 6 months, 2 passport photos, and a visa application, available at the Chinese Consulate. If you need invitation letter from IslamiChina for obtaining your China visa, please submit the following information and documents 4 weeks prior to departure date: name in full; sex; date of birth; profession or occupation; nationality & passport No.

Tibet Travel Permit
Foreigners traveling to Tibet need a Tibet Travel Permit. IslamiChina will help to obtain this permit from the Chinese authority. As for Tibet Travel Permit, we need you to email us the photo copy of your passport and China Visa; meanwhile you need to inform us your profession or occupation. The new Tibet Travel Permit policy requires that minimum of 5 people need to travel together to Tibet in a group. 

Travel Documents
Passport must be valid for at least six months on the return day of your trip. Please bring the name, phone number and address of the person you wish to contact in case of emergency. We suggest you make photo copies of all your travel documents and keep them in a safe place. Also, we recommend that your passport, air tickets, cash and other travel documents not be kept together, so you would not lose everything in case something happens. Be sure you have everything before leaving for the airport.

Chinese Customs and Immigration Procedures
When you arrive in China, you will proceed through Immigration and passport inspection. You will then proceed to the baggage carousel and claim your checked luggage. From there you go through Customs and present your “Customs Declaration Form" which you filled out on your flight. You will be given the carbon copy of this Customs Declaration Form. Be sure not to lose it, as you will have to show it to the Customs Officer upon exiting China. After reaching the arrival hall, please look for Islamichina representative who will be holding a banner or a sign with your name on it.

Health & Medical Matters
Due to the length of the trip and local traveling conditions; it is advised that you consult your doctor for existing medical/ dental conditions before departure. If you are taking prescription medicine, please pack (in your hand luggage) sufficient quantity for the duration of the trip. It may also be useful to bring aspirin, over-the-counter medicine for flu, indigestion, motion sickness, etc. In case of illness during the trip, please immediately notify your local guide for assistance.

If you are traveling to Tibet, please be aware of Acute Mountain Sickness. An altitude over 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) is usually defined as high altitude. Since most places in Tibet are higher than this level (the average elevation in Tibet is 4000 meters above sea level), Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), also called Altitude Sickness is the biggest health risk to tourists in Tibet. Most travelers to Tibet will experience differing degrees of symptoms at high elevation. Symptoms of AMS include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of appetite and disturbed sleep. Most people will experience one or more AMS symptoms upon their arrival in Tibet. The symptoms will usually gradually decrease in severity during acclimatization. Mild AMS usually will not interfere with mild activity. However AMS can be very serious, with the most serious symptoms being High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), which can be fatal. Symptoms of HAPE include weakness, shortness of breath, even at rest, impending suffocation at night, and a persistent productive cough with white, watery, or frothy fluid. Symptoms of HPCE may include headache, ataxia, weakness, hallucinations, psychotic behavior, coma and loss of memory. If you have records of heart, lung, other organ problems or anemia you should consult your doctor before making the decision to visit Tibet.

Clothing
Islamichina suggests that you dress casually and comfortably throughout your trip. There are no occasions where you will be required to wear formal clothing on your trip. Comfortable and reliable walking shoes are a must to enjoy the sightseeing tours. A collapsible umbrella or raincoat is also advised although you can purchase these items in China. Do not over pack; you can buy everything you need cheaply in China.

Things to Bring
Contact lenses solution, sun glasses, hat, shavers, hair dryer, electrical converter and adapter. Since you may not have time during the tour to replace something or finding the brands you like, it is worthwhile to bring extra quantities of certain items.

Baggage
For your convenience, we suggest you bring one large suitcase and one carry on bag. Please do not over pack, leave space in you suitcase for purchases in China. Since your suitcase will be transported frequently during trip, please be sure it is strong enough to withstand all the handling. Also be sure it has wheels and locks.

For China domestic flights, each passenger is allowed one piece of check-in luggage per flight, up to 44 pounds., and one carry on bag with a combined total dimension not exceeding 45in. Checked luggage must have a lock (combination locks are recommended) and a luggage tag showing the name and contact information of the owner. Baggage without a lock may be refused for transport. Consider packing one change of clothing, one set of underwear and toiletry in your carry on bag to avoid inconvenience caused by delayed or lost luggage.
DO NOT pack medicine, valuables and other personal necessities in checked luggage. Keep them in your carry on bag.

Telephone
For direct dialing to China, the country code is 86. Major city codes: Beijing-10, Shanghai-21, Guangzhou-20, Xian-29. For other city codes, please contact telephone operator for assistance. Your China Hotel telephone operators can dial your home country numbers for you, but the cost is high. You may want to bring a calling card (AT&T, MCI etc.). Prepaid local phone cards are available at hotel shops or reception.

Cell Phone
Once you are in China and you want to get in touch with your friends at home country by cell phone, you can purchase a China Mobile prepaid SIM card which will enable you to use China Mobile's nationwide GSM service at low rates as a local person.

It is quite easy to get a China Mobile prepaid SIM card. You don't have to be a resident and you don't even need a lot of cash. You can simply go to any of China Mobil shops and buy a prepaid SIM card and get your mobile phone number. The price for SIM card varies based on the phone number that you are choosing and prices are from RMB 60 TO RMB 300 depending on how lucky the number is.

The validity of your prepaid SIM Card is extended each time after you recharge your card. After your last top-up, you have up to 3 months to add more credit. Please note that after 3 months of inactivity, you lose any credit on the account. You then have 1 month to re-apply credit to the account before the prepaid SIM card is de-commissioned. Once this takes place, you will not be able to re-instate the service back with your prepaid SIM card.

To add more talk time to your cell-phone, you will need to buy a recharge card which is available in retail outlets all across China. Recharge cards are also readily available in denominations of RMB 50, 100, 300 and 500 yuan.

IslamiChina will help you to purchase a prepaid SIM card if you have this need. Once you confirm with us that you need a prepaid SIM card, we will help to purchase such a card and email you the cell phone number. Our tour guide will give you the SIM card upon meeting you at the airport and you may pay the SIM card cost upon meeting your guide. Your friend will be able to get in touch with you any time by dialing +86 + your hand phone number. If your phone number is 13912341234, your friend get reach you by dialing +8613912341234 any time no matter where you are in China.

Weather
Weather in China varies quite a bit depending on the region and elevation. Please see our Weather Chart or give us a call for further information.

Average Temperatures in Major Cities of China (°F)

Average Temperatures in Major Cities of China (°F)

Voltage
Standard voltage in China is 220 and wall plugs vary from city to city. Some hotels supply a plug with a 110 current adapter in the bathroom, but we suggest you bring along your own adapters and converters for your electrical appliances. Most hotels in China provide adapters free of charge. Please contact house keeping for adapters.

Meals
Breakfast is served in your hotel as either western buffet or Chinese buffet style. Lunches and dinners which are included (check your itinerary to see which meals are included) are served at restaurants during your day of sightseeing. A fixed supply of beverages is served with the meals at no charge. One glass of soft drinks (coke or sprite), or mineral water is included with lunch and dinner. Unlimited amount of tea is included with all meals. Additional drinks are available for purchase. Please verify cost before ordering.

Drinking Water
We do not recommend you drink tap water. In most modern hotels in the larger cities they operate their own "in-house" water treatment systems providing safe drinking water throughout the hotel. Other hotels provide thermos bottles of safe drinking water. Bottled mineral water is also available in your hotel mini-bar at an additional charge.

Local Transportation/Getting Around
Most major sites are included in your sightseeing program and transportation is provided in an air-conditioned vehicle. If you wish to do some sightseeing or travel to some place on your own, you will find taxis are readily available. Fares are generally quite inexpensive and most taxis are metered. Taxi rates can be different depending upon the 'grade" of the taxi. Taxi drivers don't necessarily speak English so be sure to get directions written out in advance in Chinese. Hotel staff and local guides will be happy to help.

Laundry
Laundry and dry-cleaning services are available at each of the hotels. It's fast and of high quality. Items collected in the morning are returned the same evening. Charges are included in your personal room bill for payment upon checking out.

Gratuities
Important Note on Tipping
Please note that gratuities are not included in your tour cost. They are customary, and their purpose is to encourage and reward quality service. Our local guides, drivers, hotel porters and other service personnel do their utmost to make your trip smooth and pleasant. Gratuities are a way of showing your appreciation and also constitute a large part of their monthly income. We suggest $3USD per person per day to local guide and $2USD per person per day to driver (you may tip them before you leave each city). Bellboys and luggage person will expect your tip for the delivery of your luggage, it is suggested that USD1 or CNY10 for each delivery. If you are in a hotel bar, tipping is customary. If you are dining at local restaurants, you are not required to tip.

Shopping
Although IslamiChina Tour Guides will be happy to assist you with any shopping requirements, IslamiChina does not assume responsibility for any items purchased at shops while on tour. You are never required to purchase any items while on tour and thus must be responsible for your own purchases. Any after sales correspondence must be between the passenger and the shop in question.

Emergency
Contact Upon arrival at airports in China, Please look for IslamiChina representative at the arrival hall of the airport who will be holding a banner or a sign with your name on it. For missed, delayed or canceled flights or other emergency, please contact our 24 hours hotline which will be given to you at the time of booking the tour.

Miscellaneous Reminders
1. Please keep an eye on your valuables at all time. Watch out for pickpockets while sightseeing.
2. Bring name and phone number of an emergency contact.
3. Read your itinerary and hotel information before departure. Leave a copy of your itinerary and hotel list with your family.
4. For special requests (China domestic flight reservation, flight change & confirmation, China hotel reservation etc.), please have all arrangements made with your travel agency before departure. Islamichina Tours does not take any responsibilities for itinerary deviations or bookings made by other travel agencies.
5. Hotels in China charge extra for adding a bed. Please take into consideration the comfort of your traveling party and the length of the trip when requet a triple room hotel occupancy.

We hope you have a wonderful trip and thank you for choosing IslamiChina, the specialist in operating Muslim tours in China for your travel arrangements.