China is one of the world’s largest countries, so there are significant differences in the climate depending on where you are in the country. Northern China lies in the temperate zone, while further south, the country lies in both the subtropical and tropical zone.

China generally has four seasons just as here the UK:

• Spring: March to May
• Summer: June to August
• Autumn: September to October
• Winter: November to February

The different season can shift a little depending on the area.

You can read more on our blog about the best time to visit China.

Beijing:
Beijing is located in the temperate zone.

Winter is cold and dry, while summer is wet and warm. In the spring and autumn, there is very little rain and mild temperatures. The coldest month is January, while the rainiest months are July and August.

Xi’an:
Xi’an is located in the temperate zone.

As in Beijing, the winter is cold, dry and sometimes foggy, while the summer brings really hot, wet weather. Spring and Autumn are relatively dry, and the rainiest months are in late summer/early autumn.

Shanghai:
Shanghai is located in the subtropical zone.

The winter here is dry and cold, but a little milder than in Beijing, for example. While night-time temperatures often drop below zero, it rarely snows. The summer offers very hot temperatures, which sometimes hit 40 degrees. The summer months are also characterised by heavy showers. On the other hand, spring and autumn generally offer dry weather and pleasant temperatures. However, you should be aware that temperatures can change quickly in the autumn.

Chengdu:
Chengdu (Sichuan Province in south-west China) is located in the subtropical zone.

The climate here is mild, with relatively pleasant temperatures even in the coldest months.

The weather is hottest and wettest during the summer months, especially in July and August, and it can be quite muggy. The winter, on the other hand, is not quite as cold as in other places, but it may be foggy and humid, making it feel colder. The spring starts out mild, getting warmer as the season progresses, and autumn starts out hot but becomes milder. The weather is changeable in both spring and autumn, with hot days rapidly replaced by cooler days – and vice versa.

Yangshuo:
Yangshuo (Guangxi Province – one of China’s southernmost provinces) lies in the subtropical zone.

Yangshuo is generally a little warmer than Shanghai, but gets a lot more rain. The winter months are the driest of the year with mild temperatures, while in the summer and for much of the spring, a lot of rain falls. Autumn is relatively warm and gets a little more rain than in the winter.

Passport: 

As a UK citizen, you must hold a valid UK passport. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day you leave China. 

Be aware that if you have reported your passport lost and then found it again, you may experience complications, and in the worst-case scenario, you could be denied entry into China. Therefore, we recommend applying for a new passport before departure if you have encountered such an issue. 

Visa: 

As a UK citizen, you need a visa to enter China. 

A tourist visa is issued by the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre and is valid for 3 months from the date of issue. 

You can apply for a visa no earlier than 3 months before departure and no later than 1 month before departure. 

When you start your visa application, make sure you have the following ready: 

• Your passport 
• A digital passport photo that meets specific requirements. Read more here 
• Your invitation letter, which you will receive from us alongside your tour confirmation 

The visa application must be completed online at the following link: China visa. 

To apply for a visa, you need to create an account under “Create Account.” 

The visa application consists of several parts. You need to upload a digital passport photo, fill in personal details, education and work-related information, previous travel activities, as well as provide our partner’s license number and the addresses of your accommodation as stated in your invitation letter. At the end of the application, you must decide whether to collect your visa in person at the centre or have it posted to you once processed. 

In due time, you must attend the visa centre in person. Note that some locations require an appointment, while others allow walk-ins. You can find more information about the visa centre’s opening hours and closure days under “Contact Us” at the bottom of the page. 

Before attending your appointment, remember to print your visa application. Bring it to the visa centre along with a copy of the data and photo page of your passport, a physical colour passport photo, a copy of your invitation letter, and a copy of your flight ticket. If you’ve opted to have your visa mailed, remember to bring an envelope with your name, address, prepaid postage, and tracking number. 

When you arrive at the visa centre, go to the check-in desk to receive a queue number. When your number is called, proceed to the designated counter. It’s crucial to immediately inform them if you wish to have your visa sent via post, and hand over the envelope with your name, address, prepaid postage, and tracking number. At the counter, you will submit all your documents and answer any questions. You’ll then receive a queue number for the payment desk. Payment must be made on the same day as your visa application submission. After payment, you’ll get a receipt known as a “pick-up form,” which you must bring to collect your visa unless you’ve chosen postal delivery. 

If you are unable to collect your visa yourself, a friend or family member can collect it on your behalf. Ensure they have a letter of authorisation and a copy of your “pick-up form” for the collection. The person collecting your visa must be able to present a photo ID. 

When you receive your visa, please check that all of the information is correct. 

You can also read more about the visa rules on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website.

You are, of course, always welcome to ask us if you have any questions.

Prior to your departure, you can download our App here to find your travel documents and the contact details for TourCompass and our local partners.

If your tour involves domestic flights or journeys by train in China, it is our partner who books and issues the tickets, which your guide will give you at the destination.

We recommend that you download the WhatsApp app to your smartphone and add the phone numbers of our business partners. You can send messages and call them for free using the app when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

We recommend that you contact a medical specialist, your GP or an authorised vaccination clinic for information about vaccinations. You can also read more about the rules regarding travel vaccinations here.

Please be aware of the rules about yellow fever – especially if you are entering via another country where yellow fever is present. Some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination upon entry. Your vaccination certificate should therefore always be carried with you in your hand luggage when you travel.

You’re always very welcome to contact us if you have any questions about this.

Please read our general travel terms and conditions carefully, as these are part of the agreement terms for tours purchased at TourCompass. Tours purchased from us are covered under the “Package Travel Act”.

Click here to read our travel terms and conditions.

All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it.
Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate click here.

We always advise you to obtain comprehensive travel insurance when heading off on your dream holiday. It is also highly recommended to acquire cancellation insurance for extra protection. 

Click here to proceed to our page on insurance, where you can read more about our recommendations.

The Chinese currency is called the yuan renminbi (CNY). The current exchange rate of the yuan renminbi can be found here.

Visa and MasterCard can generally only be used at hotels, so make sure you always have some cash on you. You’ll see cash machines in most cities, but not many of them accept international credit cards. Banks whose cash machines accept international credit cards are: Bank of China, China Merchant’s Bank and ICBC.

Tips are appreciated, but it is up to you whether or not to tip. You can give as much or as little as you want. The following is an indicative guide:

• Guides: 35-70 CNY per person per day depending on the service provided
• Drivers: 15-35 CNY per person per day depending on the service provided
• Porters: 7-15 CNY per item of luggage
• Maids: 15 CNY per room per day
• Restaurants: At restaurants of an international nature, you can leave 10-35 CNY on the table when you leave if the service and food have been good. Tips are not expected at small local restaurants and street kitchens.

At the vast majority of our destinations, we are able to take allergies, as well as allergens or preferences into account when it comes to food, however it is important that you inform us of this when you book the tour.

Telephones & Wi-Fi:

It’s expensive to use data and roaming abroad if it’s not already included in your mobile subscription. Contact your mobile company to find out what services are included in your subscription and what prices apply to you when travelling abroad.

If data and roaming are not included in your mobile subscription when travelling abroad, we recommend that you use Wi-Fi when you’re at your hotel or restaurants.

Please note, however, that the internet in China is highly censored and blocks access to a number of Western media, including Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, HBO, and Netflix, etc. To access these media, we recommend that you download a VPN connection in the App Store or Google Play on your phone.

Read more about how to get online when you travel, on our blog here.

Electricity:

The voltage in China is 220V. We recommend that you bring an adapter with you, as the Chinese plugs can have 2 and pins, round and flat.

Make sure you pack all your important and indispensable things in your hand luggage. This applies to items such as passports, visas, vaccination cards, travel documents, insurance documents, credit cards, money, computers, mobile phones and cameras, as well as information about your health and vital medicines.

If you are going to China, you can download our recommended packing list as a PDF below.

Download our PDF packing list here.

Visiting temples

When visiting temples, there is a strict dress code. Your knees and shoulders must be covered, your clothes must not be see-through, and you must take off your shoes.

Visitors are not permitted to bring plants, seeds, fruit and other plant products into the UK from their travels outside the UK, unless they are accompanied by a plant health (phytosanitary) certificate. These rules also apply to small quantities of plants and plant products.

Read more about the rules here.

Please note that our tours are not generally suitable for people with impaired mobility. Please contact us for information about your options in relation to your specific needs.

Most airlines have electronic tickets (e-tickets).

It is important that you check your name for spelling errors, as the name on the reservation must be exactly as it appears on your passport. If your name needs to be corrected, please contact us as soon as possible. Please note that this may incur a fee from the airline.

The airline will assign you a seat on the plane at check-in. If you have specific wishes regarding where you sit on the plane, you can make a seat reservation yourself on the airline’s website or in their app. Please note that most airlines require payment for a seat reservation.

It varies when airlines open for seat reservations, but as a general rule, you can book seats from the time of booking and up to 48 hours before departure.

We also point out that the airline has complete control over all seats on the plane and that they are therefore entitled to make changes to the reservation at any time.
If you do not make a seat reservation before departure, the airline will assign you a seat at check-in.

Your passport and your booking reference, which appears on your itinerary, are required to check in.

We recommend that you download the airline’s app on your phone. In the app, there is an option for online check-in, which typically opens 24 to 48 hours before departure. The app also allows you to stay informed of any flight changes and other important information about your flight.

Please note that the flight times may have changed in relation to those listed on the travel itinerary you received when you booked your holiday. It is always the flight times in the airline’s app or on the airline’s website that apply.

We recommend that you arrive at the airport to check in at least two hours before departure. It is a good idea to check the airport’s website for the latest updates.

We use many different airlines for our destinations. You can check the exact rules for hand luggage and checked baggage on the airline’s website or in their app.

If domestic flights are used in your itinerary, please be aware that baggage permissions may be different from how they are for your international flights. In general, you can always purchase more baggage allowance locally.

If your baggage is delayed, please contact the staff in the baggage reclaim area to report your missing baggage.

It is important that you have your baggage receipt when completing your PIR (Property Irregularity Report).

Please note that you must not leave the baggage area at the airport until you have completed the report.

In the event of delayed baggage, we ask you to contact our partner, who will ensure that your guide/driver waits for you.

Should any changes occur in connection with your flight reservation before departure, we will of course contact you to let you know.

Should your flight be delayed after check-in, the airline is responsible for rebooking your flight. They will typically book the next possible flight and arrange any meals and accommodation if necessary.

Our partner checks for any changes in arrival times and will naturally still wait for you, even if your flight is delayed.

If, due to a delay or cancellation, the airline books you on another flight number after you have arrived at the airport, please contact us on TourCompass’ emergency number.

Immigration:

When you arrive at your final destination, you will go through immigration, where your passport and any entry documents and visas are checked. In many places, you will be required to provide fingerprints, and a photo of your face will also be taken for biometric recognition. You may also be asked questions about your travel plans in the country and possibly where you are staying.

Customs:
Once you’ve cleared immigration and picked up your luggage, you will head through customs. If you have nothing to declare, you can go through “nothing to declare”. If, on the other hand, you have something to declare, it is important that you go through “declare”. It’s your own responsibility to check the customs regulations that apply in the country you are travelling to.

On your arrival, you will be met by a guide/driver who will be ready to welcome you with a TourCompass sign.

In the unexpected event that you cannot find your guide/driver, please contact our partner on the emergency number which appears on the travel documents.

Normal check-in is typically from 2 pm, and, therefore, you cannot count on getting your room earlier. If you’d like to check in early, this can be arranged for a fee when you book the tour.

When you check in, the receptionist will generally register your credit card and may reserve an amount. This is not an additional fee, but customary at hotels to ensure payment of any consumption e.g. from the minibar. When you check out, the amount will be automatically released if you have not made use of this.

It is very normal for hotels to take a copy of your passport. In some places, this is a requirement of the local authorities.

Check-out is normally by 10 am. If you’re not travelling until the afternoon or evening, you can have your luggage stored until it’s time to leave. If you would like a late check-out instead, this can be arranged for a fee when you book the tour.

Our tours to China are individual tours, however excursions and transfers take place in international groups of 1–14 people and with TourCompass’ own guests only.

In the event of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, blocked roads or otherwise, it may be necessary to change the order of sightseeing tours and attractions in your itinerary.

Public toilets

The toilet facilities in China can be an experience in themselves. Hotels and international-style restaurants have Western-style toilet facilities, but you should be prepared for traditional Chinese toilets in most public toilets (also on trains), which can best be described as “squat toilets”. In some places, there are closed toilet cubicles, while elsewhere you may find that there is no door! Please note that toilet paper and soap are not always available in public toilets, so we recommend that you bring your own toilet paper or a pack of wet wipes and hand sanitizer.

We have a 24-hour emergency hotline so that you can always get in touch with us should anything unforeseen occur during your tour. You will also be sent the telephone numbers and emergency telephone numbers of our partners at the destination. In some cases, it may be easiest and fastest to contact our partners due to time differences, if, for example, you find yourself in a situation where your pick-up for an excursion or transfer is more than 15 minutes delayed.

We rely on happy travellers, and we would therefore very much like to hear from you after your return home. Send us an email at info@tourcompass.co.uk or call us on tel.: 01279 704 135.