Passport and Visas: All visitors to China must have a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months or more and a ticket for onward travel. Tourist visa requires 3 working days to process. Please forward your passport, one recent passport size photo and a completed application form to our office at least 30 days prior to departure. To know more about visa, please go to www.chinaembassy.org.au or www.chineseconsulatemel.org.

Currency: The Chinese currency YUAN are issued in 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100 denominations. In China, foreign exchange is under the control of the Bank of China, so all the hotels have foreign exchange, which offers similar rate to the Bank of China. The official exchange rate is around A$1= 5.80 Yuan. Traveler's cheques are the safest way to take money with you on your holidays. Australian dollars can be easily exchanged in all the hotels in China. Most hotels, restaurants, and major shopping centers welcome major credit cards.

Tipping: Nowadays, tipping is very popular in China although the Government does not encourage it. We suggest approximately A$5/per person per day as tips for all the tour leaders, national & local guides, hotel bellboys and coach drivers; as a gratitude for their service. Normally the tour leader/national guide will collect the tips for the entire journey on the first day of your tour.

Climate: China is a large country and temperature can vary dramatically across different region. Being in the Northern Hemisphere, as a guide, the seasons are opposite that in Australia. The best time to visit China is in April, May, September & October.

Health: There is no specific requirements or inoculations required for travel to China. However, we recommend that you visit your family doctor for advice well before your travel date.

What to carry with: a). Common toiletries, cold and digestive medications, lip balm, sanitary napkins and any over-the-counter medicines you generally use. Note: some medicines are prohibited from entering China, please check with the China Consulate or China National Tourist Office for details. b). Hair dryer, shaver, alarm clock. c). Chewing gum, mints or throat lozenges to keep your mouth moist. d). Reading materials, including a guidebook on the places you will visit. e). Sun screen lotion & sunglasses during the summer. f). Raincoat if you go in April, July and August. g). Camera & film, and make sure to pack extra batteries. h). A notebook to keep track of all the exciting things happening on the trip.

Luggage: Do not over-pack. Through economic reforms, China now manufactures many consumer goods meeting export quality standards. Airlines only permit free baggage allowance of 20 kilos per person.

Things prohibited from entering China: Generally, raw plants, animal products and foods are prohibited from entering China. Please check with the China Consulate or China National Tourist Office for details.

Electricity: The electrical current in China is 220 volts. China uses both a 2 and 3-pin power outlets. For your convenience, it is recommend that you bring your own adapters. Some hotels do provide adapters. But to be safe, bring your own.

Insurance: Insurance is highly recommended and should be taken-out prior to paying your final balance. Travel insurance covers a range of inconveniences from lost & damage of luggage, to flight delays & cancellations. All are subject to the terms and conditions set by the Insurance Company. It is recommended that you read all the terms and conditions carefully prior to taking-out travel insurance.

Hotel Standards in China: All the hotels used by Dragon Tours are superior tourist class hotels - three star or above, which contain private facilities, air-conditioning, TV & telephone and a whole lot more which you would expect from a tourist-class hotel, except the price. Rooms have twin beds rather than a double bed, where triple share accommodation consists of twin beds (2 single beds) plus a rollaway/fold-up bed. Tap water is not drinkable.

Food & Meals: Most breakfasts are buffet-style offered by hotels, while lunch and dinner is always a Chinese meal of 5-6 courses when it's provided. We try to bring out the many diverse taste buds and culinary delights of China with many local cuisine. Occasionally, we like to spoilt you with various Banquets - Peking Duck. If you require special meals due to religious or medical limitations, it may be difficult at times to pre-arrange due to menu inflexibility. Please advise your tour guide or Dragon Tours well in advance to see if we can assist.

Airport Check in: International departure require check-in at least 2 hours prior to departure.

Conditions for Special Tours: Some Special Tours or Group Tours have special terms & conditions attached, these include late booking penalties and itinerary inflexibility. Please check with your travel consultant or Dragon Tours at the time of booking for details.

Departure Taxes: Passenger Movement Charge for all departures from Australia and a Noise Levy Tax for all arrivals into Sydney, is required to be prepaid prior to your departure from Australia and shown on your airline ticket. For domestic departure, a tax of RMB$50 (A$12) applies, and international departure, a tax of RMB$90 (A$20) applies. In addition, there are taxes for domestic departures, which might or might not be included in the price of the tour or package. Hong Kong airport tax & airport security charge totaling A$15 needs to be prepaid prior to ticket issue.

Sightseeing: This is one of the biggest difference between Dragon Tours' itineraries and our competitors. All the attractions we take you to are full of historical and cultural significance, which are conducted by experienced tour guides. We also let you experience and see a lot more than the common attractions.

For more information: Please contact your licensed travel agent for details or Dragon (China) Tours & Travel.

Following the spirit of DRAGON, Dragon (China) Tours & Travel strives hard for satisfying all passengers and working together with travel agents.