China Travel FAQs

Up to date information for vaccinations before you travel to China are available from the NHS website

For up to date information around safety and security in China read the Foreign & Commonwealth Office latest information for China.

Spring and autumn are the best times to visit China. Any timefrom March to May and from September to early November are the best moments to plan a great trip.

British nationals normally need a visa to enter mainland China, including Hainan Island, but not Hong Kong or Macao. With effect from 1 November 2018, all visa applicants aged between 14 and 70 inclusive will need to make their visa application in person at a Visa Application Centre.

The official currency of China is the Chinese Yuan.

Some of the animals that are native to China include the Asian elephant, sable, dugong, Pallas cat, North China leopard, binturong, clouded leopard, Tibetan macaque, golden snub-nosed monkey, and the giant panda.

China is a large and diverse country, and its many regions have different favorite dishes. Some of these dishes include noodles, fried rice, minchee, dumplings, Mao's braised pork, and char siu. However, China's globally recognized national dish is the Peking duck.

The official dialect of China is Mandarin, also call "Putonghua". More than 70% of the Chinese population speaks Mandarin, but there are also several other major dialects in use in China: Yue (Cantonese), Xiang (Hunanese), Min dialect, Gan dialect, Wu dialect, and Kejia or Hakka dialect.

The currency in China is the Chinese Yuan. In Mainland China, tipping or gratuities are not common practice in most sectors of life, but it has become okay to tip tour guides, drivers, and hotel bellboys in recognition of their good service.

Local China travel experts are available.