Tours of China
Mar 23rd, 2016, 07:41 AM
#1
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Tours of China
I am planning a trip to China for next spring, I am planning on going with my sister who is 75 and not very active. If I was going on my own I would make the plans myself. I was wondering if anyone has used any of the tour companies advertised in the Internet. I am interested in 14-21 days with everything included.
Any suggestions?
P.S. I am new to the forums so bare with me.
Any suggestions?
P.S. I am new to the forums so bare with me.
Mar 23rd, 2016, 06:49 PM
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Welcome to Fodor's!
Are you fully committed to taking a tour? A number of Fodorites have noted potentially serious limitations to taking ANY tour in China. For example, the guides will likely have no exposure to information other than what their government has authorized, and so often know less about various sites than you can gain by reading a good guide book or two. And you will likely be "given" many many MANY opportunities to buy things -- and even if you aren't pressured, that's time that you could use for other purposes.
Before deciding, you might want to read trip reports from many of us who have traveled to China independently (and quite successfully, IME!) and also read some of the threads here on the reasons for and against taking a tour.
Hope that helps!
Are you fully committed to taking a tour? A number of Fodorites have noted potentially serious limitations to taking ANY tour in China. For example, the guides will likely have no exposure to information other than what their government has authorized, and so often know less about various sites than you can gain by reading a good guide book or two. And you will likely be "given" many many MANY opportunities to buy things -- and even if you aren't pressured, that's time that you could use for other purposes.
Before deciding, you might want to read trip reports from many of us who have traveled to China independently (and quite successfully, IME!) and also read some of the threads here on the reasons for and against taking a tour.
Hope that helps!
Mar 24th, 2016, 03:56 PM
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Thank's everyone for the response, I think a tour is going to be the best way with my sister, on the other hand any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I have planned travel threw Spain, Italy, and Egypt without a hitch but China is kind of intimidating..
Mar 24th, 2016, 04:01 PM
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IME, planning a trip to China is not that much harder than planning elsewhere -- it just feels more intimidating! The major cities are very easy to get around, so an itinerary that would include (for example) Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, and Hong Kong should be quite manageable and fit nicely within your 14-21 day time frame. But it is, of course, your call. Just do, please, read up a bit on the tours before you commit to one -- there really are some potential problems! China is fascinating, though, and I'm sure you and your sister will have some wonderfully memorable experiences no matter what you choose.
Apr 2nd, 2016, 04:33 PM
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With very rare exceptions indeed, there's no such thing as a good Chinese tour company. Question those you are considering on all the following topics:
Tipping policy. There's no tipping in China, although very rare indeed the tour company that tells you that. A very few have things worked out and tell you there is none except for the foreign tour manager who stays with you the all the way. A few more keep tips to the completely unavoidable (within the context of the tour), pay them from a central kitty only after performance, and make contributing genuinely optional. The ones telling you to bring along US$1 bills for handing out here and there are the ones to avoid at all costs, as are the ones who tell you (sometimes only after you book) that you should come prepared to pay the equivalent of US$3 to US$10 per person for guides and drivers. Sometimes they tell you this only after you've booked. Check the small print carefully and ask the question before you book. Add the total sum expected to the tour price to find the real total price. But also take this as an indication that you'll have other problems. There's been so much criticism of this practice that some companies have re-named it 'service charge', as if that somehow makes a difference.
Foreign tour manager. It's worth paying extra to go with a company that has one of these who will stay with you all the way. Be aware that whatever the name of the company you pick, the arrangements on the ground are typically put together by a limited number of Chinese operators. Ground handling companies have a habit of throwing in a shopping stop or two more than agreed when they can get away with it, issuing lower quality rooms than actually contracted for, and so on. Having a representative from your own country with you, and one who knows the ropes, keeps these shenanigans to a minimum.
Shopping stops. Some tours (the cheapest, inevitably) have one or two of these a day, plus product demonstrations during lunch, and on some tours there are more than originally stated. Few tour company itineraries mention them at all. But when you arrive your trip to the Great Wall becomes and hour at the Great Wall and two at some jade factory. So ask before you book exactly how many of these stops there will be. Some tours have none at all, or maybe two a week (in some cities a tour license will not be issued unless a stop at a certain souvenir shop--run by the issuing authority, of course--is included). One way to win is to take the cheapest tour but to sit out all the shopping stops. This, however, can become tedious. You should certainly sit them out though--the places you're taken to charge ten, 15, or 20 times more than you need to pay. These stops tend to be longer than in other parts of the world, and no one's getting back on the bus until the very last person has finished browsing. The guide gets at least half as a kick-back, and the driver gets either a flat fee or a share of the guide's money. Your tour takes you to whichever shops offer the most profit to the guides or tour company.
Hotels. With the appalling traffic in most big cities, being central is very important. But since hotels are also chosen on the basis of kick-backs, you may be very far out of town, and spend a lot of time in the bus. See if you can get some hotel names and then look them up on-line or in guidebooks to find out more. It's not unknown for tour companies to put you up at one suburban hotel and then bus you all the way across town for lunch in another, with a shopping 'opportunity' just to hand.
Food. If meals are included, don't expect them to be great. If you think they are great, then you have no idea just what wonders await you beyond that hotel door.
Time off. Take a tour that allows you plenty of breaks in the itinerary. That way you can find out more for yourself, eat excellent food for very low prices, and make your own mistakes and discoveries.
Tipping policy. There's no tipping in China, although very rare indeed the tour company that tells you that. A very few have things worked out and tell you there is none except for the foreign tour manager who stays with you the all the way. A few more keep tips to the completely unavoidable (within the context of the tour), pay them from a central kitty only after performance, and make contributing genuinely optional. The ones telling you to bring along US$1 bills for handing out here and there are the ones to avoid at all costs, as are the ones who tell you (sometimes only after you book) that you should come prepared to pay the equivalent of US$3 to US$10 per person for guides and drivers. Sometimes they tell you this only after you've booked. Check the small print carefully and ask the question before you book. Add the total sum expected to the tour price to find the real total price. But also take this as an indication that you'll have other problems. There's been so much criticism of this practice that some companies have re-named it 'service charge', as if that somehow makes a difference.
Foreign tour manager. It's worth paying extra to go with a company that has one of these who will stay with you all the way. Be aware that whatever the name of the company you pick, the arrangements on the ground are typically put together by a limited number of Chinese operators. Ground handling companies have a habit of throwing in a shopping stop or two more than agreed when they can get away with it, issuing lower quality rooms than actually contracted for, and so on. Having a representative from your own country with you, and one who knows the ropes, keeps these shenanigans to a minimum.
Shopping stops. Some tours (the cheapest, inevitably) have one or two of these a day, plus product demonstrations during lunch, and on some tours there are more than originally stated. Few tour company itineraries mention them at all. But when you arrive your trip to the Great Wall becomes and hour at the Great Wall and two at some jade factory. So ask before you book exactly how many of these stops there will be. Some tours have none at all, or maybe two a week (in some cities a tour license will not be issued unless a stop at a certain souvenir shop--run by the issuing authority, of course--is included). One way to win is to take the cheapest tour but to sit out all the shopping stops. This, however, can become tedious. You should certainly sit them out though--the places you're taken to charge ten, 15, or 20 times more than you need to pay. These stops tend to be longer than in other parts of the world, and no one's getting back on the bus until the very last person has finished browsing. The guide gets at least half as a kick-back, and the driver gets either a flat fee or a share of the guide's money. Your tour takes you to whichever shops offer the most profit to the guides or tour company.
Hotels. With the appalling traffic in most big cities, being central is very important. But since hotels are also chosen on the basis of kick-backs, you may be very far out of town, and spend a lot of time in the bus. See if you can get some hotel names and then look them up on-line or in guidebooks to find out more. It's not unknown for tour companies to put you up at one suburban hotel and then bus you all the way across town for lunch in another, with a shopping 'opportunity' just to hand.
Food. If meals are included, don't expect them to be great. If you think they are great, then you have no idea just what wonders await you beyond that hotel door.
Time off. Take a tour that allows you plenty of breaks in the itinerary. That way you can find out more for yourself, eat excellent food for very low prices, and make your own mistakes and discoveries.
