China Tours from USA

The best time to visit China is definitely September and October, when the temperature is the most pleasant in the year and sunny days are often. May and June are fine months to visit too. As China spans a large area, the best time to visit may vary according to your travel destination.

Note: To ensure an excellent China tour from the US, you are suggested to avoid visiting during the National Day holiday in the first week of October and Spring Festival Travel Rush.

Yes, unless they qualify for the visa-free policies of China, US citizens need to get a tourist visa in advance for China tours from the States. Submit your passport valid for at least six months, a completely filled-out application form with a recent bareheaded photo, and round-trip tickets and hotel bookings or an invitation letter from a China travel agency, to the Chinese embassy or consulate in your residence area. It usually takes 4 working days.

Visa fees: 140 dollars

Where to Apply for a Visa (choose the one in charge of your residence area):
Chinese Embassy in Washington, D. C.  Tel: 202-3371956
Chinese Consulate in Chicago     Tel: 312-4530210
Chinese Consulate in Houston     Tel: 832-2403780
Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles     Tel: 213-2011765
Chinese Consulate in New York    Tel: 212-2449392/212-2449456
Chinese Consulate in San Francisco     Tel: 415-8729091

Currently, there are plenty of direct flights from the USA to China, which generally take 11 to 14 hours for a one-way trip considering different weather conditions and air routes. More than 10 cities of USA operate non-stop flights to China's major travel destinations including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Travelers can book China tours from USA with airfare included from different parts of the country.

US and Chinese cities linked by direct flights:
New York: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu
Seattle: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen
San Francisco: Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou
Los Angles: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Changsha, Qingdao
San Jose: Beijing, Shanghai
Las Vegas: Beijing
Chicago: Beijing
Detroit: Beijing, Shanghai
Boston: Shanghai
Washington, D. C.: Beijing
Atlanta: Shanghai
Dallas: Beijing, Shanghai
Houston: Beijing
Honolulu: Beijing, Shanghai

During the Daylight Saving Time from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November, China is 12 hours ahead of Eastern Time in USA; while 13 hours ahead during the Standard Time.

Rough Exchange Rate: 1 USD ≈ 6.8 CNY

CNY, short for Chinese Yuan, is the official currency used in China. 1 Yuan is divided in to 10 Jiao, and 1 Jiao is equal to 10 Fen. Nowadays, mobile payment is popular in China. The commonly seen minimal face value of paper money is 5 Jiao or 1 Yuan and it's rare to see money with lower values.

Travelers can enter China with limited amount of CNY, that is, 20,000 Yuan at most. Since it's convenient to exchange money in China, you are not advised to take so much cash. You can exchange US dollars to Chinese Yuan at airports, most bank branches, and some four or five star hotels.

Tap water cannot be drunk directly. You need to boil the water before drinking. Bottled water sold at stores and purified water provided at hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and public facilities are drinkable.

From USA to China:
Dial 011 + China country code 86 + city code XX or XXX + phone number
Note: If you are trying to connect a cell phone, the city code should be omitted.

From China to USA:
Dial US country code 001 + city code XXX + phone number