How to Visit China?

1. 1
   Determine what you want to do. Do you want to see the Karsts of Guizhou, the Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Warriors of Xi'an or the ultra-modern skylines of Shanghai and Hong Kong? Decide this and research places that match the criteria.
   
   
2. 2
   Most International airlines fly to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. If you are seeing places that are not on the coast such as Xi'an, Xining, Guiyang, Guilin or Lhasa, you will have to make a connection, which means switching airlines.
3. 3
   The weather is different throughout the country. In places like Harbin, Beijing, Shenyang and Qingdao, the weather is comparable to New England. Places in the center of the country like Shanghai and Xi'an have weather like the Carolinas and places in the south like Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Nanning and Guiyang have weather like Florida and Georgia.
4. 4
   You should learn Mandarin. Mandarin is the national language of China but in Guangdong, Guangxi and Hong Kong, Cantonese is spoken widely. In Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi and Gansu, Southwestern Mandarin is spoken. In Urumqi, Arabic is spoken by many people and in Tibet, Tibetan is spoken.
5. 5
   Try to exchange money in banks. Hotels and Chain-exchange places usually charge a large tax. Money exchange centers in airports are usually not the best, either.
6. 6
   Street food should be avoided, but in tourist hotspots, you can get food from them.
7. 7
   In most places, the tap water is not potable. Instead, buy bottled water.
8. 8
   Remember that only 6 Yuan can be taken from the American Dollar and that tourists get ripped off. Do NOT pay ¥300 for a guidebook. The most you should pay for one is ¥80 for an english one from an international publisher.