China, host of the 2008 Olympics, formerly known as The People's Republic of China, it is a vast eastern country. It also holds the worlds largest population. Climate in China is so diverse given the area that it covers. It can range from tropical to arctic. China is also very rich with history and even has one of the wonders of the world in the “Great Wall of China”. This is a spectacular place to visit. 

Get in: 

Most travellers will need a visa. In most cases, this should be obtained from a Chinese embassy or consulate before departure. Hong Kong and Macau each issue their own visas.

When coming in by plane, check your local providers as there are many flights being serviced all around China.

By train, China can be reached from neighboring countries and even as far as Europe.

• Russia & Europe - two lines of the Trans-Siberian Railway (Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian) run between Moscow and Beijing, stopping in various other Russian cities, and for the Trans-Mongolian, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
• Kazakhstan & Central Asia - from Almaty, Kazakhstan, one can travel by rail to Urumqi in the northwestern province of Xinjiang. There are long waits at the border crossing for customs, as well as for changing the wheelbase for the next country's track.
• Hong Kong - regular services link mainland China with Hong Kong.
• Vietnam - from Nanning in Guangxi province into Vietnam via the Friendship Pass; also between Kunming in Yunnan province, and Hanoi via Hekou and Lao Cai.
• North Korea - four weekly connections between the North Korean capital Pyongyang and Beijing.

You can also come in by bus and by boat. As always, it is best to check with a travel agency. 

Get around: 

Domestic flights around China and its tourist destinations are plenty.

Traveling by train is a nice alternative when traveling long distances as it shows you a lot of scenery along the way. High speed trains are already serving China together with some older non-CRH trains.

Buses are also nice and very affordable. Ideal for in-city travel.

Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Nanjing have subway systems to get you around.

Taxis are easy to find and quite cheap. Just don't try to look for one during rush hour. Sitting in the front passenger seat of taxis is acceptable; some taxis even mount the taxi meter down by the gearbox, where you can only see it from the front seat. Be warned that drivers may start smoking without asking, just opening their window. In some cities it is also common for drivers to try and pick up multiple passengers if their destinations are in the same general direction. Each passenger pays full fare but it saves the time of waiting for an empty cab at rush hour.

You can ride a bike but it will just tire you out from the size of the cities and it is also dangerous.

Short-term driving without a Chinese license just became legal. Please check with the embassy before attempting to drive.

Rickshaws are fine if you intend to travel just a short distance. Try not to get ripped off. 

See: 

• Karst scenery
• Great wall of China
• Silk Road
• Hainan
• Hong Kong
• Culture
• History

• Massage
• Sightseeing
• Golf
• Tour
• Shopping
• Relax
• Eat
• Nightlife

International destinations can be reached from China via plane, train, boat or car.