The Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit member organization that works to promote economic vitality and prosperity in Santa Cruz County. We value a healthy and productive economic community, a high quality of life, fairness and efficiency in community decision making, and efficient and sustainable business practices.
October 15
Important Tour and Travel Information
Disclaimer: All information below is provided as a guide only. The Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce does not guarantee any information. We recommend that you check with the various official organizations for the latest rules and regulations.
FAQs:
Other Resources:
US Department of State Travel Info Links:
Consular Information Sheet (excellent coverage of requirements, safety/security, and health)
Background Notes: China (a history and current issues)
US Department of Health & Human Services (CDC)
Travel's Health (including vaccination requirements)
Back to China Fall 2008 Homepage
Citslinc International, Inc. ( Seller of Travel number # 2023512-40) was established in June 1995 and operates out of Monterey Park, California; Mr. Leo Liu is the President. Mr. Liu has been coordinating tours to China for over 15 years and has partnered with Chambers of Commerce since 2001. This year over 6000 tourists visited China on Chamber tours such as this one. To learn more, Google “citslinc” or visit www.citslinc.com.
No, everyone is welcome to join us in this exciting adventure.
You must pay for the trip in full by July 15,2008. A $200 deposit will hold your spot until that date. The deposit is 50% refundable until July 15, 2008. If you must cancel after July 15, 2008, there is a $600 cancellation fee.
You will need a passport and a visa. Visas can be arranged through the Santa Cruz Chamber for a $155 fee. Your passport must be valid for 6 months after September 1, 2008. You can pay by credit card (visa/mastercard) or by check made payable to the Santa Cruz Chamber. The last day we will accept visa applications is September 15, 2008.
The SC Chamber strongly recommends travel insurance. Both travel insurance brochures are available at the Chamber office or at www.travelexinsurance.com. Please contact Samantha for more information 831.457.3719.
Yes, there will be a reception one evening to meet and discuss business with local China businessmen. Fill out the “Business Development” questions on the application and the reception will be arranged by Citslinc at no cost.
We have reserved space for 80 travelers. The individual groups will be sized at 25-30.
Yes, you may leave the tour to do your own thing. You must inform your tour guide. We will have a packet available with some useful options and notes on getting around.
Citslinc has coordinated special shopping opportunities at some of the factories and farms. Click here for the complete list.
There are no vaccination requirements at this time, but travelers should check with their physicians or the Centers for Disease Control Web site at www.cdc.gov/travel/vaccinat.htm to learn of any recommended vaccinations or up-dated health-related news. You may want to check with your physician regarding the status of your flu and/or tetenus vaccination.
While Mandarin is spoken in the areas we will tour, English is very prevalent in the cities. Taxi drivers do not read "english" characters. Before leaving on your own, be sure to have the location you are traveling to written in Chinese and always carry your room key holder as it has the name and location of your hotel written on it. Just show it to the taxi driver.
China is on about the same latitude as the US. Average highs/lows are:
Shanghai - 58 - 72 F (Similar to Santa Cruz)
Beijing - 45 - 65 F (Similar to Oregon)
Chinese currency is the China Yuan Renminbi commonly just called the Yuan (pronounced yen).
Basic units are the Y100, Y50, Y10, Y5, Y2, Y1. Each Yen consists of 100 Fen.
As of April 2008 the exchange rate was $1 US = Y 0.14 (or 7.01 yuan to the dollar)
In the larger cities, there are many banks with many ATMs. Unfortunately only about 50% of these accept foreign cards. The main foreign friendly ATMs are controlled by the Bank of China. Bank of China ATMs work in both Chinese and English (depending on your card), use the latest equipment, and are pretty easy to find. They do have a habit of being over-used though, so sometimes they are out of cash, receipts or whatever. If you are told by a Bank of China machine that your transaction has been declined and to contact your bank, do not panic. This often just means that the International network is unavailable.
Beware of using ATMs at night and DON"T LEAVE YOUR CARD IN THE MACHINE. A good rule of thumb is to get out all the cash you need while at the hotel.
Note: Your bank will most likely charge you a withdrawal fee AND a foreign currency conversion fee. Check with your bank. (Credit card companies also charge a foreign currency conversion fee.)
How much you spend on those “I gotta have it” items is of course up to you but in general, you should plan on $200-$400 for miscellaneous items.
NOTE: The bus captain will collect $25 from each traveler on the first day for the combined services of the tour guide, the bus driver and all hotel personnel. No other tipping is necessary on this tour.
Tipping frequently occurs when you are in a tour group, superior hotel, restaurant, train station and airport or somewhere else you can enjoy service. Remember that it is not necessary to tip in roadside eateries or snack stalls. Sometimes the bill in some of the places or cities may have already included about 5% - 15% service charge.
Although tipping is not required, gratuities may improve service. For the bellboys or waiters, 1 - 5 US dollars may be appropriate as the tip. If you are uncertain about how much to give, just to tip based on your bill. Generally, 10% - 15% of the bill is the most proper amount. For the tour guide and the driver, 1 - 10 US dollars a day per person is adequate.
China is 15 hours ahead of California.
Approximately 12 hours.
CHANGED - Citslinc has worked with the internal China airlines and you may bring the same baggage amounts for internal travel as for international travel.
You may bring 2 checked bags totaling no more than 70 lbs COMBINED and one carry-on and a purse or computer bag.
“Casual” is the word for touring and all activities including the Opera. Be sure to bring layers - shirts, sweaters and a warm jacket. Make sure you have a couple of pairs of comfortable walking shoes.
This is a little muddy, but mostly it is the same as what you can bring back. 400 cigarettes or 25 cigars and 1 liter of alcohol (some web sites claim 2 liters). Digital cameras and camcorders for personal use are OK, but not 16 mm without prior approval.
400 cigarettes or 25 cigars and 1 liter of alcohol. There does not appear to be a limit on clothing. Bringing archeological or historic artifact is prohibited. There are also limits to how much gold and silver you may bring back. Be sure to check with your tour guide.
Power is 220 watts / 50 volts. You will need a power converter AND adapter. (AAA carries these and other useful items.)
Breakfast is usually a mixture of Western style sausage, eggs, cereal, juice and Chinese Dim Sum. Lunches and dinners are chinese family style (platters of dishes served on a lazy susan that everyone shares).
Water is not safe to drink out of the tap, although most large hotels have "steamed" water. Best bet is to drink only bottled water and stay away from the ice. The buses sell water for about $.50. It is a good idea to purchase a few bottles from the bus for each night. Some hotels do have a mini bar, but the water is priced the same as here - $5 a bottle. Be sure to stay hydrated as the air can be very dry in China.
All 4/5 Star hotels have either a business center to check and send emails, or have high speed internet hook-ups in-room.
Back to Visit China 2008 Homepage
© 2007, Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce
