October 2014

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TRAVEL
270 October14
1. VISA
Citizens of Singapore, Brunei and Japan don’t need a visa for a
stay of less than 15 days. All others require a visa. The simplest
way is to book an appointment time online (visaforchina.org),
print off the application form and present it with all supporting
documents at the China Visa Application Service Centre located
at 80 Robinson Road, #16-01/02/02A. Call 6226 2358. Fees
vary according to nationality, visa type and processing times.
2. AIR QUALITY
There are several smartphone apps that give real-time PSI
readings of air quality in major Chinese cities. High levels of air
pollution can aggravate bronchial, sinus or asthma conditions.
A pollution reading of 300 and above is considered extreme;
several cities including Beijing regularly exceed this number.
For more information, visit .
3. WATER
Buy bottled water; don’t drink from the tap.
4. INTERNAL TRAVEL
Even the Chinese recommend avoiding internal flights in favour
of comfortable and safe train travel. For tourists, the fastest
options are the bullet trains which crisscross the country at
speeds of up to 300kph. Beijing has four enormous train
stations; make sure you knowwhich one your train departs from,
and allow plenty of time for the airport-style security checks. The
high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai arrives promptly (to
theminute, in fact) in five hours. An adult ticket in economy class
is about S$150. Kids under 150cm are half-price. Foreigners
need to buy tickets through a train-ticketing agency, or in person
at a station. Check this website for tips:
5. TRANSFERS
To avoid hassle when arriving at or leaving a city, whether at
an airport or a train station, book as m of
time as you can.
6. TRAFFIC
Congestion in major (and many minor) Chinese cities can be
a bit of a mind-boggle, especially in Beijing (the worst traffic
jam in world history is said to have occurred here in August
2010, when a 62-mile-long jam took a full 12 days to clear). Plan
plenty of travel time, especially to airports and train stations.
7. INTERNET CENSORSHIP
Can’t live without Facebook? You’ll learn to here, as this site
and many others, such as Google (including Docs, Maps
and +, though email works sporadically), YouTube, Yahoo,
Twitter, The New York Times and many others, are completely
blocked on the mainland. Censorship like this is why the 1989
Tiananmen Square “Tank Man” photo – one of the most iconic
images of all time – remains largely unknown in China.
8. CROWDS
Get to tourists spots early. China’s population is 1.2 billion, so
don’t expect too many moments of quiet contemplation. Try to
avoid the annual “Golden Weeks” (national holiday periods)
of Chinese New Year, and the first weeks of May and October,
when most Chinese are travelling, either to home to be with
their families, or to visit famous sites.
HANGZHOU
It’s the home of China’s famed West Lake, a domestic tourist
magnet and an area of natural beauty (when the smog
cooperates, of course). Of China’s 72 lakes, this is the most
popular. Catch misty scenes of tai chi being performed on
the water’s edge at sunrise, drink a cup of longjing tea made
with leaves plucked in nearby plantations, tour the many
temples and monasteries that dot the area, and book a seat
at Impression West Lake, a spectacular outdoor performance
directed by Zhang Yimou, the mastermind behind the 2008
Beijing Summer Olympics opening and closing ceremonies.
Stay in the remains of a 300-year-old tea village next to one
of area’s most sacred temples, Longyin Si, by booking a stay
at Amanfayun. amanresorts.com
WATER VILLAGES OF THE YANGTZE
RIVER DELTA
On the edge of Shanghai’s urban sprawl, a dozen or so ancient
villages line the small lakes and waterways of the Yangtze River
delta. Zhujiajiao is pleasant enough to warrant a half-day trip,
though be aware that anything authentic has long disappeared,
andmost of the quaint town shops now sell food and souvenirs.
Still, the oldMing- and Qing-dynasty architecture, including that
of bridges across the narrow canals, is atmospheric, andmany
visitors take a leisurely boat ride. This is a domestic tourism
magnet, so it’s best to visit late in the afternoon on a weekday.
Take the hour-long bus ride from People’s Square in central
Shanghai, or arrange a car and driver.
SUZHOU
Trace the steps of artists, scholars and Chinese high society
through gardens, canals and arched bridges in this picturesque
town. Express trains can get you fromShanghai toSuzhou in less
than 30 minutes. Highlights include the West Garden Temple,
the Taoist Temple of Mystery, and an hour-long boat ride around
the outer canal every evening starting from the Renmin Bridge.
fromShanghai
Zhujiajiao village