PRACTICAL INFORMATION

China is currently going through an explosion in both international and domestic tourism, and most accessible sights get very crowded, especially during the summer season. Due to the absence of any non-profit network of tourist information centers, visitors often have to rely on hotels for guidance, which is often far from reliable. A thorough reading of this before departure is recommended. In Beijing and Shanghai the tourist infrastructure, including transportation, hotels, and restaurants, is mostly on a par with international standards. However, communication still poses difficulties, as English is not spoken widely and its usage is generally restricted to tour groups, four- and five-star hotels, and restaurants catering to tourists.