People have many reasons for having a holiday; wanting to escape from a traumatic experience through a new environment, a break from work, or simply for pleasure. Whatever the reason, one of the best destinations is China. China is among the world's top travel destinations and is the cultural treasure-house of East Asia. China's population is estimated to be about 1.3 billion people; ultimately, it's the world's largest population. The official language of China is Mandarin which can be hard to learn for most travellers. There are various international flights to China through the capital Beijing and several major cruise lines offer cruises to this amazing destination. Getting around is no trouble as most long-distance internal travel is by air. There are regular river ferry services available and buses, taxis, bicycles, rented cars, and pedicab (pedal-powered and motorised rickshaws) and railways provide the principal means of transport for people in China.



Start at the capital, Beijing and visit its crowning glory, the Forbidden City, officially the Palace Museum. Its China's greatest surviving historical site with fabulous halls, palaces and gardens. Other Beijing sites include Tiananmen Square, the world's largest public square; the circular 15th-century Temple of Heaven; the Summer Palace imperial resort; the old city wall gates; traditional hutong alleys and courtyards and the beautiful Beihai Park. Step off on a day trip from Beijing to the Great Wall to see the Ming Tombs. Marvel at the Great Wall, built over 2,000 years and stretching over 5, 400km. Wonder at Xi'an?s Terracotta Army ? 6,000 life-sized warriors and horses. The site is truly fascinating and touching. Also visit the Big and Small Wild Goose Pagodas and the old city walls. See China's own Venice, 2, 500-year-old Suzhou. Its streets lining the Grand Canal and famous water gardens are a delight. Spot unique wildlife, Sichuan province's ancient parks and bamboo forests are among the last strongholds of the endangered giant panda.

Get on your bike to enjoy China's great outdoors. Millions of Chinese use bicycles to get around, popular cycling routes include alongside sections of the Great Wall and Guilin and Yangshuo, in Guanxi province. Enjoy China's scenic natural wonders; they include Tibet's Qomolangma Nature Reserve around Everest and UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Mount Taishan mountain park, Emei Shan and Jiuzhaigou Valley's lakes and waterfalls. Hike or trek while enjoying spectacular scenery in Everest Base Camp, Tibet's most popular trekking destination. The mountainous Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is also favourable as is Yunnan's threatened Tiger Leaping Gorge and along the Great Wall.

China has a wide range of accommodation on offer; there are a good range of hotels from budget to luxury. Internationals standard hotels can be found in cities throughout China. Overall, all hotels are of reasonable standard. There are also boutique hotels across China near major attractions or tourist centres. Resort hotels are opening up in major leisure destinations such as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and beach resorts like Sanya. There are also cheaper accommodations like dormitories for budget travelers and youth hostels in Beijing, Guangdong and other town areas.

Chinese cuisine is renowned all over the world. Cantonese food is the most exotic in China and tourists are always captivated by the enormous variety of animal meat used in the cuisine. You will also find seafood, spicy food, hot and sour soup, noodles and vegetables and other East-Asian cuisine. Sample the larger cities with prearranged restaurant meals and visits to Chinese opera, Chinese state circus, ballet and theatre. Bars and nightclubs are usually found in the more cosmopolitan cities and major towns.