Travel To Yunnan - China

While China's northeastern parts such as Beijing and Shandong may represent the historical heart of the People's Republic, it's in the west where we find a unique cultural diversity that is so attractive to travelers.

Nowhere else in the country might one uncover the splendor of China's varied minority population than 'south of the clouds,' Yunnan. Situated on the southwestern corner of four other provinces, Yunnan also shares borders with three countries (not quite including Thailand and India), its proximity resulting in the highest concentration of ethnic groups in all of China.

However, with the northern Naxi city of Lijiang having become China's hottest holiday destination for tour groups, nearby Dali a laidback retreat for younger backpackers, and Zhongdian a jumping off point for Tibet, south Yunnan remains a relatively unspoiled region.

From the concrete jungle of the provincial capital city of Kunming into the rain forests of Xishuangbanna, this writer bypassed the more popular route towards Laos and Vietnam for the less-explored areas around the Burma perimeter. My timing was perfect, as I arrived in the village of Menghun just before its Sunday market.

A quiet community accented with stilted wooden homes and a hilltop monastery overlooking the surrounding rice fields, the day's drizzly weather served to enhance the village's reticence. But through the gray I caught glimpses of color that revealed themselves to be the region's multiple ethnic minorities.

By mid-morning, Menghun's relatively small marketplace, abounding with freshly slaughtered pig heads, brilliant fruits and vegetables, plugs of tobacco and a rainbow of textiles, became a veritable kaleidoscope of culture unlike any I have every witnessed. I was first met by the silky glory of Xishuangbanna's majority population, the Dai, a 2000 year-old culture that fuses Hinayana Buddhism with elements of Thai. The Dai dress attractively in shimmering attire, but it is the younger Dai girls in their formfitting pastel sarongs who catch one's eye before teasingly running away like nymphs.
Further illuminating the otherwise dark day were the Akha people, known as the Hani.

Like a resplendent yet elusive jungle bird, the Akha appear from the deep lush hills only on market day, whence they adorn themselves in heavy layers of black brilliantly highlighted with intricately embroidered patterns. Descendants of the nomadic Qiang from Tibet, each Hani subgroup wear a different colored headdress to signify their tribe, not unlike the plumage of a proud bird, and lavishly accessorize in silver-studded bracelets and leggings, patchwork satchels and antiqued coins stretching out their earlobes. Tumpline baskets around their heads and teeth stained red with betel nut are commonplace.

Especially weary of outsiders, they timidly skirted all my advancements, however friendly persistence coupled with a sincere interest in their lifestyle soon granted me access to a tight knit Akha clan. They spoke very little Mandarin, and of course no English, so we relied simply on gestures and smiles in an attempt to learn about each other.

By noon the market had cleared along with the rain, the streets now lined with vivid knots of indigenous folk awaiting tractors to take them back to their respective outlying villages.

My continued journey through Xishuangbanna Autonomous Prefecture would take me deeper into the surrounding tropical jungles, including a 50km trek from Bulongshan to Damenglong. But those are stories for another time. For now I will reminisce over that small yet colorful town of Menghun, for nowhere else have I ever witnessed such a definitive representation of China's beautifully proud ethnic minorities.

Transportation

1) From Kunming's main bus station on Beijing Lu, express leeper busses to Jinghong, capital of Xinshuangbanna, daily at 6:30pm (150yuan, 15 hours).
2) Shuttles from Jinghong to Menghun leave the No.2 Bus Station every 20 minutes between 7am and 6pm (15yuan, 2 hours).

Accommodations

In Mengun there are several small boardinghouses, luguan, located on the main street near the bus stop (20 yuan each). A backpacker's favorite is Baita Fandian (White Tower Hotel, 10 yua for a bed) on the outskirts of town and overlooking a lily pond teaming with fish and frogs. Directions are complicated so it's best to ask locals to point you there.

Regional Cuisine

Rice is the staple diet of the Dai people, who were the first in the history of the world to cultivate rice as a food. Sticky rice baked in fragrant bamboo is a specialty. Xishuangbanna locals also enjoy nibbling on grilled pigtail from street vendors, and perpetually chewing on betel nut (binglang) mixed with lime, which gives off a light narcotic effect while staining the mouth red.

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Giant Panda in China

Before you come to China, you may hear of China's national treasure: Giant Panda. Visitors to China can see this endangered animal in the zoos of the big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, etc. If you want to have a very close look at the plump and lovely animal, you should better go to the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base in Chengdu. Here you will view them eating, sleeping or playing which bring you great pleasure and delights.

Giant Pandas look like bear and have thick black and white fur with short tail. Their ears, legs, shoulders and fur around their eyes are black. The rest of the fur on their body is white.

Giant Pandas have good eyesight. They have strong jaws and teeth for chewing tough food. They have special bones like thumbs to help them holding their food.

Where do they live?

Giant Pandas only live in six small areas in China. They live in the mountain areas around the center and southwest of the country. They live high up in the mountains, in cool forests full of bamboo plants. The famous Chengdu Breeding Giant Panda Research is located on the mountain of Fu Tou. There are clouds, rain and mist throughout the year.

What do they eat?

Giant pandas are considered carnivores, but 99% of their food consists of bamboo. They prefer bamboo shoots. Since bamboo is low in nutrition, Giant Panda has to eat for 10 to 16 hours a day to stay fit and healthy.

Giant Panda's Life Span

Giant Pandas are very shy and like to live alone. The males and females only meet in late spring or early summer to mate. Three to five months later the female may give birth to one or two babies, called cubs, in a den in the ground. Usually only one of the cubs will live to become fully grown.
When giant panda cubs are born, they are very small and helpless. They cannot see and have little fur. The cubs drink their mother's milk for about six months. The cubs grow quite slowly. They can move around after three months. After about a year, they will go to live on their own. Giant Pandas live between 17 and 20 years in the wild.

How many wild giant pandas live now?

One hundred years ago there were large numbers of giant pandas in China. Now there are less than 700 of them in the wild, even though they were protected by law. Nowadays the giant pandas in China live mainly in 13 special protected areas, called reserves. The pandas can live safely in the reserves because people cannot hunt them.

Why the Giant Panda are in danger?

Giant pandas are in danger because their habitat is being destroyed. Forest areas are being cut down to make room for homes and factories. The trees are sold as wood for building and furniture.
Sometimes the bamboo plants come into flower which means that the pandas don't have food and they have to move out of their home to find food instead of starving.

Tour Operator Services in China

Tourists who have visited China in the past always seem to return back home with praise for China and its wonderful culture. In particular, the history, culture and great scenic attractions impress any one who visits the Mainland China. The main focus on China’s tourism industry today is on history and culture which it portrays; because of this, the number of tourists flocking into the country is increasing rapidly.

Traveling to China is a must for anyone who wants to experience a unique, exotic and cultural tour. Many travelers like to travel to China using the services of different package tours organized by a travel agency or tour operator on the internet. If you don’t know where to go in China and would really want to experience the real life in China of how the minorities live their daily life, then it’s advisable to employ the services of a tour operator who specializes in thematic and tailor made tours in China. Usually, tour operators have local guides who will take you around and wherever you want to go, some of them even specialize in gathering many cultural activities for tourists to participate in.

The local guides provided by the tour operators are usually bilingual who makes communication between the tourists and the locals more effective. This way, you can ask a number of questions and request anything you want. The local guides are usually experienced and upon your arrival in the airport, they meet you (and your group) and stay with you throughout the tour. The hotel accomodations must have been arranged by the travel and tour operators prior your arrival who then later coordinates with the tour guide about the itinerary of the tour.

You may negotiate with the tour operator if you want a customized tour or a package tour. Usually, a package tour consists of a number of places to visit which features the tourist spots in China.

Package China tours are for a group of people set out for different itineraries. Sometimes, thematic tours are also organized for tourists wishing to visit China just to experience highlights with a specific theme. A great example would be a tour which consists of itineraries focused on different historical places and symbols in China. This may include the Great Wall in Beijing, the terracotta warriors of Xian, Rooftops of Tibet and not forgetting the Yangtze River Cruise.

A 12-15 day tour in China can also include itineraries such as Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Shanghai and Hongkong. A very common itinerary which many tourist love to have is the Beijing and Tibet tour. This tour highlights the evolution of the Chinese history and culture from years back to recent civilizations. Many of the great Attractions of Beijing leadership for the display of cultural tourists.

So if you are planning a tour to the Far East and worries about moving to China, operator specializing in travel packages for tours in China more than willing to perform these services.

For comments and inquiries to visit on this article
Passport to China Tours [China http://www.passport-to- Com].

Discount China Tours

China is the biggest country in the world. It occupies almost 6.5% of the world's total area with a population of more than billion. It has a very attractive varied landscapes and splendid culture. There are over 200 historic scenic spots and almost 700 cultural relics of great historical interest. The ancient and interesting culture of China is reflected in cities like Beijing, Xi'an, Nanjing, Qin Shihuang. There are some famous tourists attractions that include China's most famous Lijiang River in Guilin. The Changjiang River with three gorges, the water falls in Southern China, the Grasslands in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Limestone Caves and frost covered trees are also quite famous and attract many tourists. Moreover folklore and the special arts of China attract many to this great country. It is a place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime, and the Chinese government has established a large number of resorts along the long coastline to make visiting possible.

There are several different public and private travel agencies that offer China tour packages both for individual and organized group trips. They offer discounted China tour and include discounts for hotel accommodation, car rentals, etc. The discounts offered may vary ranging from as much as 50 to 70 % of the total cost, depending on the nature and the budget of the tour Package.

During peak periods such as Festival, Beijing, Hang Zhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Dalian and hotels offer reasonable prices for accommodation. This hotel star accommodation offer at discounted prices. Some packages include meals in their prices.

Views hotels are also available and can be booked and ChinaTravel.com by authorities such as the China International Travel Service, China Comfort Travel and online agencies such asChinaHighlights.com.

China Tour - The Trademark of History

China is one of the most influential countries across the globe. To prove this, almost all countries have their own version of "Chinatown." It's very ancient culture is one thing that China can brag about. To add to that, they have managed to influence other nations in their own intricate way. No one can discount the fact that in one way or another, Chinese culture lives in us; in the area of business, family tie-ups, food, and many more. Among the Asian countries, China is the most known so far.

China has a colorful past. From the different dynasties, to the Great Wall of China, to Peking Ducks, to Rickshaws, to Chinese New Year; all of these are China's trademarks. That is why, many are intrigued what it's like to be in China. Though Chinese are seen to every nation, many tourists long to be there in China to explore the great historical background. In fact, those who are into world travel place China on top of their itineraries.

To appreciate China on a higher level, here are some of their main attractions that you wouldn't want to miss:

Great Wall of China

A traveler is not a traveler if he hadn't gone to the Great Wall of China. This historic wall made from granite takes part in the Seven Wonders of the World. The epic wall is man-made and is a real China pride

The Forbidden City

You will regret it if you pass China and forgot to drop by to this enchanting spot. 24 Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasty lived in this City. Chinese's craftsmanship is well represented in this huge structure. With so many rooms and sections, it is impossible to visit the whole in a day.

Terra Cotta Warriors

This is the best word to describe this site. Thousands of clay infantrymen and horses will surprise your eyes. This site was accidentally discovered by Chinese farmers in 1974. The discovery continued when authorities dig deeper and found out thousands types of Chinese warriors in clay form. Singapore and France Prime Ministers were astonished to this museum.

Above mentioned are three of the many attractions in China. There will be more discoveries if you yourself witnessed these historic attractions. These are proof of Chinese's high regard in culture preservation. If you are looking for a travel partner, take online help. Visiting tour website will amuse your excitement to discover China.

China Tea Culture - China Tea Tour

China is the homeland of Chinese tea. Tea from China, along with silk and porcelain, became known to the world over a thousand years ago and is today one of China's most valuable exports. The Japanese adopted the habit of drinking tea in the 6th century, but it was not introduced to Europe and America until the 17th and 18th centuries.

According to legend, in 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung was sitting beneath a tree, while his servant boiled drinking water, when some leaves from the tree blew into the water. It is impossible to know whether there is any truth in this story, but drinking tea has been a part of Chinese culture for many centuries. In 800 A.D. a writer named Lu Yu, known as the tea sage, wrote the Tea Classic. It was shortly after this that tea was first introduced to Japan by Japanese Buddhist monks who had traveled to China to study.

People throughout China drink tea daily because of its healthful properties. Various kinds of tea are grown in the vastly differing geographic locations and climatesof China. Chinese teas generally fit into five classifications.

Green Tea
Green tea is a very lightly fermented (dried) tea that keeps its original color during processing. This category consists mainly of Longjing tea of Zhejiang Province, Maofeng of Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province and Biluochun produced in Jiangsu.

Note: The term fermentation when applied to tea is something of a misnomer, as the term actually refers to how much a tea is allowed to dry. The drying may be stopped byeither pan frying, baking or steaming the leaves before they are completely dried.

Black Tea
Black tea, known as red tea (Hong Cha) in China, is fermented before baking. It is a later variety developed from green tea. The best brands of black tea are Qihong of Anhui, Dianhong of Yunnan Suhong of Jiangsu, Chuanhong of Sichuan and Huhong of Hunan

Wulong Tea
This is a variety between the green and black teas, and is partially fermented. It is a specialty from the provinces on China's southeast coast, Fujian Guangdong and Taiwan.

Compressed Tea
This tea is compressed and hardenedintoshapes, usually a brick,but sometimes formed into cakes or shaped into a bowl. It is easy to transport and store and is mainly used by the ethnic minority peoples. Compressed tea is black in color, and is known as "black tea" or "brick tea". It is mainly produced in Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.

Scented Tea
This kind of tea is processed by mixing fragrant flowers with tea leaves. The flowers most commonly used for this purpose are jasmine and magnolia. Jasmine tea is a well-known favorite with residents of northern China and with a growing number of foreigners.

Chinese people believe a good cup of tea is made from a combination of high quality tea leaves and water, brewed in fine tea ware. Normally, the finest tea is grown at altitudes of 3,000 to 7,000 feet (910 to 2,124m). Pure, sweet water, whether from a spring or rain and snow water, is the best for making tea. The most favorable tea ware is purple clay pottery made in the Yixing Area (Jiangsu province), and porcelain wares from Jingdezhen (Jiangxi province).

The tea ceremony, with its four basic principles of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility, plays an important part in Chinese life. It is a way to focus mental energies, relax, and enjoy an ancient tradition. Serving Chinese tea is done in such a way to show courtesy and respect to a guest, and tea is offered immediately to a guest in a Chinese home. There are many customs associated with the tea ceremony, but no matter the style used in serving, it is always done in a way to show consideration and respect to the guest, and emphasize the beauty and symbolism of the service.

Here is a China Tea tour designed to capture the essence China's tea culture combined with rich natural and cultural attractions. You will visit regions of China famous for Oolong and Dragon Well green tea as well as tour historic sites in Beijing and Shanghai.

Day 1 Arrive in Beijing
Depart on your flight bound for Beijing, the capital of People's Republic of China. Upon your arrival, you will be met and transferred to the hotel.

Day 2: Beijing
Full-day tour will begin at the magnificent Forbidden City, home to emperors for over 500-years. Strolling through Tiananmen Square, which is the largest square in the world. Continue to witness the splendor of the Summer Palace,built as a royal garden for Qing Dynasty Emperors. This evening, you are invited to a Peking duck banquet.

Day 3: Beijing
A full-day tour will take in the grandeur of the Eighth Wonder of the World, the Great Wall, built more than 2000 years ago to protect China from northern invaders. On the way back to Beijing stop and visit the sacred Ming Tombs, where 13 emperors of Ming Dynasty were buried. Enjoy a spectacular Chinese Kongfu performance in the evening.

Day 4: Beijing
Visit the famous Beihai Park and walk leisurely through the old Hutong area. Tonight you are invited to enjoy the local cultural performances at Lao She Teahouse.

Day 5: Beijing - Wuyi Mountain
After breakfast, admire the beauty of The Temple of Heaven where the Chinese emperors prayed for good harvest in ancient days. Enjoy shopping in the Wangfujing Street. Transfer to the airport and fly to Wuyi Mountain, the birthplace of Oolong Tea. Arrival and check in the local hotel.

Day 6: Wuyi Mountain
Enjoy the tour to the famous "Thread in the Sky" crevasse, the "Cloud's Lair" mountain over-look and the secluded Ming Dynasty "Rock Tea" garden known as Da Hong Pao ("Big Red Robe"). The highlights of our trip also include the visit to the local Oolong Tea gardens and bamboo rafting through the amazing rock formations along the banks of the Nine-Bends River.

Day 7: Wuyi Mountain
Today you will visit the tea hill where you will pick tea leaves and taste the fresh local tea.

Day 8: Wuyi Mountain - Fuzhou
You will be transferred to the airport and fly to Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province. Arrival and visit the famous Yong Quan Temple (Gushing Spring Temple). Check in the local hotel tonight.

Day 9: Fuzhou - Hangzhou
Continue your trip to the hometown of the most famous Dragon Well Tea, Hangzhou. Arrival and visit the local tea farming village where you will follow the traditional frying tea process to choose and fry tea leaves yourself! Check in the local hotel tonight.

Day 10: Hangzhou
Relax on a wonderful cruise of China's most famous Lake, West Lake; it is symbol of Hangzhou as well as one of the most beautiful sights in China. Then visit the Six Harmonies Pagoda. Ascending to the top of the pagoda and looking down, you will have a panoramic view of the beauty of the Qiantang River, feeling as if "standing above the highest level of the sky".

Day 11: Hangzhou / Shanghai
In this morning, you will travel to Shanghai, the biggest city of China. Arrival and visit the Yuyuan Garden surrounded by the vast numbers of the shops, rest up at the local Tea House. Check in your hotel in the evening.

Day 12: Shanghai
Visit the world famous waterfront - The Bund. It was once part of the foreign concessions and out-of-bounds to locals. Then explore the magnificent Nanjing Road and the Jade Buddha Temple that is famous for its Jade Buddha. After dinner, proceed for a city tour to Pudong New District - Shanghai's main financial district and enjoy a scenic night cruise on Huangpu River.

Day 13: Depart
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your homeward flight and complete the most exciting China tea tour.

For more information, please contact China Connection Tours!

MBA Tours - Easy to Select

China package tours are among the best known packages for spending any vacation trip at a reasonable cost. Most of the people prefer visits to the places of China and many educational institutes that provide MBAs, also provides MBA tours to the students in China. The tour can be escorted by your own personal guide and personal driver, or with a group of visitors with a common guide between many and with a tour bus and driver. For having a worry free package tour in China one should go through net surfing and should select the best affordable and reasonable China package tour for enjoying the stay at the place with full facility.

MBA tours are provided to the students with a purpose of gaining practical knowledge and also to have a little bit of fun with studies. This tour is provided by all big college.The tour can be national or international. Many colleges provide the tour in China to enhance the students with the wide culture of the country and their systematic working. The colleges often make a reasonable and affordable deal with the touring companies that provides China package tour and has good sources in the country in case any problem arises during the touring.

The best China package tours surely involve the visits to the Great Wall of China, visits to the famous river Li etc. These are the reasons for the people to visit China at least once and thus they look for best touring companies. The search of the best touring companies can easily be made with the help of internet and the personal sites of the companies. The companies provide the touring with different kind packages like personal touring or touring with any group with a common guide. The companies like Thomas Cook etc. provides the best touring experience to the people who are new to the places are on their first international tour.

MBA tours are also provided by touring companies like Thomas Cook to facilitate the colleges with the touring with affordable and reasonable prices. They assure that students gain the practical knowledge for which they are touring for, in a best way and also ensure that they enjoy the visit in every sense and make them visit the historical and famous places of China. The companies are always ken to give its best in the touring to assure long term relations with its clients, it also provides minimum costing package to the people to fulfill their dream of International in the cost they can afford.

The touring companies provide information regarding the packages and the name of the famous and important places where the visits will be made under the package to make everything clear to its clients. All this touring company comes under the touring operators association of the different countries. By being the member of the tour operators association the companies gets discounts on arranging its touring services in that particular country and enjoy the different facilities provided by the touring associations to the companies and also to its clients. These companies make their full efforts to give a memorable experience to its clients.