Tombs of Eastern Han excavated in Hebei Province

An archaeological excavation of ancient tombs has been completed in Huanghua city, Hebei province, on Aug 26, 2015.Dated back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220), the tombs were discovered by farmers in March 2014; the institute began its excavation on July 28.

There are two tombs positioned next to each other, in an east-west direction, and they have multiple chambers. Exquisite examples of decorative bricks have been discovered at the dig site. Bricks feature rhomboid patterns, carriages and horses, dragons and clouds, said Lei Jianhong, a researcher with the Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Research Institute.

However, the tombs were pillaged by grave robbers and the west tomb is severely damaged. Still, more than 20 pieces of pottery have been found in the tombs.

 

Tombs of Eastern Han excavated in Hebei Province

Good news: Tourist sites to offer half-price during the Shanghai Tourism Festival

61 tourist attractions in Shanghai are offering half-price admission during the first week of the Shanghai Tourism Festival. The festival runs from September 12 to October 6, but the deal applies only from September 12 to 18.The popular attractions include the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jinmao Tower, Shanghai Wildlife Park, Happy Valley of Shanghai, and the Science and Technology Museum, etc.Afterwards, many attractions will raise their ticket prices in the coming months. Oriental Pearl TV Tower said last week it will raise its ticket prices by 20 yuan ($3.10) from next March, while the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium and Shanghai Wildlife Park will both raise their prices by 30 yuan later this year.

Good news: Tourist sites to offer half-price during the Shanghai Tourism Festival

Dujiangyan Panda Valley

Dujiangyan Panda Valley is the only base in China to join the pandas kerper program and have an intimate contact with the lovely pandas.

Dujiangyan Panda Valley

Beijing tourist attractions closed for military parade

A number of tourist attractions and parks in Beijing have temporarily closed due to recently implemented traffic regulations ahead of celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

 

The Palace Museum (also known as the Forbidden City) has closed from August 22 to September 3. The National Museum of China and the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong are also closed during this same period.

 

Beijing’s Lama Temple will close on September 3 and reopen the next day.

 

Six public parks – Chaoyang Park, Longtan Park, Taoranting Park, Honglingjin Park, Yaowahu Park, Lianhuachi Park, and Yuyuantan Park will be closed on the morning of September 3 and will reopen after 2 pm on that same day.

 

Preparations for a military parade on September 3 has shut down a number of roads throughout the capital.

Beijing tourist attractions closed for military parade

Clear blue sky reveals Beijing"s beauty

 

Buildings neighboring the Summer Palace are visible under the clear blue sky in Beijing on Aug 23, 24, 2015. The blue sky, appearing ahead of military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression on Sept 3, is also called “parade blue”. The parade blue shows good air quality with PM 2.5 rated 10, said the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center.

Clear blue sky reveals Beijing"s beauty

Tianqiao Performing Arts Center will open in Beijing

Tianqiao Performing Arts Center will open in Beijing on 20, November this year. The construction of the center kicked off in March, 2012.

The Tianqiao Performing Arts Center is a comprehensive theater that includes a Grand Theater with 1600 seats, a Medium Theater with 1000 seats, a Small Theater with 400 seats and a Multi-functional Hall with a capacity of 300 people.

The center has used a highly specialized design plan and high standard hardware devices, such as a set of Korean stage engineering technology and a world leading sound-mixing system.

 

In addition, the center can also host other cultural and service facilities, including shops, restaurants, art exhibitions etc, to become a real arts center that provides audiences with lifestyle options.

Tianqiao Performing Arts Center will open in Beijing

Beijing and Shanghai offer tax refunds to overseas tourists in July, 2015

Overseas visitors are able to claim tax refunds on purchases made in Beijing and Shanghai starting in July, 2015.

According to the policy, overseas tourists (including those from China’s Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) who have stayed on the Chinese mainland for no more than 183 days may receive tax refunds on consumer goods purchased at designated department stores.

Currently, there are 86 designated tax free stores in Beijing, and 27 in Shanghai, which cover the major shopping malls, tourist shopping centers, and residence areas of foreigners.

The minimum purchase for a tax refund is 500 yuan (about 82 USD) at any one store in one day. The refund rate is 11% of the invoice value. However, 2% of the rebates are charged by the rebate agency as service fee. Therefore, visitors actually enjoy a rebate rate of 9%.

How to Apply for Rebates:

1. Purchase goods in designated stores with the “Tax Free” sign. Claim the invoice and tax refund form.

2. Go to the tax refund agencies at the airport and present the refund form, invoice, passport or ID card as well as the purchased products. The officer will stamp on the refund form.

3. Go through the joint check procedure, head to the refund desk, have the materials examined and have the rebates back.

Beijing and Shanghai offer tax refunds to overseas tourists in July, 2015

Tibet Travel Permit

Tibet permit is an official document issued for foreigners who would like to travel in Tibet, it has the similar function of a visa. There are three kinds of permits: Tibet Entry Permit(TTB permit), Alien’s Travel Permit (PSB permit) and Military Permit.

1. TTB permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau is required to show when you buy a flight/train ticket to Lhasa. With it, you come into Lhasa and stay there. If you book a tibet group tour in a traver agency, it is still needed. In brief, all the place in Tibet need the Entry permit.

2. PSB permit issued by People’s Security Bureau. When you want to go further areas in Tibet, you will need an Alien’s Travel Permit. Foreign travellers must apply the PSB through the same travel agency who had helped them to arrange the TTB permit.

3. Military Permit issued by Military Affairs Office. it is required when you travel to un-open areas. Regular tourists are not allowed to go to the closed areas.

How to get the travel permit?

Just tell us the following information:

Full name –Gender– Date of birth–Passport number–Nationality

1. You should make sure that all information must be exactly the same as in your passport, at the same time, you should tell us your occupation for diplomats, journalists, and government officials require more complicated procedures in their TSB.

2. You need to apply for the travel permit at least 10 days prior to your entry date.

3. Normally, tourists usually get the travel permit from the agency where he booked the Tibet tour. No travel agency can provide “permit-only” service.

4. After you have got a Tibet travel permit, a travel agency can buy you the air tickets or train tickets.

5. Once you step into Tibet, you tour guide is required to retain your permit. You are not allowed to bring with it and travel to anywhere you want.

We ChinaTour.Net offer a Tibet tour service. We have professional tour guides and experienced drivers. If you book a tour with us, we will get you a Tibet Travel Permit. Book a Tibet tour Book a Hotel

Tibet Travel Permit

Will you book a city tour in hotel reception or online travel agency?

In this internet era, how would you book a day trip in a city? would you still book a tour in your hotel reception? or book it through a online travel company? Let’s look at these two ways:

1. Most hotels in Beijing have “Tour Inquiry” counter in their hotel reception, they provide day trips itineraries like “Great Wall Coach Tour”, “City Area Coach Tour”, and private tour options, etc. While hotel itself has no travel company license, they need to co-operate with local travel agencies in order to provide tour services for their guests. So the actual tour service provider is the local travel company behind the hotel. When the hotel counter has guests book for a tour, they will call or message the cooperation travel agency to book the tour for their guests.
Tourist -> Hotel reception “Tour Service” Counter -> Tour Company

2. Book directly with travel company, their websites offer tour itineraries online, easy to book online and no need to pay online, because the day trips can be paid when meeting the tour guide in the tour bus/car.

Tourist -> Tour Company website

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What’s the Same? In fact, the tour service is the same provided by the same travel company, no matter which hotel you booked the tour from. For the coach tour, the coach will pick up guests from different hotels, some guests may booked online, some may booked from hotel reception.

what’s the difference? The only difference is the price. For example: the hotel’s tour counter sell the “Great Wall Coach Tour” at price range from 350 CNY to 450 CNY depend on the hotel’s star level. for the same itinerary the travel company website sell at 210 CNY (see Beijing tours & prices). The hotel’s tour reception doubled the price because they need markup the price for their profit.

So sometimes this caused embarrassing moment on the bus, when different guests on the same coach talk about their tour prices, they found the big difference and got angry.

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The Fact is that still many people (large proportion) use traditional way to book day trips in hotel, they may feel more reliable and they did Not realize the huge price difference until get on the tour bus meeting other “Web” tourists.

After more than 10 years development, online travel agency industry had been well developed in China, more and more tourists choose the new way of booking a tour, hotel, flight and train tickets. With internet, tourists can enjoy the most benefits when travel in China.

Will you book a city tour in hotel reception or online travel agency?

Beijing Winning the 2022 Winter Olympic Games

Beijing won the bid of hosting 2022 Winter Olympic Games on July 31, 2015, becoming the first city awarded both the winter and summer games.

Beijing received 44 votes to Almaty’s 40.

“Just as with the Beijing 2008 Summer Games, the Olympic family has put its faith in Beijing again to deliver the athlete-centred, sustainable and economical Games we have promised,” the Beijing bid committee said in a statement. “This will be a memorable event at the foot of the Great Wall for the whole Olympic family, the athletes and the spectators that will further enhance the tremendous potential to grow winter sports in our country, in Asia and around the world.”

Beijing has drawn more and more attention from other parts of the world since 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Once being thought as a mysterious old city, however it has been ready to open to the rest of the world for many years.  Beijing has the most world heritages and there are lots of places of interest to visit. The world heritages listed by UNESCO are the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Ming Tombs and Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian.

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Beijing Winning the 2022 Winter Olympic Games

Top Things to Do in Tibet

There is a lot to explore in Tibet. The following is a list of top things to do in Tibet. Hope to do a little help to plan your trip.

1. Visit the Potala Palace

The Potala Palace is a landmark located in the center of Lhasa. Whoever visit Tibet will come to visit the Potala Palace. It was built on the top of Mt.Putup in the 7th century during the reign of the Tubo King Songtsen Gampo. It was the political and religious dominion center of Tibet.

2. Watch the Mt. Everest

With an altitude of 8848.84 meters, Mt. Everest is the highest mountain in the world. Each year, a great number of brave robust mountaineers come from all over the world to visit and climb Mt. Everest,hope to fulfill a life-long wish by climbing onto and looking over from the world’s highest peak. For most tourists, they will only arrive at the base camp.

3. Visit the holy lakes Namtso, Yamdrok, Manasarova Lake and etc.

There are many holy lakes in Tibet. The name Namtso means Heavenly Lake in Tibetan Language. Namtso is located 240 kilometers south of Lhasa. Yamdrok is located in Shannan Area, however, very close to Lhasa. Manasarova Lake is located in Ngria. The natural scenery of these lakes are very beautiful.

4. Watch the peach blossom in Nyingchi.

Nyingchi is famous for its natural scenery. It can be visited all year around. However, the most beautiful months are in spring, ie March and April. In spring, there will be peach blossom.

5. Explore Shannan – where the Tibetan culture originated.

Shannan is the place where Tibetan culture originated. The first monastery, the first palace and the first village of Tibet were given birth in this place.

6. Pay a visit to the monasteries 

There are many famous monasteries in Tibet, such as Jokhang Monastery, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Tashilhunpo Monastery and etc. By visiting the monasteries, tourists could get to know local culture and Tibetan Buddhism.

7. Enjoy the local cuisine.

Tibetan cuisine is quite different from those in other parts of China. Try to have a taste of local food such as Zanba, buttered tea, yak yogurt, yak beef and etc.
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Top Things to Do in Tibet

Other famous views around Harbin

No.1 The Yabuli Ski Resort

Yabuli Ski Resort is located in the Piedmont of the Daguohui Mountain of the Shangzhi City,193km away from Harbin City in the west.It was the hunting ground of the royal family in Qing Dynasty and closed by the new government after the dynasty was overthrown.This resort has been now the biggest comprehensive ski resort in China since it was reopened to the public in 1980.It’s a pity if you don’t go skiing when you visit Harbin because this sport is full of challenge,excitement,endurance,relaxation,and above all things

China’s Snow Town

China’s Snow Town (local name: Zhong Guo Xue Xiang) is actually the nickname of the Shuangfeng Wood Farm in Hailin City. It is about 280 kilometers away from Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang Province.China’s Snow Town is regarded as a dreamlike paradise in winter. Its high mountains, local traditional wooden houses, villages, animals, trees and the sunrise are all greatly different from those in the other world’s snowy areas. It is a very famous eco-tourist winter attraction connected to the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.

No.3 Mirrow Lake

Around 5000 years ago, five very angry  volcanoes  below their lids, and the explosions and enormous lava flows (that probably scared the hell out of hundreds of ancient tribespeople in 3,000BCE) formed what is now Mirror Lake on the edge of Mudan River. The volcanoes are currently making progress in anger management, but the immaculate blue lake they left has since been overgrown with lush forests and is a prime spot for boating, hiking and hanging out.

No.4 Diaoshuilou Waterfall

Heading out to Mirrow Lake and not seeing the Diaoshuilou waterfall is seriously a bad move. Go see to Diaoshuilou Waterfall. here is the catch though:during the spring and fall the 12m(39 ft)-drop of the 300m(984ft)-wide thundering natural beauty is just a little tinkle. To see Mother Nature dong more than just taking a sight pee, make sure you come during the rainy season- June to September- when Diaoshuilou Waterfall is raging at full throttle, an the 300m breadth is an awe-inspiring sight.

Other famous views around Harbin

Lhanag-tso Lake

Lhanag-tso Lake appears dark blue and is very salty. There are no plants, no cattle or sheep around the lake. Everything seems lifeless. That is why the lake got the name of “ghost lake”. It is said that Lhanag-tso Lake and Mapam Yumco Lake used to be one lake. Latter the middle part of the lake descended, and a samll long hill divided the lake into two lakes, which are Lhanag-tso Lake and Mapam Yumco Lake. A long water channel, Ganpa Chu, connects the two lakes. Although the channel is usually dry, the local people belive that one day, water Mapam Yumco lake will follow into Lhanag-tso Lake and a red fish will swim into the lake. The the water in the Ghose Lake will be as sweet as that in Mapam Yumco Lake.

Lhanag-tso Lake

Mt. Kailash

Mount Kailash is located in Pulan County in Ngari. It has an altitude of 6656 meters. It is considered as the most sacred mountain by Buddhists and Hindus alike. They believe that the mountain is the center of the world.

Buddhists believe that Mount Kailash is the home of the Buddha Demchok (also known as Demchog or Chakrasamvara), who represents supreme bliss. Hindus believe that it is where Siva lives. The Indus River and the Ganges River are both originate from this mountain.

Kailash is very beautiful in appearance, thickly covered with snow and hovering dominantly above its surrounding peaks.

Mt. Kailash