China Tours from Canada

The ideal time for joining China tours from Canada is usually September and October thanks to the comfortable temperature and sunny weather in China. With various flowers booming, May and June are also nice months for China tours. Considering the large area China covers, the best time to visit certain travel destinations may vary.

Try not to travel during the National Day holiday from October 1 to 7 and Spring Festival Travel Rush in January or February as possible as you can to avoid crowds.

For attending China tours from Canada, Canadian citizens need to apply for a visa ahead of departure, unless they qualify for China's visa free policies. You need to submit your passport valid for more than six months, a filled-out application form, a passport style color photo, round-trip flight tickets and hotel bookings or an invitation letter from a China travel agency to the Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC).

Visa fees: about CAD 142. You may pay a little more because of different tax rates in different CVASC branches.

Where to Apply for a Visa (choose the one in charge of your residence area):
CVASC in Vancouver      Tel: 604-336-8866
CVASC in Toronto      Tel: 416-345-8472
CVASC in Ottawa      Tel: 613-563-8472
CVASC in Montreal      Tel: 514-680-8472
CVASC in Calgary      Tel: 403-930-2288

At present, direct flights are available between Vancouver and over 10 cities of China, run by Air China, Air Canada, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, etc. Besides, travelers booking China tours from Canada with airfare included may choose to depart from Toronto, Montreal, and Calgary. Most direct flights take 10 to 15 hours for a single-way journey.

Canadian and Chinese cities linked by direct flights:
Vancouver: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Shenyang, Xiamen, Zhengzhou, Kunming, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Tianjin
Toronto: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou
Montreal: Beijing, Shanghai
Calgary: Beijing

Canadian East Time Zone is usually 13 hours behind China, while it is 12 hours later than China from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November when the Daylight Saving Time is in use.

Chinese Yuan (CNY) is the official currency in China. Yuan is the basic monetary unit, colloquially as Kuai by Chinese. Bank notes with the face values of 100 Yuan, 50 Yuan, 20 Yuan, 10 Yuan, 5 Yuan, and 1 Yuan are commonly used.

It's quite easy to exchange money in China. There are counters in big airports providing money exchange service. You can also exchange Canadian dollars to Chinese Yuan in many urban banks. Some four or five star hotels also provide their guests with such services.