The best time to visit China is definitely September and October, when the temperature is the most pleasant and it is usually sunny. May and June are also fine months to visit. As China spans a large area, the best time to visit may vary depending on your travel destination.

Note: To ensure an excellent China tour from the US, we strongly recommend that you avoid visiting during the National Day holiday in the first week of October and Spring Festival Travel Rush.

Yes, unless they qualify for the visa-free policies of China, US citizens need to get a tourist visa in advance for China tours from the States. Submit your passport valid for at least six months, a completely filled-out application form with a recent bareheaded photo, and round-trip tickets and hotel bookings or an invitation letter from a China travel agency, to the Chinese embassy or consulate in your residence area. It usually takes 4 working days.

Visa fees: 185 dollars

Where to Apply for a Visa (choose the one in charge of your residence area):
Chinese Embassy in Washington, D. C.  Tel: 202-3371956
Chinese Consulate in Chicago     Tel: 312-4530210
Chinese Consulate in Houston     Tel: 832-2403780
Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles     Tel: 213-2011765
Chinese Consulate in New York    Tel: 212-2449392/212-2449456
Chinese Consulate in San Francisco     Tel: 415-8729091

Currently, there are plenty of direct flights from the US to China that generally take 11 to 14 hours one-way depending on weather conditions and air routes. More than 10 US cities have non-stop flights to China's major travel destinations including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Travelers can book China tours from USA with airfare included from different parts of the country.

US and Chinese cities linked by direct flights:
New York: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu
Seattle: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen
San Francisco: Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou
Los Angles: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Changsha, Qingdao
San Jose: Beijing, Shanghai
Las Vegas: Beijing
Chicago: Beijing
Detroit: Beijing, Shanghai
Boston: Shanghai
Washington, D. C.: Beijing
Atlanta: Shanghai
Dallas: Beijing, Shanghai
Houston: Beijing
Honolulu: Beijing, Shanghai

During Daylight Saving Time, China is 12 hours ahead of Eastern Time in the US. The rest of the year it is 13 hours ahead.

CNY, short for Chinese Yuan, is the official currency used in China. 1 Yuan is divided in to 10 Jiao, and 1 Jiao is equal to 10 Fen. Nowadays, mobile payment is popular in China. The commonly seen minimal face value of paper money is 5 Jiao or 1 Yuan and it's rare to see money with lower values.

Travelers can enter China with a maximum of 20,000 Yuan. Since it's convenient to exchange money in China, you are not advised to bring much cash. You can exchange US dollars to Chinese Yuan at airports, most bank branches, and some four and five star hotels.

Tap water cannot be drunk directly. You need to boil the water before drinking. Bottled water sold at stores and purified water provided at hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, on trains and at public facilities is safe to drink.

From USA to China:
Dial 011 + China country code 86 + city code XX or XXX + phone number
Note: If you are trying to connect a cell phone, the city code should be omitted.

From China to USA:
Dial US country code 001 + city code XXX + phone number