So you have decided to take a tour to China? As China brags of many cities and towns filled with history of ancient civilizations, you probably would be wondering where to go in China. Well, it should not be a very hard decision to make; Beijing should definitely be the first stop over on a planned tour in China.

Beijing, one of the first attractions and most exciting places to visit is located in the North of China. It is the country’s capital which demonstrates most of the country’s cultural heritage. The natives are preparing the beautiful city in anticipation for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. So, the upcoming years will be a perfect time to take a tour to Beijing. Beijing is the home of history in China. It has always represented the place of three important Chinese dynasties over the past 1000 years. Peking duck is one of the most famous dishes in Beijing which many tourists enjoy having as a special cuisine.

A typical tour in Beijing comprises of places like the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, the Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square, the Ming Tombs as well as the Lama Temple. There are lots of hotels around these cities due to the large number of tourists who visit China. The Beijing Grand Hotel is completely decorated in Chinese style with rooms well furnished with Chinese calligraphies and paintings. As a tourist, you feel more at ease and welcomed into the Chinese culture.

The Forbidden City boasts of the world’s largest public square which is the Tiananmen Square. The Tiananmen Square is synonymously linked to the Chinese cultural revolutions where thousands of Chinese supporters crowded the square during Mao’s reign.

Not forgetting the Summer Palace, a major tourist destination spot located on the outskirts of Beijing, although, much of it is covered by the Kunming Lake. This palace completely demonstrates Chinese architecture, history and garden design. Taking a tour to the Summer Palace, you will see the Long Corridor of the lake which runs for about 2500 feet and ends at the marble boat.

One of China’s most cherished and greatest treasures is the Great Wall which makes the people proud of. This wall was built over 2 millennia by the old Chinese dynasties. It started in 221 BC and was continuously built until the 17th century. The Great Wall of China stretches from almost the center of Asia to the East China Sea. Visiting a part of the Great Wall is a must for any tourist who tours China as it is truly one of the great wonders of the ancient world.

Don’t get too tired as the Ming Tombs is still one of the nicest places to visit in Beijing. These tombs represent the burial grounds of some of the 16 Ming dynasty emperors of China. It has a 7km quiet walkway known as the Spirit Way which leads to the tombs.

As a tourist in Beijing, there’s still so much to see and even after taking a tour in Beijing, places to tour in China includes Tibet, Huangshan commonly known as the Yellow Mountains, Shanghai, Xian and many of the traditional local places. A short tour in China will not be enough to tour all these places, but the experience and adventure would definitely be worth it.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit Passport to China Tours.

Lola Adewoyin writes for Passport to China. An inbound tour operating company serving as your gateway to Tours in China

People touring all the important countries of the world; prioritize their travel to China. People’s Republic of China is the world’s most populated country, touching the 1.3 billion mark. With such a huge population and the large area, it is bound to be diverse and hence makes for a hot tourist destination..

Natural And Man-Made Wonders
China is a beautiful blend of natural beauty and man-made architecture. Nature here is bountiful with magnificent mountains of Guangxi Zhuang, deserts like Xinjiang and rivers as Yangtze. Man has erected splendid structures like ‘The Great Wall of China,’ beautiful bridges, structurally planned buildings and other monuments. This makes it one of the worlds most sought after tourist spot and the reason for people to travel to China.

Getting and Staying There
While planning to visit China, it would be wise, if you take a tour package for travel to China. However, be sure to do some research of your own, so that you can choose a suitable tour. While in China, you can go around by road, train or even by air. Accommodation is available to suit all budget and taste.

Places to Visit
Beijing, the capital of China is a must-see during your travel to China. Cities of Hangzhou and Suzhou are extremely beautiful. The most popular destinations in China are: The Great Wall of China, which is one of the seven wonders of the world; Tiananmen Square; the Forbidden City of China, the famous temples of Shibaozhai and Yangtze River, which is a very astounding natural marvel. Boat cruise on River Yangtze is breathtakingly beautiful as it takes you through various exquisite Chinese cities and places of historical importance.

People of China
People of China are very gentle, hardworking and thoughtful. Their main religion is Buddhism and Taoism. Most people speak Chinese and local people do not understand English very well. This can cause a little problem for the tourists. Other languages spoken here are Korean, Tibetan, and Mongolian etc.

China is rich in culture and has vast areas to explore. Your world-tour will never be complete, if you do not visit this oriental country.

Barney writes about various topics, and chose to write about China because of it’s rich history and the fact that travel to china is ever increasing on what seems to be a daily basis.

Macau is a small peninsula region in China, southwest of Hong Kong. There are scheduled boat charters to and from Macau and Hong Kong throughout the day. It is an easy day trip from one place to the other. If you are planning a trip to Hong Kong, you should strongly consider spending a little time in Macau as well.

The total population of Macau is close to half a million people. Most of the residents are of Chinese origin from various Chinese provinces. The remaining population (approximately 5%) are of Portuguese and European ancestry. Macau used to be a colony of Portugal before it was returned to Chinese control in the late 1990’s. In case you were wondering, Macau is sometimes referred to as ‘Macao’, due to the Portuguese history of the area. The official languages are Chinese and Portuguese, with Cantonese being the most widely used. English is mainly used for tourism and business.

The many attractions in Macau make it well worth a visit. Because of the Portuguese establishment, there are old fortresses, churches, temples and gardens to tour. There are over a dozen museums to see, including the Museum of Macau, the Maritime Museum, the Wine Museum, the Grand Prix Museum, and the Handover Gifts Museum. Every year, around November, there are the Macau Grand Prix car and motorcycle races. The Macau Tower, at 338m tall, is definitely worth a visit. Throughout the year there are many other events and festivals that you may be able to take part in. Walking tours and shopping opportunities also abound. Aside from many new casinos being built, you might want to try your luck at some of the older casinos, or even at the horse racing and greyhound racing tracks.

There is much development underway in Macau, and this development will soon bring even more visitors. Many hotels, casinos, resorts and convention centers are currently being built, with the first ones scheduled to open in 2006 and 2007. Some of the development is occurring on the Cotai Strip, which is reclaimed land between two islands of Macau called Coloane and Taipa. The spelling of ‘Cotai’ comes from the names of these two islands. These developments are being planned by combinations of world class hotel chains and major Las Vegas casinos, so they are bound to be impressive. The goal of the developers is to turn Macau into an international destination for resorts and casinos, and you often hear the term ‘Asia’s Las Vegas’. Up to six billion dollars is being spent on these developments, with 10,000 hotel rooms in the initial phase, and expansion to 60,000 rooms in the third phase. Gambling in Macau will be a major attraction in the years to come.

If you spend some time travelling around Macau, you will likely travel across the bridges on the peninsula. The names of two of the bridges are Nobre de Carvalho (the Friendship Bridge) and Sai Van Bridge. The Friendship Bridge is the longest one and goes directly to the Macau International Airport. Yes, you can fly directly into Macau! The airport is situated on the Island of Taipa.

In closing, if you are interested in experiencing a blend of two cultures over a small area, with loads of unique touring opportunities and attractions, then Macau and the Cotai strip should be your next vacation!

Robert Borhi is a freelance writer and owner of http://www.Macau.ca, a website that focuses on Macau travel and attractions. If you are planning a visit to Macau or the Cotai strip, you can learn more about this wonderful destination at his website http://www.Macau.ca