China is the third largest country by area, and covers over 9.5 million square kilometres. In order to see and experience the very best this enormous country has to offer, book a tour so you don’t miss anything. A tour will ensure that you are immersed in culture and ancient history, exposed to beautiful and breathtaking sights, and guided along the way by a wealth of knowledge.
Tours through China depart and finish in cities all over the country. They range from 3 – 97 days, depending on the type of holiday you’re after. Some tours will offer highlights of particular cities like Beijing and Hong Kong, whereas others are in conjunction with the rest of Asia. Check out our China tour comparison to find the right one for you.
Itchy feet? Below we’ve compiled a list of facts to get you tour-ready for China…
- China is commonly referred to as ‘The People’s Republic of China.’
- The Chinese New Year celebration lasts 15 days.
- Beijing or Peking translates to ‘Northern Capital.’ Beijing has earlier been called Dadu, Yanjing and Beiping.
- It is believed that China is the oldest civilisation, and that Chinese is the longest used written language.
- 1 in every 5 people of the world are Chinese.
- There are five distinct flavours in Chinese cooking: sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bitter.
- China has the second-largest economy in the world, following the USA.
- In ancient times, tickling was a form of torture performed on nobility in China; it left no marks and recovery was immediate.
- Fortune cookies are not a traditional Chinese custom; they were created by a worker in a noodle factory in San Francisco.
- The Forbidden City in Beijing contains over 9,000 rooms.
- There are several languages spoken in China; Mandarin, Minnan, Gan, Xiang, Hakka, Yue and Minbei.
- The Great Wall of China is the largest man-made structure in the world.
- In ancient times, paper was used as body armour in China.
- White is the Chinese colour for grieving.
- Tea was discovered by Emperor Shennong; a leaf fell into his boiling water.
- Sticky rice was used as mortar to cement The Great Wall’s stones in place.
- The earliest chopsticks were used for cooking, not eating.
- Hong Kong has more skyscrapers than any other city in the world.
- The Leshan Giant Buddha is 71 metres tall.
- The Terracotta Army took 37 years to construct.
- Chinese brides wear red for good luck.
- There is only one time zone in China.
- It is believed that soccer began in China around 1000 BC.
- The number one hobby in China is stamp collecting.
Elle Conway studies Journalism in Canberra, Australia. Prior to university, she spent four years travelling, working and living abroad. She loves fantasy novels and spiced rum, and one day hopes to travel to Antarctica.
