Pre Christmas Shopping Extravaganza - In fabulous 4* Beijing for 5 nights!

Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China, is a wonderful destination encompassing the fascinating history, culture and politics of the region.

Make the most of the pre Christmas excitement and festive mood with this exceptionally comprehensive shopping tour to the fascinating city of Beijing. Our direct flight departs Heathrow on 30 November. Book today to guarantee your place on one of our most popular and spectacular holidays! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to join our fully escorted Beijing - pre Christmas shopping extravaganza...don't miss out!


Plan Car Hire, Flights, Insurance and more by going to expedia.co.uk

Itinerary

Tuesday 30 November

On arrival at Heathrow we will be welcomed by our representative ahead of our Air China flight to Beijing.

Wednesday 1 December

After a late morning arrival in Beijing, you will be met by our guides and transferred to the 4 Star Hua Du Hotel.
During the afternoon we will visit the Temple of Heaven, considered by many to be the most beautiful building in the city with an outstanding array of 15th century architecture, which is simply stunning.

Thursday 2 December

Excursion with your guide to one of the greatest wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China, which was built two and a half thousand years ago and stretches for nearly 4000 miles. You will visit a Cloisonne Factory on the way to the Great Wall. This will give you a chance to see the beautiful and unique Chinese art of combining enamel and copper to create many attractive objects, big and small. After returning to the hotel, visit the local indoor market just 200 metres from the hotel. This is Jia Yi Market containing a variety of stalls selling attractive clothing and original souvenirs. Close by is the Lufthansa Shopping Centre for your first look at a major Chinese Department Store. After dinner visit the spectacular Chinese Acrobatic Show.

Friday 3 December

Morning visit to Wangfujing Street, Beijing's equivalent to London's Oxford Street. Lots of small independent shops selling just about everything. Plus three major department stores - Sun Dong An, Beijing Department Store and the exciting, ultra modern Oriental Plaza which is spread over several floors.

During the afternoon you will visit Tiananmen Square (Square of Heavenly Peace), the largest in the world and situated at the geographical and historical heart of the city. This is followed by a visit to the Forbidden City, one of the top sites in the city and former home to the Emperors of many of China's dynasties.

After returning to the hotel a short walk will bring you to Ya Xiu indoor market. Several floors of independent shops sell just about everything 0 clothes, silks, handicrafts, shoes, hats, bags, the list goes on...and its bargaining territory!

Over your evening meal you can start to wonder how you are going to get everything home! But the carrying case we provide will definitely help and it is designed to fit into the aircraft overhead locker.

Saturday 4 December

A morning visit to the Summer Palace, outside the city. Here, the combination of the man-made and natural creations are set within a 700 acre park to form a fantastic backdrop. You will see Palaces, Pagodas, Pavilions and Temples surrounding the attractive Lake Kumming. Other striking sights include: a double decker marble boat, seventeen arch bridge and a wooden gallery, nearly half a mile long decorated with landscape paintings and depiction's of Chinese legends.

This is followed by time for shopping at the principal Friendship Store with five floors of quality goods from all over China. Close by is the famous silk Alley, full of wonderful traditional Chinese goods - a chance to try your hands at bargaining for that 'almost genuine' Rolex watch and Gucci bag! This is the busiest market in the city - and a total experience in itself.

In the evening, a Peking duck Banquet will be offered as your "Farewell to China" dinner.

Sunday 5 December

The airport transfers will depart after breakfast for the return flight to London.

Accommodation

You'll be staying at the Hotel Hua Du, Beijing 4* for 4 nights. This is a delightful hotel, located in one of the best areas of the city, surrounded by bars, restaurants, a bowling alley, the Hard Rock Café and several of the city's leading hotels.

The bright and welcoming reception is open 24 hours a day.

Facilities include:

Standard Rooms

Twin rooms and a limited number of King size double beds. All with bath, shower and wc. Additional facilities include satellite TV, phone, room safe, mini bar and two armchairs.

Single Rooms

There are no single rooms as such but the supplement allows single occupancy of a limited number of standard rooms.

Superior rooms and suites are also available on a request basis.

Flights

Please note outbound flight is an overnight flight, adding an extra night to the total duration of your holiday.

Price Includes:

Extras:

Insurance

Insurance is compulsory. If you choose to take ours, the premium is £30 per person and can be requested after booking.

Tipping

Tipping is a way of life in China. An amount of £20 to cover all normal tipping requirement will be added to your final invoice to simplify the collection of this.

Departure Tax

A departure tax of Yuan 90 (approx £6) is payable on departure from Beijing Airport.

General information:

Passports

All travelers (except Chinese Nationals) must hold a full passport which must be valid for at least six months beyond the proposed return date of travel. Further information from the Chinese Embassy, 31 Portland Place, London W1N 3AG Tel 0207 636 5726.

Visas

A visa is required for each person traveling to China. The current cost for UK citizens is £30 per person (other nationalities may vary). For speed we recommend you use a specialist visa agency for which there will be an additional charge of approximately £15 + £5 return postage. Details will be sent with confirmation.
Please Note: Obtaining the correct visa to travel is the responsibility of the individual traveling. No Visa, no travel!

Health Regulations

There are no mandatory inoculations for travel to China. Recommended inoculations include Hepatitis A, Polio, Malaria, Typhoid and Tetanus. We recommend you check with your own doctor or local health centre, as advice can vary.

Special Meal Requirements

We regret it is not possible to cater for alternative or special diets. For example vegetarianism is not a recognised concept in China, but there are a wide variety of fresh vegetables available and so catering for this does not present a problem. Please also note that Vegan and Kosher diets are not catered for in China. Should you have any special dietary requirements you will need to take any necessary steps to meet these.

Sightseeing

The programme shown in the brochure will be adhered to as closely as possible but occasionally there may be a need to amend or adjust this dependent upon local conditions.

Ticketing Information: You will be contacted by the tour operator after making your booking with huddersfield-net.co.uk

Credit cards: an additional 2.0% credit card charge fee will be added to the cost of your booking by the tour operator.

American Express: an additional 2.5% credit card charge fee will be added to the cost of your booking by the tour operator.

Switch / Debit: No charge.






2 adults sharing
* denotes weekend departures

 Heathrow Airport  Suite   Dates available   Adult Child    November 2004
 all available dates are in pink Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30         November 2004
  see all available dates 5 nts £653 N/A  Superior Room    Adult Child 5 nts £603 N/A  Twin Room    Adult Child 5 nts £554 N/A