China’s official news agency, Xinhua, is reporting a death toll of 140 people following unrest in Urumqi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang province. WildChina is working with our local partners to obtain the latest updates, and in the meantime, advises travelers to postpone any upcoming plans to travel to this region. For immediate questions and contingency plans, please contact your WildChina travel consultant.

I just stumbled upon a few really great posts from CNReviews.com about making calls and changing money in China. I’m sure these will be very useful for those planning on visiting or moving here. Enjoy!

• Making Calls: Cell Phones, SIM Cards and Dialing
• Changing USD to RMB

Anything else you want to know? Leave a comment with a post you’d like to see and we’ll be sure to answer your questions. Need something right away? Follow us on Twitter at @WildChina or e-mail us at info (at) wildchina dot com.

One of my colleagues and I recently gave a presentation at Nokia’s Beijing office on ways to travel responsibly. While all of the case studies and real-life examples were taken from WildChina’s current practices, I did some web research to find quick tips that travelers can use on their own. There’s definitely a TON of information out there, so I thought I’d share my top tips from my favorite sites.

Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Travel, National Geographic Traveler

This was by far one of the most insightful and well-written pieces I found on the internet. It highlights 50 things travelers should do to minimize the negative impacts of travel, and benefit the communities they visit.  From their post:

“43. Respect Local Cultures

“Treating others the way you wish to be treated is the basic premise of responsible travel,” says Sherry Schwarz, editor and publisher, Transitions Abroad magazine and, director of the Abroad View Foundation. “It sounds simple, because it is simple: When we travel, we are visiting the homes of our global neighbors, getting to know them, and experiencing how they live.”

Read the rest of this entry »

With the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics less than 3 days away, Beijing is gearing up for an incredible couple of weeks of games, celebrations, and international goodwill. Here at WildChina, we’re incredibly excited about the Games, and the spotlight they’ll bring to the city we call home.

At the same time, the torch relay and athletic events occurring here in China’s capital add an extra dimension of planning for anyone touring Beijing in August. Here’s a quick overview of a few of the changes we’re aware of:

1.         The torch relay from August 5^th(today!) to 8^th will involve the China Millennium Monument(中华世纪坛), Temple of Heaven, the Badaling Great Wall, and Jinshan Park. During this time, sites will be closed partially or entirely, and trips there may be difficult.

Read the rest of this entry »