Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
large cities on credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and Amex. Always carry
cash for purchasing train tickets.
MONEYCHANGERS
It's best to wait till you reach China to exchange money as the exchange rate
will be better. Foreign currency and travellers cheques can be changed at bor-
der crossings, international airports, branches of the Bank of China, tourist ho-
tels and some large department stores; hours of operation for foreign-ex-
change counters are 8am to 7pm (later at hotels). Top-end hotels will generally
change money for hotel guests only. The official rate is given almost every-
where and the exchange charge is standardised, so there is little need to shop
around for the best deal.
Australian, Canadian, US, UK, Hong Kong and Japanese currencies and the
euro can be changed in China. In some backwaters, it may be hard to change
lesser-known currencies; US dollars are still the easiest to change.
Keep at least a few of your exchange receipts. You will need them if you
want to exchange any remaining RMB you have at the end of your trip.
TIPPING
Almost no one in China (including Hong Kong and Macau) asks for tips. Tip-
ping used to be refused in restaurants, but nowadays many midrange and top-
end eateries include their own (often huge) service charge; cheap restaurants
do not expect a tip. Taxi drivers throughout China do not ask for or expect tips.
TRAVELLERS CHEQUES
With the prevalence of ATMs across China, travellers cheques are not as use-
ful as they once were and cannot be used everywhere, so always ensure you
carry enough ready cash. You should have no problem cashing travellers
cheques at tourist hotels, but they are of little use in budget hotels and restaur-
ants. Most hotels will only cash the cheques of guests. If cashing them at
banks, aim for larger banks such as the Bank of China or ICBC.
Keep your exchange receipts so you can change your money back to its ori-
ginal currency when you leave.
