Can you hire a car in China?
Only recently have tourists been able to drive in China and the change to the laws have resulted in a boost to demand for car hire in China, however, no matter how confident a driver you are, or however many times you have rented a car around the world, renting a car in China is likely to be a new experience for anyone. Tourists are now able to apply for a temporary driving license required to drive, however it can be a lengthy process and can take up to 2 months so you need to plan ahead.
China Mini Guide
How do I get to China?
There are several international airports around the country making access to the country relatively easy. Beijing’s Capital Airport is one of the world’s busiest serving nearly 80m passengers last year. Guangdong and Shanghai regions each have two airports which served over 30m passengers last year. Whilst many of those passengers were domestic travellers, you can fly from most parts of Europe, some parts of Africa (South Africa, Egypt) and from the USA to China, such is its importance on the world stage. You won’t find budget flights to China but internal flights are reasonably priced.
What is There to See and Do in China?
There is enough to keep you busy for a lifetime but if you need to be selective, the highlights are the Great Wall of China, reputedly humanity’s greatest civil engineering project and falsely claimed to be the only man-made object visible from space. There’s also the Terracotta Army, one of the most exciting archaeological finds since the discovery of Tutankhamen. Shanghai has a fascinating history from its time as an important trade centre with the west at the start of the 20th century and Beijing has many monuments from the height of communism together with the Forbidden City, the palace complex of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
What Should I eat in China?
Chinese food is the obvious answer but depending on where you are in the country, the food varies widely. You’ll have the hot and spicy food of Szechuan or the creamy fruity Malaysian style from the southern region and the dry, aromatic tastes from the region bordering Mongolia.
Is it easy to hire a car in China?
China is a huge country and with countless attractions. Touring the attractions needs a combination of internal flights as well as a hire car and will require careful planning if you are to make best use of your time. China is currently undergoing a massive expansion of industry, commerce and in its cities and you’ll be amazed at the works going on to modernise the country.
The people are friendly and generally proud of the achievements of the republic although a large proportion of the population are still poor. The country has many different climatic zones and a varied geography, so, depending on where you’re visiting, you may need winter clothing or just shorts and a t-shirt!