Why take a tour? Why not travel to China on my own?
"Escorted tours mean traveling with minimal effort and fuss, and provides camaraderie. You pay lower prices--especially at hotels-- and may also get special access, since a tour is often the only way to take part in certain activities or go places otherwise off-limits to tourists." - Consumer Reports Travel Guide 2000 Independent travel in China is a tall chore. The language barrier alone is enough to frustrate anyone. In addition, ordering food in restaurants, arranging transportation, and making simple purchases in stores can be a real headache. On our all-inclusive guided tours, everything is taken care of for you; all you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the experience of visiting this fascinating and very different culture. Our bi-lingual Tour Directors and local guides pay great attention to every detail and are at your service throughout the tour. Our goal is to make sure that when you return from China you will tell your friends how professionally run, worry-free, and enjoyable our tour was.

Why Travel with Canadian Paradise Holidays?
• The Best Value - with over 20 years of long standing business relationships, we are able to provide the best value for quality arrangements.
• Attention to Detail - our years of experience have allowed us to fine tune our programs so that you can enjoy every moment of your tour while we care for the details.
• Choices - from single destinations to 17 days journeys or from multi-city to multi-country tours, whatever time of year you want to travel, we have a tour for you.
• Flexibility - we are pleased to customize travel arrangements to meet your specific interests, whether adding an extension to your tour or creating an entire itinerary just for you.

Planning  Your Tour
In order to choose the tour that will best meet your needs, you will need to consider four main factors:
• Length of tour
• Desired areas to visit
• Class of hotel and arrangements
• Your budget

Do I need a visa for my tour?
China, Vietnam, and Myanmar require entrance visas that must be secured before leaving the Canada. A China visa may be purchased through Canadian Paradise Holidays for C$75 per person for a single entry visa and $100 for a double entry visa. Non-Canadian citizens please contact us at info@cpholiday.com or 1-604-303-8161 for information.

What is the airfare cost from my home town?
Included in each tour is an add-on airfare chart. If you do not see your city listed please contact us at info@cpholiday.com or 1-604-303-8161 for further information.

How far in advance should I make my reservation?
We advise that you book as soon as possible to take advantage of our "early booking" discounts and to secure the best pricing and availability for your trip. Once we sell out our allocation for air space at our very best rates, customers will be charged a "buy-up" to secure higher priced seats. The earlier you book, affords a better opportunity for space to be confirmed.

Do you accept late reservations?
For reservations made within 45 day prior to the desired departure date, we will take your request and make every effort to confirm and deliver your trip at a nominal surcharge of $50 per person.

Should I purchase travel insurance?
Canadian Paradise Holidays highly recommends purchasing travel insurance. This will help to protect your travel investment if you are delayed or have to cancel for a covered reason. For further details click

I have a special request (e.g. special dietary needs, hearing impaired), will you be able to accommodate me?
We are usually able to meet any request made. Please let us know at the time you book your tour of your needs, and we will advise if there are any additional costs.

Can I upgrade to Business Class airfare?
Yes. We offer Business Class upgrades at a reasonable fare.

MAKING A RESERVATION
How do I make a reservation?
You can make a reservation directly over our website anytime, day or night. Simply click on the button included in each tour to the right of the departure chart, this will bring up our Online Travel Reservation Form. When booking online, you receive the following added benefits:
• Only $200 deposit per person, instead of $300 per person required with all telephone reservations.
• First priority for air, cruise and hotel space.
If you prefer to call, our reservations staff may be reached at 1-604-303-8161 Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 6:00pm Pacific time

Why does Canadian Paradise Holidays need a copy of my passport even if they are not doing my visa?
A copy of the pages of your passport containing the following information is needed for us to comply with China's security requirements: Name (as it appears on your passport), passport number, citizenship and date-of-birth. In addition, your occupation is required for those traveling to Tibet.

When will the deposit be charged to my credit card?
Once all portions of your tour have been confirmed, we will charge your credit card the deposit. If we are unable to confirm your reservation, we will contact you immediately with alternative choices and will not charge your credit card.

How will I know if my reservation was accepted?
You will receive an invoice by fax or mail when all portions are confirmed and the deposit has been processed.

When will I receive my final documents?
Documents are prepared approximately 30 days prior to departure and are sent out approximately 25 days prior to your date of departure. If you book within 30 days of your departure date, we will send out the documents after full payment is received and processed

TOUR/ITINERARY QUESTIONS
What type of food will be served?
The meals served vary according to the itinerary. The itinerary will specify American breakfast, dinner in hotel, western dinner, dinner show or buffet. Dinners and lunches which are not specified by type are usually in a local restaurant, served "family" style. Most meals, unless specified as "American or Western", are local cuisine.

Which direction, upstream or downstream, on the Yangtze River is better?
In either direction you will be seeing the same portion of the river. The upstream cruise is one day longer than the downstream, and will allow you to see the river at a more leisurely pace. The downstream cruise will allow you to see the same portion of the river at a quicker pace if you have a limited amount of time and want to visit as many places as possible.

When will the Three Gorges Dam construction be completed?
In the year 2009. Included in your cruise is an excursion to this remarkable construction site with its amazing five-stage ship lock, the largest in the world. Behind the dam on its upstream side, the rising water level has allowed new access to many scenic areas and smoother sailing conditions on the calmer waters of the now widened Yangtze River.

Should I change money before going to China?
The Chinese currency is called Renminbi and the exchange rate is floating in accordance with its value in relationship to the value of foreign currencies as stipulated by the Bank of China every day. The exchange rate is the same throughout China.
Traveler's checks are the safest and most convenient way of carrying money. All Traveler's Checks are accepted in China. Major credit cards including MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Diner Club are accepted in most major cities at designated hotels, restaurants, cultural relics and friendship stores. Please keep your money exchange receipts if you need to convert RMB back to CAD at the end of your trip.

What is the motor coach like that will be used?
The coach used depends upon the size of the group. They are all air-conditioned and comfortably seat everyone in the group.

What is the luggage allowance?
Baggage allowance differs for the transpacific and intra-Asia sections of your tour. US transpacific allowance is two pieces of checked baggage. Maximum weight/size for each piece is 50 lbs./62 inches (sum of three dimensions). One carry-on not to exceed 45 inches (sum of three dimensions) is allowed. Within China and for most intra-Asia flights, baggage allowance is one piece of checked luggage weighing up to 44lbs. plus one piece of carry-on luggage per person. Baggage in excess of this amount will be charged approximately $1 USD per kilo, which is collected by the airline at each airport. Mongolia travel allows 33 pounds total, comprised of 11 lbs. for carry on and 22 lbs. for check-in luggage.

What is the electrical requirement in China?
China's electrical system is 220 volts. The electrical outlets are either for fat round pins or for flat angled blades. The China hotels and cruise companies do provide converters and adapters, but we recommend that you bring your own so that you are assured that you have for your personal needs.

What photography suggestions can you give?
The Chinese have no restriction on still cameras and camcorders for personal use only. Some of the hotels and tourist attractions in the larger cities now sell Kodak or Fuji film. We recommend you bring an ample supply of video cassettes, digital storage cards, etc. that are compatible with your equipment, as well as battery chargers and/or extra batteries.
You may photography in most locations, except from a plane in flight and when your guide asks you to refrain from doing so. Ask fist before photographing people. Theoretically, undeveloped film may only be taken out of China at the discretion of the Customs service, but this prerogative has rarely, if ever, been excised.