Viking China

[MarbellaSD]

Hi all

 

Just returned from the 21 day Cultural Highlights and Hong Kong. It was the one the best experiences we have had. I am still suffering a little jet lag (18 hours on a plane yesterday) I will try to write a review in a few days, If you have any questions I will try my best to answer them. If you are considering the trip to not hesitate. Book it -

 

Irv

Irv, glad you had a great time! We who are on the 8/25 Cultural Delights trip eagerly await your report and tips--the advice, especially, as we are getting ready to pack and such. I'm also doing the Guilin/HK add-on. What hotel did you stay at in HK? We still have not received any documents! :mad:

 

Most important--to me, anyway!--how was the air conditioning on the ship? An earlier report said there were problems and evreything was always damp. Also, my cabin is on the 400 deck, where there was a fire--do you know whether everything is back to normal?

 

Hope you get some rest...

[MarbellaSD]

No wonder you were able to purchase so much:D you felt great.

So you are telling me after enduring a tetanus shot( 2 years earlier than I needed), and getting a Hep A and taking the typhoid I still am going to get the little stuff? figures:eek: I don't even know what imodium is, I have never purchased pepto...our family of 5 has been fortunate. We just get major stuff...no wonder I got those shots:) :rolleyes:

 

But, were the people down right sick or just queasy?

Lori, I just spoke to my dr. who recommended the Hep A shot as well; I'll be getting the first one on Monday, oh joy! Fortunately after the second you are set for life. She said it's good for anyone to have. She did not want to give me antibiotics on a preventative basis, because it's hard to predict what the cause might be--sounds like Kathy has had "experience" in this area before so her dr. knew what to prescribe. My dr. also recommends Immodium AD; there are generic versions as well. I always have Rolaids and Pepto tablets--which also help with the runs--some people say Pepto works better than other stuff for them.

 

We will definitely be prepared!~:D

[land lover]

It was varied' date=' Imodium is for the runs, pepto bismol is for queasy. The more careful you are with making sure you drink only bottled water the better. Don't eat stuff off the streets. Although, wait until you see the bird popsicles they had at the lunch stop on the Gorges cruise. The vendors were trying to sell these bird sticks. I was so skeeved out. They still had heads, beaks, feet etc. I was really grossed out.

 

[/quote']

 

So were they frozen chickens?:eek: YUM, YUM.......when we were in China town in San Francisco last summer, we observed how they just put birds into a brown sack stapled the top and off you go with your purchase. Of course when you are in Chinatown in SF or LA you think you are in China, but I don't think they can get by with birds on a stick, then again?????

 

I thought you would always drink bottled water, are there times when you won't?...sure food will have water residue etc....I guess I am having a problem knowing I will be showering in water that I can not drink..and this is from a woman who backpacked for years, so it is not like I am some pris:rolleyes:

[Manny's mom]

We always drank bottled water, but we did eat some fruit and salads. I think its ok in the hotels and on boat, but who knows for sure. No one got really sick, but quite a few had the runs or were really queasy. Just wait until you see the birds, and some other street food, I've never seen anything like it. By the way, don't buy water from vendors, buy it from bus driver.It was cheap, 2 bottles for $1. The vendors take used bottles, refill and then sell. Make sure your seals on water bottles are not broken.

 

 

 

So were they frozen chickens?:eek: YUM, YUM.......when we were in China town in San Francisco last summer, we observed how they just put birds into a brown sack stapled the top and off you go with your purchase. Of course when you are in Chinatown in SF or LA you think you are in China, but I don't think they can get by with birds on a stick, then again?????

 

I thought you would always drink bottled water, are there times when you won't?...sure food will have water residue etc....I guess I am having a problem knowing I will be showering in water that I can not drink..and this is from a woman who backpacked for years, so it is not like I am some pris:rolleyes:

[land lover]

Lori, I just spoke to my dr. who recommended the Hep A shot as well; I'll be getting the first one on Monday, oh joy! Fortunately after the second you are set for life. She said it's good for anyone to have. She did not want to give me antibiotics on a preventative basis, because it's hard to predict what the cause might be--sounds like Kathy has had "experience" in this area before so her dr. knew what to prescribe. My dr. also recommends Immodium AD; there are generic versions as well. I always have Rolaids and Pepto tablets--which also help with the runs--some people say Pepto works better than other stuff for them.

 

We will definitely be prepared!~:D

 

Presently, All UC students must have proof of Hep. A if they are going to live in the dorms....here is California I think doctors are more apt to prescribe things just because of our high immigrant population.Our Dr. had us take blood tests before the Hep. to see if we were already immune. When my 13 yr. old went to get a phyiscal for sports last year they sugggested he get it.Yet, my 16 year old had it when he was a toddler, same DR. So that tells me they are seeing an increase of Hep.A in CA. or maybe the vaccine is more readily available....who knows?

[irv54]

Viking’s China’s Cultural Delights with Hong Kong Extension Aboard the Viking Century Sun

 

We flew Phila to Chicago to Beijing via United Airways. Flights, movies and food were uneventful. When we arrived at the Beijing airport we were met by a Viking representative and boarded a bus to either the Hilton or the Shangri La hotels. There were 100 people in our tour and we were divided into three groups. Our group consisted of two teenagers, about 15 between late 40’s to early 60’s and the rest above 60 (one person, not in our group was 92). The make up in age in all three groups seemed to be about the same. We had many educators in the group. Since this was July the weather was in the upper 90’s the entire time but we had very little rain.

 

If you have trouble walking or doing steps this is not the trip for you. We were constantly walking and climbing steps. China is not yet handicapped friendly, but you can see that they are changing this. Within 10 years I think it will be completely handicapped accessible.

 

When arriving at the hotel we were extremely tired. We met some of our fellow travelers and ventured out to the KFC for a quick bite (rather than a meal at Hotel). The people at KFC were extremely helpful and with picture menus and one staff member who spoke some English. We ordered all drinks without ice. After we were seated and eating for a while, an employee appeared with a new Pepsi and apologized that she put ice in the drink. It was too late but I had no ill effects. We explored a little and returned to the Hotel, took an Ambien (for the first time) and awoke 8am without jet lag and ready to begin.

 

A wonderful American and Chinese breakfast awaited us. We ate quickly and boarded the bus by 8:30. Badges on which we wrote our names were handed out and we met Richard, our guide, advisor, shepherd, and ‘mother’. He stayed with us the entire trip and made sure that any request, question or problem was solved immediately. Everyone felt that we could ask him any question and he would do anything to make our trip better.

 

We toured Beijing from early morning to late in the evening for 2 ½ days. We were given almost no free or down time. There is so much to see and so much traffic. I will not describe the tours, as you should experience them yourself. We enjoyed them all and the meals were great. Price shopping for souvenirs and trinkets were best in Beijing, but again we had little time to shop and were worried about the 43-pound plane limit. We were given plenty of time at stores or factories that were on Viking tours, but these were high priced items. We did buy a rug at the silk factory and expect delivery any day. If you prefer to “shlep” the rug with you, they will charge you slightly less and give you a small rolling suitcase for your purchase.

 

We flew to Xian on a Chinese airline, (All of our intra-China flights were excellent with very attentive flight attendants). Richard told us we could only take one bag of 43 pounds, but since we were flying as a group, they probably would not weigh our luggage individually.

 

We arrived at the Sofitel hotel. It is probably the best hotel I have every stayed in. Unfortunately we only had time to sleep there because weather delayed our flight by 2 hours. I found one other person who was willing to tour the hotel and the grounds. Everybody else went to sleep. That morning we toured the Terra Cotta Army. Pictures cannot do it justice. Throughout China store prices are just a starting point. You can also buy fakes statues outside for $1. We flew to Chongqing where we embarked the ship.

 

The ship – We were greeted by the entire ship staff. They were smiling and seemed very happy to see us arrive. Since there were only 100 of us I asked for an upgrade, which they were happy to do. We moved more to the middle of the ship, if you wanted to be on higher level they wanted $100 more and to move to Junior suite they want $400. Since we bought the rugs we stayed were we were. All the rooms were exactly the same and since we were on the river, not the ocean, it really did not matter that much were you stayed. The rooms were well appointed roomy and very comfortable. Each room had cable television with HBO, CNN, BBC and free movies. The bathrooms were larger than many cruise ship bathrooms. There was no clock and therefore I suggest you bring clock for the room.

 

 

Meals and dining. The ship policy is no reservation for tables. There were only two tables for 10 and since there were two families of 10 they sent people early to grab those table. Christof, the dinning room manger, was incredible. (He was one of three people who was not Chinese) He would do anything for anyone and was around to help anyone with any personal request. We put two round tables together and ate dinner with about 15. Even though you could sit anywhere we always sat at the same three or four tables because the wait staff was the best we ever had. Cicy, Pandora, Johnson, Eddie and the others were amazing. They learned our names and would always address us by our names whether in the dinning room or not. There was nothing they could not do for us. Talking to other travelers they said the same about their staff which is why they always went back to the same tables. There really is no dress code for meals and most males wore shorts for dinner,

 

Tours - We had a tour everyday usually in the morning. Almost everyone went on all the tours. The entire staff would stand at the dock when we left or arrive wishing us a good day or welcoming us back. Upon return to the ship we were given hot washcloths and offered ice water or ice tea. We usually had free time at night and since we docked many nights in a port I tried to find someone to explore the city with me. There are no restrictions of travel in China and so we just walked and toured. If you are adventurous go out and tour on your own.

 

Entertainment - The entertainment was minimal. There were several nights that entertainment was provided. Howard the cruise manager was in charge. The crew put on an hour Chinese fashion show and talent show, bingo once and the Chinese version of name that tune. There was next day briefing each day and some educational lectures. I felt that they could have offered some entertainment each night, The shows were attended by about 90% of the people, They did have a duo that played every night for dancing but no one really went to listen or dance. By 10:30 the ship was almost totally deserted. There was also a small library and outside the library was a table with a puzzle. People would just add a piece or two as they walked past. The night we docked in Wuhan, of some of younger members went to a club (Christof took they there - they had a great time). Some evenings we went out on deck 6 and looked at the stars. We were told this is very unusual. Usually you cannot see stars during the summer because it’s usually cloudy or raining.

 

The ship had internet, It was extremely slow and did not always work. They did not charge you if you could not make a connection. The front desk was great.

 

The pace of the ship was much more relaxing than the full tour portion. One of the beauties about spending ten days on the ship was that for nine nights, there was no “bags out” early call. This was one of best cruise experiences we have ever had. The food, the trips, the room, the ship and the entire staff were great.

 

We, unfortunately, all had say goodbye to the staff after 10 days – there were lots of tears and thank yous. Just a note on tipping… There are several options – you can give individual tips to the staff you feel deserved it, you can put the full amount in cash or credit into the general fund which goes to all Chinese crew (from the cruise director down to the floor cleaners) or, as we did, you can give some money to individuals and give the balance of the amount you choose to the crew’s pot.

 

Our next stop was Shanghai. On the way we stopped at the silk factory in Suzhou. Most of the items there were available elsewhere in China cheaper, but I am not sure if the quality was not better at the factory. We were on the go from morning until night. The hotel (the Westin) was very nice. The food was not as good as in Beijing and the souvenirs cost a little more. Again, there was little time to shop but there were people outside the bus selling watches. I heard that the other bus, which appeared to be more of shopping crowd, (ours were more of picture takers) bought over 300 watches ($2 to $3). Since we were going to Hong Kong we had an extra half-day free to shop for souvenirs.

 

Our group became very close and it was sad to say goodbye, fortunately for us 15 of the 32 of us would be together for 4 more days. Richard gave us a list of our group with email addresses and we said we would write. We are also going to set up a picture link online so we can see pictures others took.

 

Guilin was next and the flight there took around 2 hours and was great. Shanghai airlines actually fed us a meal! We arrived at the hotel, changed and met for dinner, Afterwards some of us went outside in the rain to explore, We had a great time. Gulin is beautiful and we would like to go back and visit. The next day we took a river cruise of the Li river. It was breathtaking and you need to see it for yourself. There was a lunch buffet on the boat, but I suggest you bring something to eat.

 

We arrived in Hong Kong that night and settled in at the Kowloon Shangri-La. I really enjoyed Hong Kong. Much more English is spoken. We were on our own the entire time except for one morning tour. Everything cost more in Hong Kong, but it was easier to find more expensive types of merchandise. (Suits, glasses, electronics etc,) We visited the night market and Stanley market using cabs, buses and the ferry. One person had wanted to have a hot pot dinner the entire trip. The last night 6 of searched and found a hot pot restaurant across from the hotel as recommended by the fabulous concierge staff. We went about 6PM. Most people in Hong Kong do not eat before 7. We found this small restaurant in the basement of a mall (I guess there were 3-4 hundred tables). Since many people in Hong Kong spoke English we felt that we would have no problem ordering. The restaurant was empty. It felt like the entire staff waited on us, however only one waiter spoke about four words of English. They gave us 4 menus (They only had 4 English menus in the entire restaurant). One member of our group was an artist and she drew pictures so they would know that we only wanted beef and chicken. You should experience a hot pot meal at least once. By the time we were done the entire restaurant was full. We all ate breakfast together, and promised to email each other.

 

Overall

 

This was one of the best vacations we have ever taken. The Viking organization, the people we met, the people of China, the guides the hotels and the ship were outstanding. Our only regret was that we should have bought more souvenirs to give out. I am still somewhat on jetlag but checking my email I have already received several emails from others on the cruise.

[irv54]

The air conditioning on the Sun works great, - They closed the floor the first few days of our cruise and told us it was general maintiance for a new ship, I told some people the real reason.

 

Some of the travelers on the ship said that they had their kids call them as thier was no charge for incoming calls (they said it cost them 3 cents a minute).

 

It is exactly 12 hours different from the east coast

 

Just go and have and great time,

[MarbellaSD]

Irv,

Thanks for the overview--just the right information we needed to know! :D I'm thrilled to know that you had such a wonderful time (and that the a/c was fine!), as we leave in less than 2 weeks.:cool:

 

Any other advice--re: what to take/leave at home--is always appreciated!~ Hope you get over your jet lag soon...

[irv54]

1, bathrobes and slippers - provided in the hotels and on the ships (toothbrushes and toothpaste were provided in the hotels and I think on the ship

2. Lots of shoes, I wore sandals the entire time - I wore shoes one day only because I had them

3. If you are going soon only light clothes

4. No formal clothes, Only one person wore a Jacket, A few men wore ties (Bit none of the younge people did)

5. Bathing suits, The hotels have a pool but you probably will not have time to visit unless you awake at 5

6. bring some old clothes that you want to wear one more time and throw away

 

Laundry is very expensive. It is cheaper to but new tshirts and or regular shirts than to have them cleaned.

 

There is sun deck which I used some afternoons but I was usually there alone. Most people would rest in the airconditioned rooms. Being from Philadephia the summer weather was not different,

[Lloyd]

Irv,

Thank you for your fine trip report. I would like your thoughts on level of physical activity. My wife uses a cane and can walk and do stairs but not at a real fast pace. Her thought was that she would do what she could. She thought she may have to stay on the ship some days if the tour was really physical. Also if she goes on the tours she is thinking she can stay with the bus or in the area where the bus parks and at least see the people and country side. Could you comment as the the feasablity of this approach both while cruising and the land days in Shanghi, Xian and Bejing. Thank you.

[land lover]

1, bathrobes and slippers - provided in the hotels and on the ships (toothbrushes and toothpaste were provided in the hotels and I think on the ship

2. Lots of shoes, I wore sandals the entire time - I wore shoes one day only because I had them

3. If you are going soon only light clothes

4. No formal clothes, Only one person wore a Jacket, A few men wore ties (Bit none of the younge people did)

5. Bathing suits, The hotels have a pool but you probably will not have time to visit unless you awake at 5

6. bring some old clothes that you want to wear one more time and throw away

 

Laundry is very expensive. It is cheaper to but new tshirts and or regular shirts than to have them cleaned.

 

 

Irv, thanks for the review.

The above tips are informative too.

So only 100 on your ship? No wonder the air on the ship was nice.

 

So did many people get ill?

 

What excursion do you think was a don't miss?

 

Thanks,

[twototravel]

Irv54,

 

Thanks for the great review. We go on this same tour 16 May 07. Reading your story, wish we could go sooner. Couple of questions:

 

- Did Viking set up your flights? Did you specifically request to go out of Chicago? We live in MD but were told we would probably have to fly out of SF. Were you able to upgrade any of your journey?

 

- Were any of your shore excursions along the Yangtzee cancelled? The brochure states that due to the water level, trips may be altered.

 

- I wonder how they decide on the hotels. We've been told that we will be staying at the Beijing Shangri-la, the Xian Shangri-la, and the Shanghai Ritz Carlton.

 

- Our cabin is on the main floor in 206. Should we try to upgrade when we check in or do you think we'll be fine? All the standard rooms are the same, right?

 

Thanks, Cathy

[MarbellaSD]

Did Viking set up your flights? Did you specifically request to go out of Chicago? We live in MD but were told we would probably have to fly out of SF. Were you able to upgrade any of your journey?

Cathy--I'm on the 8/24 trip. We arranged our own flights on United, paying for economy and upgrading with miles. Viking charges a flat $2900 aperson for bus class upgrades (I did this on the Russia trip); there is no way to use miles to upgrade if Viking does your flights. I think we saved about $1600 each doing it this way. We are flying San Diego to SF, then nonstop to Beijing.

 

Were any of your shore excursions along the Yangtzee cancelled? The brochure states that due to the water level, trips may be altered.

Viking always gives this disclaimer; weather problems as well may interfere with routes.

[MarbellaSD]

Hi, Irv--

Because there is so little free time, were there any tours you would suggest skipping to go off on our own, in hindsight? Any dinners where you''d have liked to try a restaurant other than go with the group (not including KFC...;) )?

How do 270 people (that is the number on our tour--you were lucky to have only 100!) all go to meals in the cities? Does each small group go to a different restaurant?

 

I had heard that food in Shanghai is supposed to be fabulous--too bad the places Viking chose did not bear that out.

 

Some people said they'd skip the Beijing Opera--but it looks like a really unique experience--something you do once.

 

I like the idea of exploring the river towns like you did. Which are the easiest/safest?

 

Thanks again!

[irv54]

Cathy -

1 & 3 We went through the 199 special - It is the cheapest way to go if you do not want 1st class. We did not pick our flights or hotels. I do not think you will be disappointed no matter what hotel they give you, Viking had us fky out of chicago and back via San fran (much longer). We did not have seats on the flight back from Hong Kong and United asked us if minded being bumped to economy plus. You can upgrade with United, You can not upgrade in China but the longest flight was 2 hours and you were treated much better than American airlines (the 2 hour flight came with a meal).

 

2. Water level is not usually a problem but they need the disclaimer

 

3. The rooms are all the same. You can not ask for an upgrade until you are on the ship - try it the worse they can do is say yes, It is a little nicer to be a little higher but there are no waves - No one seem to complain about the cabin.

 

Mbellamy

 

1. We really enjoyed our group so we have no regrets about eating together eventhough I would have preferred choosing some restaurants. Also we were so tired I would have hated searching for a restaurnat. We were able to eat real chinese meals. You can ask your guide for suggestions if you don't want to eat with the group. Everyone in our group ate all meals together

 

2. China is a huge country so are the restuants, ( The small resturant in the basement in Hong knong that we found on our own and where no one spoke english had over 400 tables) Feeding 270 is not a problem. You will be devided into groups of about 35. Viking will make sure that you don't wait - there is no time in the schedule to wait

We ate on our own in Hong Kong - the food was great no matter where we choose (evan the Haggan Das) Try a hot pot meal for the experience, You can kill your own food in the hot water

 

3. The shows at night were all good - We were just tired and I think that some of dosed off. It is something you want to experience once. My wife and I particular liked the show in Shang Hai (some did not ). As far as skipping tours - Yea there were some that I would have skipped but I do not know where else I would have gone, One of the reasons we chose a river cruise is so we did not have to think, There was something new and different about each tour we took - even it was just getting a new perspective of the country via a bus ride.

 

4. We may have been tired of Chinese food but it seemed like we all felt the food in bejing was better/ We had one lunch in Shanghai with noodles. I thought that it was great others did not like it. Food is a personal choice - However I heard no complaints about the ship.

 

5. China appears to be safe no matter where we went, My only problem was that I did not speak Chinese. The ship always gave us slips of where we were and you could just show it to anyone, I liked exporing everywhere. Some of the ports were just neighborhoods. One port you had to climb 250 steps to reach the top, There was a bus station and police station there, Across the street were some restaurants and bars where our guides would go to eat real chinese food, I want to explore the town but our friends were tired, Just explore and have fun. I did not stay with the group during all the tours as I can only listen so much so I explored the surroundings, Our guide Richard always told me what time I had to be back at the bus. Some of my best tours were visiting areas that the rest of group did not go to, I did not as good as explanation but I saw a lot more,

 

Land lover

 

100 is ok but I would like to have a larger number on the ship, No one stayed up at night, not many adventuros people - with 200 there might have been more evening activites, (Don't get me wrong - I loved the ship and the people that we traveled with).

 

Everything is a once in a life time opportunity, It depends on what your interests are. I found driving 2 hours each way to look at pottery a little long and I could have gone with some crew members for an hour and half message which I probably would have enjoyed more but some people thought that it was a great.

 

Hope this helped. Just relax and enjoy the trip,

 

I

[land lover]

Thanks Irv, some more good insight.

 

So it sounds like you stayed pretty healthy on the trip, did many get ill?

[TGBarbie]

A couple quick questions, do they still have tai chi classes on the ship? When? And is there a spa/massage services on the ship or near the hotels? Early reviews told of fabulous foot massages but none of the recent returners have mentioned these services. Only about 45 days til we leave LAX for our 20 days in China.

We can't thank you all enough for all the help you continue to be.

[MarbellaSD]

A couple quick questions, do they still have tai chi classes on the ship? When? And is there a spa/massage services on the ship or near the hotels? Early reviews told of fabulous foot massages but none of the recent returners have mentioned these services. Only about 45 days til we leave LAX for our 20 days in China.

We can't thank you all enough for all the help you continue to be.

 

Although I haven't gone yet, I saw a schedule from a June cruise and they do tai chi each morning on deck. I am pretty sure you can get massages and reflexology on board but not other spa services. (I am counting on those foot massages, :D !!!)

[kona1234]

I just returned from China with Viking. I must admit it was one of the best trips I have ever taken! Yes, Tai Chi is available every morning on the cruise. Massages of various types are also available, however the massage I had off the cruise (during a stop in Guilen) was excellent. Much better than that of the cruise. Let me know if any of you have additional questions. I did the Cultural Delights w/ Hong Kong extension.

[MarbellaSD]

I just returned from China with Viking. I must admit it was one of the best trips I have ever taken! Yes, Tai Chi is available every morning on the cruise. Massages of various types are also available, however the massage I had off the cruise (during a stop in Guilen) was excellent. Much better than that of the cruise. Let me know if any of you have additional questions. I did the Cultural Delights w/ Hong Kong extension.

Great to know it was a wonderful trip! Where did you have this terrific massage? I'm sure by the time we get to Guilin we'll need one! Any restaurant and sightseeing recommendatins for Hong Kong? All advice re: clothes, shopping etc. is much appreciated--we leave in a week! Did you do all the set tours or venture off on your own at all?

[MarbellaSD]

For all you recent China travelers--

Is it easy to find an ATM at the airport? We will be taking a taxi to the hotel--wonder if they will take US dollars.

 

Thanks!

[irv54]

If we respond to everything there will be no suprises

 

1. Tai chi every morning on the ship at 7 (i think - you get a certificate f you go everyday)

 

2. In Hong Kong - Glasses and custom clothes, Stanley market is nice, There is a real store at the beginning of the market that sells oriiginal custume jewlery

 

3. Most people stayed healthy but I think we all had some minor diarreaha. My wife is sick now I think it was from the trip, It took a week to show up,

 

4. A foot message was a bus stop (aditional charge). Everyone thought it was great. I think I prefer a whole body message. If you want to skip a tour ask Christof (on the ship) for advice.

 

ATM. There are ATM's at the airport, Many ATM's do not accept PLUS but I think the airports accept them all

I used dollars everywhere but on transportation, If they did not accept dollars they usually took VISA/MC

 

 

Have a great trip - I am ready to return

 

I

[Murphey]

Did anyone have laundry done on the ship?? Cost?? We have 5 weeks to go!! Thx.....

[land lover]

IRV... you know we will have surprises...even though we are so prepared:rolleyes: like last night when I turn on the news, a small union is calling for a strike at LAX next Tues. and Wed. I think it is just the guys that wave the planes in..I've yet to get the whole story...but we leave on Thursday:eek:

 

Life is full of surprises...thanks for all the insight.

 

Hope your wife feels better soon, I do believe most "get the bug" and many after the trip.

[Manny's mom]

Marlene, there are many places to change money at the airport, and the rate is set by the government. The taxi drivers want Chinese money. We paid Viking for our transfers though, even though we arranged our own air. The Viking people picked us up, and took us to our hotel. You may want to consider adding that to your trip, it made things simpler, and they took us going and coming.

Kathy

 

 

 

 

For all you recent China travelers--

Is it easy to find an ATM at the airport? We will be taking a taxi to the hotel--wonder if they will take US dollars.

 

Thanks!