Half-Day Tour: Xi’an Local Family Visit
Xi’an
This is an interactive experience of real local life in Xi’an. You will have opportunities to interact with friendly locals, partake in a tea ceremony, and learn to make dumplings, as well as explore the bustling Muslim Quarter Bazaar.
Itinerary: Family Visit (tea ceremony, make dumplings)→Muslim Quarter
Your private tour guide/driver will pick you up at the time of your request in the morning from the lobby of your downtown Xi'an hotel, and chauffeur you to visit the home of a local family to start this interactive day tour. Here, you will have the opportunity to peek into the daily life of local people and interact with them in their comfortable homes.
After you have arrived at the hosting family’s home, you will enjoy a tea ceremony performed by your hostess and sample some tea. Then, learn to make dumplings from the scratch and savor the dumplings you have made for lunch or dinner. You will also have a chance to try some locally brewed beer and hard liquor. Afterwards, your guide/driver will escort you to the bustling Muslim Quarter Bazaar, where you can stroll around and shop for unique souvenirs for your loved ones before heading back to your hotel.
Inclusions
◆ Entrance fees
◆ Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
◆ Professional licensed guide
◆ Transport by private vehicle
◆ Bottle water
Exclusions
◆ Accommodation
◆ Food and drinks, unless specified
◆ Gratuities (recommended)
Additional info
◆ A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
◆ Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
◆ Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
◆ Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
◆ Hotel information is required
Useful Information for Traveling in China
Payment
Best China Experience will provide you with quote calculated in Chinese currency-CNY, as well as the equivalent quote in USD based on the current exchange rate between them. (Please note our quote in USD may change slightly due to the fluctuation of the exchange rate, though CNY quote remains the same) After confirming your itinerary with us, you will be requested to pay a deposit to secure the booking and the balance should be paid upon your arrival or at the end of your tour.
Option1: Paypal (You can sign up for a Paypal account here: https://www.paypal.com)
Using Paypal is safe and easy! Just:
1: Sign up for a Paypal account
2: Link your Paypal account to your bank account, credit card, or debit card
3: Use Paypal to pay when you checkout
4: You’re done!
Our Paypal account is guzeyu88@163.com. We require 49 USD as a booking deposit for the confirmation of the tour. More deposit may happen if you need us to book hotels, airfare, train tickets, etc. for you.
Option 2: Cash or credit card (we have Pos Machine) After confirmation, you may also choose to pay us by cash or credit card when we meet up on the first day of your tour.
For any other suggestions or requirements on the terms of payment, please feel free to contact us. We are flexible because we hope to accommodate to your every convenience!
Tipping
It is customary to tip service providers in the travel industry in Asia, depending on the service. Tipping is expected — though not compulsory — and shows an expression of satisfaction with the people who have assisted you on your tour. Recommendations for tipping drivers (4 USD per person per day as a guideline) and local guides (8 USD per person per day as a guideline) would depend on the quality and length of the service.
Train conditions in China
A soft sleeper is recommended for overnight and long-distance travel. Each soft sleeper compartment is enclosed, and contains four bunks, two on each side. The bunks are wider and more comfortable than hard sleepers, with decent bedding. Soft sleeper compartments may vary between trains. You may have both over-head storage and under-bed storage, or just under-bed storage. For short distance train travel, G and D high-speed trains are recommended. G trains are the fastest trains in China, with a speed of 250 km/h to 400 km/h, and their prices are highest.
Currency Exchange
As currency exchange rates in China fluctuate, we suggest you refer to the following website for daily exchange rates: www.xe.com. In 2015 the yuan (CNY or RMB) has been around 6.2 RMB to 1 USD (6.1–6.3 RMB to 1 USD), and the HKD (Hong Kong Dollar) has been more stable around 7.75 HKD to 1 USD (7.74–7.77 HKD to 1 USD). There are many ATMs that accept both Visa and Master Card, but these are limited to cities. We also recommend the use of cash and travelers checks in USD currency. Major credit cards are accepted in most shops, but they may charge a 2–4% transaction fee.
Food
Eating is an important part of your China experience. Generally breakfasts are included in the itinerary and offered by hotels. Best China Experience recommends local Chinese restaurants that are popular with local people for meals. You can order dishes with the help of your guide. Western food can be found in most large cities. If you are vegetarian or you are looking for specially-prepared food, please feel free to inform your travel advisor or your guide.
Vehicle
We use comfortable sedans or vans with air-conditioning. The comfort and safety of our customers is of the utmost importance, so we ensure that all of the vehicles that we use are well maintained and always very clean. Our drivers take pride in their vehicles.