| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 22 |
| London | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 7 |
Below is an information overview. The conditions of entry, as well as the political and health situation, can change anywhere in the world at any time. We therefore recommend checking the website of the Foreign Office (www.gov.uk) before your departure.
China: The People‘s Republic of China is the fourth largest country in the world and covers vast parts of Central and East Asia. China borders 14 countries, including Vietnam, Myanmar, Nepal, India and Russia.
Hong Kong: Hong Kong is located on the southern coast of China and consists of Hong Kong Island, several smaller islands, the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories on the south Chinese mainland.
Macau: The Chinese Special Administrative Region of Macau is located in the Pearl River Delta on the South China Sea. It belongs to the People‘s Republic of China and is one of the most densely populated in areas the world.
China: People‘s Republic
Hong Kong & Macau: Special Administrative Regions of the People‘s Republic of China
China: Beijing (Peking)
Hong Kong: Hong Kong
Macau: Macau
China: Predominantly Chinese folk religions, as well as Buddhists, Taoists, Confucians and Muslims.
Hong Kong: Predominantly Chinese folk religions, as well as Buddhists, Taoists and Confucians, Christians, Muslims and Hindu minorities.
Macau: Predominantly Buddhists, as well as Chinese folk religions, Christians and Muslims.
China: Standard Mandarin (Putonghua), Chinese (Cantonese), various minority languages
Hong Kong: Chinese (Cantonese) and English
Macau: Standard Mandarin (Putonghua), Chinese (Cantonese), Portuguese
Due to its size, China spans several climate zones. The north is characterised by a continental climate. In the south as well as in Hong Kong and Macau, there is a subtropical climate.
Despite the very large surface area of China there is only one time zone (Beijing Standard Time). The time difference with the UK is +7 hours in summer and +8 hours in winter.
220 volts alternating current, 50 hertz. An adapter is required.
China: The dialling code for calls from the UK to China is 0086 (+86).
Hong Kong: The dialling code for calls from the UK to Hong Kong is 00852 (+852).
Macau: The dialling code for calls from the UK to Macau is 00853 (+853). For calls to the UK, dial 0044 (+44) first. The 0 before the area code is omitted in each case.
In China, Hong Kong and Macau, great importance is attached to politeness and restraint. Greetings are usually made by nodding or a slight bow; in Hong Kong, shaking hands is also common. Physical contact with strangers should be avoided, in particular touching the head is considered impolite. In China, numbers and symbols play an important role – the number four should be avoided as it is associated with death. Smoking is prohibited in all three regions in public and enclosed spaces, and conspicuous or loud behaviour is also frowned upon. There are differences regarding tipping, but some basic rules: in China, tipping is uncommon outside tourist services. For tour guides and hotel staff, £4 – £5 per day is appropriate. In Hong Kong and Macau, a service charge of around 10% is usually included in restaurants and hotels, but an additional tip is still considered polite – in better restaurants about 5–10%, for taxi rides the amount is rounded up. For hotel, toilet or casino staff, small amounts of £1 – £2 are appropriate.
British nationals require a passport to enter China, Hong Kong and Macau, which must be valid for at least six months after the planned return date and have at least two blank pages. British citizens are also exempt from visa requirements until 31 December 2026. You can enter China visa free for stays of up to 30 days for business, tourism, family or friend visits or transit. If you travel to China for any other reason or for a stay exceeding 30 days, you must apply for a visa before your trip to China. At the moment it is not yet known whether there will also be an exemption from the visa requirement for 2027. It must be expected that a visa will again be required to enter China.
No separate visa is required for entry into Hong Kong and Macau; tourist stays of up to six months are possible in both countries without a visa.
Nationals of other countries are advised to enquire at the Chinese Embassy about the entry requirements applicable to them.
Whilst we endeavor to provide guidance where necessary, we cannot be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied.
Your expert tour guides will be able to provide you with detailed information about the country, people, history, culture etc., and offer advice and assistance for organising your trip. They can also help with room allocation and look forward to welcoming you with initial information. We have put together a varied programme including numerous highlights, enabling you to experience the culture and diversity of landscape that China, Hong Kong and Macau have to offer, and learn all about the country and its people.
Although your trip already includes a comprehensive package, you also have the option of choosing added extras on arrival.
Gourmet package: The package includes 8x Chinese dinner in the hotel or in local restaurants (day 4 to 11): only £229* p. p.
Explorer package: The package includes the full-day excursions ‘Diaolou (World Heritage) and old town of Chikan incl. lunch‘, ‘Longsheng Rice Terraces incl. lunch‘ as well as the ‘Guangzhou city tour with Nanyue King’s Museum, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall & Canton Tower incl. lunch‘: only £249* p. p.
* Both packages can be booked up to a maximum of 31 days before arrival.
China: The currency unit is the Yuan (CNY). 1 CNY = 10 Jiao. Exchange rate (February 2026): 1 GBP = 9.44 CNY ; 1 CNY = 0.11 GBP
Hong Kong: The currency unit is the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD). 1 HKD = 100 cents. Exchange rate (February 2026): 1 GBP = 10.67 HKD ; 1 HKD = 0.09 GBP
Macau: The currency unit is the Macau Pataca (MOP). 1 MOP = 100 Avos. Exchange rate (February 2026): 1 GBP = 10.99 MOP ; 1 MOP = 0.09 GBP
In larger cities in China, as well as in Hong Kong and Macau, it is possible to withdraw cash using common credit cards, although bank fees should be taken into account. British bank cards only work to a limited extent and international credit cards are not accepted everywhere. When withdrawing cash, high fees may be charged by the respective bank. For further information on using your bank cards abroad, please contact your bank. Payment via apps such as Alipay or WeChat Pay is widespread in China, Hong Kong and Macau. Visa and Mastercard cards can be linked to these apps, which makes payment easier. Nevertheless, it is advisable to always carry some cash, as smaller shops often do not accept cards.
For basic customs regulations regarding the import of goods and foreign currency into China, Hong Kong and Macau, please refer to the website of the Federal Foreign Office (www.gov.uk). Further customs information on importing goods can be obtained from the embassy of your destination country. Only there can you be given legally binding information (http://english.customs.gov.cn/).
Important: If you are travelling to Great Britain from outside the UK, your personal allowances mean you can bring in a certain amount of goods without paying tax or duty. If you go over your allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category. Please inform yourself about the current customs regulations: https://www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/arrivingin-Great-Britain.
The crime rate in China, Hong Kong and Macau is generally low and violent offences are very rare. However, petty crime such as pickpocketing or scams can occur, especially in busy places such as airports, on public transport and main shopping streets. As a general rule: Keep money, identification, driving licence and other important documents in a safe place.
China: The use of so-called VPN services to circumvent state internet censorship in China is prohibited. It should be expected that users‘ online activities will be tracked. It is also forbidden to disseminate government-critical content on the internet. The import or possession of even small amounts of drugs of any kind can lead to long prison sentences or even the death penalty. This is regularly enforced even against convicted foreigners. Photographing military objects is prohibited; when taking pictures of individuals, permission should be sought first.
Hong Kong: In Hong Kong, a fine is imposed for any kind of pollution (e.g. throwing away cigarette butts and any kind of packaging material). Even the import, export or possession of small amounts of drugs is punished with severe penalties. In addition, the new security law has significantly increased the penalties for criticism of the government, also includes foreigners, and can lead to prosecution for acts committed outside Hong Kong.
Macau: In Macau, the import and possession of drugs is punished with severe penalties. Furthermore, carrying weapons and weapon-like objects such as stun guns or pepper spray is strictly prohibited and can result in imprisonment. Military installations and security forces must not be photographed.
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC – https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries) on the TravelHealth Pro website. Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad.
Depending on which hospital you’re taken to, medical care is generally good in major cities in China, though some hospitals can be very crowded and have long waiting times. Outside major cities, the standard of healthcare facilities is variable; it can sometimes be poor and disorganised.English-speaking doctors and nurses may be available in large hospitals, but this will not be universal. Some hospitals can provide English-speaking staff on-hand for a fee. Wherever possible, seek medical assistance in the company of a Chinese speaker. If you’re on prescription medication, make sure you either bring enough with you or have access to a supply once in China. Certain medicines may not be available in China (including major brands readily available in the UK), and you may be prohibited from bringing some medicines into the country.
It is strongly recommended to take out international health insurance with the option of medical repatriation to the UK.
Customers must ensure that they are in good physical and mental health in line with the trip in question. Customers must enquire about the physical mobility and psychological autonomy required for this trip.
All information is subject to change/Last updated: February 2026
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