Everything you need to know about traveling to China
This Magic Town, two hours from Mexico City, combines the history of a pre-Hispanic town with the architectural and cultural richness of colonial buildings. The Church of Los Remedios is the symbolic image of this syncretism. Built above an important pyramid of Cholulteca culture, the church dominates the view of this ancient valley of Mexico.
Cholula was named a Magic Town in 2012 because it was one of the most important cities of the preHispanic period. According to the legend, there are 365 churches around the city, including the Temple of San Francisco, made with the traditional pottery of Talavera, in
The world’s most populous country is beginning to reopen its borders – but foreign tourists won’t be allowed in just yet.
Nearly three years after shutting down to outsiders, China has begun ending its “zero COVID” policy. As of Jan. 8, the country has dropped its severe mandatory quarantine on arrival, and it only requires travelers to show a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure.
But this phase of reopening is not intended to resuscitate its foreign tourism market, but rather to allow Chinese nationals (and foreign nationals with valid residence permits and visas) the freedom to go abroad again – and just in time for Lunar New Year, the country’s busiest travel period. Like before the pandemic, foreigners will need an official permit or a visa from the Chinese embassy to enter the country, and those will only be given for people with a compelling reason to visit such as business, school or seeing relatives.
Americans are still excited about the news.
“As soon as China relaxed its COVID restrictions and started allowing their own citizens to travel, we had a huge influx of people wanting to start planning their trip,” said John Rose, chief risk and security officer of the travel agency ALTOUR.
Angela Hughes, owner of Trips & Ships Luxury Travel, has seen similar interest. “Once it opens up, it’s going to be sizzling hot,” she said.
According to an Expedia spokesperson, searches for travel from the United States to China
Also called the Seven Colors Lagoon, Bacalar is ideal for diving and snorkeling lovers who enjoy the enormous animal and vegetable diversity of this lush jungle of Quintana Roo.
Bacalar is a city that was founded by the Mayan civilization under the name of Sian Ka’an Bakhalal. This is the gateway to the famous underwater caves of the Blue Cenote and many Mayan archaeological areas of great value that the lush jungle has covered.
The area’s main attractions are, in addition to the lagoon and cenote, the Fort of San Felipe, the Museum of the Pirates, the Temple of San Joaquin and the town’s Main Square, among nearly doubled compared to the week before the announcement.
Tourist visas and 10-year visas are not expected to be granted anytime soon “because they’re still trying to reopen,” Rose said. “And it’s going to take a little while – just like it did in the U.S.”
If you’re considering planning a trip to China, here’s what you need to know before you go. When can you start planning a trip to China? Travelers interested in visiting China for business, school or seeing relatives may apply for entry visas and start planning trips now.
Everyone else will need to have some patience, although some hopeful tourism experts are getting trips on the schedule despite having no clear date for the return of China’s tourist visas. The small-group tour company Intrepid Travel has put trips on sale starting as early as April.
This is one of the most beautiful places in the Mexican Caribbean. It is ideal for those looking to have close contact with nature and relax with stunning ocean views.
Its coral reefs, located to the west of the island, are perfect for diving and snorkeling lovers who can admire extraordinary biodiversity, including the whale shark, which visits from November to February.
One of the most popular places for visitors is El Farito, Contoy Island, and the underwater sculptures of Manchones Reef, in addition to the area’s cliffs where visitors can swim with dolphins, bike, and climb, among other activities. In addition, the local communities offer excellent cuisine with dishes made from fish and other seafood, such as the traditional Tikinxik, a fish baked underground or cooked on the grill, seasoned with achiote (ancient pigment), as well as the famous snail ceviche.
The company’s partners on the ground in China are actively preparing for the return of tourism, says Natalie Kidd, Intrepid’s Asia division managing director, and they anticipate more announcements on tourist visas to come after Lunar New Year festivities begin near the end of January.
Hughes has already locked in a group tour for a couple later this year. “They’re just going for it with the expectation that it’s going to be open,” she said. Having watched other countries around the world deal with erratic entry requirements, Hughes was skeptical to lock in anything earlier than fall, “but they’re optimistic,” she said.
Going as soon as China allows won’t be for everybody. Hughes says first-time visitors, families or more risk-averse travelers may want to wait until 2024, when the
This Magic Town, located in the state of Sonora, near the U.S. border, was founded by Father Kino in 1687. It is a picturesque town with historic landscapes and cobbled streets. It also has a first-class gastronomic offer in high-quality restaurants.
The village is inhabited by Tohono O’odham natives and the Pima Alto Indians, who revere the image of
San Francisco Javier in the Temple of Santa Maria Magdalena, one of the top places to visit. Another of the emblematic places of Magdalena de Kino is the crypt of Father Kino, where the remains of essential missionaries from the time of the Spanish colony are located.
Among the most important and attractive places of Magdalena de Kino are the Religious Center of Our Lady of Mary Magdalene, the Cerro de la Virgen, the Colegio Coronel Fenochio, the Mission of San Ignacio Cabórica and the Museum Eusebio Francisco Kino. situation becomes more stable. More adventurous travelers are another story. “I’m definitely going to go right when it opens,” Hughes said.
While Hughes is looking to Japan as a blueprint for what China’s return to tourism might look like, Catherine Heald, CEO of the luxury travel company Remote Lands, is bracing for a longer wait with more complications.
Citing concerns like limited international commercial flights into China and remaining pandemic restrictions, “we think it will be a slower process than what we witnessed in Japan, Thailand and other parts of Asia,” she said in an email. What to know about coronavirus protocols in China. With the end of its “zero COVID” strategy, China has dropped significant measures like its frequent coronavirus testing and digital health codes for locals, or presenting negative COVID tests or health certificates to travel within the country. China is also easing restrictions on the number of flights allowed in.
However, the U.S. Embassy in China warns the country’s policies could change at any time.
For now, the main pandemic restriction in place is for travelers. Anyone visiting must provide a negative PCR result from a test taken within 48 hours of departure to China. Kidd says masks are still recommended in China, but not mandated in public areas (except for hospitals and clinics) and no quarantines or isolation are required if someone does get COVID-19.
What are the risks of visiting as soon as possible? As of Jan. 9, the U.S. State Department has a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory for China (along with
Hong Kong and Macao) due to the surge of COVID cases, COVID-related restrictions and “arbitrary enforcement of local laws,” its website reads. Travelers considering a trip to China should refer to the State Department’s entire travel information page for updates on travel advisories and country information.
Medical experts from World Travel Protection, a travel riskmanagement company, note China is experiencing its biggest COVID surge to date. But it’s challenging to accurately assess coronavirus risks in China, says Joel Lockwood, one of the company’s regional chief medical officers, since the country’s mass-testing programs have ended and the World Health Organization claims China has underrepresented its COVID mortality statistics.