Yellow Mountain Center: Travel: Getting There on Your Own

It is possible to travel to Tunxi on your own. First, you will need a visa. See Getting a Visa (For Those Traveling on Their Own). The staff of the Yellow Mountain Center will offer as much assistance as possible in making your journey a pleasant one. Deborah Morin is available to answer any questions you might have.

Fill out the Medical History Form and email it to the translator (email is address on the Contact Us page). He will assist you in scheduling appointments with Dr. Zhou Hong. See also Preparing to Go.

You can book this on your own or through your travel agent. You can fly through any of the major Chinese cities to get to Tunxi (sometimes called Huangshan by airlines and travel agents), but the only daily flights to Tunxi are from Shanghai on China Eastern (1 hour). The round-trip cost from Shanghai to Tunxi is about $110. China Eastern flies to Tunxi twice a week (Saturday and Tuesday) from Hong Kong (2 hours). The cost from Hong Kong round-trip to Tunxi is about $555. There are also flights from Beijing (2 hours) and Guangzhou (1 hour, 45 minutes). There is a daily express train from Shanghai to Tunxi (12 hours) as well, but for people visiting China for the first time it is not recommended. Remember if you are traveling with a child under the age of 12 there is a substantial discount on China Eastern fares.

Guests are warned that there are often possible changes in flight schedules in China. Check with the translator or with your travel agent in the States for domestic flight information. Also, remember to ask the translator to reconfirm your return flights 48 hours in advance.

This cost includes all travel expenses, including healing treatments and herbal medicines. See below. The only thing not included in this price is side-trip excursions. See Side-Trips to calculate approximate costs. When you have decided on your travel dates, contact the translator to schedule appointments for your healing treatments.

The flight over the Pacific takes 11 to 16 hours from the United States. It is necessary to fly into one of the more major cities of China before continuing on to Tunxi. China Eastern Airlines has introduced daily direct flights from Shanghai (1 hour) to the new airport at Tunxi. There are also flights from Beijing (2 hours), Guangzhou (1 hour 45 minutes), and Hong Kong (2 Hours). In addition, there is a daily express train from Shanghai to Tunxi (12 hours).

The airport tax for domestic flights is 50 RMB (yuan) and 90 RMB for international flights. You must purchase the tax receipt before proceeding to the gate. You will usually see the airport tax booth clearly marked near the airline check-in counters. Arriving in Tunxi: Send your travel itinerary to the translator, and he will have someone pick you up at the airport.

You may have to overnight in Shanghai both when going to Tunxi and when returning because of flight schedules. Since Shanghai is an interesting city with many things to see and do, you may want to spend a day or two there. The translator can reserve a hotel room for you and send you the name and address of the hotel written in Chinese so you can give that to your taxi driver. No taxi drivers speak English.

There are still a few international flights that fly into the old Shanghai airport, and it is possible to get a direct connection to Tunxi. However, it is wise to have a fallback plan just in case you miss your connection. There are hotels within walking distance to this airport, but none of them are very nice. If you decide to stay in one of them, check the room to see if the sheets have been changed before checking in.

The translator can also get a reservation for you at a newer hotel. This hotel is about a 15-minute drive. If this is your plan, make sure the translator sends the name and address of the hotel to you written in Chinese before you leave for China so that your taxi driver will understand where to take you.

The Shanghai, Pudong Airport has a transit hotel in the airport that costs approximately $50. This hotel is strange in that it closes at a certain time at night. If you plan to stay at this hotel, please realize that you cannot get in or out of the hotel after they close. This is true even if your flight is late. If you choose to stay there, the translator can make a reservation for you.

Change some money into the Chinese currency before you leave your arrival airport. The money is called yuan or RMB. The exchange rate is the same throughout China. You do get a slightly better rate for traveler's checks. Save your receipts. You will need them if you have any money left over at the end of your trip to change back. See section on Changing Money.

See above: International Travel. The airport code for Tunxi is TXN. China Eastern (their airline code is MU) has most, if not all, of the flights to Tunxi. Dragon Air may have some flights as well.

You can call China Eastern at (626) 583-1500 in the United States to make reservations but they will not let individuals purchase tickets. You must go through an authorized travel agent. It is best to find an experienced agent who specializes in travel to the Orient. Also, there is no way at this time to book a China Eastern flight with a credit card over the phone while in China. You must go to a China Eastern office or the airport.

If you are attempting to travel directly to Tunxi and back from the U.S., it is possible to have the international airline you are traveling on book you all the way through to Tunxi. If you decide to change flight times for a China Eastern reservation, it may be difficult if it is part of your international ticket. If you booked your China Eastern flight separately, it is easy, though possibly time-consuming, to change your flight schedule in China. They do not charge a change fee. The only potential problems could be with availability.

The phone number to call to arrange special meals for China Eastern in the U.S. is (800) 200-5188.

We don't recommended that people travel by train in China on their first trip if they don't speak any Chinese. However, if you wish to pursue train travel, ask the translator to will help you with travel arrangements.

Tunxi does not have many taxi cabs. You cannot expect to catch a taxi in town on the street. Almost all taxies must be called and scheduled ahead of time. During your stay, the translator will help you make these arrangements. He can also organize any side trips you wish to take while in Tunxi and help you with your other travel plans around China.

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Tunxi	45F/little snow	50f/some rain	65F/some rain	70F/some rain	75F/rainy	80F/rainy
Huangshan	15F/snow	20F/snow	32F/rain	50F/some rain	65F/some rain	70F/rainy

Month	Jul	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tunxi	90F/dry	85F/dry	90F/dry	75F/dry	65F/dry	50F/little snow
Huangshan	75F/dry	70F/dry	70F/dry	55F/dry	35F/dry	25F/snow

Deborah Morin, one of the co-founders of the Yellow Mountain Center, uses Bamboo Tours to book her China Eastern flights. Their phone number is (415) 882-9100. Their fax number is (415) 882-4569. You can email them at Bambootours@aol.com. Make sure to check your itinerary closely to insure that there will be no travel surprises.