Before your trip to Dongguan, you may have a lot of questions and concerns. Here we provide you with a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) list. You may find the answers here, if not, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or by email, we will give you a reply as soon as we can.

Frequently Asked Questions

1 What is the best season to travel to Dongguan?

Dongguan City is located at the south-center of Guangdong Province, lying on the east of the Pearl River Delta. With the influence of the tropical and semi-tropical monsoon climate, the weather of Dongguan is mild with plenty of rainfall all year round. Rainstorms and typhoons often occur from June to October. However, a series of local festivals are held during these times, attracting lots of visitors every year. Travelers should check the local weather forecasts prior to attending one or more of these events. Otherwise, autumn is a better time to visit Dongguan.

2 What kinds of festivals does Dongguan have?

A number of annual festivals may be of interest to you. In November, the China (Humen) International Fashion Fair is held in Humen Town, Dongguan City. The fair is a great showcase for many famous fashion brands, both domestic and foreign. The Lychee Festival is also an interesting time which is held in Hengli Town, Dongguan City, at the end of June. What is more, The Tourism Festival for Hong Kong is held in Zhangmutou Town, Dongguan City, from July to August.

We bet that “Body Sale”, admittedly an unusual translation, which is a traditional festival that originated in the Ming Dynasty, will catch your attention. It will be a lot of fun and you will learn more about culture and customs in China. This festival is held on February 2nd of the Chinese lunar calendar, in Dongkeng Town, Dongguan City. On that day, people swarm into the streets, splashing water on each other. The locals believe that water will wash away any bad fortune, leaving only the good for the upcoming year.

3 What languages are spoken in Dongguan?

Mandarin Chinese is the standard tongue in China although Cantonese is more widely spoken in the south. The regional dialect known as Hakka, which is very similar in design to Cantonese, is spoken in Dongguan. This slight difference will mean very little to the majority of travelers on a short break in Dongguan, who will unlikely be able to discern the difference, but is worth noting for those on extended breaks around the country. Dongguan is an international city and you will find English speaking staff in many of the larger department stores and hotels.

4 How can I change currency and can I use my credit cards in Dongguan?

The money situation can be a headache when visiting China as the tightly controlled yuan (Chinese currency) cannot be exchanged outside the country. Credit cards are not widely accepted and neither are international debit cards in many ATMs. In addition, those with traveler’s cheques will need to keep receipts of exchange in order to ‘sell’ back unused cheques at the end of their trip.

For changing money to yuan, banks are the most reliable places and generally offer the best rates, with hotels offering the worst rates and the airports being somewhere in between. Shoppers may find that some places will accept foreign currency - typically US dollars.

It is possible to withdraw money from your bank account via some ATMs in Dongguan, with Citibank, Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) machines accepting foreign cards. Those with Cirrus, PLUS and Aeon activated cards stand the best chance of withdrawing yuan this way. You may also find that some machines limit the amount of yuan you can withdraw at any one time, such as ¥2,500.

Your best chance of using your credit card for purchases is at the main shopping malls and in flashy restaurants and hotels. Visa and MasterCard are the most widely accepted credit cards although you will often find out that only the Chinese versions of the cards are accepted. Cash advances on credit cards in Dongguan’s banks are also possible, but expect hefty commissions and poor exchange rates.

Using traveler’s cheques is possible, but expect to pay commission on buying and selling them. You can generally exchange traveler’s cheques at banks, hotel foreign exchange desks and department stores, but make sure your signature is an exact clone of the original as the Chinese are sticklers for fraud.

5 What should I do about a visa?

All visitors need a visa when entering China and depending on how many times you wish to re-enter the country will determine whether you need a single-entry or a multi-entry visa. Single-entry visas are valid for up to three months from the date of issue and only allow for one entry, while multiple-entry visas allow for unlimited entries for the duration of the visa. Ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the date of your stay and that at least two full pages are available.

6 What are the business hours in Dongguan?  

7 Can you give me some useful telephone numbers?