China Tips

[Sheilbh]

I'm maybe planning on going to China for a couple of weeks in about six months to a year.

As normally happens to kick-start a desire to travel I've been hoovering up books on China. Also everyone I know who's been absolutely loved it so I'll assume I'm going to go again. I'm also quite a lazy traveller.

Now I'm trying to plan an interesting-ish itinerary so I can work out how much money I need.

Given all that and the fact that China's massive, rather than doing a whistle-stop of everywhere I think it might be better to do a whistle-stop of a particular region. If I do like China then I plan to do a Western (Gansu, Xinjiang etc) and a South-Western (Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan) trip at some point.

So basically I'm torn between flying into Hong Kong/Shanghai and doing a sort of Southern China and Eastern seaboard tour, or flying into Beijing and doing a Yellow River plains tour. Looking at the guidebooks I think I'd try and fly to a few major cities internally and then if there's a site out of town travel to that because, alas, I don't have the time for long-distance trains and buses any more

Thoughts? Suggested stops? Which region would you go for?

I'm interested in food, history and the outdoors. I'm perfectly willing to accept the last is a pipe dream on a trip like this

Jacob, Mono, PP I'm look at you

[Jacob]

Well, I'm basically obliged to say you should do the Sichuan (and Hunan/ Yunnan) part first. Not that Xinjang etc isn't going to be spectacular, but well...

Honestly, my number one piece of advice for travelling in China (and anywhere else in Asia, and possibly elsewhere), is to line up as many local contacts as possible. Can you track down any kind of friends or contacts or friends of contacts? The whole experience completely changes when you get someone local to take an interest in your visit, in my experience.

I'll have a bit of a chat with my wife and get some specific pointers. For Sichuan the big things to check out are jiaguaizhou, the panda research centre, and the food. I can possibly-maybe hook you up with someone in Chengdu to show you around a bit, maybe....

[Sheilbh]

Could possibly get some help in Nanjing and from expats in Hong Kong...Which suggests Sheilbh's Southern Tour.

[Jacob]

Could possibly get some help in Nanjing and from expats in Hong Kong...Which suggests Sheilbh's Southern Tour.

Hong Kong though...

I mean, I LOVE Hong Kong. It's a world class city with tons of charm and things going on, but if it's going to be "Sheilbh's China Trip" then Hong Kong is by far the least adventurous. And the whole "Hong Kong expat" scene is very much its own thing too. It could very easily end up becoming the trip where you're their relief, rather than them being your facilitator to seeing wonderful new things.

If you've got contacts in Nanjing, or your Hong Kong expats have contacts outside of Hong Kong, milk it for all it's worth. But Hong Kong is a place to visit for business or shopping or to take a break if you've had too much China already.

Though you could meet Mono, which is a bonus

[Barrister]

Could possibly get some help in Nanjing and from expats in Hong Kong...Which suggests Sheilbh's Southern Tour.

Hong Kong though...

I mean, I LOVE Hong Kong. It's a world class city with tons of charm and things going on, but if it's going to be "Sheilbh's China Trip" then Hong Kong is by far the least adventurous. And the whole "Hong Kong expat" scene is very much its own thing too. It could very easily end up becoming the trip where you're their relief, rather than them being your facilitator to seeing wonderful new things.

If you've got contacts in Nanjing, or your Hong Kong expats have contacts outside of Hong Kong, milk it for all it's worth. But Hong Kong is a place to visit for business or shopping or to take a break if you've had too much China already.

Though you could meet Mono, which is a bonus

I've got no opinion on the ultimate question, but if this is Shelf's first trip to China what's wrong with going to the "least adventurous" part of it?  I know my first trip out of North America was deliberately to the UK, where we'd know the language.  It seemed the safest (and since then we've gotten bolder).

[derspiess]

Thought you were gonna tell us about your latest manicure.

[Sheilbh]

Oh yeah. I'm a little dubious of the Hong Kong expat scene for precisely that reason.

But from London I'd probably fly to either Hong Kong or Beijing and then get internal flights around as much as possible and if not sleeper trains.

So with Beijing I was thinking of Xi'an, Chengde and maybe Ji'nan to visit Qufu or Tai Shan.

With Hong Kong I though Shanghai, Nanjing and maybe either Tunxi (and the villages round Yixian or Huang Shan) or Fuzhou (for Wuyi Shan).

I'm thinking, if I like China and everyone I know who's been does, then I'll go back and do the rest including the West and Sichuan (especially Sichan and Hunan for the food). For now I'm basically thinking either Yellow River or Yangzi River.

[Sheilbh]

I've got no opinion on the ultimate question, but if this is Shelf's first trip to China what's wrong with going to the "least adventurous" part of it?  I know my first trip out of North America was deliberately to the UK, where we'd know the language.  It seemed the safest (and since then we've gotten bolder).

For me, I'm a young man so I'm as well placed as you can be to enjoy adventure. Also I know at some point I'll visit Hong Kong, so I feel a little more comfortable putting it off.

So I'm kind of leaning to the North but I've no idea what sort of itinerary to construct, or is even reasonable - admittedly I don't with any other area either, which is part of the fun.

[Jacob]

I've got no opinion on the ultimate question, but if this is Shelf's first trip to China what's wrong with going to the "least adventurous" part of it?  I know my first trip out of North America was deliberately to the UK, where we'd know the language.  It seemed the safest (and since then we've gotten bolder).

Nothing wrong with that, if that's how you're rolling. You can dip your toes in first.

However, from the way Sheilbh put it I didn't get the impression that he was looking for the "least adventurous" approach. It seemed to me that he wanted as much of the China flavour as possible, so I thought I'd recommend him going to the mainland.

... he did, after all, ask my opinion

[Sheilbh]

It seemed to me that he wanted as much of the China flavour as possible, so I thought I'd recommend him going to the mainland.

Yeah. what can I do in two weeks (roughly) that'll allow me to see different things and try and soak up at least a bit of each place.

[Jacob]

Oh yeah. I'm a little dubious of the Hong Kong expat scene for precisely that reason.

Yeah, I've spent some time in Hong Kong, with locals and with expats, and met HK expats overseas as well. It seems very much to be about making the experience as not-Hong Kong as possible.

But from London I'd probably fly to either Hong Kong or Beijing and then get internal flights around as much as possible and if not sleeper trains.

I guess the other possible major city of entry is Shanghai.

If you fly one of the Chinese airlines, esp. Air China, you may get some cheaper internal tickets as well. Worth looking into when the time comes.

So with Beijing I was thinking of Xi'an, Chengde and maybe Ji'nan to visit Qufu or Tai Shan.

With Hong Kong I though Shanghai, Nanjing and maybe either Tunxi (and the villages round Yixian or Huang Shan) or Fuzhou (for Wuyi Shan).

I'm thinking, if I like China and everyone I know who's been does, then I'll go back and do the rest including the West and Sichuan (especially Sichan and Hunan for the food). For now I'm basically thinking either Yellow River or Yangzi River.

Yeah, I can't really give too many recommendations on itineraries. I've spent a fair bit of time in Chengdu and vicinity, as well as Hong Kong; I've sent a bit of time in Beijing and Shanghai and environs as well, but I haven't really done a tourist itinerary per se - I've always been travelling for other reasons.

Keep us updated, though

[Monoriu]

I think you should very much consider trains as a viable travel means.  China has built a high speed rail network and it is very good.  I strongly suggest that you go to Shanghai because (1) the city itself is very nice and (2) you can take the high speed rail to the very interesting Jiangnan region, like Hangzhou, Suzhou and lots of other places.  Those cities are like an hour apart from each other if you take the rail.  Hangzhou is one of the most famous tourist places in China, and we go there like once a year.  The West Lake is a must-see, and there is a reason why all the dear leaders have built villas there. 

I am of course obliged to suggest Hong Kong as well, though I am of course biased

In terms of food and restaurants, I can reliably recommend up-to-date and good places in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.  I know next to nothing about Sichuan though.  Never been there. 

[CountDeMoney]

I've got plenty of tips on China.  Feel free to subscribe to my newsletter.

[Monoriu]

Beijing - Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square (it has to be seen to be believed - it is massive), Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Olympic Park, Prince Gong Mansion (He-shen's residence, richest man in China and the world), 789 art zone, Peking duck (I suggest Tung's), best Xinjiang food I've tasted (all the provinces have Beijing offices.  The best Xinjiang food is found at Xinjiang's Beijing office), Qianmen Street (shopping district).

Shanghai - The Bund, People's Park (not to see the park itself, but to see the thousands of parents trying to find wives/husbands for their kids).

Hangzhou - West Lake.  All of it.  Take a boat ride.  Walk along the shores.  Hu Xueyan's residence (remember: he put all his gold in a chamber underneath the tea pantry where his servants work.  Hidden in plain sight).  Longjing tea fields.  If you go to Hangzhou, there are 3 restaurants that I highly recommend - the one in Four Seasons, the one in Hyatt Hotel, and this one-

http://www.dianping.com/shop/2079781

It is incredibly difficult to get a legal taxi in Hangzhou.  Everybody takes the illegal ones.  If you behave like you need a taxi, someone will approach you.  Don't worry, I survived 

Suzhou - Humble Administrator's Garden.

Hong Kong - The Peak for harbour view, Giant Buddha on Lantou Island (plus Ngong Ping 360 cable car ride.  Take it, don't take the bus), traditional wet markets, the flea markets and Temple Street in Mong Kok, the chance to meet me, Chi Nin Nunnery, Wetland Park and Mai Po Bio-reserves (need to make reservation beforehand), Luk Yu Tea House, International Commerce Centre observation floor (Kowloon side, not International Financial Centre on HK side.  An alternative is to have afternoon tea in Ritz Carlton which is two floors above the observation floor.  Costs more but the line is shorter), Tai O stilt houses, Disneyland and Ocean Park if you are into amusement parks (Disneyland in HK is the smallest one in the world), Lung King Heen (best Chinese food in HK, inside Four Seasons hotel, michelin 3 stars), Fook Lam Moon (best shark's fin soup if you like it), Lan Kwai Fong for the bars and expat gathering area, Stanley, Repulse Bay, Tai Tam Country Park for the antique water facilities and nice views (and mono-level hiking), HK Geopark for the hexagonal volcanic...stones, Star Ferry for mini-harbour cruise, Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay for shopping.

Macau - Historic city centre, gambling, House of Dancing Water (it is a show), nice restaurants.

[Josquius]

Going to Hong Kong does seem a bit of a waste of a China trip given Chinese visas are a complete pain in the arse to get hold of whilst HKdoesn't need them.
HK would be best grouped into a HK-Taiwan-Japan/Korea trip rather than China imo.