Places to See in China

punkin

We're planning a trip to China next year. We'll only have about ten days by the looks of it on that leg,and will be dropping in to see Lloyd for sure.Seems to me there is quite a few members here that have spent time in the country so we're after advice on what to see there in our short time frame.

Lloyds pretty close to Shanghai, i don't know much about the country or the cities so don't know if that's a place that should be seen. I love street food and she hates dirty cities like Bangkok. I love the Australian version of Szechuan food and would like to go there for a few days, maybe to Chendo or anywhere that someone recommends?

Other than that we are completely ignorant of what to see and do and open to suggestions. :-bd

waxernz

Ill be watching this thread. I plan on heading over next year to visit fiances family in Shenyang but will no doubt do some traveling while there. Chinese Family and friends are crazy hospitable so have so many offers across the country of places for me to stay. I want to visit some of the more scenic areas but not sure if ill manage this trip. Everyone will want see our sons.

Smaug

Round trip air fare seems very reasonable.

Manofconstantsorrow

Wish I could offer up some ideas but unfortunately as do I make to China for work (2 months + this year) I don't have any free time to see much other than a airport, hotel and nuke plant and I don't think this something you'd like to see.

This trip I did have 3 days off so as many of you know I took the opportunity to go to Yangzhou to vist Tan and Lloyd for a couple of days here you will find street food, old town, markets, distilleries, and great hospitality from your hosts. :-c Oh and when your there make sure your at SD headquaters at 1700 sharp because thats when the 5 o'clock somewhere happy hour starts.

Shanghai is massive and modern, if you like shopping you can probably find both the original and knock off of it within 50 yards of each other and food from around the world, I found the city to be split up by sections Chinese, Italian, Parisian, etc,etc. while nice it is not my cup of tea as you can experience this in any big city around the world. I would however recomend staying at the Can opener(Park Hyatt) Shanghai The lobby is on the 87th floor and it's impressive however it's spendy.

Sorry I can't offer more as to what to see, for the most part people hear are great but you will be the oddity here as when you get away from the populated cites you become a novelity as some of the smaller towns don't get a lot of foregin travelers if the town isn't a sight see destenation.

I could tell ya great wall, the terracotta army in the Shaanxi province but you probably already know about those things, oh and the highspeed rail is great you need and agent or a local to book your tickets however, just remember your stop because if your not ready and waiting to get off they don't wait for anyone as I found out on my visit to the Dragon master.

MOCS

punkin

Thanks mate. i looked at the high speed train form Yangzhou to Chendo and it said 1 day 10 hours. For the sake of a $250 airfare it looks like the trains out for that trip :))

At 300kmh thats over 10,000km's

waxernz

I would like to visit one of the water towns but they are more touristy spots. I really love the look of the old Chinese architecture over water though. Ill visit some distilleries while there and my Father in law is all eager to take me to some in his home city.

jbierling

I feel like I should make another trip to China though I could do without the 14 hour flight.

Sunshine

why not go on a cruise? we did this, when we visited Lloyd, it was fantastic! There are many ships, that sail to prime Chinese locations. When you don't take your children with you, like we did, it is affordable, too.

Lloyd

Somehow I think if we all can get together then there has to be a still available. (If spread between 4 to 6 people it should not be a problem =)) )

Lloyd

Been thinking about this for awhile and its so difficult to say where is the best place to visit.
Tan and I have vacationed in several places so far, visited so many others, and my thoughts are:

There is too much to see and do here for only one lifetime and 10 days is just barely skimming the surface.

We wasted more time traveling from place to place on vacation than we did enjoying and exploring the places that we were at.

To do over, I'd say 4 to 5 days minimum in a city or area to get the feel and understand the culture. Any less is skipping the rock on the surface of the lake.

To meet with Tan and me expect to burn about 3 or 4 days in Yangzhou. If you travel you will lose at least a day each way but the view from the train is something that you will take to the grave - it cannot be felt on video but once you have seen it then you will understand. You should fight to get the window seat.
The magnitude of this country alludes mere words, it can only be experienced.

At most, if you only have 10 days to visit, then choose no more than 2 destinations. If you want to see the grandeur then do the tourist thing in Beijing. The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Food Street, etc, etc... You really need at LEAST a month to hit the highlights of Beijing but with planning a week can do in a pinch.
Shanghai holds no real attraction for me but that's shortsighted as I'm sure there is much there. My trips there have all been much the same - a huge and crowded city that is overpriced and difficult to navigate. But many folks (more than 24 million souls) would choose no other place on earth to live.

I happen to live in a laid back small city of only 2 million (though you wouldn't know it because much of that population resides outside the city limits). The streets are not usually crowded and navigating the city is quite easy. They are very forgiving of foreigners here and their strange ways. They smile at me here, really. In some other cities they are afraid of me because from birth Chinese kids are told to be good or the lao wai (that's me, the "foreign boss man") will steal them and sell them into slavery. I kid you not. Like in USA with the boogie man.

I spent 2 days in a small village with a friend's parents that made tofu for a living. Far from the city and very hard to get to, it was the most real Chinese experience I ever had and is one of my best memories.

I say pick a place and dig in and forget spending all of your time traveling. Every second in the real China is an eternity.

punkin

Fantastic advice Lloyd, i'd not thought about the view from the train, only thinking about the day and a half 'wasted'. Looks like i'll have to do some research on szechuan province and narrow it down to one or two places there. So between your town (where you keep making me jealous of the street food and a trip to szechuan we should be all good, for our first trip anyway.

We looked at doing a cruise last year Sunshine, but the loss of time stuck on the boat (my customers will scream at the shop being shut) and the price of alcohol, i drink lots of beers on holidays, it worked out to be something we didn't want to do.

@waxernz said: I would like to visit one of the water towns but they are more touristy spots. I really love the look of the old Chinese architecture over water though. Ill visit some distilleries while there and my Father in law is all eager to take me to some in his home city.

This sounds great, it looks to be only 2 hours by road too according to google. Definitely one to research, thanks mate.

The Top 9 Ancient Towns Near Shanghai — Which Should I Go To?

Battle of the water towns - Our guide to the best canal-side towns worth a visit around Shanghai

Lloyd

When you're ready, Tan will help coordinate your arrangements here. Trains, hotels, etc.
Do NOT come to China during a major holiday! Prices double and hotel and transportation booking is almost impossible.
April and May are probably the best months to visit.

I hope you do choose Szechuan because we have not been there yet, we may join you there :D

Sunshine

well the price of alcohol did not play a role for us, when planning the trip. With kids, we are not much of a drinker anyway. :((

punkin

@Lloyd said: When you're ready, Tan will help coordinate your arrangements here. Trains, hotels, etc.
Do NOT come to China during a major holiday! Prices double and hotel and transportation booking is almost impossible.
April and May are probably the best months to visit.

I hope you do choose Szechuan because we have not been there yet, we may join you there :D

Sounds like an excellent plan mate. Thank you.

MickyMoonshine

Lloyd are you starting up a sidekick business? Stilldragon China Travel? HaHa

Lloyd

@MickyMoonshine said: Lloyd are you starting up a sidekick business? Stilldragon China Travel? HaHa

Oh no, I don't actually do anything, Tan does all the work. If I booked train tickets online and in Chinese there is no possible way of knowing where anyone would wind up :))

MickyMoonshine

HaHa I've been looking at the Whiskey Trail through America but after this thread started I'm thinking China might be a goer sooner than later. I might have to come visit aswell. We've been to Thailand a few times Malaysia once I just love everything about it.

Moonshine

Let's make it a StillDragon Community Bus Tour through China with @Lloyd as the travel guide. All we need is a bus, @Lloyd and some booze... :O)