Travelling China for 3 months

Travelling China for 3 months - few questions
Feb 17, 2009 17:22
RAOUL Points: Join Date: Feb 17, 2009 Status: offline	Hi, Im going to China to for 3 months, from begin of march until end of may. My plan is travelling threw the country. Im arriving and leaving from Beijing and after 60 days I have to be in Hongkong for a new visa (for the last 30 days). That are my only restrictions. I read a lot on this website but still few questions remain. This is my global plan: Beijing: normal tourist attractions, Great Wall. To Xi’an (maybe there some great things to see between Beijing and Xian?). To Chengdu/Chongqing To Kunming To Hongkong To ?? To Shanghai Back to Beijing Of course I wont just go to the city’s, i would rather not go there att all, I like little towns a lot more. I found lots of information from things around chendu/kunming/beijing but there also part i dont know anything about at all. As you can see, al lot of time a haven’t filled up at all, especially my last month after visiting hongkong. So, I already got a lot of plans but during planning I came across some question I hope you could answer. ---- I would like to travel a part of the silk road. Should I go to Xian and then go on the silk road or should I go from Beijing to (for example) Xining or Wuwei and then go to Xian, following the silk road? Another plan is going to the countryside. Leave a big city and travel for a week, to really small places (there doesn’t have to be any tourist attraction at all, just want to see how people live). But what is a beautiful part of the big country to do that in April? Maybe somewhere between Xian and Chengdu? Do you haven any other advise of must see’s between hongkong-shanghai-beijing. Because that’s a part I cant find anything about at all. Maybe something without nature… How bad is the situation now after the earthquake in Sichuan? (i read most 'big' things are quitte okay now) --- I know, its maybe a little bit much, or you don’t understand anything of it at all, but feel free to ask. If you can help me in anyway I would be pleased. Raoul

Travelling China for 3 months - few questions

Feb 17, 2009 17:22

RAOUL
Points:
Join Date: Feb 17, 2009
Status: offline

Hi,
Im going to China to for 3 months, from begin of march until end of may. My plan is travelling threw the country.
Im arriving and leaving from Beijing and after 60 days I have to be in Hongkong for a new visa (for the last 30 days). That are my only restrictions.

I read a lot on this website but still few questions remain.
This is my global plan:

Beijing: normal tourist attractions, Great Wall.
To Xi’an (maybe there some great things to see between Beijing and Xian?).
To Chengdu/Chongqing
To Kunming
To Hongkong
To ??
To Shanghai
Back to Beijing

Of course I wont just go to the city’s, i would rather not go there att all, I like little towns a lot more.
I found lots of information from things around chendu/kunming/beijing but there also part i dont know anything about at all.
As you can see, al lot of time a haven’t filled up at all, especially my last month after visiting hongkong.
So, I already got a lot of plans but during planning I came across some question I hope you could answer.
----
I would like to travel a part of the silk road. Should I go to Xian and then go on the silk road or should I go from Beijing to (for example) Xining or Wuwei and then go to Xian, following the silk road?

Another plan is going to the countryside. Leave a big city and travel for a week, to really small places (there doesn’t have to be any tourist attraction at all, just want to see how people live). But what is a beautiful part of the big country to do that in April? Maybe somewhere between Xian and Chengdu?

Do you haven any other advise of must see’s between hongkong-shanghai-beijing. Because that’s a part I cant find anything about at all. Maybe something without nature…

How bad is the situation now after the earthquake in Sichuan?
(i read most 'big' things are quitte okay now)
---
I know, its maybe a little bit much, or you don’t understand anything of it at all, but feel free to ask.
If you can help me in anyway I would be pleased.
Raoul

Feb 17, 2009 17:28	#1
RAOUL Points: Join Date: Feb 17, 2009 Status: Offline	oops, forgot one is there another great place for the Duan wu (dragon boat) festival except hongkong? Because i will be 'near' beijing around that time.

Feb 17, 2009 19:03

ELLYSE
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Join Date: Oct 30, 2005
Status: Offline

I don't think the mainlanders celebrate Dragon Boat Festival that much, but you might try and see if Beijing will have any "visible" celebrations.
It would be a pity to do Chengdu and Kunming but not much else in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Do you have enough time to spend at least 10 days in each province? If you do, I could probably map out a good itinerary for you.
For your "little town" in April, I would've suggested Wuyuan (Jiangxi province), but it's the wrong part of China for your route. Between Xi'an and Chengdu, you might want to consider Jiuzhaigou instead. It's gorgeous scenery, even when not in April.
What are your general sightseeing interests and preferences? If you include more information about that, I could map out a more detailed itinerary for you.

Feb 18, 2009 09:08

RAOUL
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Join Date: Feb 17, 2009
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thanks for your answer

I thing i add both Wuyuan and Jiuzhaigou to my travel-route. Looks like great places to visit. What is the scenery well known for around Wuyuan?

for sichuan and yunnan provinces i surtenly have like 30-35 days for both provinces (so about 15 days each).
i was thinking to visit: bamboo sea, stone forest, leshan budha, rice terraces, tiger great gorge leap, panda bears for start.
but if you know more great places/things to see it would be great (btw i'm travelling allone and dont speak chinese, so finding the way can be quitte difficult sometimes)

should i try a city near the sea somewhere between shanghai and beijing for the dragonboat festival or do i really have to be near hongkong?

you don't know anything about the silk road near xi'an?

Feb 18, 2009 19:25

ELLYSE
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Join Date: Oct 30, 2005
Status: Offline

Wuyuan has gorgeous rapeseed flowers in April, and I simply loved going around the villages in the area. Best way to go would be to hire a motorcycle guy and have him pillion you.
Sichuan: Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong, Danba, Siguniangshan, Yibin
Yunnan: Meilixueshan, Zhongdian - Deqin (beautiful road trip, but splash out for a 4WD, don't go in the bus!), Lijiang, Dali, Kunming, Yuanmou, Yuanyang
Festivals in China are much more toned down than Hong Kong and even Taiwan, IMHO.
I've been to lots of places on the Silk Road, but how far do you really want to go?
Or, give me your exact dates of entry and exit, and I'll try to figure out something suitable for you. Email directly to yahoo.com|ellyse99 and put "TravelChinaGuide" and your own username (eg Raoul) in the subject line.

Feb 21, 2009 03:36

GUEST13650

Around Shanghai there are many cities worth visiting, and the distances between them is short (meaning 2-3 hours by bus). Hangzhou is my personal favourite, where you can easily spend a few days and just walk around the famous West Lake. Wonderful parks and trails for easy walking. Nearby is Shaoxin a little town with lot's of feel in it. Suzhou and Nanjing north of Shanghai also have lot's of attractions. These cities are big cities. Small old towns can also be visited though the only one I went to (Zhouzhang) was a great disappointment as it was overrun with tourists, but there are others that may be less developed. In the area is also the Huangshan mountain, fantastic experience, and there is beautiful countryside around.
Another area I enjoyed visiting is Hunan, off the beaten trail, Changsha, the capital, is a friendly city with a fantastic museum. Zhangjiajie is an area in the northwest of the province, fantastic scenery. Changsha can be reached by overnight train from Guangzhou.
From Xian you can make many trips to the surrounding countryside as there are lot's of historical sites there, but be aware that the villagesare not very attractive there, concrete mostly, can be quite depressing. The Huashan mountain is spectacular and the trip up there was interesting through the landscape with loess. In my opinion it is much nicer to travel outside the main tourist trails, as you get closer to people (despite the language barrier).
Guizhou is another area for interesting villages. Good way to get information are the travelblogs so you can get a feel for what is there and how it fits your interests. Yunnan is spectacular but the route to Shangri-La is heavily touristed, though I would go there again because of the scenery, but it does give you the Disneyland feel in many instances. Lot's of reading before is important as the distances are huge and a well-researched itinerary will get you most out of your time. Three months isn't a lot in China so make your choices carefully.

Feb 28, 2009 18:14

RAOUL
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Join Date: Feb 17, 2009
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Quote:

Originally Posted by ELLYSE

I've been to lots of places on the Silk Road, but how far do you really want to go?

i was a little busy the last few days (preparing things for my trip) so my reply is a bit late.

i've got 2 options - start in Xi'an or - end in Xi'an.
i think i have about 1,5 week time travelling along the silk road (i know its short, and maybe it doesnt make sense at all to travel along the silk road. I dont know)

so if its great thing to see/travel along the silk road, i really would like to hear a suggestion, and otherwise maybe a alternate route/place to go between beijing and xi'an.

Feb 28, 2009 20:22	#7
ELLYSE Points: Join Date: Oct 30, 2005 Status: Offline	Ouch, 10 days for the Silk Road? Are you able to fly? Otherwise you might spend about 3-4 days on trains.

Mar 2, 2009 07:28	#8
RAOUL Points: Join Date: Feb 17, 2009 Status: Offline	i know, the silk road is way too lang to see in 10 days. i didn't actually plan going further west then wuwei/xining i thought something like travelling from lanzhou up to xian. But i dont know if thats a great part of travelling the silk road. Therefore maybe i should let go this plan and try something else?

Mar 2, 2009 08:11	#9
ELLYSE Points: Join Date: Oct 30, 2005 Status: Offline	Xining and Wuwei are totally different places in different provinces. Xining has nothing to do with the Silk Road. A lot of the "nicer" Silk Road destinations in China are further out, in Xinjiang province, eg Kashgar, Hotan, Turpan. If you don't want to go further than Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, then my suggestions would be Xi'an, Dunhuang and Jiayuguan.

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