Trip to China
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Anonymous
| This was 20 years ago but we did a day trip where we got dropped off on one part of the Great Wall of china and picked up 6 miles away. It was a really cool way to see it. |
Anonymous
| I was in Shanghai and Nanjing last year and the air quality was fine and I have asthma. The biggest challenge I had was that they pay for everything via an app and I don’t have the app. I was on a business trip so it wasn’t a big deal, but i couldn’t run into a coffee shop in a non touristy area. |
Anonymous
| Used to live in China. I wouldn’t bother with Shenzhen. Great place to do business, but there are other better places to sightsee. If you can make it to Xi’an or Guilin, they are fantastic. |
Anonymous
Beijing and Xian have the most stunning sights. For a first trip to China, these would be at the top of my list. Then Guilin for the beautiful mountains etc. Shanghai didn’t impress me at all, it might have been because I had visited HK a few times already. I wouldn't spend too many days in HK and Shenzhen, maybe 4 days to shop and eat. |
Anonymous
Foreigners can now use AliPay (one of their payment apps). I think the other (WePay) still doesn't allow foreign accounts. The Chinese domestic market is so big, including for tourism, that they don't do that much to cater to foreign tourists. |
Anonymous
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I personally would choose Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Chengdu.
Great Wall is stunning, get a guide. |
Anonymous
| Agree with those saying to skip Shenzhen and add either Guilin or Xian. I also think Shanghai is worth skipping in favor of those two, though if you go to Shanghai it’s worth going to Hangzhou and Suzhou as day trips. Both are more interesting than Shanghai, in my opinion. Beijing and Great Wall are a must. |
Anonymous
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I did a 10 day tour in China last year; my DC was on a semester abroad there. I'm surprised at the people suggesting to skip Shanghai - I thought it was an amazing city and so much more interesting in its own right than Beijing. Someone compared these to Washington and NYC - Beijing is a must-see for all the monuments and historical sites but Shanghai is much more vibrant - a mix of old and new, tons of culture (museums, restaurants, etc).
Like several PPs, I would suggest skipping Shenzhen and adding Hangzhou and/or Suzhou. Hangzhou is incredibly picturesque and historic, my DC's photos of Suzhou are similarly amazing. Both are an easy bullet train from Shanghai and if you're interested in tech, Hangzhou is the home of the Six Little Dragons. We didn't have enough time to do Xian or Chengdu - hoping to go on a future trip! One friendly tip: consider taking a burner phone if you want to avoid Chinese spyware. |
Anonymous
| Do not drop Shanghai. Beijing was like DC. Shanghai was like NYC. Totally different. Hong Kong s magical. Those three would do it. A guide is not a bad idea for Beijing, esp. if that is where you land. |
Anonymous
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Spent a week in Bejing last year. You do not need to get a car or driver for Summer Palace or Forbidden City. Just set up Alipay on your phone, know how to use Google translate and go. The Bejing subway is awesome. I would hire a driver for Great Wall - we did Didi out and back - our out one was very nice, the one back reeked of smoke.
My daughter was studying there so while she spoke Chinese and I didn't - I was fine when I was on my own. She introduced me to riding bikes there and it was a great way to get around. Don't be afraid to try. Few planning tips: - check out Reddit's travelchina subthread. Very useful. Even my daughter who was living there thought it was solid. - Use trip.com to book things.. - I did a food tour there with Lost Plates which was really fun. If you want something more historic/original Bejing - I stayed in the Jingshan Garden Hotel which is walking distance to the Forbidden Palace and some of the more bustling hutongs. Very comfy bed and it even had a bathtub! |
Anonymous
| Way too many cities IMO. |
Anonymous
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Hong Kong stay Kowloon side in TST. The Regent is amazing. There is a Hyatt a bit inland if budget interferes. You see the Hong Kong skyline and nighttime lights.
Take the Star Ferry. The museums in TST are excellent too. |
Anonymous
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I moved back here from Hong Kong a few months ago. What would you like to know?
Things to do in Hong Kong: Eat! Hong Kong is an absolute foodie Mecca. Dim Sum in particular is a must-try, traditionally served more or less what we consider brunch/lunch time in a very informal diner-like venue. You can absolutely find it served in a fancy setting for dinner if you want. Walk the waterfront along the Kowloon side in the evening to see the lights. Take the Star Ferry across the harbor. It is just a tourist thing now but a fun experience that is practically free. (Can be paired with walking the waterfront) Hong Kong Park and the Tea museum are worth a visit. They are a short walk from the lower station of the Peak Tram. Keep an eye (and ear) out for Yellow Crested Cockatoos, some of the rarest birds on earth (~2000 total wild population) but a significant flock reside in the park and are easily seen, particularly at dusk. https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/one-of-the-rarest-birds-in-the-world-finds-a-city-sanctuary-in-hong-kong/ Take the peak tram up to the peak mall. This is a total tourist scam but you must do it anyway. The tram doesn’t take you to the actual peak. It takes you to a very touristy mall. This is one of the better collections of gift shops in HK. This is also the kickoff point to… Walk Lugard road (Harlech fitness trail). This is a loop that starts and ends at the peak mall. It is level, paved, and about 1.5 miles long. It has spectacular views off all sides of the island. An optional side trek is to hike up to High West, a proper mountain peak, unlike the mall. Hiking up to High West is strenuous, hundreds of uneven stairs, but the views are spectacular on a clear day. (Save your legs if it is cloudy.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugard_Road High West : https://droneandslr.com/travel-blog/hong-kong/mount-high-west-hike/ Big Buddha is fine and in a pretty spot but is of recent construction as a tourist site and is a trek to get to. Tai O village is a real trek, not worth it on a short trip. If you want to visit a fishing village I recommend Cheung Chau Island. This is an easy ferry ride from the Central Ferry Pier and the island is fun, a bit like stepping out of a time machine. I recommend eating street food there, fish balls in particular. You should also seek out a specific bakery famous for making filled lucky buns. (White buns with a red symbol) Island: https://www.mstravelsolo.com/things-to-do-in-cheung-chau-island-hong-kong/ Buns: Kwok Kam Kee, G/F, 46 Pak She Street, Cheung Chau, Hong Kong, 9841 5683, www.kwokkamkee.com I am with everyone else as far as Shenzhen is concerned… it was just a bunch of fields a few decades ago. Yes, it is now a giant and relatively prosperous city but it is devoid of character. It would be like flying to America to visit Reston. A quick note on paying for things, Hong Kong and the Mainland are total opposites as far as cash is concerned. Cash is almost out of use in the mainland but is essential in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong most taxis accept only cash, Hong Kong Dollars. Meanwhile mass transit in Hong Kong requires an “Octopus Card,” a credit card form factor payment card that you can top up with cash. You can obtain the card itself at the Hong Kong airport at the Hong Kong Express train desk, or in MTR (subway) stations, or in a 7/11 or Circle K. Once you have the card you can add cash in any 7/11 or Circle K at the cashier. In addition to mass transit you can pay at many small shops, ferries, vending machines, etc, with an Octopus card. Taxis rarely accept Octopus, cash only. Uber works in Hong Kong just as it does in the US. Goods Of Desire is a nice gift shop in Central. If you have specific questions hit me. |
Anonymous
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My few tips: download WeChat or Alipay to pay for things by phone in China.
Didi instead of uber Bring a few hundred dollars in cash and exchange them for yuan when getting to HK airport. Cabs are about $70 from the airport to downtown and they don’t take credit cards. Lucky I had a spare $100 when I landed and was able to exchange it, but for some reason I had trouble pulling money out of the atm on both my work and personal cards (turns out my bank thought it was fraud ) |
Anonymous
In Hong Kong taxis won’t take yuan, only Hong Kong Dollars (HKD). ATMs can be a problem… Look for Standard Chartered or HSBC ATMs. Avoid Bank of China, etc. |