/r/travelchina

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/r/travelchina

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1

Tiger leaping gorge to Shangrila Hotel

Hello! My group of friends are planning to visit China in January next year.

We are still puzzle on the transportation from Tiger leaping gorge to Shangrila.

Our plan is to take bus from Lijiang Old Town to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge then from there we would go straight to Shangrila. But could not find what’s the best mode of transportation to take from TLG to Shangrila.

0 Comments
2024/12/02
04:50 UTC

1

Chongqing 24H Spas

Visiting China for 9 days and currently struggling with an itinerary for my last day in Chongqing.

I’m planning to arrive in Chongqing sometime in the afternoon (via train from Chengdu). Subsequently will be flying out of Chongqing airport on a redeye flight that same day (need to be at the airport around midnight). So in that roughly 10-12 hours of time, i dont think it makes sense to book a hotel?

What i was thinking is to get a ticket for one of those 24H massage places, maybe get a massage and some food in. Leave my luggage there and continue to explore the city and have dinner, return to the massage place to chill out until about 11pm before heading to the airport.

Just wanted to seek your advice/opinions on whether this would be a viable plan, as well as some insights on how these 24h places operate and if you have any recommendations for which specific outlet to visit? Thanks!!

0 Comments
2024/12/02
04:41 UTC

1

Payment cards acceptable in China

Can I use my Amex or other credit cards for Alipay or is applying for ICBC debit card better in terms of seamless transaction

5 Comments
2024/12/02
04:37 UTC

3

WHY some hotels don't accept foreigners in China?

You must save this post!
-It’s because they don’t know the procedures on how to register foreigners' information. Often times you might be the first foreigner that the receptionist has encountered. You can call the police, 110 and they will come and assist you.
If you have any other questions about traveling in China, feel free to contact me

36 Comments
2024/12/02
03:04 UTC

1

Sim card purchase at CAN or HRB

Travelling to Harbin in 2 weeks time with a 2.5h layover at Guangzhou airport Looking to purchase a physical sim card that allows me to make calls either during transit at Guangzhou or at Harbin upon arrival.

Anyone knows if there's a sim card shop:

  1. within the transit area at Guangzhou airport
  2. If I should head out to the public area to purchase and reenter airside with 2.5h transit
  3. There's sim card for sale at Harbin airport
1 Comment
2024/12/02
02:46 UTC

3

Hey, I'm travelling to China in Feb 2025 and I have a Tai Bao Zhen (Taiwan mainland permit card). How do I get a permanent Chinese mobile phone number set up there? I think it will be so much easier for me to book stuff on WeChat/other mainland apps. Thank you in advance! Any advice is greatly appre

1 Comment
2024/12/02
01:51 UTC

1

Visa-free and flying standby

Hi all!

I am a Spanish citizen and I’d like to visit Beijing this month. I have airline benefits and can fly standby from the US. I was wondering if anyone here has done this before.

What documents are usually asked for during the immigration interview? Is a standby outbound ticket required? Can I just tell the officer that I am planning on leaving in 10 days or should I book a standby ticket and just present it as is?

Thank you!

4 Comments
2024/12/02
01:20 UTC

1

Furong or Fenghuang?

Hello!

As the title says, I’m wondering which would be better to visit: Furong or Fenghuang?

I’ve got a day to visit one but not sure which one is better? Would it be possible to do both?

I’ll be going to Zhangjiajie at the end of the day.

Thanks!

1 Comment
2024/12/01
23:45 UTC

1

Help on the Itinerary

Hello, my girlfriend and I are planning to go to China during the month of February for 2 weeks.

Can you help me with the itinerary?

Knowing that we arrive in Shanghai and that we leave from Shanghai.

We were advised to go to Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou but I don’t know if these destinations are optimal in the middle of winter.

Thank you for the help:D

2 Comments
2024/12/01
20:33 UTC

0

Cell phone question

Does anyone know which US cell phone provider’s phone works best in China(Shanghai) using US phone number, also the cheapest. Thank you.

1 Comment
2024/12/01
19:21 UTC

2

Best Travel Company for older Adults?

I am in my mid 20’s and have typically traveled through Contiki and G-adventures, but now my parents would like to use a travel company like those that doesn’t have an age restriction. They are looking to visit China in 2026 for about a month, and would like at least 2 weeks planned with a travel company like G-adventures. They are in their early 60’s and fairly active, so light hiking isn’t an issue. No flights included would be fine since they would prefer to buy their own flights. What would be your recommendations?

2 Comments
2024/12/01
18:35 UTC

1

China 1 month Itinary

Hii guys,

Now that china has a 30 days non visa policy for my country,I'm planning to backpack it. This is my itinary at the moment do you guys have any tips or advice? Beijing 3 night arriving in morning Then nightrain to datong 2 nights staying there Train to pingyoa 1 or 2 nights Maybe the nightmare from pingyoa to Xi'an 2 nights Train to Chengdu 3 nights Train to chongqing 2 nights Train to Fenghuang 2 nights Train to zhangjaje 2 nights Train to guillin 4 nights And then Train to hong kong

3 Comments
2024/12/01
15:18 UTC

1

Shanghai - hotel with English speaking staff near Hongqiao airport

Hello,

I will visit China for the first time very soon and will arrive at Hongqiao airport. Will stay in Shanghai for 6 days, but plan to go on several day trips to other cities via Hongqiao railway station. So I'm looking for a hotel that is not far away or at least easily accessible by metro from there.

What I am also looking for:

  1. Good English speaking staff, as I don't speak Chinese and don't want to rely on translation apps
  2. next metro station within 8 min. walking distance if possible
  3. budget is flexible, but I would prefer to stay under 100 USD/EUR per night
  4. should accept foreigners
  5. good wi-fi

Any recommendations?

5 Comments
2024/12/01
15:06 UTC

4

Best Way to Book Day Trips in Sichuan & Yunnan – Trip.com or Local?

Hi everyone,

I’m gearing up for a trip to Sichuan and Yunnan this December and need some advice on booking day trips outside the main cities. I’ve come across options on Trip.com, but I also know there are plenty of local travel agencies that might offer similar tours. I’m trying to figure out which route makes more sense for me.

Here’s the kind of day trips I’m talking about:

  • From Chengdu: Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Qing Cheng + Dujiangyan Irrigation System.
  • From Lijiang: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Tiger Leaping Gorge.
  • From Shangri-La: Pudacuo National Park and Balagezong Grand Canyon.
  • From Dali: Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake.

Is it better to book these trips ahead of time on platforms like Trip.com, or should I wait until I’m there to book through local agencies? For those who’ve gone the local route, how reliable and safe are these agencies? Is booking locally significantly cheaper, or does the convenience of booking online outweigh any savings? Do you have any personal recommendations for local tour operators in these areas? I’m looking for the best balance of cost, convenience, and safety. If anyone has firsthand experience or tips, I’d love to hear from you. Thanks so much in advance!

5 Comments
2024/12/01
13:23 UTC

3

Zhangjiajie Forest Park,Tianmen Mountain, Glass Bridge, Furong Town

Hello,

Is it possible to do Zhangjiajie Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain, Glass Bridge, Furong Town in one day, maybe one day and a half?

7 Comments
2024/12/01
11:39 UTC

1

Tossing up between a quieter city like Huaihua or a renowned city like Wuhan? Help needed as I'm going tomorrow 😅

Hello,

I am currently in Fenghuan Ancient City, and I will be travelling to HK on Thursday at latest, or Macau and then HK.

Looking for advice as I will have 3 nights to spare and would love to continue to see more of China, my goals of seeing Beijing, Xi'an, Furong and Fenghuang are all achieved (also saw Changsha which was great).

Obviously there is a tonne of cities to go in China. Anyone have advice on going somewhere like Wuhan over a smaller city? Looking for exciting energy, rather than going to x,y, z site. I think China is actually too busy to enjoy any official site 😅 but I do love the chaotic nature of night markets and bustling streets.

If anyone could offer help that would be great :) thanks

5 Comments
2024/12/01
09:39 UTC

7

what to wear in shanghai?

my family and I are visiting shanghai this friday, and we're from a tropical country. we need some help on how to dress for the weather, and according to google the temperature would be around 10⁰c. i just have a few questions!

would jeans suffice? or fleece tights?

also, I don't have any thermal wear, would it be enough to layer cardigans on top of each other? if yes, how many layers would be needed?

would converse shoes be enough to keep my feet warm? or would I need thicker boots?

are gloves and ear muffs needed?

one more thing, would there be anywhere I can shop for summer clothes? i love chinese fashion, and have been dying to shop there

18 Comments
2024/12/01
09:31 UTC

3

Interesting spots to see in Chongqing?

For anyone who knows the city well, what are some good spots to go to In Chongqing to really appreciate its cyberpunk architecture. Any recommendations are welcome!

5 Comments
2024/12/01
07:29 UTC

2

7 Days In China First Time?

Hey guys I’m looking to go to China In March for 7 days as that’s all the time I can get off then. Will 7 days be too much in Shanghai? I’m looking at trying to do 2 cities out of Shanghai, Benin, Xi’an, Chongqing and Guangzhou.. leaning towards Shanghai & Chongqing. I will be flying from Australia to Shanghai and wondering what the best areas are to stay in? A lot of people have mentioned to avoid Pudong? So just wondering what’s most recommended. Thanks for any recommendations

17 Comments
2024/12/01
06:50 UTC

4

Shopping local brands in Chengdu

Hi everyone! I will be visiting Chengdu this December. I am planning to shop some clothes, jewelry, perfumes, bags and shoes (mainly for women) from a local brand though I am not very familiar what are the good local brands and where to find them.

So far my list just consist of checking out Songmont in IFS and Qintai road as i read that there are many jewelry stores around. I heard Yanshi Kou is also a good spot for clothes.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated ☺️

4 Comments
2024/12/01
05:40 UTC

1

Luggage delivery between cities?

Hi everyone, does anyone know any luggage delivery service from Chengdu to Chongqing?

1 Comment
2024/12/01
04:21 UTC

2

Chongqing to Zhangjiajie K Train

Hi! We will be going to Zhangjiajie from Chongqing via the local K trains as we couldn’t find any other options on trip.com for the dates we chose. As the journey is in the day and roughly 6+h, we were thinking of booking the hard seats instead of the sleepers. Online seems to say the hard seat carriages are terrible and not well maintained. Was wondering if anyone has any experience with the K trains on this route? Would it also be better since it’s winter now? Thanks!

5 Comments
2024/12/01
03:54 UTC

2

On New year eve, we will stay in shanghai. Do you know they have fireworks too? If do, which area we should book the hotel?

Thanks in advance

3 Comments
2024/12/01
02:57 UTC

3

Shanghai and Chengdu Recommendations

My friends and I are visiting Shanghai and Chengdu in January 2025. We'll be in Shanghai for 3 days and Chengdu for 4 days. Do you have some recommendations on restaurants to try, clubs/bars/speakeasies to go to, any hidden gems, or any day trip suggestions?

4 Comments
2024/12/01
02:54 UTC

2

Flight options disappearing

I was about to book a flight in December for Singapore-Kunming-Lijiang with 2 hrs layover in Kunming. The individual flight segments are still running but I can't seem to book this anymore on China Eastern. Looked ahead and see this flight pair available in March but not earlier. I did a similar search for other locations in China and same thing - the short layover options are all not available until a few months later. Any idea why only flights with extremely long layovers are available in the short term?

5 Comments
2024/12/01
02:05 UTC

1

Anyone need travel planning?

Hi, I am native Chinese. I am a part-time travel planner. If you plan to travel to China soon, I can help you in planning.

The service is free, because I just started doing this. If you are satisfied with my work. You can buy me a coffee.

I am also a solo travel enthusiast. I’ve been to Yunnan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangdong, Dongbei, etc.

If you wish to have a plan, please leave your WhatsApp or other contacts below or DM me. And your places to visit if you have some. I will contact you when I am free.

3 Comments
2024/12/01
01:57 UTC

0

Signed up for Alipay - it automatically added my name and card info

Hi!
I just signed up on Alipay for my upcoming trip.

After entering my phone number, it automatically displayed my name, and to my big surprise had my card added to it. When adding email, it asked me to verify with my passport number which it accepted. So I assume the info from my visa application (passport info, name etc) got linked to my number.

I am curious how the app could know this, especially my card info, does anyone know?

I have read that you typically need to verify yourself then add your payment info, but I don't see an option to verify, can I check this? It seems like I am already verified and my card is linked so I am assuming I am all set?

I am not sure how it all worked, but if I am good to go then I must say I am very impressed at how convenient the process was

8 Comments
2024/11/30
21:50 UTC

0

Question about stay for: Connection flight in Xiamen from AMS-SYD. Layover in Xiamen

Hi Everyone,

As the title says, i have a connection flight/layover in Xiamen for 7.5 hours for the first flight during the day, and a layover for 17 hours on the return flight.

I have some questions about the stay, I've read some place that the airport offers free stay during a layover. How does that work? Do you need to book, inform or anything like that in advance or will they offer it to you at the airport. Moreover, is it different when the layover is 17 hours and you need an overnight stay, do you need to pay or anything like that?

And lastly, is it possible to leave the airport during the 17 hour layover? Do you get a 24-hour visa or anything like that. And is there any nightlife on a sunday night or anything special to visit there?

I know it's a lot of questions, but thank you in advance.

5 Comments
2024/11/30
21:24 UTC

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