Have you ever been on one of those vacations that isn’t really a vacation? Where you feel more relief than regret when you head back home to the daily grind? Maybe you didn’t pick the best hotel, or you got food poisoning or maybe your destination was simply too hot/cold/crowded/boring. While it can happen to vacationers anywhere in the world, China is a particularly tricky tourist destination. The truth is, China isn’t for everyone. However, its diverse geography, abundance of ancient culture, ongoing transformation and reasonable expense make it a place that should top your list of travel destinations.

Actually getting to China can be a time consuming and expensive hassle, depending on where you’re coming from. With round trip tickets from the United States to Shanghai, for example, currently ranging from 1,300 to 1,700USD (about 8,400-11,560 RMB), you have to be willing to drop a nice chunk of change from the outset.

The cost once you’re actually in China, however, can very well make up for the steep ticket prices. The more rural areas will have lower prices – food, lodging, and souvenirs will cost much less in, say, Xinjiang than in a metropolis like Beijing. Even big Chinese cities, however, can prove a bargain for most travelers. Anyone used to using the euro will be happy to see they currently have an almost ten to one exchange rate. And those from New York who are used to paying 20 USD for a martini will be ecstatic to see that price slashed in half, even in the swankiest bars of Shanghai. And if you’re willing to take the time to bargain, you can get great deals on souvenirs to bring home to all of your friends. China can be a very reasonably priced country, especially if you take the time to bargain hunt.

China stretches over 9,500,000 square kilometers. With a country that big, traveling domestically isn’t the quickest – or cheapest - thing in the world. For example, it is about a two hour flight between Shanghai and Beijing, and costs roughly 1,150 RMB round trip. The flight time between Xian and Qingdao is only slightly shorter, and costs about 1,100 RMB. One of the most popular hiking destinations, Tiger Leaping Gorge, is a whopping five hour flight from Shanghai and flights costs upwards of 4,800 RMB round trip (and that flight only gets you to Lijiang City, home to the nearest airport – if you actually want to get to Tiger Leaping Gorge, you’ll have to travel another 60 miles). If you want to hit more than one or two of China’s major attractions, it’s going to cost quite a bit of time and money.

There are some websites that are known for their cheap domestic airfares, however – these include eLong.com, Ctrip.com; good deals can also be found online at the Spring Airlines site (en.china-sss.com). And if the cost of flying from city to city is too much, you can take advantage of China’s numerous other transportation options, like overnight trains (just make sure to get the soft sleeper!), buses and metros. All of these choices increase the ease by which you can travel the country, although you’ll probably find that some are more comfortable than others. Trains in particular are a great way to see the changing landscape of this vast country.

The fact that China has such a mix of urban and rural areas makes it an attractive destination for just about every type of person – if you’re willing to spend the time and money to travel to and from those areas. I’d recommend visiting at least two different places while staying in China – whether they’re two major cities, or a major city and a tiny village, this country has so much to offer that it would be a shame to spend the whole time in just one place. After all, there are very few places in the world where you can visit an ancient temple within walking distance of a swanky bar or club. This combination of old and new, along with its abundance of transportation options and reasonable cost make China a great – and certainly unique – tourist destination.

 

Related Links

How to Travel China on the Cheap
China Travel Dos and Don'ts
Before China….Get Your Visa!

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