Travel Advice Thread

[something]

I keep noticing some users asking for travel advice either by creating a new thread, or placing some post in some other vaguely related thread. Well, since I need some travel advice, I thought I might start this thread.

For anyone looking for advice defining an itinerary, have a question regarding safety abroad, or need some information for visas, post it here!

I will kick it off:

I will be leaving for China in a few weeks with my girlfriend. The itinerary so far is roughly going to be:

Beijing (3 days)
Shanghai (3 days)
Kunming/Dali/Shanri-La (2 weeks)
Guangzhou/Macau or Hong Kong (1 week)

As a general question, would anyone recommend I add or avoid any of my current itinerary? More importantly, which should I opt to go for, Hong Knog or Macau? Any past experience anyone would like to elaborate on in either location?

Thank you for any help or advice offered!

[NBC]

I'd think there would be much more on offer in HK than Macau. Lots of gambling in the former Portuguese enclave if that's your thing. There are heaps of boat/ferry options to Macau from Hong Kong if you did want to visit.

[Zarley]

Haven't been to China, but I was in HK and Macau last year. I'd recommend staying in Hong Kong and doing one night in Macau or even a day trip there. Macau is great! Plenty or Portuguese colonial buildings mixed in with gaudy casinos. If you like to gamble, keep in mind that the table minimums are relatively high there so it can get expensive - those mainlanders have money to burn.

Macau is very small and concentrated (the most densely populated country/territory in the world), so it's very easy to see everything within a short period of time. Hong Kong has more sights and activities to offer, so I'd budget more time for there. The jet ferry is cheap and very fast (1hr or so if I remember correctly) and since you have a week you'll have plenty of time to see what both Macau and HK have to offer. You do have to go through passport control when you enter Macau from HK and vice versa but it is quick and painless.

[Nehkara]

Moved to its own thread.

[GP_Matt]

I thought Xi'an was a really cool city to spend some time in if you can make it over there.

If your girlfriend likes pandas you may want to consider Chengdu so that she can hold onto one and check out the breeding programs.

The country is huge though so you will never see a fraction of everything.

[valo403]

I don't know about everyone else, but I don't think a single thread for travel advice is going to work out so well. In 4 posts we have questions about China and the Southwestern US, and I'm thinking there's going to be very little cross-over between the two. Probably best to stick to threads about locations.

[sa226]

NM double post

[sa226]

This isn't very concrete information, but from what I can remember from a drunken conversation with a friend who lived in Macau. I would think twice about going to Guangzhou.

Think Compton.

[Regulator75]

If anything, there should a sub forum for travel only.

[undercoverbrother]

If only CP had a new member from China, that might be able to help with the questions............