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Q: Whats your favourite city in China and why?
Most of us have done our fair share of travelling around this place. I have been to many places but mostly stuck to guangdong for living and gone to others for fun. Never had a desire to live in Beijing or Shanghai thouh i have been many times. As for lower tier cities, no thanks, not for me. Too many farmers and not enough money.
But i just spent a few days in Dalian and absolutly loved it. It just killed any place in China i have been. Great architecture, clean, good food, cheap. Stuff to see and do. And most importantly, i walked around public places with my wife for 4 days straight and didnt want to kill anyone once, my previous record was 4 hours. Sure some would look, but it was a warm stare, smiling at us... it was wierd, sooo polite there.
Made me think, any other gems? Whats your fave and why?
I agree re Dalian. I think that I told you that in a previous message.
Have you been to Kashgar? If your wife is Han, it might be an uncomfortable trip for her, but if she is not Han, then it is really worthy, particularly before all of the city is torn down and renovated.
For something really special, that probably would remind you of parts of Alberta, try the area around Hailar, Inner Mongolia in the late spring / summer / early autumn months. All of that blue sky, and the mountains in the background, and the shepherds walking their flocks, literally down the street. It is rustic, not even fourth tier, but Good Lord, all of those grasslands, and river water that is so clear that you can see deep into the river.
Avoid it, however, in the winter, unless you can endure - 45 C.
mike695ca:
your right, ive never been to any of those places in the far north or west. I think the price is what has held me back, from south china, the flights to these places are almost the same as flights to Canada! especially during holiday times. So alot of money for views that remind me of alberta hehe The face is that the price of two flights to xingjiang would pay for two flights to pretty much any country in south east asia and a 5 star hotel. The other factor is time, its feels like you would need weeks to enjoy those places and go so far and with work that isnt an option, but its definatly on the list! I will make it one day!
For major cities I guess it'd be Shanghai, it's cosmopolitan enough to just mix into the scenery and it's got enough history to have many interesting corners to discover. Otherwise i'd have to say Guilin for the scenery and setting. Never been to Dalian though, but after your description i'm gonna have to give it a look.
mike695ca:
how can someone down vote that? someones got it out for you my friend
mArtiAn:
There's one or two losers on this site with nothing better to do than go around tickling people's bottoms with their little red thumbs. Doesn't bother me in the least, I think it's sweet.
Hong Kong for me. Everything I ever dreamed that China would be is Hong Kong! 
mike695ca:
agreed, i love hongkong. I thats my hideaway when i am having a bad china day. Lucky for me its less than an hour away!
royceH:
Ok, I'll bite. The question was China. Your answer was HK. Different system of EVERYTHING.
Compete in the Olympic Games as Hong Kong.
Rin:
The Chinese would disagree. Hong Kong is China. Mainland cities? I choose Kunming.
Xiamen, where I live. (And I hope I never see snow again!) 
That's a tough call...
I would have to say:
Sanya, Hangzhou, the surrounding towns of Suzhou, Dalian and Xian (love the historical/educational vibe of it).
Dalian is actually pretty cool. I don't have much experience there, though. Agree with you on Beijing and Shanghai, neither of them are my cup of tea. Beijing actually pissed me off more than Changsha in the short week I spent there. Never again, unless, perhaps, to visit the forbidden city/etc.
Kunming, for its climate, for the melting pot, for the food, for the laid-back feeling, for what's around the city, for the local culture
mike695ca:
Yeah ive heard only great things about it. Always wanted to go, just need to find time that isnt a national holliday or itll be packed and horrible.
Beihai, Guangxi. I like smaller places. This place has a short winter, if you can call it that, and a great beach. Lots of sunshine and some of the best air in China. Old street was the home to many consulates at the turn of the century and had a vibrant night life. But sad to say it is deteriorating. Visit the place before it gets worse. I hope I don't have to change my favorite city.
BHGAL:
I been wanting to come over there, Behai, some day........I'm not far...Zhanjiang....all about the weather and the sea for me............I like Zhanjiang!!!
I liked Guilin from the first minute I arrived. Tree lined streets. I find Chinese cities beautiful, wide sidewalks, coloured lighted signs, coloured lights on bridges etc. It's not a big city and I like that, but when I first arrived was expecting crappy roads and 50 years of patched sidewalks like I see in other countries. I did see slums. I have always felt happy and like I am at home there. Most countries that I visit, I want to go home by Wed. I don't like winter in Guilin, maybe if I could find a warm apartment.ha ha right
mArtiAn:
I liked Guilin, it was the first place I visited back in 2002. Unfortunately I got food poisoning as soon as I arrived and spent 24 hours blowing chunks and shitting like a f***ing race-horse. I mean 'really' sick, a total fan-fair of projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhea. A crazy bad puke and turd-fest. What a mess. Nice place though. I like the mountains. Pretty.
TedDBayer:
I never got sick in China, in Mexico I barfed blood, thought I was going to die.
Nanjing: delicous food, moutains for climbing around the city, lake park at the center of the city, low living expense, good quality of education, good location and transportation.
& Shanghai: large, nice, and beautiful.
I prefer the country.
Put me in a country house with a fishing pond beside it and I would be a very content person.
royceH:
Go to Australia to hang out your line and spare yourself the risk of botulism, ebola, black plague....whatever it's called.
ScotsAlan:
If I was from Oz royceH, I would want a ranch in the outback..... not a house in the country.
royceH:
No ranches ScotsAl. They're called properties and lots of em are bigger than Texas!
For fishing there's no need to be so adventurous, however.
ScotsAlan:
I'm not a fisher seeking adventure. I just want a small pond to sit beside 
ScotsAlan:
I met a Texan once. He told me about how it took him 4 days to drive around his property.
I told him used to have a had a car like that ......
Any billabongs on your land royceH?
Suzhou, except for some strange, close-minded local ppl.
and Chengdu
mike695ca:
I always here that suzhou is pretty and chengdu is amazing. Is the famous Tex Mex place as good as they say?
royceH:
Suzhou has the little waterways everywhere...and they're filthy. The authorities should be ashamed of this, given the history of them. The stone bridges over the canals are pretty cool though.
