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Q: Where should a tourist go to get a true taste of China?
Take the metro during rush hours.
Shop when there's a big discount.
Travel to famous tour sites during national golden weeks.
And take a train ride when the spring festival is near.
You'll have a true taste of China!
I think any wet market in a small town/city.
We had a UK colleague over for the first time at the tail end of last year. We took him down to the older parts of Guangzhou. He thought it was great. And so it is. Fantastic place to wander around.
But next time he is over I am going to take him out of the city and into the industrial urban villages. Where the concrete houses are so close the sun can't get through. Where the streams are open sewers, and where only the brave enter the wet market.
But this dude is young. He will probably enjoy it.
Shining_brow:
I totally agree with this!
The perspective most people have is quite different to the reality, in that it's both far more westernised and modernised than people imagine, and far less developed in other aspects.
silverbutton1:
" Where the streams are open sewers". Heck yeah ! Now there is a prime location for a real "taste" of China ! Just kneel over and get a sip...ahh so lefleshring !
BHGAL:
I know a place in China where the streams are crystal clear drinkable water, a place where the air is clear and the smiles are free and abundant.
nothing wrong with doing the Tourist Circuit of Beijing on the first visit. Delve a bit deeper on subsequent visits.
Take them out for Peking Duck is a must.
http://www.beijingattractions.org/Beijing-Famous-Restaurants/Quan-Ju-De....
I agree, wet markets, older areas of the town, open air markets and trying unfamiliar food will be a memorable experience for any tourist.
Perhaps a trip to KTV with a bunch of local people might be an interesting juxtaposition for these ideas, followed by a late night street bbq, of course.
Taiwan. The one part of China that didn't suffer a cultural revolution
I think it is sad when folks believe Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen is China.
how many in beijing? 15million? shanghai give them 15million too.... Guangzhou, whole pearl river delta, 30 million......... that is 60 million ... out of 1.4 billion.
China is still in the outskirts of the cities, and on the farmlands, in the rice fields. First time visit you will never see China. Adventurous maybe on a second or third time. doubt a tour operator is gonna let you see it..
Hotwater:
30 million in the Pearl River Delta? The 9 major cities havre a combined population of around 57 milllion! (Wikipedia, data as of end 2013). Possibly as high as 80 million.
http://urbanland.uli.org/infrastructure-transit/chinas-pearl-river-delta/
BHGAL:
you are missing 1,300,000.000 (1.3 billion people) where are they?
not sure today... but I did research a few years ago.... Foshan, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen have more people than Canada (35million), forget if Zhuhai or down that side was included
Take the metro during rush hours.
Shop when there's a big discount.
Travel to famous tour sites during national golden weeks.
And take a train ride when the spring festival is near.
You'll have a true taste of China!
For the best of China take a walk in any park, for the worst of China take a drive on any road.
My impression is that it's not worth travelling to/in China. Overall, it's just disappointing and there are other countries to spend your time and hard earned.
That said, I did enjoy places in Yunnan, and Xinjiang has open spaces and huge mountains.
The only two places I haven't seen that I want to before I pull the pin are Kanas Lake and Yili Valley. Both are in Xinjiang and we can drive. Might go to one of them in May.
Right now, after just returning from Russia, we are already planning our next trip. Vietnam in July, on our way to Australia.
China doesn't factor anymore. It just doesn't stack up.
China is a varying, fast changing country. The "true" taste of China is everywhere. Its capital city is true China. The rural villages are another facet of true China. The wide plains in the northwest to the coastal cities in the south.... all true China. I don't think there is any "false" China, only false expectations. One thing for sure, the China you find will probably not be the China you expect.
Janosik:
Yes, I think this is very good reply.
Where ever you go in China so it's the real China.
It just depends what one wants to find because China is so diverse that you can find virtually everything.
With one thing I disagree. I came to search for real China and I found it.
And loving it in here!
