# looking for a vacation in china



## tepetapan

This plan is a long way off but I would like to ask for some info. My wife and I are thinking about a 3 month stay in China. We have not decided where to start and have a home base. 
We would like to rent a 1 or 2 bedroom condo, 3 month stay, in a nice area. Hot water for a shower is nice, AC if it gets real hot (we live in Mexico so we are use to some heat) a couple burners to cook on, a bed....nothing fancy but we don´t want to camp in town.
Restaurants close by are a huge plus since one of the main things important to us is the food. 
Nightlife close by is ok but in reality we are pretty much homebodies at night.. a couple drinks or 4 and some local music would keep us up and partying a few nights a week. (you would have to visit veracruz city on the zocalo to get the feel)
Any ideas on cost per month for such a condo? No VRBO sights, something local and less expensive. What city would be best for a home base for 3 months?


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## Marvel

I think suzhou is good, suzhou is near shanghai but cost is much less than shanghai ,and environment is more beautiful.suzhou's silk is famous in the word

I am a Chinese girl in suzhou and Now I am learning English 
Ifyou want know more about China I think maybe I can help you


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## dj_freace2002

What are you looking for in this 3 month?
China is just toooooooooooooo big


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## Dai-polo

You know, China is really very big  
You would like to stay in one city for 3 months with visiting around? 

Frankly speaking, China has so many cities/towns with various features.

Some cities are big and international, such as Beijing, Shanghai etc. You can enjoy convenient life due to the high development with foreign languages service, imported food, nice traffic, many foreign people to share the time, etc.

Some other cities/towns are age-old, with typicaloriental features, such as Xi'an, Nanjing etc. You may have totally different feel there and they are really amazing. 

Some small places with beautifal natural landscape or special special features. The life there will be not easy due to some of them are not well developed and it's hard for the people who are not good at Chinese. Anyway, that is another kind of good time

My proposal will be, firstly check some books in English or online introduction of China. Both of you should have an expectation and prepare some background knowledge.

Then, you should have a initial destination after your original self-assessment. South or north, big city or small, if the weather is ok for you, and so on...

Anyway, wellcome to China. 
I will leave soon. But it is a attractive land


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## tepetapan

Dai-polo said:


> You know, China is really very big
> You would like to stay in one city for 3 months with visiting around?
> 
> Frankly speaking, China has so many cities/towns with various features.
> 
> Some cities are big and international, such as Beijing, Shanghai etc. You can enjoy convenient life due to the high development with foreign languages service, imported food, nice traffic, many foreign people to share the time, etc.
> 
> Some other cities/towns are age-old, with typicaloriental features, such as Xi'an, Nanjing etc. You may have totally different feel there and they are really amazing.
> 
> Some small places with beautifal natural landscape or special special features. The life there will be not easy due to some of them are not well developed and it's hard for the people who are not good at Chinese. Anyway, that is another kind of good time
> 
> My proposal will be, firstly check some books in English or online introduction of China. Both of you should have an expectation and prepare some background knowledge.
> 
> Then, you should have a initial destination after your original self-assessment. South or north, big city or small, if the weather is ok for you, and so on...
> 
> Anyway, wellcome to China.
> I will leave soon. But it is a attractive land


 Yes, I am thinking about a city to be used as a home base, a place with good rail service. From there we would take trips to other cities. This 3 month vacation is still a few years away but part of the fun is in the planning.
China is a large country but we hope , in a few months time, to get a feel for the country and try out the great foods.


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## cschrd2

*CHengDu or ChongQing*

Think the better area to stay is Chengdu. Shanghai and Beijing are in tourist attractions overrated (apart from the wall) and overpriced. Sichuan is still reasonablely priced, great nature around and good railroad connections. ChongQing would be a good alternative.
Chris, Shanghai


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## tepetapan

Thanks! That is the type of info I am looking for.


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## GrahamWeifang

dj_freace2002 said:


> What are you looking for in this 3 month?
> China is just toooooooooooooo big


.
.
Exactly what he said ^^^^^^^^^^^

There is some thing for almost every one.
3 months in one place is a total waste of time.
You need to get out and about, visit a few cities.
Living in China can be very cheap, if you are smart, and don't do too many attractions.

I am not sure you will be able to rent for just a 3 month period.
And any way, most rental places are unfurnished, so no good to you.

Really there are hundreds of cities, towns, villages, to set camp in China, just depending what time of year, and what you want to do.

You would be very hard pressed not to find a place that "Isn't" close to some sort of restaurant.

Gra.


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## Vincent China

cschrd2 said:


> Think the better area to stay is Chengdu. Shanghai and Beijing are in tourist attractions overrated (apart from the wall) and overpriced. Sichuan is still reasonablely priced, great nature around and good railroad connections. ChongQing would be a good alternative.
> Chris, Shanghai


I'm agree with Chris,

I think is a good town to make your "homebase" 
The prices are less expensive than Shanghai, and it's not to cold as Beijing.

Besides, the city is very well situated in the middle of China, with the airport, you could go to Shanghai, Beijing or Guangzhou in 2h30 by flight.

Have you decided which season you will visit China ? Winter, Spring ?


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## USAGary

I'm thinking Guangzhou for you. It has the superfast train routes right to it, it is an airport hub for those cheap inner China flights, the temperature would suit you fine, it is a large city that is very Chinese but has a spread that includes smaller cities and also has a Western influence in parts, it is close to Hong Kong and the ocean not to mention other countries like Vietnam etc., in other words tons of opportunities to experience China in many ways that Chengdu and other burgs don't have.


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## USAGary

BTW, being from the USA I have stayed in Veracruz and understand your references.


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## USAGary

GrahamWeifang said:


> ... I am not sure you will be able to rent for just a 3 month period.
> And any way, most rental places are unfurnished...
> 
> ...You would be very hard pressed not to find a place that "Isn't" close to some sort of restaurant...


On the contrary IME, most rental places in China are like hotel basic... sofa, bed, tables, chairs, TV and sometimes refrig & washer. Plus you can easily work out a three month rental deal.

The restaurant part is CORRRRECTTTTTTTTTT! No problem finding food places anywhere that I have seen!


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## tepetapan

USAGary said:


> I'm thinking Guangzhou for you. It has the superfast train routes right to it, it is an airport hub for those cheap inner China flights, the temperature would suit you fine, it is a large city that is very Chinese but has a spread that includes smaller cities and also has a Western influence in parts, it is close to Hong Kong and the ocean not to mention other countries like Vietnam etc., in other words tons of opportunities to experience China in many ways that Chengdu and other burgs don't have.


 Yes, the bit of research I have done, Guangzhou might be a good home base. I like the fact the weather is somewhat like Veracruz, warm and near the water.
I am pushing for 4 months at this point, we will see.
To all the others, yes I understand China is huge. I have no plans to try and see it all. Just a taste of the culture and all that good stuff. But having a place to call home would be nice instead of going from hotel to hotel. and having a chance to cook some juevos mexicana or a philly beefsteak sandwich or a big pot of spaghetti in my kitchen would help. You know, comfort food. 
My wife would like to really learn some cooking, she is from a restaurant family of 3 generations. A class or two for sure but maybe something a bit more intense. Myself, I would like to see and do some Tai Chi, I always said I would wait for that until I get too old to punch and kick. Those days are here for sure.


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## tepetapan

I am still working towards this plan. question: are ATMs the way to go in China? here in Mexico, and the US, ATMs are like mushrooms...everywhere. 
Can a person visiting China for months depend on ATMs as their banking source?


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## cschrd2

ATM's are widely spread, make sure you have cirrus logo on the card though. Really inland the number of machines reduces but there 1000 RMB (160$) will bring you a long way as most of the hotels accept credit cards.


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## Southerncalm

First things first

BEFORE you pay money or make hard plans you better get your VISA

I am married to a Chinese and that made a big change for me on Visa's
But for most people it can be vary varied
Most times you wont be able to get even a tourist visa for 3 months
that means leaving the country and getting a new one, then coming back in
back and forth every 30 days

NOW while there may be those that have slid around this based on the city they live in
Get your visa BEFORE you get to excited and make plans on how long

I use to come and stay 1 month, leave, get another visa and return off and on
before we married

After marriage i needed an invitation from wife (go figure)
Proof of where we would be staying and how it would be paid for
Proof I had income to cover my expenses etc
And only then (being married to a Chinese) did i get approved for a 3 month stay per trip on my visa

Now ask 1000 people and you get 1000 answers
But even when things are in writing for laws etc
Go to more than one Chinese office and every one of them have their own interpretation
Go to more than one person in the same office and get a different answer for the same question each time
If you go to an official about doing anything, when you return try your best to see that same person

All that means is nothing is for certain even though the laws are in writing
but always get your Visa BEFORE you start making hard plans or spending money on anything else

All the best or good advice on how to spend 3 months means nothing if you cant get cleared for a 3 month visa first

Yes china is big but as stated rule following/enforcing varies so much
So no matter what everyone that gives you input says, for you it may not work out that way
Or be drastically different

Sucks I agree
but this is China
And you really don't want to get busted breaking a law


AFTER you get your Visa a few good things to keep in mind
figure out what time of year you are going

Since your American (so am I) think of China as running from Canada to the Caribbean
If your going in summer or winter you can figure what area you need to be in to be able to tolerate the temperatures for there and that time of year

Go from that
Moving from city to city even if hotel or hostel you have to register with the police every time you change sleeping arrangements

Many don't, and many will tell you not to worry about it
And if you don't get checked you're ok
But like anything lots of people get away with breaking the rules/laws and get cocky about it
Until or unless they get busted then they cry and whine

Safer and easier to just plan on following the rules and enjoying yourself
if you stay in a hotel they will usually register your stay for you

But if you stay with friends or others don't take it for granted
Be sure you know someone that speaks some English in each place you will stay to help
This way you can focus on enjoying your trip and not getting into any mess needlessly

Now on stays, I have been dealing with China since 1984
but everyone here is right, no one is wrong
All experiences can be totally different and correct for their situation

I use to stay in western hotels each trip
and it was costly
Then i would rent an apartment for 3 months at a time for my trips
Even when i had to bounce in and out for Visa updates
Don't let anyone talk you into a funny Visa run for you
Many are fake and you pay too much for it
Then if when leaving the country the guy stamping your visa as you leave catches it
Now your in legal trouble with the government

What i finally found was that most cities have buildings that you can rent an apartment for a minimum of 3 months or more typically
These are not like normal hotels or apartments but a hybrid

When the wife and i travel anywhere for a long period we get one
They are like a hotel (many stories tall) and the rooms look the same as a Holiday Inn inside
but they rent them cheaply
Think of them as extended stay motels but they are listed as apartments
Many locals may not even know about them
We stumbled on them totally by accident

I was paying too much for actual hotels compared to this
In Chongqing i was paying $35 a night at one of the Holiday Inn's
In most other cities the same room at a Holiday Inn started at $150 a night

These hybrids are typically for Chinese
but they have the bonus of being like a hotel room
but the discount of being like affordable rent

The last one we stayed in was about $300 US a month 3 month min. up front
Saved a ton

These vary from city to city and not always easy to find but most big cities have many of them

if real hotels are your thing they have a Chinese travel website that is pretty good
I use Orbitz and TravelOcity alot for most destinations
But I compared their rates for the same hotel rooms to CTRIP
CTRIP is Chinese travel site and has an English button
Big differnce for the exact same rooms
So we CTRIP now when we travel or vacation within China

Too much really to cover
just do your homework
Ask again when you are closer to going
but get your Visa before you make real plans or spend ANY money on help or reservations

Best Wishes


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