TravelMore&More

dear TravelMore&more,

 

I have been to Beijing over the past 30 years three times. I have been on this board for years and I have never had any one reply as you did by quoting me. I saw the news and it WAS Beijing not a myth or a false story. You have only been posting for a short time and people who post regularly as I do like to give people some advice. If anyone wants to go to Beijing and wear a mask for breathing purposes, they can do so.

 

Happy traveling to you.

 

Sheila

Dear Sheila,

My point was simply that one cannot believe everything that you read in the news. While you have been to China 3 times, I have actually been living there for a few years and I am always amazed by what I read in western media.

And I don't see the link between how long on has been on the forum and the quality of the advice. You find 2 kinds on info on forums. One is facts and for this there is only one answer. How much is the entry fee at the forbidden city, that is a fact. Whether it is worth visiting some attraction is a matter of opinion and everybody has one. There is no unique answer.

And sure people can wear masks if they wish, nothing wrong with this. I can have the opinion that one MUST wear a mask or I can have the opinion that it is a waste of money. In the end, people can make their own decision based on the opinions of strangers that they have never met.

If the OP is flying from Pudong (most probable) and staying around People square, then all the answers above are wrong. Taxi would cost 3 times the figure that you gave.

"...Saw the news from Beijing this week and the air is terrible ..." and you believe what you see on news all the time. Then you need to read this: http://qz.com/168705/westerners-are-so-convinced-china-is-a-dystopian-hellscape-theyll-share-anything-that-confirms-it/?utm_source=The+Sinocism+China+Newsletter&utm_campaign=1cafe5cf92-Sinocism1.24.14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_171f237867-1cafe5cf92-29594645

The story about the Chinese billionaire whose dream is that his kids can one day see blue skies, right. It reminds me of the tourist who posted being told by his 20-something guide that she had never seen stars in the sky in Beijing in her life. I lived there a few years and can assure you that I could see the stars in the sky all the time. It reminds me of a funny piece in a local magazine called "stories we tell the tourists".

Just enjoy your trip. he smog will be what it is. Depends on the weather, nothing you can do about it. Beijing also gets a fair amount of fog from time to time and sand storms in the spring. Just part of life.

From where in Shanghai? There is no "hotel area", hotels are all over.

Which airport?

Are you flying domestic or international? It determines how early you need to arrive.

I am amazed that people above answered the question without knowing what the question is.

For China, jeans are fine even in high-end places.

Better safe than sorry..I like to give my luggage and scales used a small edge ;)

Especially if you plan to shop!

Yes they do...the international flights are 50 lbs...We arrived with one bag pp and left Shanghai-Beijing-Los Angeles with two pp (had to get all my shopping home which meant buying additional new luggage in Shanghai)..It was the (domestic) inter-country flights that we had to be concerned about (40 lbs) during our 3 city tours then spending several days at the end meant we had to do most all of (my) shopping in Shanghai :D

The domestic limit is not 40 lbs but 20kg which is nearer to 45 lbs.

We are flying from Beijing to Hong Kong on Air China and we were told that it is considered an international flight and therefore the weight limit is 50 lbs and not 44.....maybe check in with the airline.

Maybe but they still need to make the cut on their domestic flight (20kg limit.)

Do they let you take bottles of water on the intra China flights?

Yes if you buy it after security.

That's good to know..we'll be gone 17days...not sure how I can keep it down in weight. any suggestions? We're going in October..

Should be easy. I go for a month with 12-13kg. Before packing, put all you stuff on the bed. Then put half of it back in your drawers. Even then you will still have too much.

Remember that you can wash clothes on the road. And leave space for purchases.

Your doctor knows best. "Travel doctors" are in business and want to sell you more shots.

I keep by basics up to date and never did anything special for Asia (but I do not swim in stinking rivers or sleep in the jungle).

It is actually not 40 pounds but rather 20 kilos which is about 44 pounds.

 

Multiple entry visas are now the same cost as single entry visas so you are foolish to not get a multiple entry visa even if you think you don't need it. .

Only true for American passport holders.

You answered your own comment.

 

The Original Poster should get a multi-visa and yes I made the assumption that they are on a cruise but either way that is what they should get.

 

Even when we've gone to one port in China the visa services requested a multi visa for us which we got.

 

Keith

That is because it is the same price for an American so why not get one just in case.

There is no lack of hotels in Shanghai and you will get as many answers as there are members.

First you need to give us a price range.

To go to Pudong, take a taxi, they are fairly cheap.

Yes it will be cold in China and on the cruise.

The Temperature in Chongqing will be in the low teens. In other parts of China (for your tour) expect freezing temperatures in the north (like Beijing). Beijing sometimes gets snow in November.