Going to Shenzen/HK/Macau/Seoul end of this summer :D

[Roze]

So my bbf is getting married and I'm one of the B-Maids (kinda pissed that I'm not the MOH...but that's beside the point).

So the wedding is in China! So I'll be spending 2 weeks in Asia. I'm trying to plan my trip...and...I want to go to Europe :< lol...so as you can see...my Enthusiasm isn't very high.

I'm on a mega budget so I can't really go where I want to go in Asia (ie. Japan). It would be mostly around HK. The wedding is in Shenzen, China. So my plans so far is 4 days in HK, 3 days in Shenzen for the wedding, 1 day for Macau. I have 5 days I don't know what to do. Last day is back to HK and fly home~ So the trip will be around this part of China. Beijing/Shanghai are a bit too expensive...so I can't do those. Flight is around $600-700 >_<;;; Total budget in Asia is $2,000. I think my friend said flight to Taiwan is cheaper, so I'm looking into that.

If you've traveled around this neck of the wood, I would love to hear any suggestions

Another B-Maid lives in HK and will be my personal Guide. Bbf's fiance lives in Shenzen, so he has a list of places for us to visit.

 

[ninja_reject]

Have never been, and but wanted to tell you have fun! And I am saving up for Japan next summer, and from my research, it seems a stay in Japan is less expensive than you might think! The largest cost is airfare, which I imagine would be less from China. Hotels are ridiculously inexpensive, and it is easy for the savvy traveler to eat cheap like locals, convenient store bento lunches, noodles, basement levels of many department stores. This is a great site I found, covers a lot, I am leaving the budget travel link. I hope you do manage to fit both in your visit!

Japan Budget Travel Guide - how to save money on a trip to Japan

P.S. China Eastern airlines round trip, Hong Kong to Tokyo looks to be around $365, just saying.

 

[Vihzel]

So my bbf is getting married and I'm one of the B-Maids (kinda pissed that I'm not the MOH...but that's beside the point).

I think that requires a cat fight between you and the MoH at the reception.

I'm on a mega budget so I can't really go where I want to go in Asia (ie. Japan). It would be mostly around HK. The wedding is in Shenzen, China. So my plans so far is 4 days in HK, 3 days in Shenzen for the wedding, 1 day for Macau. I have 5 days I don't know what to do. Last day is back to HK and fly home~ So the trip will be around this part of China. Beijing/Shanghai are a bit too expensive...so I can't do those. Flight is around $600-700 >_<;;; Total budget in Asia is $2,000. I think my friend said flight to Taiwan is cheaper, so I'm looking into that.

Have you ever thought of visiting southern China to see the magnificent mountains?

 

[Roze]

I think that requires a cat fight between you and the MoH at the reception.

She's not having a MOH :< I guess I'm evenly split with the other B-Maid (she's my traveling partner). Not that I care...but we promised to be each other's MOH when we were roomies in Uni :<

Have you ever thought of visiting southern China to see the magnificent mountains?

Well I was looking at Shanghai or Beijing...but flight is over half of my budget for that week and I don't really know what I should look for for the rest of China, lol.

P.S. China Eastern airlines round trip, Hong Kong to Tokyo looks to be around $365, just saying.

Interesting. Funny thing is that the layover is to Shanghai. Flight from HK to Shanghai is $500 >_>;;

 

[trackball]

Have you thought about using trains to get around? My study abroad class used overnight trains to go from Beijing to Nanjing and Chengdu to Xi'an back to Beijing. Its really fun if you have someone to go with and its considerably cheaper. Just be wary of the room with the hole in the floor (aka toilet). Get soft sleepers and you have a private 4 person room.

 

[Roze]

Have you thought about using trains to get around? My study abroad class used overnight trains to go from Beijing to Nanjing and Chengdu to Xi'an back to Beijing. Its really fun if you have someone to go with and its considerably cheaper. Just be wary of the room with the hole in the floor (aka toilet). Get soft sleepers and you have a private 4 person room.

Hmmm... I thought of it but felt the train ride might be too long. It didn't occur to me to take the train at night. I will bring it up to my friend. Also, what are soft sleepers?

 

[trackball]

The bunks are more padded (think cheap dorm bed) and its 4 people per room with a lockable door. The hard sleepers have a little padding (camping pad) and instead of rooms its open with 3 bunks stacked on top of each other. I think soft sleeper cars will give you a better toilet, still its like 1 facility for about 30 people so I'd hold it. Traveling at night makes a lot of sense, as long as you think you can sleep. Depending how far you need to go you will not lose any daytime.

 

[mikedt]

There are plenty of great places to visit in Shenzhen itself, mostly in Nanshan, Futian and Shekou areas. Seg Electronics Market, Windows of the World, etc. Guangzhou is only an hour away by bullet train. Zhuhai is a rather nice city just north of Macau. Depending on your time in China, you can get to Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou fairly cheaply by train.

Roze for the wedding itself, you might want to give the couple some 'lucky money' in a red envelope usually 88 RMB. Such is one of the customs at these weddings.

Be careful though in mainland China, there are some which will try and con you, especially in the larger cities. Often strangers might ask do you want to go for a drink or go to a KTV with us. These are always scams to try and swindle money from you.

See my sig for my MobileMe gallery of China.

 

[mikedt]

Interesting. Funny thing is that the layover is to Shanghai. Flight from HK to Shanghai is $500 >_>;;

That's actually too much to be paying for that flight. You should be able to get much cheaper by using a Chinese travel agent, I always use http://www.ctrip.com . I paid 1400 RMB(about $200 USD) for a flight from Beijing to Shenzhen.

If you can try and fly from Shenzhen to Shanghai, rather than HK, as these flights are counted as 'domestic' rather than 'international', and so are usually significantly cheaper.

 

[amlothi]

That's actually too much to be paying for that flight. You should be able to get much cheaper by using a Chinese travel agent, I always use Я

 

[Roze]

That's actually too much to be paying for that flight. You should be able to get much cheaper by using a Chinese travel agent, I always use Я

 

[Roze]

That's actually too much to be paying for that flight. You should be able to get much cheaper by using a Chinese travel agent, I always use Я

 

[amlothi]

I didn't realize Shanghai would be more expensive. I had assume that they are both the same price wise, lol.

It obviously depends on where you stay and where you want to eat. In my experience, Western "friendly" places in Shanghai were more expensive than in Beijing. If you go to places a native Chinese would go, you could probably find better prices and the 2 cities might be comparable. Taxi and subway fares are definitely higher in Shanghai though.

I think I'll pick Beijing if I had to pick between Beijing and Shanghai. You have open my eyes to Xian. Xian seems like a very interesting city to see.

It's awesome, and (I think) underappreciated by many foreigners who only know Beijing/Shanghai and can't name another city in (mainland) China to save their lives.

Do you know any good and cheap English tours in Beijing?

I have only gone on a tour once with an English guide. I found it on this website: Beijing Tours, Beijing Tour, Beijing China Tours - Beijing Travel Agency and China Tour Operator

I would recommend them, but I have no basis for comparison to others.




Are you traveling with someone who can speak Chinese? If so, you can travel much cheaper if you don't have to pay for English guides, and it might save you some headaches too!

Do be aware of "scams" and other (what I call) "targeted activity". I don't mean that you should be scared that people are going to try to steal from you at every corner - though take normal precautions with valuables in pockets or bags just like in any city. What I mean is that Chinese people have learned that foreigners generally 1) have money, and 2) don't know what normal local prices are.

I once tried to get a massage in Shenzhen (not the "special" service kind, just a regular one) and they - speaking English - gave me a price of 700 RMB for 90 minutes. However, the sign clearly said 90 RMB. I then started speaking to them in Chinese, told them that I could read the sign, and asked why they ask for so much more. Another employee came out and started arguing with the guy, and in the end I walked out and decided to never go back there.

 

[Roze]

It obviously depends on where you stay and where you want to eat. In my experience, Western "friendly" places in Shanghai were more expensive than in Beijing. If you go to places a native Chinese would go, you could probably find better prices and the 2 cities might be comparable. Taxi and subway fares are definitely higher in Shanghai though.

I'm more interested in tryig out local delacacies then western style food. So hopefully I won't spend as much on food there.

It's awesome, and (I think) underappreciated by many foreigners who only know Beijing/Shanghai and can't name another city in (mainland) China to save their lives.

Haha...well I do know where Shenzen is XD I was going to say Pekin...but that's Beijing, lol.

I have only gone on a tour once with an English guide. I found it on this website: Beijing Tours, Beijing Tour, Beijing China Tours - Beijing Travel Agency and China Tour Operator

I would recommend them, but I have no basis for comparison to others.

Thanks Well I would assume you enjoyed yourself and didn't have any bad experience that would have traumatized you. What tour did you do? The bike tour looks fun, but I think my friends would go for the bus tour.

Are you traveling with someone who can speak Chinese? If so, you can travel much cheaper if you don't have to pay for English guides, and it might save you some headaches too!

My HK friend speaks Cantonese and not Mandarin. She understands some Mandarin but that's all.

Do be aware of "scams" and other (what I call) "targeted activity". I don't mean that you should be scared that people are going to try to steal from you at every corner - though take normal precautions with valuables in pockets or bags just like in any city. What I mean is that Chinese people have learned that foreigners generally 1) have money, and 2) don't know what normal local prices are.

Negotiate and cut the price in half or more if you're dealing with the locals, lol.

 

[Roze]

Update: my friends and I have decided to go to Seoul We got our tour package (plane/hotel/tour/food) for $670.

Just a curiosity, where's the hottest place to go in HK and Seoul for the night life? Bars and clubs and the likes