3 weeks in china over national holiday
 

Thinking of 5 nights in Beijing, wall etc self guided with taxi,
2 nights in xian
4 nights in chengdu
4 nights in guilin
Then out of shanghai or hongkong after viewing fireworks and side trips for 5 nights
I can add up to 2 additional nights
Or can do whole trip in reverse. And do 2 nights in hongkong and get 2nd visa and go to shanghai

I am pretty confused about getting tour guide too. Was thinking maybe in just xian, chengdu and guilin.

Will be traveling alone or mYbe with another male friend

Help please

This trip is
for mid September 2012. Where should I be on October 1, 2012

You don't need a tour guide anywhere, you need a guidebook with Chinese characters for place names and a phrase book, also with characters rather than pinyin.

If you have to travel over the National Holiday it doesn't make a whole lot of difference where you are, provided you stay put on the busiest days. I actually traveled by rail from Beijing via Shanghai to Hangzhou the evening/day of National Day in 2004, but I wouldn't exactly recommend it.

So when going into the mountains in changdu or to the hill around guilin just take a taxi?
Is travel solo safe?
I thought it would be easier to get inter China flights and transfers via a agent.
What I was actually asking about Oct 1 was where is the best place to be part of the celebration. Hongkong, Beijing, or shanghai or does it really matter...sort of like philly or dc for July 4th??

I mostly took buses. Certainly solo travel is safe. I traveled longer distances by train, not plane, and bought some tickets through an agent ahead of time and some after I arrived. I understand that ctrip is now a good method for foreigners to buy tickets.

Most Chinese travel to be with their families, but if you want a celebration I imagine Beijing or Shanghai would be the best.

Like thursdaysd, I found independent solo travel (as a female) perfectly safe and very easy. And guides should not be necessary unless you want to do something very specific that is a bit off the usual tourist trail, and I don't believe that anything you mentioned is off the usual tourist trail.

I used buses and trains; no flights within China so no advice on that.

When traveling in smaller areas did you make advance hotel reservations or just fly by the seat of your pants or skirt?

Thanks for other info,

Skirt. I had reservations over the National Holiday, but not otherwise. For my TR for part of the trip see http://wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004/index.html

I only reserved a room for the 1st few days of my trip. I had one in mind so I could show a taxi driver the name and address in Chinese characters, and I had a list of a few others nearby in case there was a problem. Once I showed up, I bargained for the room. For some stories, see my (all too long) trip report - just click on my name.

From October 1st and the following few days, the best place to be is OUT of China. See some photos of the recent National holidays: http://www.chinasmack.com/2011/pictu...out-china.html

Thank you so much for the photos.
Guess I will be in shanghai

Anyone want to join me?

Maybe a hotel with a balcony like new Orleans.

Generally hotels do not have balconies. in any case, they will be hard to find.