We're heading to China in 2002 and we want to do it independantly (ie: outside an organized tour group). Does anyone have any tips or recommendations? Any info of any type would be appreciated.

My family and I are going sometime in the next 6 months. I will give you my suggestions when we get back.

Hello - A friend and I travelled independently to Hong Kong, Beijing, Tianjin, Kunming, Lijiang, and Dali. Travelling independently is certainly doable, though it was a bit more trying in China than in other places I have been to. A couple of tips - if you are taking any internal flights, make sure you reconfirm your reservation a day or two before the flight. Also, if you are taking a cab, it is helpful to have writeen cown in Chinese your destination. <BR> <BR>One recommendation if your schedule permits - try to visit at least smaller town/city. There do not seem do be too many "quaint" small towns in China, as in Europe, but two good ones were Dali and Lijiang. <BR> <BR>In Dali, Lijiang and Beijing we rented bikes, which was a lot of fun, very cheap, and a good way to get around. In the first two, the places were small enough that we could easily get out to the countryside. In Beijing, there are loads of bikers, so if you stick with the flow, it is not hard to maneuver, despite the traffic. The bike rentals were very cheap. <BR> <BR>If you want to get around independently, but take tours of specific cities or sights, there are day trips that you can book once there. We only did this once, to get to the Great Wall outside of Beijing. <BR> <BR>Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Thanks for the tips Howard. Those kinds of tips are exactly what we're looking for - personal and specific. I look forward to hearing from you Lisa when your family returns. Christine

Independent travel is very do-able in China, but, as a previous poster noted, is more frustrating than elsewhere. Plus, their travel system is not as tourist-friendly as Europe. But don't let that stop you! The Chinese are very helpful to foreigners, especially those who travel independently, and will go out of their way to help you, even when you don't speak the same language. I lived in Beijing for two years and traveled by myself throughout the country. If you have questions about a specific area or just travel in general, please feel free to email me. Also, you might want to check out my website, which is geared to independent travel in China. Lots of good links, etc. The URL is http://webbworks.com/users/cheryl <BR>

Cheryl - your website rocks. Heaps of terrific information and the linds are great. Thanks for taking the time to respond and for anyone else reading this who wants info on CHINA make sure you visit the above site.

I take a group of college students for the month of May each year. We find traveling cross country by train to be inexpensive (hard sleeper)plus a great way to see the country and mix with average Chinese travelers. <BR> <BR>