Qinhuangdao
May 5th, 2010, 10:07 AM
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Qinhuangdao
My husband will be working in Qinhuangdao until the end of the year. I plan to make several trips to visit him and would like to stay for 8 weeks at a time. My first trip will be in late June thru late August. We will live in a hotel. I would love to hear from anyone who has traveled to Qinhuangdao - what are your impressions, recommendations...anything that might help me as this is my first trip out of the USA.
Thanks!
Thanks!
May 5th, 2010, 07:21 PM
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It's amazing that a city of over 3 million people does not inspire much conversation - I don't believe the fodors website refers to it at all!I've read the weather and the beach is lovely during the summer months - it's considered a bit of a tourist attraction for this. We will do some traveling on the weekends but my weekdays will be in Qinhuangdao. I might be interested in language lessons while I'm there - any thoughts??
May 5th, 2010, 09:46 PM
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> I don't believe the fodors website refers to it at all!
But then obviously you don't understand China's size, and just how far down the list of major attractions Qinhuangdao would come (way, way, way down). China has dozens of cities of that size, many other coastal cities with a great deal more to offer than this one, and many even of these visited by almost no foreigners. Size is neither here nor there. You may not have been out of the USA before, but you can find plenty of contextual material, and read about China as a whole.
> !I've read the weather and the beach is lovely during the summer months - it's considered a bit of a tourist attraction for this.
And your authoritative source for this actually very misleading information is? Nearby Beidaihe was historically the beach party/summer meeting site for Party leaders, and the nearest accessible beach-like site from Beijing. But even they've abandoned it as an annual conference site. Qinhuangdao is a major port, and the water quality certainly isn't going to impress you. It may impress Chinese who have few other choices (and will choose the still sub-standard but much more impressive beaches of Hainan when they do have a choice), but as a resort it certainly isn't going to impress you unless perhaps you never normally get near an ocean, and when you do that ocean is pretty filthy. Being to a lesser degree a Chinese tourist destination is a disadvantage to you, as it means tawdry entertainments (including extensive prostitution) and higher prices. The Chinese desire to eat something local and exotic when travelling means there are rows of shops where you can by seafood directly from the bucket outside, including many things you've never set eyes on before, and looking distinctly alien.
But being at length in any alien environment is of itself interesting, and is likely to make you approach being there in quite a different way from the average visitor: small-scale shopping, back-street attractions, repeated encounters with the same people who see few foreigners, a sense of becoming familiar with a place, can all be attractive if you have the right frame of mind. Having never been abroad before will be a plus in this case: as long as you read well before you go, keep an open mind, and don't automatically assume that anything is the same, or is worse just because it isn't American. Probably you'll enjoy your stays, but also perceive the limitations of expat life in a small town (3 million isn't that much, and smallness is a conceptual matter, not merely one of population) by the end of each eight-week stay. In particular, if you find yourself stuck in some expat circle, try to break out of it and discover the city for yourself.
If your descriptive sources are from Chinese tourism promotional materials these have no interest in truth whatsoever, and you should believe very little of what you read.
Peter N-H
But then obviously you don't understand China's size, and just how far down the list of major attractions Qinhuangdao would come (way, way, way down). China has dozens of cities of that size, many other coastal cities with a great deal more to offer than this one, and many even of these visited by almost no foreigners. Size is neither here nor there. You may not have been out of the USA before, but you can find plenty of contextual material, and read about China as a whole.
> !I've read the weather and the beach is lovely during the summer months - it's considered a bit of a tourist attraction for this.
And your authoritative source for this actually very misleading information is? Nearby Beidaihe was historically the beach party/summer meeting site for Party leaders, and the nearest accessible beach-like site from Beijing. But even they've abandoned it as an annual conference site. Qinhuangdao is a major port, and the water quality certainly isn't going to impress you. It may impress Chinese who have few other choices (and will choose the still sub-standard but much more impressive beaches of Hainan when they do have a choice), but as a resort it certainly isn't going to impress you unless perhaps you never normally get near an ocean, and when you do that ocean is pretty filthy. Being to a lesser degree a Chinese tourist destination is a disadvantage to you, as it means tawdry entertainments (including extensive prostitution) and higher prices. The Chinese desire to eat something local and exotic when travelling means there are rows of shops where you can by seafood directly from the bucket outside, including many things you've never set eyes on before, and looking distinctly alien.
But being at length in any alien environment is of itself interesting, and is likely to make you approach being there in quite a different way from the average visitor: small-scale shopping, back-street attractions, repeated encounters with the same people who see few foreigners, a sense of becoming familiar with a place, can all be attractive if you have the right frame of mind. Having never been abroad before will be a plus in this case: as long as you read well before you go, keep an open mind, and don't automatically assume that anything is the same, or is worse just because it isn't American. Probably you'll enjoy your stays, but also perceive the limitations of expat life in a small town (3 million isn't that much, and smallness is a conceptual matter, not merely one of population) by the end of each eight-week stay. In particular, if you find yourself stuck in some expat circle, try to break out of it and discover the city for yourself.
If your descriptive sources are from Chinese tourism promotional materials these have no interest in truth whatsoever, and you should believe very little of what you read.
Peter N-H
May 6th, 2010, 06:21 AM
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Wow - thanks for your extensive reply. I really appreciate all your information. I'm afraid you are correct that all my reading has been online and is likely distorted. This travel opportunity has come along rather suddenly and I'm grasping for all opportunities to educate myself (as quickly as possible) on the area I will be primarily occupying.My frame of mind obviously needs an adjustment. If you are able to direct me to books and websites that are legitimate - I would again be grateful.
Beth
Beth
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