Rating the cities-Bejing, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo , Hong Kong
Sep 7th, 2011, 02:31 PM
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Rating the cities-Bejing, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo , Hong Kong
Okay Ive been around here enough to know I shouldnt be putting out a silly question like this but we are flying to Jeju Island to see our son and DIL who are teaching there and will spend 5-6 days on the way in and 5-6 days on the way out at two of these cities. The decision which is so difficult is which two. We dont want to spend a fortune. We are pretty open minded. Are these cities all equal in what the experience could be or is there a Dont Miss spot here.
Sep 7th, 2011, 02:45 PM
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I went to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong and each was special in it's own way. However if I had to pick one it would be Beijing, because of the Great Wall, which was spectacular and a must see. Also, Beijing had the most interesting places to visit - The Forbidden City, Mao's Tomb (check to see if the renovations are complete), and the Summer Palace. The next would be Hong Kong because of the glorious views of the port at night that I remember. I had dinner overlooking the Harbor (the Kowloon side) and it was a standout memory. There are fireworks every evening. Shanghai is the city of the future, has the old Jewish Synagogue (the city helped shield Jews during WWII) and other points of interest. But that is the order I would choose. Great Wall, definitely.
Sep 7th, 2011, 03:23 PM
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ditch seoul for sure...
beijing, where i have visited is interesting and is of course the center of the country in so many ways, buyt when i weigh it against shanghai where i have yet to visit, i'm not sure which would hold up the best... i guess it really depends on what you want to see and do.... historically i think B has far more.... S is a super sized city much of which is new and exciting---think a 21st C NYC...
HK is simply fabulous with both the old and the new plus the ease of english being spoken everywhere and fab food too and perhaps the best air connections everywhere to usa.
so i guess it would be HK and Beijing...
tokyo is fab, but i would save it for another time and do more of japan with it...
beijing, where i have visited is interesting and is of course the center of the country in so many ways, buyt when i weigh it against shanghai where i have yet to visit, i'm not sure which would hold up the best... i guess it really depends on what you want to see and do.... historically i think B has far more.... S is a super sized city much of which is new and exciting---think a 21st C NYC...
HK is simply fabulous with both the old and the new plus the ease of english being spoken everywhere and fab food too and perhaps the best air connections everywhere to usa.
so i guess it would be HK and Beijing...
tokyo is fab, but i would save it for another time and do more of japan with it...
Sep 7th, 2011, 07:39 PM
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Since you're already going to S. Korea, can you spare a day or two in Seoul?
Anyways, as for the choices, depends on what you're looking for. For the most impressive and historical sites, definitely Beijing. For the easiest and most enjoyable time to spend a few days, Hong Kong.
Anyways, as for the choices, depends on what you're looking for. For the most impressive and historical sites, definitely Beijing. For the easiest and most enjoyable time to spend a few days, Hong Kong.
Sep 7th, 2011, 10:50 PM
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If you don't want to spend fortune, drop Tokyo.
I wouldn't suggest Shanghai either, as it seems to be more of an your average international city than a Chinese one. I agree with rkkwan to go for Beijing or Hong Kong (or for both). You'll be used to Asia by then, so I'd probably picked Beijing out of your choice... to see Chinese metropolis unspoilt (to some extent) by the west. There are so many things to see and do depends on what you preferences are and it's definitely cheaper city than HK if money is the issue.
I wouldn't suggest Shanghai either, as it seems to be more of an your average international city than a Chinese one. I agree with rkkwan to go for Beijing or Hong Kong (or for both). You'll be used to Asia by then, so I'd probably picked Beijing out of your choice... to see Chinese metropolis unspoilt (to some extent) by the west. There are so many things to see and do depends on what you preferences are and it's definitely cheaper city than HK if money is the issue.
Sep 8th, 2011, 02:57 AM
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www.pbase.com/accl/hong_kong
Most beautiful by far particularly at night
Possible the most beautiful city night vistas in the world
Puts all the others to shame a must see for me.
Most beautiful by far particularly at night
Possible the most beautiful city night vistas in the world
Puts all the others to shame a must see for me.
Sep 8th, 2011, 10:32 AM
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Disclosure... of the options, I've only been to Beijing and Shanghai.
I would strongly urge you to make Beijing one of the two you visit because of the incredible history there.
5-6 days is plenty of time to see a lot of the city, but not near enough time to get bored. Everything seemed pretty budget friendly to me. I never ran into language issues at all, everyone spoke at least a little bit of English and the staff at the hotel desk were wonderful about writing out anything I asked.
I really wasn't that impressed with Shanghai. If you choose one of those two cities, do budget for getting a visa. You must get it ahead of time from a Chinese embassy/consulate and if you don't live near one then you have to pay a courier service to deliver it (can't just FedEx it). To me, it's an expense that is well worth every penny. If you've not been to China yet, then it would be a good intro to the country. I warn you, it will likely spur future trips.
What are your interests and what time of year will you be visiting? December/January vs July/August might matter.
I would strongly urge you to make Beijing one of the two you visit because of the incredible history there.
5-6 days is plenty of time to see a lot of the city, but not near enough time to get bored. Everything seemed pretty budget friendly to me. I never ran into language issues at all, everyone spoke at least a little bit of English and the staff at the hotel desk were wonderful about writing out anything I asked.I really wasn't that impressed with Shanghai. If you choose one of those two cities, do budget for getting a visa. You must get it ahead of time from a Chinese embassy/consulate and if you don't live near one then you have to pay a courier service to deliver it (can't just FedEx it). To me, it's an expense that is well worth every penny. If you've not been to China yet, then it would be a good intro to the country. I warn you, it will likely spur future trips.
What are your interests and what time of year will you be visiting? December/January vs July/August might matter.
Sep 8th, 2011, 12:14 PM
#10
Another strong vote for Beijing over the others you list. Are you sure you don't want to spend some time in Korea since you're already there? Not just Seoul, but check out the National Parks as well. I'd also suggest considering Taiwan, although if you go to the trouble of getting a visa for China, it would make sense to spend all your extra time there. It's a very big country and there's a lot more to see than just
Beijing and Shanghai.
Beijing and Shanghai.
Sep 8th, 2011, 11:29 PM
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Thank you all so much for your input.
Okay Bejing it is then. This trip will be this November. I am going to look in to flights and probably come in via Hong Kong and out of Jeju to Bejing. I agree there is so much to see but not sure what our time will be like and would like to spend the maximum amount of tiime with the family.
Okay Bejing it is then. This trip will be this November. I am going to look in to flights and probably come in via Hong Kong and out of Jeju to Bejing. I agree there is so much to see but not sure what our time will be like and would like to spend the maximum amount of tiime with the family.
