China中国. Anyone claiming to know the whole country well is either not telling the truth, or has too much time on their hands. Until recently, I lived in Beijing for a couple of years and then Dalian, up in the northeast. I got to know these cities very well, and also had the opportunity to travel to various other places around the vast country.
If you’re planning a trip to China, and don’t know where to start, well that’s unsurprising given its size. Many travellers concentrate their travels in the south, but you would be unwise to miss out on Beijing. You can follow my insider tips here.
Beijing 北京
A 三轮车 san lun che rickshaw driver in a typical hutong
Beijing is China’s culture capital, and of course, The capital! I won’t mention the obvious, any guide book can tell you that. But if you want to know where to have the best locally crafted beers, the finest tasting hotpot, and catch some live underground music, hanging out like a local, then click here.
Dalian 大连
The city from Heishijiao beach, Dalian, China
Of course, you want to get away from other foreign travellers and experience a Chinese seaside resort town in northeastern China, of course you do! For the international visitor, or prospective resident, there’s not a whole lot written on Dalian and I’ve struggled to find information on the things I like to spend my spare time doing. So, if you would like to know where you can have some tasty craft beers, catch some live bands, swim at some lush beaches, find the best Japanese Izakayas, then click here.