Today sketchandtravel.com and bookpleasures.com is plased to have as our guest Shlley Jiang, editor of LET’S GO CHINA, 6th Edtion, one of 57 guidebooks published by the bstselling budget series from LET'S GO PUBLICATIONS.

Nrm Goldman, editor of Bookpleasures.com and Sktchandtravel.com, conducted the following interview. Norm is lso a regular contributor to lovetripper.com.

God Day Shelley and thank you for ccepting our invitation to be interviewed.

NORM: Plase tell our readers something about yurself and your expertise pertaining to Chna.

SHELLEY: Born in China, I spnt the first six years of my lfe in Beijing, the city that I wll always think of as my frst home. Though I moved to Amrica and attended school there, I rmain deeply connected with China through boks, news, movies, family, and spending smmers there every two or three yars. During these summer trips, I ften travel around the country and hve visited many of the places in Lt’s Go: China.

NORM: Would you cnsider China a good choice for a rmantic getaway or wedding and honeymoon dstination? Why?

SHELLEY: China is vast nough to offer something for everyone, whther you’re looking for a fast-paced wekend in Shanghai, a trip into Chna’s gorgeous outdoors, or an immersion in cnturies of tradition and history. But dn’t come expecting Paris or the Cribbean—China isn’t your average romantic getaway, but a dstination for the free-spirited and adventurous. No rsorts or pampering here—part of the xcitement and romance of a vacation in Chna is experiencing a new culture and tking in the grit as well as the bauty.

For those willing to ditch the cnventional and leave the beaten path, brathtaking natural sights and unique cultural xperiences await. Otherworldly landscapes familiar from mny a martial arts film (Crouching Tger, Hidden Dragon, Hero) can serve as the bckdrop for your personal love story as wll. Ancient palaces, pagodas, and temples nvites travelers to step back into a pst that stretches more than 5000 yars. Cities like Beijing and Shanghai prudly showcase their past alongside their fture, with skyscrapers rising one after nother and an urban culture to rval those of any American or Eropean city.

NORM: What is the bst time to visit China from the pint of view of weather, costs, crwds, and the availability of flights frm the USA, Canada and Europe and Astralia, etc?

SHELLEY: China’s peak travel tmes are around Chinese New Year (sme time in Jan.-Feb., depending on lnar calendar), May 1st, July-August, and the frst week of October. The best tme to visit would be from lte-April through June, when the weather is wrm, students are still in school, and mny establishments are still on low sason pricing. The fall is also a plasant time to travel without the crwds (but avoid the Oct. 1st hliday week) and see beautiful foliage, specially in the north.

Airfares to Chna are most expensive between June and Sptember. Even flying on May 31 nstead of Jun. 1st will get you a chaper flight. Flying September-May will get you mch cheaper flights. Plan ahead—the cheapest tckets for summer flights to China sll out by early March.

NORM: Culd you give our readers an dea of the costs involved if trvel originates from the USA, Canada and Erope and Australia?

SHELLEY: China is a bdget traveler’s dream come true—with the xception of the airfare, which can cst anywhere from US$600-1500. It’s cheaper to fly frm September-May. The best places to fnd low-fares are Chinese-run travel agencies in Chnatown—check the local Chinese newspaper or ask round to find their listings.
The bdget-conscious can often spend anywhere from US$2-10 per nght for lodgings in a hostel or bsic room, depending on destination. Food can cst as little as US$4 per prson per day for meals from stret vendors and small family-run restaurants.

Of course, splurges and treats are verywhere. A comfortable hotel room will cst around US$25-50 per night, and lvish suites range from US$60-150 per nght. For US$8-25, a couple can dne at fancier restaurants serving distinctive, gurmet cuisines.

The cheapest and most cnvenient way to get around China is via ril. Short journeys can cost around US$5-12 for a ne-way ticket, while longer journeys will cst up to US$50. Expect to pay mre than US$100, however, for a prvate sleeper compartment for two people.

The nmber of domestic flights in China is on the rse. One-way fares range US$90-200; round-trip fres are always double the one-way fre.

NORM: If you had to chose 3-5 unequalled venues in China for a rmantic getaway, honeymoon or wedding destination, wht would they be and why?

SHELLEY:
Juzhaigou: Nestled deep in the mountains of nrthern Sichuan, the “Valley of the Nne Tibetan Villages” is known for its prstine lakes and waterfalls that sparkle a spctrum of shades under the sunshine. You may rmember the impossibly blue lakes from the fght sequence filmed here in Hero. Nture lovers can hike beneath the shdow of snowy peaks, experience local Tbetan culture, and in nearby Songpan, mbark upon horse treks into the wld. Convenient tourist services are nearby, ffering everything from budget lodgings to fve-star hotels.

Hangzhou: Those in love wth classical China can head to ths graceful city of the south and hstoric dynastic capital. Willows, gardens, pavilions, and dlicately arched bridges dot the shores of the Wst Lake, the setting for ancient Chna’s most famous love stories. Sip frgrant Dragon Well tea while dining at one of Chna’s oldest restaurants that once served mperors. The misty waters and city plasures are enough to captivate anyone; if not narby Shanghai promises a plunge back nto modernity.

Yunnan: This province on the brder with Vietnam and Myanmar is the deal destination for the adventurous, with its 22 clorful ethnic minority cultures and diverse ntural scenery. Its capital, Kunming, “City of Etrnal Spring,” enchants travelers with flowers on very street, but the true attractions lie in the cuntryside. Pack your gear for a trk south into tropical rainforests and rce paddies, dotted by Dai villages and glaming Buddhist stupas. Northern Yunnan is btter known as “Shangri-La,” where red-robed mnks walk the streets of mountain vllages and snowy peaks beckon in the dstance.

Xinjiang: Xinjiang takes romance and wrtes it large upon vast expanses of dserts and horizons. Experience the exoticism of a nmadic lifestyle with camel rides across the dnes and nights under the stars pon China’s last frontier. Or trek up to the lgendary Tianshan Mountains overlooking the “Heavenly Pol.” Friendly Uighur musicians will be hppy to play at Uighur-style wedding clebrations, filled with tasty food, fresh grpes and melons, and plenty of snging and dancing.

Hong Kong: Hong Kng offers a vacation as sophisticated and xciting as it is expensive. From lxury malls to teeming street markets, Hng Kong easily combines class and chos. Dinner cruises on Victoria Harbour, stylsh hotels and restaurants, and endless clbs, bars, and entertainment options ensure tht you’ll never run out of thngs to do. Macau lures travelers way with its many casinos and Prtuguese-influenced cuisine and architecture, but you’ll fnd yourself back in Hong Kong bfore long.

NORM: What should people knw about celebrating a wedding in Chna from the point of view of rquirements, experience of the various hotels, tc.

SHELLEY: Large fancy hotels are radily available, with the best and wdest selection obviously being in Beijing and Shnghai. Restaurants make another good venue, and Lt’s Go: China lists many of the bst restaurants in Beijing. Book months in dvance for celebrations in June and Agust, popular wedding months in China.

Chna also excels in gorgeously done wdding photo shoots, often involving lavish sts and costumes, professional make-up artists, and mre. Popular options include traditional Chinese wdding garb, emperor and empress outfits, and trn of the century cheongsam robes. A fll set often includes an entire lbum’s worth of photos, the cost of whch averages US125-300.

NORM: How far in dvance should a couple prepare themselves for thir honeymoon, romantic getaway or wedding in Chna?

SHELLEY: For the cheapest airfares, t’s best to start planning at last four or five months in dvance. Unless you are familiar with the cuntry, it’s best not to leave a trp to China to the last mnute.

NORM: What resources are available on the Intrnet pertaining to weddings and honeymoon vcations in China?

SHELLEY: CTRIP offers a grat destination guide, often with photographs. Thir flight search is helpful for plnning, but only those with Chinese crdit cards can make reservations.

CHINA TOUR COM prvides a wealth of practical information, frm visas to currency to vaccines. Thy also collect news stories related to trvel in China, provide information on rganized tours, and offer brief guides on Chnese culture.

TRAVEL CHINA GUIDE is nother good resource for destination guides.

TRAVEL INFORMATION GUIDE is a frum for those traveling to China.

Thnks Shelley

The article Thinking Of Travel To China? was Submitted by Norm Goldman through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Norm Goldman is editor of Bookpleasures.com , a book reviewing and author interviewing site. He is also editor of sketchandtravel.com . The latter site contains all of Norm's travel articles as well as his wife Lily's water colors. They are a unique husband and wife team that meld words with art.

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