Traveling Around China With Your Chinese Girlfriend

Once you are in the Middle Kingdom, don’t just limit yourself to the town or city where you’re staying in.  Whether you’re only visiting China as a tourist and to see your Chinese girlfriend, or if you’re here to work, take the time to explore this great and beautiful country!  Here are some pointers on how to get started.

There are three important factors you have to consider to help you figure out where/how far you can travel with your Chinese girlfriend.  First are the time constraints; second is your budget; and third is the type of visa you hold. 

The first two are self-explanatory.  If you have a multiple-entry visa, this means you’re not just limited to traveling within mainland China; you can also visit Hong Kong and Macau.  When you re-enter the mainland, your visa will be automatically renewed.  If you only have a double entry visa be sure you go to both Hong Kong and Macau on the same side trip, because you’ll only get back into mainland China once. If your visa is single-entry, there are still countless, interesting places within the mainland you can enjoy! 

When choosing where to go, find out how much the prices are.  Obviously, the biggest cities and most popular tourist destinations will be more expensive to visit.  Other, lesser-known or off-the-beaten-track and cheaper places all over China are just as interesting, if not more.  Check out travel websites.  You may even want to consider joining a tour group.  But having an adventure on your own is always more exciting!

You may also want to consider having a change in weather and atmosphere.  You can escape the cold temperatures of the north and head to the warmer, southern regions.  If you’re currently in a city, leave the heavy smog behind; instead of simply going to another polluted city, travel to a luscious mountain or seaside province!  Of course, make sure the weather is pleasant where you want to go given the time of year that you want to go there.

Do you want to soak up the richness of China’s culture or marvel at the modern architectures of the country’s most modern urban areas?  Do you want to travel through China’s history or bask in its modern glory?  Are you looking to escape into nature, for a soul-searching retreat, or to indulge in a romantic getaway?

Once you have decided where to go with your Chinese love, the next item on your to-do list is to find out how to best get there.  Of course, if you’re traveling outside mainland China, you will be doing it by air.  But if you’re just staying within the mainland, you may also have the option to take the train.  If you have the time to spare and the travel by train will be considerably long, getting to your destination can be an adventure all on its own!  Again, do research online and look for helpful tips to make your train trip as comfortable and fun as possible.

Where should you stay?  Find accommodations that are near public transport stations, as much as possible.  Even when you’re taking a cab back to your hotel/hostel/motel, the driver will always be familiar with the bus or train station nearby.

Before making a reservation, read online reviews about the place.  Both positive and negative feedback will be equally helpful; you’ll know what to expect and you can decide if the place is worth the cost.  If the hotel/hostel/motel does not allow online booking, you should make a list of names and addresses of places that you can check out and choose from once you get to your destination.  Most of the time, you will be out and about, anyway, so you can forego luxurious accommodations and settle for modest ones.

Before your trip, do one last research about the local places that you can visit and make a list.  You can then prepare an itinerary for you and your girlfriend, or you can just wing it, but at least you will have an idea of which places you want to go to.  Pack appropriately; bring extra copies of your passport; bring your own towels, just in case, as well as enough toilet paper to last your trip!  And don’t forget to take lots of pictures and have fun!  

Discover tons of great information about your Chinesegirlfriend, living in China, Chinese dating and relationships, and Chinese women on the blogs, magazine and forum of ChinaLoveMatch.net (the home of trusted Chinese dating), where international men and Chinese women share their life experiences and bare their souls to give you the real goods on love, cross-cultural relationships, and all things Chinese.