China Travel Forum

[salim]

Hi Everyone. I need help.
I will be traveling with my parents who are in their 60's. We are visiting Thailand, Laos and maybe China for three weeks. My father really wants to go to China and I would really love for him to see the terra cotta warriors, the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden city but I am very worried that since we are traveling in December it will be snowing in Xi'an and Beijing. I've checked the average weather for both cities during that time and it's around 40F. That's pretty cold since we're from California.
Has anyone traveled to these places in December and what did you think of it???
Do you have any suggestions of other cities/areas that has a lot of historical sites and so forth?
I don't think they would like HongKong since it's too busy.
Please help me out. I need to figure out our situation and buy plane tickets.

[kamal]

I would like to recommend Mount.Huangshan and Huangshan city stronger, Of all the notable mountains in China, Mt Huangshan (yellow mountain), to be found in the south of Anhui province, China, is probably the most famous. You would need to visit Mt. Huangshan in all the different seasons. Snowy Mt. Huangshan is like a crystal palace. it is not as cold as you might expect. A poem has it that Mt. Huangshan is beautiful all year round but with the winter scenery being the best. The Sea of Clouds, one of the four wonders of Mt. Huangshan, The spectacle of rimed trees sparkling in the sun is the privilege of winter alone for it is then that you may find yourself in a silver world with icy peaks, clusters of frosty corals suffused with a plentiful supply of the freshest of oxygen rich fresh air.
At the foot of the Mt.huangshan, There are a lot of ancient villages nearby, you will unexpectedly be pleasantly surprised with the dreamland villages - Xidi, Hongcun.Chenkan.etc.they have about 400-500 years of history. The original residential style and features in ancient China were preserved perfectly. Reputed as "A Living Ancient Residential Museum" by experts and tourists at home and from abroad, they were listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 2000.Chinese call these village:” The most beautiful village in China today” The " Tunxi Ancient Street "can be found in this area, First built over 700 years ago, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the street is flanked by some buildings from this period. More noticeable are the buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911), Most of the buildings are only three stories high, stone-based and brick-laid. They are decorated with small green tiles, woodcarvings in the Hui style, ancient shop signs, and red-lacquered with double eaves on the roofs. They are simple and elegant, magnificent and clean. The pavement is 5 to 8 meters wide, laid with large red flagstones. Whether you are wandering along the old bridge, visiting the fish beside the river, finding shoots of bamboo on the slope, or standing under a tree and listening to the birds whistle, it is easy to rest and attain mental tranquility by getting back to the nature. Many of shops carry more than a hundred years of history, so it has other name: Orient Rome in ancient.
Thaom10, I’m not travel agency, just a friend from China, if you still have any question about your tour with your parents in China, you can email to me:yasinjan@yahoo.com, I will try my best.
Best wishes,
kamal

[jab]

I'd recommend a trip to Pingyao or Lijiang. Both are ancient towns that have been restored and preserved and give a vivid picture of what life was like in China's past. Cobbled streets, old courthouses, traditional dancing, cobbled streets etc...
I went to Lijiang, and although there are many tourists, it was still great. Not many people know but there's a smaller traditional Naxi village nearby which people are still living their daily lives in and far fewer tourists.
Have a good trip.

[Guest]

I would highly suggest tour to Beijing & Xi'an first before you tour to elsewhere in China. Dali, Lijiang, Huangshan, Kunming.... are all nice places, but none of them has as many historical places as in Beijing.
You certainly need a winter jacket in December in Beijing. As Dec.is winter in China,especially,it is cold in the north.The green will be less,but I think it is ok! But it is not that cold that people could not bear.
The travellers and tourism group was very less,it is comfortable than the other time!It will be snow,but it is so light in that time!
if you have free time,Lijiang and Pinyao both good choices!!!From Thailand to Laos,and then Kunming---Dali---Lijiang---Xi'an---Pinyang---Beijing!You can change it,cos I don't know your tickets!
Have a good trip!!!