China Travel Forum

[Kevin]

I'm looking for some net.wisdom on traveling to China with my wife and two kids (8 and 11). My wife has been looking at some of the package-tours that you can buy here in the States. From the description of these, it looks like you would spend most of your time in 5-star Western hotels (Hyatt, et al), eating western meals, riding around in tour busses with a bunch of other Americans (and I'm guessing that most of them would be, ahh, "mature"), And that after the first day or so my kids would be bored and tired of it. And we mostly eat Chinese, Thai, and Viet food, not hamburgers, so McDonanld's is not considered a treat in my family.
My wife is ethnic Chinese, speaks some Mandarian (in addition to her parent's dialect), and our kids have been taking Mandarian classes for several years. So I'm thinking that we would be better off with a tour designed with children in mind (nothing like having other kids to talk to/play with during long bus/plane rides) or just putting a package together ourselves and hiring a private guide. I'd still like to stay in higher class hotels but other than that I'd rather eat in local restaraunts (assuming food safety isn't an issue) and do things that would be of more interest to the kids (say visiting an amusement park, or a school) Anyway, I'd be interested in feedback on all this, particularly from folks who have taken their own school-age children to China.
Thanks,

[Bruce]

A remarkably accurate description of much of China touring, except that you omitted mandatory shopping stops galore with massive overcharging and large kick-backs to the guides, poor food due to restaurants being chosen by the guides according to how big a kick-back they get which of course reduces quality to you still further, lots of pressure to tip in
a country where there is no tipping, etc.

Such tours are rare, although Pacific Delight does one for families. But you still have the same tourist trap itinerary, problems with kick-backs, absurd advice to bring US$1 notes, shopping stops, etc.

Just going to China and doing it yourself as you go, saving a great deal of money over tour charges, and having the flexibility to stay as long as you like in any spot you visit that appeals to the children, as well as to stay longer in one town if that's working out well, and to alter your itinerary in general according to what you hear on the way Even non-Mandarin speakers can do this without much difficulty.
For Mandarin speakers it's easy. For most of the year in most of China there's a vast oversupply of hotel accommodation and the best rates (typically 30% to 50% off published) are available by bargaining at the counter. Similarly much flying is done on a walk-up basis, and booking a couple of days ahead through an agent will, with little difficulty other than asking for a cheaper rate, gain similar discounts on domestic airfares over those available by booking in advance from overseas.
If you want to stay in Western brand-name hotels, in most cases you'll find they now guarantee their best rates are available on their websites. This fluctuate frequently according to demand, however, and you're better to book just before leaving (if you much book at all), unless there's one particular hotel you absolutely must be in. But few hotels in China are like that. You can also consider Chinese-run up-market hotels, which deliver vague imitations of high-class accommodation, for published prices similar to those of the foreign brand names, but for half the price over the counter.
But there are plenty of perfectly acceptable hotel rooms with perfectly acceptable bathrooms right down to two-star level, if recently opened. A new three-star is often as good if not better than an old four-star. Away from the big cities a night in a perfectly acceptable Chinese four-star can often be $30-40, if bargained at the counter.
It's not. Simply avoid the cold dishes at the front of the menu, and stick to things which are freshly cooked and hot.
Again, amusement parks (which can be pretty horrendous, however) are not on mainstream itineraries, and you'll need to travel independently in order to visit them. There are other pleasures between the historical and the manufactured likely to please children, though. Zoos should be avoided, but the Milu Deer Park just south of Beijing is well-run and designed to appeal to children, for instance.
The single biggest issue is one of hygiene. It must be absolutely clear to children arriving from particularly hygienic conditions that they must keep their fingers out of their mouths, and wash their hands (or use wipes) very carefully before eating. Otherwise stomach problems are guaranteed.