China Travel Forum

[Alan]

I'm coming to Shanghai from March 'til July to do the expat daughter thing - is there much going on for 20something professionals?!! Also planning on travelling a bit around China, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia...
- What sort of budget should I be looking at?
- Is it possible to get a 6 month multiple entry visa?
- Are there any 'must- see' places on my way around?

Cheers!

[Joan]

Are you going to be mostly in Shanghai? Budget is hard to determine without more info, such as do you have a place to stay already, etc. If you like Chinese food, you can eat cheap. If you prefer western, more expensive but still really reasonable. Sightseeing is generally inexpensive, many places only charge 8-50rmb to get in ($1.25-$6).
There are a lot of "must see" places in Shanghai and luckily you will be here for a while. Suzhou is a "must see" day or weekend trip from Shanghai (about an hour on the train). It is called the "Venice of the East" and is built on waterways with bridges crossing all over. Many gardens and just an awesome place. Hangzhou is about an hour and a half train ride south and the Buddist Temple there is unbelieveable. It is one of the five greatest temples in China and is just gorgeous.
There is SO much to see in Shanghai. If you post again with what types of things you are into, I can let you know lots of specifics. A great book to get is the Knopf Mapguide Shanghai. It has fold out maps of the town divided into six sections with places to see in each. It has been a great resource for us!