China Travel Forum

[theo]

I'm going on a short trip to Xi'an this summer...and my friend is coming too. We both don't really appreciate crowds and lines...is there any uncrowded, not often visited, but still interesting places in Xi'an? If so, please help me!

Thanks!

[Paul]

This is China you are talking about, the most populous nation on the planet. "Uncrowded China" is an oxymoron. There may be a quiet corner somewhere in Xi'an but I sure didn't see it in the month I spent there last fall. Certainly not at the guidebook sites that everyone comes to Xi'an to see, TerraCotta, Huaqing, etc. That being said, I think you will find that Xi'an has a unique feeling unlike some of the more sophisticated cities in China, Beijing for example. I would like it to what cities in the USA were probably like in the "Wild West." The traffic is pretty crazy, there's construction everywhere and a pedestrian is an endangered species. But, for a couple days, the sights are good, the restaurants are good (especially the street food...these Xi'an folk are always eating) and since there are many universities there, the level of English speaking is good. The ancient city wall is spectacular to say the least. Hope I didn't discourage you, but this is China and the word "privacy" is a rather recent addition to Chinese dictionaries. Most people who "do" China, "do" Xi'an, hence the crowds at the sights. For a reasonably scenic quiet spot, I might recommend the Great Mosque in central Xi'an near the Drum Tower. Forget Mecca, this one is a unique Chinese/Islamic hybrid. At the right time, it is very quiet and beautiful. Hard to believe the level of bedlam that exists in the Muslim market just outside the Mosque doors, especially at night. The Forest of Stele museum inside the city walls can be a quiet refuge depending on the number of tour buses in the parking lot. Also, if you like to hike you might try Hua Shan Mountain, one of the most beautiful in China. It's a ways out of town but worth the trip. At any rate, relax and go with the flow, there's a lot to like in Xi'an, especially the Yang Rou Pao mutton soup, a local Muslim specialty.