Travel

What do you like or dislike about china?

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Sr. Member
Nov 9, 2013
636 posts
61 upvotes

What do you like or dislike about china?

for those people that actually went to China, what did you like or dislike about the country?
From personal experience and not word of mouth.
24 replies
Deal Addict
Jul 21, 2005
2084 posts
1133 upvotes
Alberta
Dislike:

1. Too many people
2. Filthy public trains (city to city ones, not subways)
3. No concept of queue, don't bother lining up, people will just go in front of you
4. Very little concept of customer service.
5. No toilet paper in public toilets/squat toilets/no flushing of said squat toilets...poop mountains...

Like:
Cool country to visit, all the big tourist places. giant pandas, the usual.
Deal Addict
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Oct 2, 2006
3615 posts
520 upvotes
Dislike:
Spitting
Phlegm-clearing sound people make before spitting
Loudness / seems OK to argue loudly in public
Cars not stopping for pedestrians
Spitting
No concept of queueing
Food seems bland (it was in China that I realized that Chinese food we have in North America is actually Americanized)
Generally ugly modern architecture (outside Shanghai)

Likes:
Long-distance trains
Friendly people
Beautiful landscapes in the countryside
Deal Fanatic
Nov 25, 2010
6232 posts
3188 upvotes
Abbottabad
Dislike: too crowded, too polluted, too much plastic, too much garbage

Like: nada.
Deal Addict
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Oct 5, 2004
1218 posts
371 upvotes
Toronto
A number of years ago I stayed at a 5-star hotel in Beijing and they had a prostitute in foyer offering their services.
One of them tried to talk to me with an electronic translator as she didn't speak any English and it took me a few minutes to figure out who she is.
I thought it was pretty horrible.

Overall, people are very nice and friendly in China.
.
Member
User avatar
Jun 9, 2009
348 posts
126 upvotes
Mississauga
Food is terible.
Washroom is incredible smelly.
The price of anything is so high. I did bargain for clothes from 4000 to 400. It is insanse.
Deal Guru
Dec 31, 2005
13306 posts
750 upvotes
demi2004 wrote: A number of years ago I stayed at a 5-star hotel in Beijing and they had a prostitute in foyer offering their services.
One of them tried to talk to me with an electronic translator as she didn't speak any English and it took me a few minutes to figure out who she is.
I thought it was pretty horrible.

Overall, people are very nice and friendly in China.
You can find that in pretty much any hotel in the world.
Deal Guru
Dec 31, 2005
13306 posts
750 upvotes
Likes:

Food is incredible...in particular Sichuan and Yunnan
Amazing countryside, fascinating history
Everyone was very friendly to us traveling with our kids
Relatively inexpensive
where else can you have a Panda sit in your lap
Fun to People watch

Dislikes
Pollution ...Beijing was a nightmare; whereas, we had beautiful blue skies in Shanghai and Yangshuo
People spitting/phlegm...actually many people were going to the washroom pretty much anywhere
Illiteracy - make asking for directions/cabs difficult at times.

Other Comments
Intercity trains - Went from Shanghai to Hangzhou...train was fast and clean
I'd say Queuing could have been an issue, but not many people would push past me (6'1, 230)
Not a fan of squat toilets or what have you...and yes, some could smelly, but so can an outhouse when camping or horrific gas station washrooms when we are on road trips in NA.
Customer service...depends. We had great customer service at some locations...above and beyond what we get here...other times it was mediocre...didn't once have a truly bad experience.

In the end we have spent (family of four over two trips):
1 Week in Beijing
1 Week in Chengdu
1 Week in Guilin and Yangshuo
10 days in Shanghai
We'd go back in a second...however, there are many other countries that we would want to see. In the general region we definitely want to further explore Sichuan and Yunnan and then head south and visit Laos, Thailand and Cambodia (just cannot do 4 week vacations anymore).
Deal Addict
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Oct 5, 2004
1218 posts
371 upvotes
Toronto
nalababe wrote: You can find that in pretty much any hotel in the world.
Take it from someone who travels a lot and been to over 50 countries - that's not normal and I've never seen it. Not even in Thailand, which is famous for being open about it.
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Deal Guru
Dec 31, 2005
13306 posts
750 upvotes
demi2004 wrote: Take it from someone who travels a lot and been to over 50 countries - that's not normal and I've never seen it. Not even in Thailand, which is famous for being open about it.
While not 50 countries, but I have stayed probably 1000 nights in a hotel all around the world and it is extremely common...now maybe not the foyer...just go to any hotel bar...especially one that is on the busy side. When I travel for work, I often eat at the bar as I like to people watch...let me tell you it is extremely common if you know what to look for. I have also watched in many hotels individuals escort out if they are too aggressive/assertive.
Deal Addict
Jul 21, 2005
2084 posts
1133 upvotes
Alberta
tutulau wrote:
The price of anything is so high. I did bargain for clothes from 4000 to 400. It is insanse.
really??? I thought everything there was super cheap when I went in 2010. Food prices were super cheap, remember a bottle of coke was something like 30 cents when converted to CAD.
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Dec 18, 2007
4832 posts
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eblend wrote: Dislike:

1. Too many people
2. Filthy public trains (city to city ones, not subways)
3. No concept of queue, don't bother lining up, people will just go in front of you
4. Very little concept of customer service.
5. No toilet paper in public toilets/squat toilets/no flushing of said squat toilets...poop mountains...
While I agree with #3's and 4, it didn't feel like there were that many people in Beijing, but I was in Tokyo a week and a half before. Having said that, Tokyo was organized, whereas Beijing was not. I've also been to Mexico City and it's chaotic, but nothing like Beijing.

I couldn't get over the spitting and constant hocking and after 4 days of putting up with #3, I was more than ready to leave. Beijing had it's moments (Great Wall was cool, but there were too many people shoving disorderly in the Forbidden City to get any decent appreciation, Temple of Heaven, a bit better), but I seriously doubt I'd go back.
As chaotic as Mexico City is, people there at least line up.

Still, it was a great experience and I don't regret it at all.
Deal Addict
Dec 13, 2004
3495 posts
189 upvotes
Toronto
heymikey wrote: Dislike:
Spitting
Phlegm-clearing sound people make before spitting
Loudness / seems OK to argue loudly in public
Cars not stopping for pedestrians
Spitting
No concept of queueing
Food seems bland (it was in China that I realized that Chinese food we have in North America is actually Americanized)
Generally ugly modern architecture (outside Shanghai)
I 100% agree with everything here. That is exactly what bothered me when I went to China last year. It annoys the most when I see Chinese tourists in other countries ignoring lines, clearing their phlegm and spitting.

Also I never understood why Chinese always wear full suits when they travel, they sure aren't wearing suits back home.
Deal Guru
Dec 31, 2005
13306 posts
750 upvotes
eblend wrote: really??? I thought everything there was super cheap when I went in 2010. Food prices were super cheap, remember a bottle of coke was something like 30 cents when converted to CAD.
Definitely for the Chinese Version. The US imported version was 5-10x the price if I recall correctly.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Mar 31, 2008
13007 posts
3088 upvotes
Toronto
Dislike: no manners (pushing past people budding in line), busy, noisy,

Like: Good eats!
Deal Addict
Jul 21, 2005
2084 posts
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Alberta
nalababe wrote: Definitely for the Chinese Version. The US imported version was 5-10x the price if I recall correctly.
Hum, this was for the US imported version, real coke

One thing I remember about china is that everything was dirt cheap, food and bunch of knockoff clothing I bought :D
Deal Addict
Aug 21, 2007
4878 posts
457 upvotes
gave up on rfd for g…
eblend wrote: Hum, this was for the US imported version, real coke

One thing I remember about china is that everything was dirt cheap, food and bunch of knockoff clothing I bought :D
hope no canada snow goose jackets full of chicken bones and feathers.. ;-)

i was fine with the rudeness. but then again, i find there is a huge amount of rude people on the subways in toronto. so it was not like i can throw stones.
Left rfd
Member
Dec 3, 2013
433 posts
127 upvotes
Liked:
It was different. Just very different from NA and that in itself was good.
Historical sites like the Wall and the Summer Palace were amazing.
Many friendly people.
Cheap if you were careful.

Disliked:
Air pollution in Beijing could be brutal.
Too many scammers and hustlers in the area we stayed in around the Forbidden City. Prices would fluctuate based on who was asking. People inviting us every day to 'tea ceremonies' or 'student art shows.' Pimps propositioning me if I was out at night alone.
So many people would say rude things about us in Chinese assuming we could not understand them.
Takes bad driving to a whole new level.
Deal Guru
Dec 31, 2005
13306 posts
750 upvotes
eblend wrote: Hum, this was for the US imported version, real coke

One thing I remember about china is that everything was dirt cheap, food and bunch of knockoff clothing I bought :D
Yep...two cans one right beside each other.

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