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How does Shanghai/Beijing compare to Seoul?
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mayorgc



Joined: 19 Oct 2008

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:25 pm    Post subject: How does Shanghai/Beijing compare to Seoul? Reply with quote

In terms of touristy stuff, are the 2 Chinese cities different enough from Seoul to warrant a 4 or 5 day trip?
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He with Horns on Head



Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Location: Cybergoat farm

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bizarre question. Beijing has the Great Wall, TianAnMen Square, The Forbidden Palace etc, Shanghai is huge, and the most expensive city in China.

Why not try going to Suzhou or Hangzhou instead? Both have a lot to offer, and are better than the two previously mentioned cities in my opinion. Maybe Chengdu even, that's also a nice city, or you could head down south a little and explore Yunnan Province.

China has so much more to offer beyond Shanghai and Beijing. If you're living in Korea, there is absolutely no reason to not visit China at least once, China is a great country to visit.

Fact: More foreigners living in Korea complain about Korea and Koreans than foreigners that live in China complain about China and the Chinese.
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mayorgc



Joined: 19 Oct 2008

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Basically, Beijing and Shanghai are the 2 closest cities.
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He with Horns on Head



Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Location: Cybergoat farm

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mayorgc wrote:
Basically, Beijing and Shanghai are the 2 closest cities.


You haven't looked at a map recently, have you?
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mayorgc



Joined: 19 Oct 2008

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I meant in terms of major Chinese cities, Beijing and Shanghai are the nearest.
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He with Horns on Head



Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Location: Cybergoat farm

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mayorgc wrote:
I meant in terms of major Chinese cities, Beijing and Shanghai are the nearest.


So if the city only has 5 million people in it, it's not worth visiting? If 'distance' was not a 'problem', which other Chinese cities have you considered visiting? I only ask because I am genuinely curious.
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mayorgc



Joined: 19 Oct 2008

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

honestly, with just 4 or 5 days, I really don't have enough time travelling to the boonies. So I figured I'd hit up the big cities.
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Ukon



Joined: 29 Jan 2008

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beijing's a dump...I hated every minute of being there...

Go for the tourist crap and get the hell out...

Shanghai sounds nice from what others have told me, but moreso for the shopping and nightlife(rather than tourist stuff).

Quote:

Fact: More foreigners living in Korea complain about Korea and Koreans than foreigners that live in China complain about China and the Chinese.


Most of the foriegners I met living in china spoke the language and were in love or heavily interested before coming...My fellow travelers I met in hostels found far less to love and plenty of complain about...not least of all un-attractive people, no manners, a distinct lack of maners or concept of cleanliness. among other things.

China itself was far more difficult to be in than korea ever was...and I backpacked across the country, couldn't wait to get back.

If I had to do it all over, I'd stick to the cost and visit shanghai and hong kong...the only cities anybody ever recommended visiting(including the chinese who ironically warned me not to visit the other places).

Near tibet was quite nice for the scenenary....My advice is stick to hong kong and/or shanghai....pretty much the same advice every single chinese person I met outside of china gave me.....X'ian is nice..chengdu is alright(but out of the way).
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Hightop



Joined: 11 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is like asking are Berlin and Paris so different from Detroit to warrant a 4 or 5 day trip.

Seoul has nothing on either Shanghai or Beijing in terms of tourism. Easy to spend 5 days in Beijing and Shanghai you can combine with Suzhou and Hangzhou.
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steveinincheon



Joined: 14 Jul 2009
Location: in The Shadows of Gyeyangsan

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ummm, first this should be in the travel forum
Second, Qingdao and Tianjin are closer to Seoul than Shanghai and Beijing and have populations of 7 and 11 million respectively
Third, you could easily spend a week in either Shanghai or Beijing let alone the rest of the country.
Yes my time in Beijing was mostly spent with tourist stuff, and yes the Chinese do tend to spit and drive poorly, but the architecture in both cities wins out over anything in Korea hands down and both cities have far more to offer in the way of attractions and cuisine thana nywhere in Korea. Basically, you should absolutely get to China during your time in Korea, and no they are not that similar - I found Korea and Japan to be far more alike than Korea and China
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Jane



Joined: 01 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love SH!
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bobbyhanlon



Joined: 09 Nov 2003
Location: 서울

PostPosted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

for a long weekend, shanghai, hands down. of course it depends what you're looking for, but its a city of 18 million, and a good percentage of them party like maniacs. its so international as well.

there's plenty of touristy stuff to do, also. and if you're there for 4-5 days, spend one of them in hangzhou, because its not so far away.

also its nothing like seoul, except for the fact that its massive, and in asia.
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waynehead



Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Location: Jongno

PostPosted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beijing and Shanghai are literally in another league than Seoul:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city
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Julius



Joined: 27 Jul 2006

PostPosted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mayorgc wrote:
honestly, with just 4 or 5 days, I really don't have enough time travelling to the boonies. So I figured I'd hit up the big cities.


Beijing has more worthwhile sightseeing for the brief tourist.

Shanghai has a better lifestyle for the long termer.

Both have plenty of rude and dodgy people out to rip you off, however.
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He with Horns on Head



Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Location: Cybergoat farm

PostPosted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mayorgc wrote:
honestly, with just 4 or 5 days, I really don't have enough time travelling to the boonies. So I figured I'd hit up the big cities.


"The boonies"???? When places like Nanjing, Suzhou, Chengdu etc have a lot more to offer nightlife-wise, 'culturally', food-wise etc than Seoul ever can, and you call these places 'the boonies'???

Discussion over, I wasted enough time trying to help your idiotic self. Get a goddamn travel guide then, Mr. Man.
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