China on my own?!

Pocahontas

So things have gone pear-shaped with my travel partner and i'm gonna brave the rest of my round the world trip on my lonesome. hoping to make it to Beijing for the Olympics in August. Would really appreciate people's view on backpacking in China on my own (late 20s female). I'm guessing it will be pretty easy to meet people in hostels in the big cities and hopefully security wouldn't be an issue?! I just haven't done anything like that on my own yet, although i will have completed Oz and NZ on my own before i get there (fingers crossed). China just seems a little more daunting!

thanks guys!

Glowing

I spent 2 months in China in 2006, and it was a fabulous experience. It's unbelievably safe, and even as a single female you shouldn't encounter any issues. There is a distinct backpacker trail and some of the hostels are really great, you'll meet so many people!
The only problems I heard about were bag snatchings or pick-pockets and scams in the bigger cities, but you'll get that everywhere. Just keep your wits about you. I probably felt safer in China than in any other Asian country.

I'm very jealous.

Where are you planning to go besides Beijing? I'd highly recommend going to the Yunnan and Sczechuan provinces. Internal flights when booked from inside china are dirt cheap (www.elong.com)

watna

I have a friend who backpacked around China for 4 months alone. She is originally Chinese but grew up in Australia so she did blend in a little better but doesn't have a word of mandarin. She said doing it alone was awesome and she stayed mainly in the south of the country. She went on a number of bus tours and said she met a lot of people there and there was a fair few single females. She also got trains and travelled around alone.

I say go for it. She said she always felt safe and it was a great experience.

Glowing

Yeah - if you can pick up some mandarin before you go, its WELL worth it! Not saying you can't get around without it, you certainly can, but the craic you'll have chatting to the market owners, or in restaurants or shops, it's definitley worth the effort. We did a 10 week course (1 class of 1.5 hours a week) before we left, and it gave us enough ammunition to chat to any chinese we were sitting beside on the train or barter etc. Great fun!

Ideo

I'm actually heading there this summer on my own! Flying into HK in June and out of Shanghai in July and from what I've heard its a very safe country. I had a few language exchanges with chinese students to practice my pronounciation so that may be something you could do. I've also just picked up a cd and book to get a grasp of a few words. Where did you do your 10 week course glowing?

Pocahontas

Thanks for the info! I did a Mandarin course in Dublin about a year ago but i've been travelling for a while so i'm a bit rusty. Gonna get onto listening to my Pimsleur and trying to learn a few characters when i'm back on the road in about a month (currently working in Oz).

Glowing, I've seen loads of your posts with tips of where to go so i think i'll be taking some of your advice! I'm flying into HK but think i'll head straight to Beijing from there to catch some of the Olympics and then work my way down. Have about 4 weeks there. But with all the bother going on over there at the moment I'm not even sure if it will be worth going to Beijing in early August. All the touristy places will be jammed!!

breadmonkey

Hope the OP doesn't mind but since the thread is progressing along I thought I'd attempt a minor hijack and ask where people would recommend travelling in China. Looks like I'll be heading there soon enough so I'm trying to get some idea of where to start looking at!

Glowing

Hi! I did my course here: http://www.aisling-ireland.com - its in Rathmines, and our teacher was lovely - she even gave us the contact details of her friend in Dalian in case we wanted to stay with her!

I would recommend Beijing (for all the uusal sites - the Great Wall was well Great!, make sure NOT to go to Badaling where all the tour groups are, but Jingshangling and hike 10k to Simatai, you can sign up wtih a group at any hotel or guesthouse), Chengdu, Kunming, Dali, and pretty much anywhere in the Szechuan and Yunnan provinces. We did a 2 day trek in Tiger Leaping Gorge and I'd really recommend that, it was a great experience! Shanghai wasn't all that - very very werstern and just like any other city. Although the maglev train from the airport was cool. Xi'an is a nice enough city but I wouldn't detour there JUST to see the Terracotta warriors, but definitely if you're passing through.

Here is my route from 2006 - if you've any questions on any place I've been, just ask!
http://wwww.ballofdirt.com/journeys/9772.html

Edit: In my opinion, the further west you can get in China, the better. We found the food to be better, the people friendlier and everything cheaper - not to mention the scenery! Wow!

Gaz

I will be in China before the olympics, while in Beijing I intend to stay in Leo hostel , a bed in the dorm now is 45rmb , which is about Euro4 , during august the cost for the same bed is Euro23.

Just something to keep in mind. Also I reckon public transport bookings will be a nightmare.

My intended side trip to Tibet now looks off the cards though

Ideo

Thanks for the link glowing. Seems like I've missed the enrolement but not to worry, my few words should help a little bit anyway! Oh and I actually bookmarked your blog something last year and have read all of the china info! Its very good though so thanks!