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Harbin Ice Festival: Best Attractions & Essential Travel Tips
Harbin, China, isn’t just cold in winter—it’s Siberian cold. But if you’re willing to brave the elements, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most spectacular winter experiences on the planet: the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. Every year, sculptors from all over the world descend on this northeastern Chinese city to carve massive ice palaces, intricate sculptures, and gravity-defying towers from blocks of ice harvested straight from the Songhua River. Getting There Harbin is well connected by air and high-speed rail. If you’re flying in, Harbin International Airport is about an hour’s drive from the city center. Coming from Beijing? The bullet train will get you there in…
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Skip Guilin….Why You Should Visit Yangshuo
Before my flight to Guilin from Shanghai, I spent hours going back and forth wondering how much time I should spend in Guilin and the neighboring cities. My friends told me to skip Guilin, and it didn’t take long for me to realize why that was worth doing. To be honest, there isn’t much in Guilin. It’s simply your launching pad into the other cities in Guangxi Province. Sure, you have the Li River, but you can see that from other cities with a better view. My advice: Skip Guilin and go straight to Yangshuo. Why You Should Visit Yangshuo Located just an hour and a half away by bus…
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China vs. Japan vs. South Korea: Which Should You Live In?
Since late 2012, I’ve had the privilege of living in China, Japan, and South Korea, and during this time, I’ve been able to truly immerse myself into each of their unique cultures. China, Japan, and South Korea are three countries that often come to mind to foreigners (mainly western) when seeking employment abroad, but the differences among the three are not widely understood. Below, I’ll highlight their key differences and help you better decide which country is best for you. Food: China: Chinese is my least favorite among the three, as much of it is pork based and very oily, which concerns me as a very health conscious person. With…
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Traveling to Xinjiang: China’s Wild West
Xinjiang is one of China’s most unique regions and one truly worth exploring if you have time. Xinjiang is far from what most would imagine China to be. Uyghurs, the majority group living in Xinjiang, are culturally distinct from most Han Chinese. Aside from their physical features, they mostly practice Islam, speak Uyghur, and have their own cultural traditions. Although a part of China, traveling to Xinjiang almost feels as if one is in an entirely new country. One can describe it as China’s Wild West. Sayram Lake I had limited time in Xinjiang, so I tried to visit the most accessible places from Urumqi. One place was Sayram Lake,…
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Black Barbershop in Shanghai
If you’re of African heritage living in Shanghai or thinking about moving to Shanghai, it is likely you’re looking for a barbershop that can cut black hair to keep you fresh from week to week. Grooms & Co. By Cultura Barbershop is a new concept born in 2022 focusing on experience, comfort, and a range of services for both expats and locals. Grooms & Co is located in downtown Jing An district surrounded by restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. Address: Haifang Road 555-2. Jing An District Phone: 187-0174-3842 WeChat: finecuts When I first came to Shanghai, I tried going to local Chinese barbers to save money, which was a big…
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Dali: One of the Most Scenic Places in China
Yunnan is often regarded by Chinese locals as the most beautiful province, and after visiting, I couldn’t agree more. I visited Dali, one of the most scenic places in China and was absolutely stunned by its natural beauty. If you’re in China, Dali is one place you should visit. How to get to Dali Assuming you’re not already in Yunnan province, first you’ll need to fly to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan. Next, you’ll need to decide whether you want to go to Dali by bus, train, taxi, or plane. There are several night trains leaving Kunming from 8 to 11 that take about 6-8 hours on average. You can…
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Which Section of the Great Wall is the Best?
Contrary to what most people believe, the Great Wall is not one long continuous wall, but rather multiple walls. Each part of the wall is unique and not so unique in its own way. Many travelers often have trouble deciding which part of the Great Wall they’d like to visit. With so many walls to choose from, travelers are often left wondering, “Which section of the Great Wall is the best?” The most popular part of the wall is Badaling and consequently the part you will want to AVOID, especially during Chinese holidays and weekends. A simple Badaling Google search is all you need to see to deter you from…
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How to Travel to Tibet Without a Tour
Many people often ask, “How can I travel to Tibet without a tour?” The process, while it seems difficult, is actually straightforward and a lot easier than you think. Tibet is generally defined as Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) located in western China. While this is true, Tibet, the cultural region, extends much further into China. One can visit additional parts of Tibet in Gansu, Sichuan, Qinghai, and Yunnan provinces. These provinces, plus TAR make up what is known as the three traditional regions of Tibet: Lhasa, Kham, and Amdo. Kham encompasses parts of northern Yunnan Province and western Sichuan Province. Amdo extends into parts of Sichuan Province, Qinghai Province, and Gansu Province. Lhasa…
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Visiting Zhangjiajie (Avatar Mountains) in November
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the place that served as the inspiration for the setting of the movie Avatar, is one of the most popular places in China and for good reason. If you’re in China and have time, take a flight over to Zhangjiajie (airport code DYG). From the airport, take a taxi for about an hour to the park. The park is rather big and most suggest you dedicate at least 3 days here; I did two and thought it was sufficient. The entry ticket will be 248/145 RMB depending if you visit during the high or low season. Within the park, you’ll need a lot of money for…
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Being Black in China
Many wonder what being Black in China is like. This is a tough and complex question, but it largely depends on a variety of factors. The city one is in, one’s nationality, skin color/physical features, gender, etc. City: In major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the average local is educated and well-traveled enough to not really stare at you. Also, in major cities, Black foreigners are more common, which means many locals will probably have had some interaction with Black people at some point in their life. In smaller cities/provinces, Black people are rare of course; however, that doesn’t mean you will be mistreated. Locals in smaller cities will be…
