Xian

During university summer break I plan to travel to Xian on my own by train.

Hubby is too worried about safety.


Has anyone did the above and any recommendations, ie hotel, shopping and food.

Thank you.

Hi I am from Xian. Nothing to worry there because people are nice plenty of hotels a lot of great local food. Shopping is easy.

iaminbeijing, thank you.

I also need assurance about the train from GZ to Xian.

We flew, but there's also an overnight train from Beijing to Xi'an which you can read about in Lonely Planet. (And of course, there's a train from GZ to BJ that takes 24 hrs.) The airport is a long way outside the city, perhaps even further than the GZ airport is outside GZ. The fare seemed quite high even on the meter and I worried that the taxi driver was taking us "on a ride," but it turned out that he took a direct route. Xi'an is a neat city with an intact midieval city wall, drum and bell towers, a wonderful museum of antiquities including some of the best stuff that's been taken from the Terra Cotta Warrior site, and four distinct quadrants including the old Muslim quarter and an ancient Mosque. As well as a neat, modern park where there is a fountain coordinated with music. I wish we had allowed more than three days there. One of my Chinese friends recommended the snacks in the Muslim quarter, and that was a great choice. Also, we took a day trip from Xi'an and climbed Hua Shan which was breathtaking and I highly recommend (and dangerous enough that they no longer let unaccompanied teenagers go up it, only because though there is a walkway the whole way with handrails, the drop offs are quite steep). If you're worried about the train, I suggest check into air fares because it's not so high compared with soft sleeper. Oh, also be aware that the Terra Cotta Warrior site is some distance outside Xi'an, perhaps 60 KM tho not quite sure. Check out http://www.ctrip.net and see if you see anything there interesting regarding hotels and air fare. There's another day trip I think to -- I'm forgetting the name -- some additional ancient tombs and perhaps some grottoes. There's so much at Xi'an because it was an ancient capital for a long time. Oh, and look at the Lonely Planet Thorntree bulletin board to get an idea of hotel options. We stayed at a newer place outside the city center, but I really wished we had been closer to the city so that more stuff would have been within walking distance. You speak Chinese, right? People speak very standard Putonghua which you will have no trouble understanding.

Sorry, made a mistake. It's http://english.ctrip.com/


and http://www.elong.net

Thanks Meiquoren, but my Chinese is so basic, just started Putonghua at Zhongshan U.

Will ask my classmates if anyone would be interested to join but most are in their 20's, perhaps our interest would not be the same.

Will read my copy of Lonely Planet, would not venture the mountain(fear of heights), but definitely visit the old Muslim quarter for the snacks.

Get one of your Chinese friends to help you read the C-trip Chinese language site as well as get one of them to scout the Chinese language newspapers for travel deals to Xi'an. One of my friends told me these are good value, a lot cheaper than what is marketed to western tourists.

Wow, that's great, thank you once again.

Taps,


If make sure to see the the Terracotta Warriors and visit the Hua Qing Hot Spring when in Xian.


We recommend the Wan Nian or City Hotel, both are rated 3 star hotels. Jianguo and Grand New World are rated with 4 stars. Sheraton has 5 stars.


Enjoy