Question by jamescroc: I need help planning a trip to China?
Hello,

I am trying to plan a trip to China. I am currently a US citizen living in Georgia. I plan on going alone to China and basically want to backpack to several places including Beijing, the Yangtze river, and Shanghai. I am having trouble finding out how to obtain a visa since there is no Chinese embassy near me and I would also like to know how difficult it is to get a hotel room. I would rather not book them in advance so that I’m not stuck to a strict time schedule. Should them book in advance or can I play it by ear when I arrive? Any advice is appreciated.
I am planning on staying through late May/early April.

Best answer:

Answer by rolly
Late May or early April is a great time to visit China, by travelling in spring you avoid the bitterly cold winter and super humid summer. Getting a hotel shouldn’t be tricky during that time, and I don’t think booking ahead will be overly necessary. Just avoid May 1st to May 7th, the week long May Day national holiday is super hectic, and finding any hotel rooms will be tricky country wide.
In Australia (I’m not sure about the USA), as long as you have a return ticket booked, most travel agents can obtain a 1 month tourist visa without any difficulty. I loved back-packing around China! Go for it mate! You’ll have a ball!

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