Travelling to China - Korea over Christmas New Year

ukulele on 03/12/2024 - 17:05
Last edited 03/12/2024 - 18:43 by 1 other user

Leaving:
26/12/24 MEL to Shanghai
03/01/25 Beijing to Seoul
12/01/25 Seoul to Melbourne (2 hour stopover in Shanghai)

I will be doing quite a bit of business meetings in China but after some ideas to keep wife, mum, 3yo daughter busy. Our main cities we will be visiting in China will be Shanghai/Qingdao/Beijing.

In and around Shanghai I have meetings in Shainghai itself/Ningbo/Wuxi Jiangsu. Looking for recommendations in Shanghai. Would Disney Shanghai be any good or too cold? Also is it worth staying a night in Ningbo and/or Wuxi, anything specific there that's really cool. Or should I just do day trips via bullet train and leave the family in shanghai. Any cool markets to check out?

We have been to Qingdao before so we know it a little bit. Have a couple of suppliers we would like to meet in Qingdao. Any day trips close by?

In and around Beijing I have meetings in Xingtai and Shijiazhuang. Anything especially good in those cities or just day trips by myself? From Beijing would love to see the Great Wall of China, it is a must for us. Anything else in Beijing specifically cool?

As a side note, there is a supplier in Chengdu that I would ideally like to visit but i am not sure I will have the time and their machinery is the most expensive out of other suppliers, albeit probably the best quality. However, if Chengdu is a must see destination I could make the time, any recommendations here?

We finish up with one week in Korea which will be pure leisure (which is nice). Any must see items here? Definitely want to check out the seafood in Busan and would even go to Jeju Island, we have no idea what to do here. Wouldn't mind even hitting the slopes but won't bring our gear. Any cool 2nd hand watch dealers here like in Japan? Or 2nd hand luxury pre owned stores?

A bit about us. I like to hang out, walk, museums n stuff, scenery, people watching in general. Mrs also a people watcher (likes busy markets) but is also a classic shopper, however we found China to be expensive for goods (but food is cheap!!!)

Travel Asia China South Korea

Comments

  • jv on 03/12/2024 - 17:12
    +1

    China - Korea over Christmas New Year

    Do they celebrate the birth of Christ?

    • surfingedge on 03/12/2024 - 17:38
      +1

      30% of the population of South Korea are some sort of Christian

    • EightImmortals on 03/12/2024 - 18:16
      +1

      Does anyone any more?

  • jv on 03/12/2024 - 17:14
    +2

    but after some ideas to keep wife/mum 3yo daughter busy.

    Your wife is your mum ??? 😲

    • ukulele on 03/12/2024 - 17:26
      +1

      changed to commas.

      • jv on 03/12/2024 - 17:29
        +1

        😌

    • May4th on 04/12/2024 - 05:32

      the husband is just another less cute child to clean up after if you ask most mums

  • Cluster on 03/12/2024 - 17:44
    +2

    If you're in Korea then do what all tourists do: visit the DMZ and gaze at North Korea. Also the infiltration tunnels are cool but a challenging descent/climb for some people.

  • dtc on 03/12/2024 - 18:05
    +1

    Korea is f… cold at that time of year. Beijing isnt much better. Also can be terrible air quality at times in both places.

    Shanghai has some nice museums where its warm. Zhujiajiao Water Town (or even Suzhou or Hangzhou, which are closer to Wuxi/Ningbo) is usually a nice day trip but its mostly an outdoors thing so pick the day. Beijing, if you havent been, just do the tourist sites - Forbidden City and so forth. Day trip to the wall if you really want, although its a rebuilt section that is very touristy. Still, its the Great Wall (sort of). Definitely get a tour to do this (whether you hire a driver or sit on a bus - look at the Klook offerings). Eat some Peking Duck

    For Seoul - there are quite a few good food markets eg Gwangjang Market (there are others) but you wont want to spent too much time outside/in the traffic. If you head south to Busan or Jeju Island it will be marginally warmer but still not great. JeJu Island is… I dont know, one of those places that are popular for reasons I dont fully understand. Certainly in winter it will be quiet and not much to do, public transport isnt as regular.

    • altomic on 04/12/2024 - 14:17

      I second this.

      I was in Seoul in march this year.

      so damn cold.

      I lived in northern Japan for nearly 3 winters and had no problem with that

      the cold in seoul just cut right through me.

  • boomramada on 03/12/2024 - 18:07
    +2

    OP are you already in China? Google is blocked?

  • spaij on 03/12/2024 - 18:26

    Chengdu: the panda breeding "zoo" is the best place to see pandas in the world. Your 3yo will love it

  • iridiumstem on 03/12/2024 - 18:35

    I'd watch the weather carefully. I know that the weather has been crazy in Korea recently (it snowed to a point where things were put in emergency mode).

    Stay safe and stay warm.

    • moar bargains on 04/12/2024 - 12:41

      it snowed to a point where things were put in emergency mode

      Oh, so that's what Yoon was worried about last night?

      • iridiumstem on 04/12/2024 - 15:06
        +1

        Nah, Yoon was throwing a tantrum because the opposition has the majority and they are not approving anything he wants.

  • theHMASfriendship on 03/12/2024 - 19:02
    +1

    Try the food

    • ukulele on 04/12/2024 - 08:32

      we went during easter this year and it was great, looking forward to more of it

  • sam-1966 on 03/12/2024 - 19:54

    I'm sure she would love Disney in Shanghai and it would take quite a bit of time.

    Chengdu would be a must for the Panda breeding program - you can see the pandas at the Beijing Zoo, but when we went our tour guide said 'just look at the pandas and go to the shops - our zoos are nothing like yours in Australia and you won't like them'. Seriously - all concrete. At Chengdu you will see pandas looking a lot happier.

  • Brucet on 03/12/2024 - 22:47

    It is Winter month and really cold …..not for me.

    • ukulele on 04/12/2024 - 08:32
      +1

      personally love the cold. Each to their own.

  • iridiumstem on 04/12/2024 - 02:20
    +4

    And now you have martial law declared in Korea. At least the won's value will plummet. Hope your trip plans doesn't get affected.

    • ukulele on 04/12/2024 - 08:18

      watching the situation closely. I'll watch it today and make the call tomorrow, might have to change that leg to Japan instead of Korea.

      Have also gone thru the meetings/schedule, looks like I didn't leave enough time and it looks like we will skip qingdao, the schedule is packed!!!

      • EightImmortals on 04/12/2024 - 08:56

        https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-presi…

        South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Wednesday he would lift a surprise martial law declaration he had imposed just hours before, backing down in a standoff with parliament, which roundly rejected his attempt to ban political activity and censor the media.
        In South Korea's biggest political crisis in decades, Yoon declared martial law on Tuesday night during a televised address to thwart "anti-state forces" among his domestic political opponents. But outraged lawmakers unanimously rejected the decree. Yonhap news agency said the cabinet had agreed early on Wednesday to scrap the martial law.

        Yoon's surprise declaration of martial law, which he cast as aimed at his political foes, was voted down by 190 lawmakers in parliament. His own party urged him to lift the decree. Under South Korean law, the president must immediately lift martial law if parliament demands it by a majority vote.

        Yoon did not cite any specific threat from the North, instead focusing on his domestic political opponents. It was the first time since 1980 that martial law has been declared in South Korea.
        Yoon, a career prosecutor, squeezed out a victory in the tightest presidential election in South Korean history in 2022. He rode a wave of discontent over economic policy, scandals and gender wars, aiming to reshape the political future of Asia's fourth-largest economy.
        But he has been unpopular, with his support ratings hovering at around 20% for months.
        His People Power Party suffered a landslide defeat at a parliamentary election in April this year, ceding control of the unicameral assembly to opposition parties that captured nearly two-thirds of the seats.

        Dodgy politicians again. :)

        • iridiumstem on 04/12/2024 - 09:29
          +1

          Well he is a moron. He is like Trump without charisma, and weird hair. The opposition is dodgy as hell, so catch 22.

          I am genuinely surprised, people who experienced military dictatorship are still there (80s). Only thing this does is make it easier for people to compare him to dictators. Then again, I have to go back to my first sentence.

          • ukulele on 04/12/2024 - 09:38

            @iridiumstem: my initial (hopeful) thoughts are, this won't affect my travels day to day since ML has been removed. But still following the situation closely.

            • iridiumstem on 04/12/2024 - 10:17

              @ukulele: Unless he goes full military coup, I doubt he would be able to do much. Both major parties basically have went against martial law (which is surprising).

              Then again, he is a moron

    • ukulele on 06/12/2024 - 07:37

      It'll be right I reckon

  • hilikerowallan on 12/12/2024 - 02:53

    I visited Beijing in September and I really liked The Palace museum. Just keep in mind that the security there is very strict. You need to have your passport and they scan you before you enter. But the place itself is very authentic and beautiful. Also I would recommend the summer palace, the great wall, also Longqingxia area, but I'm not sure if its going to be open this time of year.

    • ukulele on 13/12/2024 - 07:44

      how did you go with payment? Did you use cash a lot or mostly card?

      we went during easter and My anz card kept on getting stopped, 28 degrees seemed to be ok. We didn't bring any cash, but i'll bring cash this time.

      • May4th on 13/12/2024 - 09:10

        hardly anyone uses cash anymore. download alipay or wechat, link your australian credit card and it will make your life so much easier

        • ukulele on 13/12/2024 - 10:38

          i had trouble with wechat, i forgot about alipay thanks for reminding me. I'll still bring some cash though

      • hilikerowallan on 17/12/2024 - 02:48

        I didn't know about alipay or wechat, so I tried to use my normal cards and a lot of places didn't accept them. So ended up going to the bank and spending an hour trying to get some cash. ATMs also didn't accept my card

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