Just returned from a holiday that was most undoubtedly not a game trip, but I thought I’d provide a little intel nonetheless.
After a work trip in Europe, I took advantage of a discount biz class ticket to China from London on Finnair (1200 USD R/T). Finnair serves a few locations in China, and though I don't recommend the airline particularly (hard product is low end, though the food is pretty good - you can order reindeer as your entry), its a cheap biz class fare and will get you to China from Europe on flatbed seats (for the Helsinki-CQ leg).
![[Image: wVnraGnm.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/wVnraGnm.jpg)
In-flight service
![[Image: rUvxHdJm.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/rUvxHdJm.jpg)
Lounge photos in Helsinki First Class Lounge
I flew into Chongqing, which is a citystate basically right in the center of southern China, nestled in the middle of Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, and Guizhou. It was formerly part of Sichuan and shares much in common with that province, as does its population, most notably the look of the people, the language(s), and the love of very spicy food. A population of 28 million is in CQ, though perhaps 7-8 million of them are directly within the city, with the rest in the less urbanized parts of the citystate. By census, thats the biggest municipality in China, though with far fewer foreigners than Beijing, Shanghai or Tianjin, China’s other massive citystates.
CQ was known for organized crime by most Chinese for its rampant mafia activity in the first years of the millennium, but the strong-arm tactics of the recently imprisoned (and still beloved by many) Bo Xilai cleaned the city up substantially while improving living conditions and even the environmental protection in certain areas (though you may not notice). Nowadays, its more back on the map as a place to visit though most travelers are there for business.
CQ has more than one airport, but flying internationally, you’ll likely fly into Jiangbei airport’s international terminal, which is located about 20 miles north of the city center (about 80 RMB to get to the Yangtze river area city center by taxi from the taxi line right outside the airport terminal). Keep in mind that the ATM machines in Jiangbei didn't take my foreign ATM cards, and cards not using the UnionPay network may not work like they do in centers that have more foreigners. Also, the foreign exchange desk was unstaffed, though the info desk was and did at least have someone with some English ability. I had to tell my taxi driver that I need to exchange dollars at the hotel on our arrival, but without any mandarin, would be difficult to communicate this so maybe change some money in advance of arriving in CQ if you can.
Jiangbei’s area itself it pretty urbanized and heavily populated. It also has many hotels servicing the airport nearby. A good choice for those on less of a budget restriction for an overnight in the area (for early departing flights, e.g.) is the Days Inn Hotel, which is 2km from the airport and a legitimate 4-5 star property. They’ll also send a private car for you to wait at arrivals, send you back to the airport in a private car, and costs are around 100 USD per night, though check local Chinese websites like Qunar and Ctrip for deals.
For your stay, you’ll want to get closer in to the city most likely, and many other places to stay surround the Yangtze River area and the Nan’An district that borders the river. The river, which runs through Chongqing from the Tibet Plateau in the west eventually all the way to Shanghai, is quite filthy, as is the air quality in CQ, by western standards.
![[Image: 1HNpaLkm.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/1HNpaLkm.jpg)
While in Nan’an District, I stayed at the SPG property Meridien, which is a ridiculously low 3500 star points per night. Its listed as a three star property by Starwood, but the lobby is gorgeous. The rooms (and staff) try, though they’re a bit off vs a foreign Meridien or Westin. I upgraded to a Suite so I didn't see the normal rooms, but the restaurant was quite nice (not cheap by Chinese standards though), the hotel well located near the Nan’An restaurant row, next to the Wanda Plaza mall (which has dozens of restaurants inside and nearby). Lobby was gorgeous, frankly and the girls who worked in the hotel were suitably friendly and attractive.
![[Image: pQDPgoKm.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/pQDPgoKm.jpg)
Hotel seafood buffet (35 USD)
I didn’t spend but a few days in CQ, so I wont’ claim any real expertise. I mostly rested, walked around the area, and ate some ridiculously spicy hot pot. Its at least two steps up the hotness ladder from the so-called Sichuan hot pot (in Chinese Huo Guo) that I ate regularly in Shenzhen. Another thing to note is that even decent Mandarin is not always that helpful depending on who you're talking to - the locals more often speak Sichuanese as their primary language and may speak poor Mandarin, or a heavily accented version. Their mandarin often has quite a twang to it, like southern US folks in a way. Obviously, fluent speakers won't have an issue.
![[Image: wWQbk7km.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/wWQbk7km.jpg)
Chongqing Hot Pot, two ways (the middle area is unspiced with chili, the bigger outside area is deadly hot)
However I will say that reports of the girls being of general high quality, very fair skinned and generally thin and attractive was very consistent with what I saw. I wouldn't want to live there because of the bad air quality (it actually stung my eyes during the taxi from the airport, not so bad in Nan’an) but the girls were fine, and to me SZ, where i lived before, had some good quality. Also, foreigner interest did seem to be quite high, at least by looking at people looking at me walking around. I was accompanied, though and so hard to determine much. I didn't try WeChat People Nearby, though one night I opened Tan Tan, and potential matches were attractive and plentiful.
After spending a few days in CQ, we (I was with my LT girl), we bounced down to Yunnan province, to the resort city of Lijiang.
Many flights from different cities serve Lijiang Airprot and buy booking in advance, tickets from CQ (90 minutes, as low as 300 RMB), and SZ (2.5 hrs, as low as 300 RMB), and other cities are quite cheap and frequent. Again, check the chinese websites for the best prices. Cost to LiJiang Old Town is a standard 80 RMB. Insist.
Lijiang is a popular tourist destination in China. Again, you won't see more than 1 percent non-Chinese tourists in Lijiang (but huge amounts of Chinese tourists, including those from abroad). You’ll have people approach you to say Hello (practising their English) and many places wont have anyone who speaks English (some will to be sure, and you can go there without a translator).
As dirty as CQ is, LJ is the absolute difference. It feels like one is in Thailand in many ways, between the clean air, blue skies, beautiful countryside and large ethnic minorities like the NaXi who have more in common in some ways with SE Asians than they do with Han Chinese. Snow capped mountains are visible in the different as you’re getting close to the foothills of the Himalayas in LJ. Its a city so beautiful (like its neighbors Dali and Shangri-La) that many Chinese from areas elsewhere move to LJ to set up business. In fact most of the business are run by folks who moved from elsewhere, and not by the indigenous peoples.
![[Image: bfk5sEim.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/bfk5sEim.jpg)
Prices in LJ are still quite low, and reduced vs major cities. LJ’s Old Town has been rebuilt and its scenic but feels a bit fake to someone accustomed to unrebuilt medieval European cities. The Old Town has basically been changed into a huge shopping area which can get a bit tedious, but its still remarkably clean, free of smells (if you’ve spent time in China you’ll understand this statement), scenic due to its canals, flowers and other foliage, and perhaps most importantly for the folks reading this, filled with young Chinese girls on holiday from all over the country and very few young foreign guys. Very few.
![[Image: wkpGIsi.png]](http://i.imgur.com/wkpGIsi.png)
These thumbnails are just from sitting on the side of the road in old town for fifteen minutes taking pics of girls walking by. Not special girls, not being particularly selective....the girls there come from all over china, with particular concentrations of girls from Sichuan/CQ and from NE China (BJ, Dalian, etc.)
LJ has the reputation of being a hookup location because of the number of people on holiday and the bar scene. Opening Tan Tan there, I got a few quick matches, though I didn't pursue. I also had girls open me on the street (dudes too, not sexually, just to bs).
There is a bar district in the Old Town Square that has quite a few nights clubs. It won’t be hard to find. Just follow Qi Yi (pronounced chi-yee) Street uphill and you’ll hit the square.
I stayed four nights at the very pleasant Sina Hotel ($50 USD/night), which was on the edge of Old Town. There are hotels in the middle of Old Town, but likely they were much louder at night. Sina was quite (no restaurant, but many as you might expect nearby).
It also sports some of the best trekking in China just in the nearby area and is a must visit for mountaineer hikers in China. One can take tours up to nearby hiking, trekking and rafting. Assume the tour groups are overcharging by about 60 percent on the ask (if not more) and negotiate prices. You may need your passport to book as well. Shangri-La is a 2 hr bus trip away (railroad travel is also available) and the amazing Tiger Leaping Gorge is perhaps an hour further, and worth the trip. One can also head south to Dali by train, and from there on to Kunming.
![[Image: LyeECdzm.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/LyeECdzm.jpg)
![[Image: DXpzyc1m.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/DXpzyc1m.jpg)
Each of the above from the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge hike (from below Tina's Guesthouse, a local hostel)
![[Image: 92fQSjBm.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/92fQSjBm.jpg)
My gal overlooks the river valley and rice farming and local Na Xi villages
After a work trip in Europe, I took advantage of a discount biz class ticket to China from London on Finnair (1200 USD R/T). Finnair serves a few locations in China, and though I don't recommend the airline particularly (hard product is low end, though the food is pretty good - you can order reindeer as your entry), its a cheap biz class fare and will get you to China from Europe on flatbed seats (for the Helsinki-CQ leg).
In-flight service
Lounge photos in Helsinki First Class Lounge
I flew into Chongqing, which is a citystate basically right in the center of southern China, nestled in the middle of Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, and Guizhou. It was formerly part of Sichuan and shares much in common with that province, as does its population, most notably the look of the people, the language(s), and the love of very spicy food. A population of 28 million is in CQ, though perhaps 7-8 million of them are directly within the city, with the rest in the less urbanized parts of the citystate. By census, thats the biggest municipality in China, though with far fewer foreigners than Beijing, Shanghai or Tianjin, China’s other massive citystates.
CQ was known for organized crime by most Chinese for its rampant mafia activity in the first years of the millennium, but the strong-arm tactics of the recently imprisoned (and still beloved by many) Bo Xilai cleaned the city up substantially while improving living conditions and even the environmental protection in certain areas (though you may not notice). Nowadays, its more back on the map as a place to visit though most travelers are there for business.
CQ has more than one airport, but flying internationally, you’ll likely fly into Jiangbei airport’s international terminal, which is located about 20 miles north of the city center (about 80 RMB to get to the Yangtze river area city center by taxi from the taxi line right outside the airport terminal). Keep in mind that the ATM machines in Jiangbei didn't take my foreign ATM cards, and cards not using the UnionPay network may not work like they do in centers that have more foreigners. Also, the foreign exchange desk was unstaffed, though the info desk was and did at least have someone with some English ability. I had to tell my taxi driver that I need to exchange dollars at the hotel on our arrival, but without any mandarin, would be difficult to communicate this so maybe change some money in advance of arriving in CQ if you can.
Jiangbei’s area itself it pretty urbanized and heavily populated. It also has many hotels servicing the airport nearby. A good choice for those on less of a budget restriction for an overnight in the area (for early departing flights, e.g.) is the Days Inn Hotel, which is 2km from the airport and a legitimate 4-5 star property. They’ll also send a private car for you to wait at arrivals, send you back to the airport in a private car, and costs are around 100 USD per night, though check local Chinese websites like Qunar and Ctrip for deals.
For your stay, you’ll want to get closer in to the city most likely, and many other places to stay surround the Yangtze River area and the Nan’An district that borders the river. The river, which runs through Chongqing from the Tibet Plateau in the west eventually all the way to Shanghai, is quite filthy, as is the air quality in CQ, by western standards.
While in Nan’an District, I stayed at the SPG property Meridien, which is a ridiculously low 3500 star points per night. Its listed as a three star property by Starwood, but the lobby is gorgeous. The rooms (and staff) try, though they’re a bit off vs a foreign Meridien or Westin. I upgraded to a Suite so I didn't see the normal rooms, but the restaurant was quite nice (not cheap by Chinese standards though), the hotel well located near the Nan’An restaurant row, next to the Wanda Plaza mall (which has dozens of restaurants inside and nearby). Lobby was gorgeous, frankly and the girls who worked in the hotel were suitably friendly and attractive.
Hotel seafood buffet (35 USD)
I didn’t spend but a few days in CQ, so I wont’ claim any real expertise. I mostly rested, walked around the area, and ate some ridiculously spicy hot pot. Its at least two steps up the hotness ladder from the so-called Sichuan hot pot (in Chinese Huo Guo) that I ate regularly in Shenzhen. Another thing to note is that even decent Mandarin is not always that helpful depending on who you're talking to - the locals more often speak Sichuanese as their primary language and may speak poor Mandarin, or a heavily accented version. Their mandarin often has quite a twang to it, like southern US folks in a way. Obviously, fluent speakers won't have an issue.
Chongqing Hot Pot, two ways (the middle area is unspiced with chili, the bigger outside area is deadly hot)
However I will say that reports of the girls being of general high quality, very fair skinned and generally thin and attractive was very consistent with what I saw. I wouldn't want to live there because of the bad air quality (it actually stung my eyes during the taxi from the airport, not so bad in Nan’an) but the girls were fine, and to me SZ, where i lived before, had some good quality. Also, foreigner interest did seem to be quite high, at least by looking at people looking at me walking around. I was accompanied, though and so hard to determine much. I didn't try WeChat People Nearby, though one night I opened Tan Tan, and potential matches were attractive and plentiful.
After spending a few days in CQ, we (I was with my LT girl), we bounced down to Yunnan province, to the resort city of Lijiang.
Many flights from different cities serve Lijiang Airprot and buy booking in advance, tickets from CQ (90 minutes, as low as 300 RMB), and SZ (2.5 hrs, as low as 300 RMB), and other cities are quite cheap and frequent. Again, check the chinese websites for the best prices. Cost to LiJiang Old Town is a standard 80 RMB. Insist.
Lijiang is a popular tourist destination in China. Again, you won't see more than 1 percent non-Chinese tourists in Lijiang (but huge amounts of Chinese tourists, including those from abroad). You’ll have people approach you to say Hello (practising their English) and many places wont have anyone who speaks English (some will to be sure, and you can go there without a translator).
As dirty as CQ is, LJ is the absolute difference. It feels like one is in Thailand in many ways, between the clean air, blue skies, beautiful countryside and large ethnic minorities like the NaXi who have more in common in some ways with SE Asians than they do with Han Chinese. Snow capped mountains are visible in the different as you’re getting close to the foothills of the Himalayas in LJ. Its a city so beautiful (like its neighbors Dali and Shangri-La) that many Chinese from areas elsewhere move to LJ to set up business. In fact most of the business are run by folks who moved from elsewhere, and not by the indigenous peoples.
Prices in LJ are still quite low, and reduced vs major cities. LJ’s Old Town has been rebuilt and its scenic but feels a bit fake to someone accustomed to unrebuilt medieval European cities. The Old Town has basically been changed into a huge shopping area which can get a bit tedious, but its still remarkably clean, free of smells (if you’ve spent time in China you’ll understand this statement), scenic due to its canals, flowers and other foliage, and perhaps most importantly for the folks reading this, filled with young Chinese girls on holiday from all over the country and very few young foreign guys. Very few.
These thumbnails are just from sitting on the side of the road in old town for fifteen minutes taking pics of girls walking by. Not special girls, not being particularly selective....the girls there come from all over china, with particular concentrations of girls from Sichuan/CQ and from NE China (BJ, Dalian, etc.)
LJ has the reputation of being a hookup location because of the number of people on holiday and the bar scene. Opening Tan Tan there, I got a few quick matches, though I didn't pursue. I also had girls open me on the street (dudes too, not sexually, just to bs).
There is a bar district in the Old Town Square that has quite a few nights clubs. It won’t be hard to find. Just follow Qi Yi (pronounced chi-yee) Street uphill and you’ll hit the square.
I stayed four nights at the very pleasant Sina Hotel ($50 USD/night), which was on the edge of Old Town. There are hotels in the middle of Old Town, but likely they were much louder at night. Sina was quite (no restaurant, but many as you might expect nearby).
It also sports some of the best trekking in China just in the nearby area and is a must visit for mountaineer hikers in China. One can take tours up to nearby hiking, trekking and rafting. Assume the tour groups are overcharging by about 60 percent on the ask (if not more) and negotiate prices. You may need your passport to book as well. Shangri-La is a 2 hr bus trip away (railroad travel is also available) and the amazing Tiger Leaping Gorge is perhaps an hour further, and worth the trip. One can also head south to Dali by train, and from there on to Kunming.
Each of the above from the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge hike (from below Tina's Guesthouse, a local hostel)
My gal overlooks the river valley and rice farming and local Na Xi villages
I've referral links for most credit cards, PM me for them & thanks if you use them
Strip away judeo-christian ethics ingraining sex is dirty/bad & the idea we're taking advantage of these girls disintegrates. Once you've lost that ethical quandary (which it isn't outside religion) then they've no reason to play the victim, you've no reason to feel the rogue. The interaction is to their benefit.
Frequent Travs
Phils SZ China
