Beijing Travel Forum

I am arriving in Beijing March 2. I will stay 4 nights, then take a LONG train to Kunming and stay 3 nights, then take another LONG train to Guilin and stay 2 nights, then take a train to Hong Kong (transfer in Shenzehn?) for 2 night stay. QUESTION: Can I get by with less than $100 US a day in each of these towns (hotels are already paid for)? I'm fairly certain I won't need lots of RMB on the long-distance trains, but I'm in China for photography, not massive shopping. I also take cheap transport everywhere (buses or subway, sometimes taxi's if I really really need to be somewhere). Suggestions?

Sure, $100 per day is a lot money in China if you don't do a lot shopping.
The train is not as expensive as you have expected. From Beijing to Kunming is about 558/890 (hard bed/soft bed). If you like to take photos for local Chinese on train, then it may be better to take hard bed.
Food and local transportation including taxi are also extremely cheap comparing western countries except Hongkong. Shenzhen is also a little pricey but still much cheaper than US or Canada.

US$100 per day will be more than enough in those cities if your hotels are paid for. There are plenty of inexpensive places to eat and transportation prices are very low. You should be sure to take into account the entrance fees for the attractions in Beijing - depending on where you eat, that may be one of your more significant expenses. I would not recommend skipping the forbidden city or the temple of heaven just to save the money.

To echo what the previous posters have said, yes, 100 is more than plenty for China. Ed and I both didn't spend that much per day.
If your hotel includes breakfast, you can eat enough to skip lunch even.
You're giving Xian a miss? We loved Xian, we loved all of China and plan on a return trip soon.
You might want to take the ferry across to Hong Kong from Shenzhen rather than doing the train. We found it enjoyable and beautiful coming in to the harbor.
Just a suggestion.

Thank you everyone! Yes, I'm skipping Xi'an because as a photographer, I didn't get a lot of requests to do the TerraCotta Warriors (and I've heard it's no great thing anyway). I'm more of a scenic Photographer, so the sights in Kunming (Shilin Stone Forest and YuanYang and possibly Jianshui) are more attractive to me. Same with the topography around Guilin. I'll just save up my pennies for the shopping in Hong Kong! And I'll try that ferry ride, too, from Shenzhen! Thanks again!

I cannot wait to see your tips and pics on VT, I'm hoping you will notify us so we can check them out if you post. That is one area Ed and I would enjoy seeing (Kunming) on our return trip.
By the way, personal opinion here, we found Xian much more than the terracotta soldiers. We did find the soldiers impressive and yes a big deal. We loved Xian proper, the wall, the Bell & Drum tower, etc. But, I can understand as a scenic photographer your perhaps wishing to skip.

From Beijing to Kunming is about 45 hours by train. Am I the only one telling you this is crazy?
If you think you're going to get some spectacular photos along the railway then I have more bad news for you: the scenery is awful.

Why not make 2 stops along the way and stay in cheap hotels? Go to Luoyang, spend the night, tour the area and then head for Chengdu. Tour Chengdu's surroundings, sleep in a hotel, and then continue to Kunming.

Don't forget Yangshuo. The scenery there surpasses Guilin.

Since you will visit in March and love scenic photography, you can't miss Luoping in Yunnan Province, 240 km from Kunming. Gorgeous 250000 acres golden rape flowers and nine-dragon waterfalls...
It's better to visit Luoping between late of February and early of March.

I agree with what Homer and Eddie are saying about Xian - we loved the City Wall. Also, you must go to Yangshuo not Guilin!!

I would recommend that the money you have catered for per day be used to fly to some of the places you intend to visit. It is not that expensive to fly in China. I have included plane costs.

We saved money by buying our breakfast at the local supermarket(if not included in hotel cost, skipping lunch and then eating dinner at local food hall or inexpensive restaurants, chains etc.(again see our pages)