>>2827454
>>2827521
post 4/?
>cities to go back to
Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Shanghai are definitely in my list for revisits. All of them have great food, and I'd especially go back for the Forbidden City in Beijing.
>future visits?
I've seen a lot of urban museums and temples, I really want to see more nature with open fields, mountain-side temples, etc. I'm still doing research but my list so far is:
Nanjing and Zhenjiang, Jiangsu
Leshan and Luzhou, Sichuan
Fujian, Fuzhou
Harbin, Heilongjiang during winter
Shaanxi?
Yunnan?
Guizhou?
Three Gorges Dam tour + cruise?
Hong Kong side trip via train from Shenzhen
>cities to be cautious of
I mentioned before, but Xi'an was the worst experience I had. Beggars trying to shmooze you and dirty, loud streets. My friend got food poisoning. I would go back to Shaanxi for the food, but not to Xi'an.
The main city of Chongqing was not as interesting as the online trends a couple years ago suggested, but the food was great. I wouldn't stay in the main city for longer than 3 days.
Shenzhen was interesting as a tech industry hub and there were other good things to do around nature-wise, but it is a generally worse experience than just going to Guangzhou if short on time. Motorbikes everywhere, including on pedestrian walkways.
Shanghai is generally more expensive relative to other cities, and because it's in the south the food tends to be more mild and sweet, in a similar respect as Japanese food. Not much to do culturally except eat, drink, and wander around malls and parks pretending to be rich. If you want to see "real China", don't stay here too long.
Also, this isn't my word, but my cousin said Wuhan was boring.