Find Cheap Airfares - Tips and information on discount travel

photo credit: mickeyvdo

Most people seem to want to visit China as part of a tour group, believing that they will have access to better rates and more discounts this way. However, China is actually a very budget-friendly country to visit and you will probably find that the most expensive part of your trip is actually getting there.

If you are planning on China travel on your own, then keeping the following tips in mind will help you get the most for your money in this fascinating country.

1. Always have your first night pre-booked before you arrive. After such a long flight, the last thing you want to be doing is searching for lodging.

2. If you don’t have accommodations in your new city, then at least try to arrive during the daylight hours. Trying to find something at nighttime can be unproductive and a little bit scary.

3. Staying in guest houses, small inns, and hostels will cost you around $10 per night or even less in the smaller villages. However, staying in the larger touristy hotels can cost upwards of $200 per night.

4. If you’re not sure where you are going to be staying, then store your luggage in the train station until you have secured a room. The last thing you want to be doing is toting your suitcase or backpack around town with you. In peak seasons, you should do your best to reserve rooms in advance or else you might end up with something that you don’t want.

5. If you are approached by a person in a train station offering you a room, they are usually legitimate touts. If you are interested in their room, settle on a price and ask to see a map (they should have one with them) of the room’s location.

6. Some monasteries offer rooms for pilgrims. These are few and far between, but they do exist and usually ask for nothing more than a donation.

7. There are YMCAs and YWCAs in China, but they are not as cheap as the youth hostels and small inns. Still, they are good alternatives if you can’t find anything else.

8. Try staying in an upscale hotel for at least one night of your trip. You might want to make this your last night. Why? Because after a long trip of “roughing it”, you’ll want some comforts and you deserve to treat yourself.

9. Invest in a guidebook that caters to budget travel. The Lonely Planet, Let’s Go, and Rough Guide books all offer tips that are helpful, as well as hostel and hotel reviews pertaining to China travel.

10. If you get a place and you don’t like it, then leave. You are not required to stay there and you shouldn’t worry about hurting their feelings.

Keep in mind that bargaining will get you far, too. This is particularly true if you plan on spending more than one night in a place. Oftentimes, you can get them to reduce the rate by nearly 50% if you pay in advance for several nights.