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Q: Any peaceful and waiguoren friendly cities ?

Hi, there,

 

 I’ve been living in Beijing for a while now, and I think I need a major change in my life, so I’ve decided to relocate whenever a chance for doing so arises. However, I actually don’t want to move from one overcrowded, monstrous megacity to another, so can you please suggest me some relatively small, waiguoren friendly cities in China? Can be third, fourth and even below tiers. 

7 years 27 weeks ago in  Lifestyle - China

 
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West Guangdong is a good option. Zhuhai for example. Great city.

Or go for a small tourist hotspot such as Yangshou.

If I had the money, I would have an apartment in each. Although to be honest, if I had the money I would try get a house in one of the many ancient villages.

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7 years 27 weeks ago
 
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Posts: 7178

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West Guangdong is a good option. Zhuhai for example. Great city.

Or go for a small tourist hotspot such as Yangshou.

If I had the money, I would have an apartment in each. Although to be honest, if I had the money I would try get a house in one of the many ancient villages.

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7 years 27 weeks ago
 
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Bijie, Guizhou, city's elevation on some 1800 m ('clean air&low PM'-I hope!) with hills all around the city of less than 100k residents, big outdoors market with farmers from near-by hills selling anything they find in the woods. Think, wild bees honey with hive still attached.....

All Police cars & manpower are marked with 'SWAT' titlesin Guizhou. 

 

We also have 'Police tow trucks' circling DT for unlawfully parked vehicles, so we (you) are very safe in my city, if ... no car.

 

1 Walmart with some NZ&Ozz butter&cheese and nothing else much.

 

Closest bigger city is Guiyang, some 4h bus ride with Metro, Carrefour and more Walmarts. G train connections from Guiyang all around China.

 

No train connection to my city, 'cause we are very 'hilly'.

Think about 'walking the stairs' daily anywhere you go, so you're looking at losing extra weight by 'nature'.....

We're moving to the new School near-by with more than 200 stairs one-way from the main road to the School's 3rd floor ........

 

I could also connect you with my boss for an English teaching job at International School, if you're interested. She's holding 'foreign hire cert.', so Z visa/RP here.

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7 years 27 weeks ago
 
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Hong Kong, Taipei

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7 years 27 weeks ago
 
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China and peaceful don't exactly go together. I understand what your saying but small places in China doesn't really have the charm that they do in other places like Europe. Instead, they're just shitier.

 

As mentioned above, Zhuhai is a good shout. It's a bit touristy, but close proximity to the lots of great places make it attractive. Also consider places like Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Qingdao. They're defiantly not small, but are much nicer places to live that Beijing.

 

Avoid Xiamen. It's the most overrated city in China.

Shining_brow:

No dude... Hangzhou is the most over-rated city in China!! It's got a big lake (ok, nice...), and the tea-fields in the hills... and that's it!

 

Nanjing has a big lake and hills.... Suzhou has a big lake... shit, even Jiujiang has a lake (two or more, actually!)

 

But, yeah, Xiamen IS over-rated... I'll be back there for a week from this evening....

7 years 27 weeks ago
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7 years 27 weeks ago
 
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ningbo

Shining_brow:

ZhouShan Island is better!

7 years 27 weeks ago
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7 years 27 weeks ago
 
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Thanks for so many suggestions. All in all, seems I should move South.

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7 years 27 weeks ago
 
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in south othr nice options r zhongshan, foshan, shunde.

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7 years 27 weeks ago
 
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It kind of depends on what's important to you. 

 

South China is certainly best for the environment in a sense. I have seen some beautiful places in Henan! Yes, Henan of all provinces has some amazing scenery, but the cities are horrid. 

 

My home city is a smaller city in Shanxi. The pros being: 

 

- the people are quite nice and appreciate foreigners

- very low cost of living and modern amenities

- the local dialect doesn't stray too far off from Mandarin (this annoys me in some cities)

- small expat community but close knit which creates stronger bonds 

- nearby mountains (Huashan, Tai Shan etc.) to hike and paths to ride along

- citizens have lots of money and willing to pay big bucks for good education (including foreign ESL teachers) 

- I prefer Northern Chinese food to Southern

- my wife's family has great connections throughout the city

 

Cons 

 

- people here aren't that intelligent (but come on it's China)

- it is kind of polluted, getting better but not as clean as Southern China

- people are a lot more traditional in Northern parts (I kind of like that though)

- won't find all the Western choices you might in a larger city

- salaries are low but you can supplement them with tutoring

 

Before you move, you should research the cities that interest you and compare. 

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7 years 26 weeks ago
 
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