The drawback to pulling from a bot generated top 10 list is that it's based more on popularity/publicity than anything else.  All of the named locates are great, but there are tons of less well-known locations.

Another drawback is some of the locations are vague.  Yunnan as a single item mentions 2 mountain areas and the stone forest.  Others mention a river or mountain range.  In many cases, these will have multiple towns or cities to chose from.

First, I suggest you narrow down what sort of things are most important to you for your next trip.  If you want to take a river ride through mountains, there are many options.  Personally, I enjoyed a couple of raft rides in Yangshou, Guangxi.  One even went to the place shown on the back of the 20 yuan note.  Yangshou also has caves and many other attractions.

If you want to hike around in some mountains, I did this once in Yunnan.  It was a bit of a confusing trip, so I don't even remember the name of the place.

Also in Yunnan, I went to Xishuangbanna.  Great tea, lots of beautiful places to visit.

When I want to relax by a beautiful river in an ancient town, Fenghuang in Hunnan is my #1 destination.  They have plenty of other things for tourists to do.


Separarely from seasonal waves of tourists, public holidays have a lot more.  If you like crowds and get all your reservations done in advance, maybe you will enjoy visiting around a big holiday.  If you prefer a quieter, less crowded time, keep your tourism plans separart from holiday travel rushes.

Hi Everyone,

I cannot say how much I appreciate the intellectual debates we have. It just gives my life a deeper meaning.

This post is not about where to make money, or where to travel, but places with the highest quality of life.

Can we post?

My GPT's take is:

Chengdu
Relaxed lifestyle and vibrant culture.
Renowned for its cuisine and green city initiatives.

Hangzhou
Scenic beauty, especially West Lake.
Affordable and safe, popular with students and expatriates.

Shanghai
Cosmopolitan lifestyle with diverse cultural options.
High standard of living with improved air quality and green spaces.

Suzhou
Classical gardens and canals.
Combines historical charm with modern amenities.

Hong Kong
Highly developed infrastructure and global city status.
Excellent public services and life expectancy.

Nanjing
Rich in history, culture, and green spaces.
Affordable and offers strong educational and healthcare facilities.

Shenzhen
Modern and innovative with a thriving tech industry.
Offers a dynamic urban lifestyle.

I also happen to agree with all of this. Everyone I know who has been to Chengdu says it is the best.

I wonder if Qingdao would also make the list.

If someone wants to advance in jobs (inside or outside of teaching), teaching at a school (primary-university) has a huge advantage over working at a training center.

Schools have breaks between semesters and in the summer.  This gives a ton more flexibility in applying for jobs, since there's time to scout out schools/companies/whatever during the breaks.  Yes, you can try scouting during major holidays, but that doesn't let you see what the environment looks like during the bulk of the year.  If interviews can be schedule during those breaks, you have a better chance to avoid having your current employer even know you are looking elsewhere.


Another factor to consider is big cities vs smaller areas.  There's a whole lot less competition for jobs in remoter areas, but there are also fewer jobs there.  Salaries in small towns are likely to be lower, but in some cases the lower cost of living can more than make up for this, and is some cases it can't. Having a detailed budget of how you spend your money and spending time scouting the potential alternate location will give you a better idea of how your current salary and current expenses would compare to a potential lower salary and lower expenses in a different location.

Obviously, native English speakers are greatly preferred for jobs involving English instruction, but you would need to ask Edgar if that's an absolute law or not.

Many companies commit labor violations against workers all over the world, even in China.  Many employees don't know what the law says or don't know where and how to complain.  When it happens for ending a contract, the first thing to do is to visit the local labor bureau and ask a few questions about the situation - BEFORE you sign anything.  Once you sign, your case can become far more complicated. If necessary, pretend you are about to vomit and run out of the room.  Of course, you can also contact Edgar or another lawyer.  Unlike the USA, quite a few lawyers will provide helpul info during a free consultation instead of automatically saying "You need to hire me now!" during a free consultation.

In terms of labor laws, the Entry Exit Bureau just needs enough items in order to give you a res permit when you start.

All the rules over what labor-contract items are valid or enforcing a contact are via the Labor Bureau, and the standard parts of National Law are the same throught the Mainland, except for the special exemptions granted to Shanghai.

Individual companies will tell you all sorts of different things, but (except for Shanghai), no company, city, or province should try to uphold any contract provision that conflicts with National Labor Law.  Yes, your co-workers may have experienced some unusual contract terms and company policies, but (except for Shanghai) anything in conflict with National Labor Law is automatically not valid, and certain actions against against the Labor Law can get them some very expensive penalties - but only if the worker provides documentation of the violation to the local Labor Bureau.  In the rare case where the local Labor Bureau mistakenly believes that certain national rules don't apply in the province or to foreigners, a call to Edgar or some other qualified lawyer may be needed.

Think of the USA.  States may have different minimum wages, but all MUST be at least equal to the national wage.  A contract could be written saying a worker agrees to accept less than the national minimum wage, but that contract point would be invalid in any of the 50 states.