The movie critics don’t seem to think that highly of the new Karate Kid film, but I had a great time watching it with my 7-year-old son. It’s one of the few kid movies that I sat through without falling asleep in the middle, which unfortunately was the case with the fantastic Toy Story 3!

Here are my reasons for liking it:

Most importantly, I just LOVED the scenery shots. The kid practices his kicks at the Great Wall, visits the Forbidden City, and travels by train to Guilin to climb to the top of Wudang Mountain. All of these shots are simply beautiful!

Wudangshan is the Daoist Mountain where Mr. Han (the Kungfu Shifu) takes him to reach the sacred water source. The scenes of Daoists practicing meditation or Kungfu are Hollywood stage setups, but they are beautiful and at times, when traveling in China, you can find truly spiritual moments as such when visiting these sacred mountains.

One of my favorite Daoist Mountains to visit is called Weishan in Dali, Yunnan. It’s much smaller in scale, and is very little visited as Daoism isn’t gaining many followers these days. But, the Daoist temples scattered on the mountain offer a peaceful respite from the noise of Chinese towns. One of my favorite things to do is to hike to the highest temple and drink tea with the only resident Daoist, who grows all his own fresh produce at the temple. The tea costs RMB 1 (equivalent of 15 cents), and tastes pure and sweet after hiking there.

Now when it comes to logistics, however, I would NEVER recommend anyone to travel from Beijing by train to Guilin, to climb Wudang Mountain. So, please don’t follow Mr. Han on this route. Wudang Mountain is 800 miles south of Beijing, and Guilin (where the lovely Karst hills rise out of Li River) is another 800 miles further to the south. It would be a ridiculous detour – but it works in a movie.

So, walk in knowing it’s Hollywood, and enjoy the stunning scenery.

Another reason for liking it is the reality of China that’s portrayed in the film. Mei Ying (the Karate Kid’s love interest) and her family provide a small window into the life of an upper middle class family in China. Usually, it’s a small family of 3 people, mom, dad and the only child. The well-off Chinese families are buying up luxury cars like Audi or BMW, the successful mom and dad are very well dressed. The pressure on the only child is intense, with piano lessons and violin practice sessions everyday. The movie hasn’t quite shown the intense pressure for testing into colleges, but that would have distracted from the spotlight on the Karate Kid.

All in all, I find it entertaining, and absolutely worth watching for those considering visiting China. WildChina offers a classic family trip to China that incorporates Kungfu and some of the classic sites that viewers will find in the Karate Kid, like the Great Wall and Forbidden City.

I was very impressed by the beginning of the Lonely Planet China Guide book. “The Best of China” page offered a quick summary of the classic highlights of the country that one should never miss – The Forbidden City and the Great Wall of Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an, etc. The photos are beautiful. I also liked the section that introduced the writers, bringing a human face to advice they are dispensing. Then the Rural China, Eat China, Hike China and Red China pages all offered some interesting sites, and are very helpful for those who want to venture off the Yangtze Cruise to experience the real China.

But, to me, it also demonstrated the lack of access due to language constraint. For example, the Hike China section is a bit limited. Having hiked most of the trails listed in that section, I beg to differ. For example, the Yubeng hike, or Pilgrimage Trail to Mt. Kawagebo, is among the most breathtaking and spiritual hike. WildChina team members first hiked in this area in the late ’90s, and only now that trail is gaining some awareness among Chinese speakers. Not sure if the guide book is outdated or the writer didn’t know about it. Either way, I think there could be a better guide on hiking opportunities in China.

Then I went straight for the section on lodging (called “Sleeping” in the guidebook) in Beijing. It is unfortunately written by a backpacker who is too well-versed in adjectives such as “top notch”, “elegant,” “gorgeous,” “stunning,” “impressive,” “outstanding,” “splendid,” “enticing,” etc. I’ll save you the rest, but seriously, these words all appeared in 3 paragraph describing the St. Regis, Grand Hyatt, and China World Hotel. You can basically randomly re-allocate these words, and the information you are getting won’t change a bit.

Obviously, the writer hasn’t stayed in any of these places. I wish there were a few more details, such as the Made In China restaurant in the Grand Hyatt serves the best “Begger’s Chicken” and is one of the most interesting Chinese restaurants to dine in because of the open kitchen layout. You get to see the chefs tossing the greens in a wok alight with fire! Also, for families traveling with children, the China World Hotel Service Apartments offer the best option- with large rooms, ensuite kitchen, etc. (By the way, I think the Frommers Guide does a much better job with restaurant recommendations.)

Also, among the top notch is The Opposite House for its zen-like design and personal service – not to mention the beautiful Aman at the Summer Palace. These are the more boutique hotels that really make Beijng an interesting place in which to stay.

What got me most is the section on “Beijing for Children.” I have a feeling that the authors didn’t really travel to Beijing with kids. The hardest thing I found upon arriving in Beijing is how to kill the early morning hours due to jet lag.

Two very important things for me: breakfast at 金湖茶餐厅 / GL Cafe Restaurant，and morning walks in Ritan Park. The Café is a 24-hour Hong Kong style restaurant – very helpful at 4am when there is no other place to eat and the kids are crying! They have branch locations next to the St. Regis and the China World Hotel, and they have high chairs. Ritan Park is a major source of entertainment, as it opens at 6 am for the morning exercises. It’s an entertaining place for the kids to watch others play badminton, or do taiqi. Maybe it’s me, but I need to have the jetlag bunch taken care off before I can think of ice skating in Beijing.

For a good source of ideas and tips on what to do with kids in China’s capital, follow @BeijingWithKids on Twitter.

WildChina’s DC office will be closed Monday, May 30 for the Memorial Day holiday. We wish our friends, family and travelers a happy holiday.

WildChina’s Beijing office will be open at this time. For inquiries, please send an email to info@wildchina.com or visit our website.

In light of the upcoming 2010 Shanghai World Expo, ABC News’ Travel section ran an article this past Monday about Shanghai’s transformation before the grand event. The article highlights Shanghai’s modernity and opens with the line,

Looking for the China of pagodas, farmers in rice paddies and Mao-suited masses pedaling bicycles through grim city streets? You won’t find such scenes here when Shanghai’s World Expo opens on May 1.

This might be true in Shanghai, with its magnificent international architecture, global business mentality, and comfortable expat lifestyle. However, this excitingly modern city, and cities like it, only encompasses one aspect of China. If you are visiting for the Expo, we encourage you to explore the Middle Kingdom beyond the Expo glitz and the throngs of international visitors who will come to experience it.

How can travelers go about seeing those pagodas, local farmers, and more after their Expo trip?

WildChina is offering a number of interesting day trips in and around Shanghai for those who want to see neighboring marvels. In addition, our exclusive private journeys take take all over rural, off-the-beaten-path China when travelers are ready to escape from Shanghai’s city life. Ranging from a few days to a couple of weeks, our trips can give travelers a truly unique glimpse at life all over China.

Want more information? Email us at info@wildchina.com.

This year’s transition from Autumn to winter is already turning out to be one of superlatives. This week, northern China experienced its heaviest snowfall in the last half century. Not since 1955 has one tempest delivered so much snowfall in northern China.

On October 31, China experienced its earliest snowfall in over two decades, albeit aided by measures to alleviate a lingering drought in China’s north. Advancements in weather technology are leading to a winter marked by sudden and heavy snowfalls.

Winter's First Snowfall on the Great Wall

The heavy snowfall created picturesque winter scenes all over Beijing for the several days following the snowstorm.

If you’re planning on traveling to northern China during the winter, make sure to bring a warm coat!

Never been to China before? Don’t know where to start planning a trip?

Maybe you’ve already been to China’s major cities and their respective attractions. You want a trip that is adventurous, off the beaten path, and enables you to experience a new side of China. Where do you go?

What if you want to travel by train from Beijing to Tibet, and want to know the ins and outs of domestic Chinese travel?

WildChina is here to help! Join us for WildChina’s Twitter Live Q+A Session on Wednesday, November 11, from 8 pm to 9 pm EST (United States), for an interactive question and answer session in which WildChina’s experts will answer your personal questions about any and all aspects of travel in China.

And, there’s more! The following week, WildChina will select 5 questions to post answers to on the WildChina blog. The followers who have posed these questions will have books donated in their name to a WildLibrary – a school or organization that works with children, which WildChina has deemed in need of educational supplies. 

If you’re thinking that getting expert advice on travel in China, coupled with donation books to children, sounds great (we sure do!), here is how to get involved:

1. Follow us on Twitter at @WildChina. If you’re not yet a Twitter user, sign up here.
2. On Wednesday, November 11 from 8 pm to 9 pm EST, send us a tweet with your question(s).
3. One of our WildChina experts will reply to your tweet with advice.
4. After the Q+A session, WildChina will notify followers of their selection to be posted on the blog.
5. The following week (Monday, November 16 to Friday, November 20), check the WildChina blog regularly to see which questions have been posted to the blog. 
6. Winners and the WildLibrary donations will also be posted on the blog.

Any more questions about WildChina Twitter Live Q+A? We are happy to help! Email us at info@wildchina.com.

In celebration of Chinese New Year,  the Forbidden City (also known as the Palace Museum) will have reduced hours on Sunday, January 25 and Monday, January 26.

Sunday, January 25

• Opening Time: 8:30 am
• Last Tickets Sold: 11:00 am
• Doors Closed: 11:10 am
• Museum Closed: 12:00 noon

Monday, January 26

• Opening Time: 12:00 noon
• Last Tickets Sold: 3:30 pm
• Doors Closed: 3:40 pm
• Museum Closed: 4:30 pm

故宫博物院春节期间将1月25日及26日的开放时间做以下调整：

1- 1月25日开馆时间：上午08:30

停止售票：上午11:00

停止检票：上午11:10

闭馆时间：中午12:00

2- 1月26日开馆时间：中午12:00

停止售票：下午15:30

停止检票：下午15:40

闭馆时间：下午16:30