Been to Thailand but want to find somewhere new and exciting in S.E Asia then check out China. There are loads of oppertunities here and in places like Yangshuo you can live the expat dream. Interested then let me know!
Jobs in hostels, bars, teaching or outdoor adventure guiding China has it all.
The surrounding countryside is indeed spectacular, but I found the town itself to be a horribly overpriced tourist hellhole with rip-offs and scams everywhere.
Cheers,
Terry
"...town itself to be a horribly overpriced tourist hellhole with rip-offs and scams everywhere."
I hope that's nothing to do with you, Damien!
LoL - Forget the town, its a good place to enjoy some western luxuries but thats not what Yangshuo is about. My hostel is near town but on the other side of the river where its more chilled. For those coming here following the guide book, you might indeed dismiss it as a tourist hell hole but underneath the surface we're living the dream.
Surely Thailand is the king of tourist scams plus Thai woman will rob you blind. I've lost track of how many western guys I know living in apartments, spending money and driving cars all paid for by beautiful Chinese woman. Chinese people always pay for everything and treat you like a king. Thai people are also very friendly but then they are not the ones buying the drinks and paying for diner.
Out of interest which part of Thailand do you live in?
I don't find Thailand's scams bad at all. It's just the usual stuff here and there, no big deal. In my experience Vietnam is way worse by any measure, and Cambodia and Laos have their issues too. In any case none of those places pose any problem to an experienced traveller or someone who has some common sense and street smarts... and if you do get taken on something then who cares, it's just a learning experience.
I've never been robbed blind by a woman in any foreign country because I don't travel actively looking for sex with locals in developing countries.
Good luck with your hostel. You make me want to have another visit in your area in China. I was only passing through last time and couldn't stop and really look around.
All the best to you.
Cheers,
Terry
Would agree vietnam is pretty bad. Cambodia and Laos are so so except maybe the weed scam in Luang probang, where you get stung for $500, ouch (do your homework people, my mate paid $500USD at New Zealand Airport for a banana in his bag, true story). I think you misunderstood what I was saying about the woman in both countries. First of all if you are paying for sex how can you be ripped of when both parties are aware that this is a business transaction unless you are robbed and if you are then what did you expect. What I mean is (and there have been BBC documentaries about this and I have friends who have also fallen victim!) you meet a girl who you like, you take her to diner maybe you start dating.... Then come requests for money and you find out she's playing you and 4 other foreigners at the same time and don't tell me thats a harmless scam. Any way whatever I love Thailand and every country has really good people and really bad ones. Just in Thailand they have had time to practise the scams and turn them into a sophisticated art form.
China scams are one of two things: You are overcharged (your fault for not haggling or talking to other travelers before agreeing to a trip you bought of some guy peddling tourist crap in the street) or its fake. Thousands of Chinese people die every year from fake medicine even Apple shops have been fake in the past so this scam is not directed at travelers but more a consequence of our (the west) materialistic ways and the desire for designer products at budget prices.
If you do decide to come back to China let me know and I will show you what this town is really about. The kind of stuff we get up to:
BB guns are cheap so we find a bamboo forest somewhere buy some fireworks to add a bit of bang to the party and generally act irrisposibly for a few hours shooting the crap out of each other.
Tao Bao is like Chinese Ebay only much more awesome. We bought new 125cc trial bike new for $200 USD and then proceeded to destroy them. Unfortunetly mine broke in half after two days but I got my money back and the other bikes still run. I own a police 750cc with a sidecar.
Go swimming in the river, find cave's no ones been down before, climb mountains or just chill by the river listening to music.
At night there are bars open till 8am where the locals chill (Bad Panda) and other expat bars where we hang out. We just started a 5 a side football team in Chinese league and really need new players (we are so rubbish). Police do not hassle you ever here, I have never heard a story of anyone being busted or harassed. Just respect the local people and you will not have a problem.
There are a lot of opportunities here more than anywhere else in the world right now, if you have the skills (and sometimes even if you don't) then you can make $$$ I speak no Chinese (even after 4 years, I know I'm bad) but I've owned a book shop and now a hostel all of which I built from what I created here.
This town has a really friendly expat community and I want more people to come join the party and put this place on the map for being more that just West Street (the famous tourist trap street).
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