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I have been living in Shenzhen for 5 months now, and also stayed in Hong Kong, Macau, Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Guilin, Sanya, Xiamen and Dongguan for a few days in each city this year. First went to China last year, toured Beijing, Chengdu and HK.
And the conclusion is China is a boring country. What do you think? Boring or not?
Any fun things to do while in China? including HK and Macau.
Working, businesses and nightlife, seem there aren't anything more to offer in the city.
I have been living in Shenzhen for 5 months now, and also stayed in Hong Kong, Macau, Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Guilin, Sanya, Xiamen and Dongguan for a few days in each city this year. First went to China last year, toured Beijing, Chengdu and HK.
And the conclusion is China is a boring country. What do you think? Boring or not?
Any fun things to do while in China? including HK and Macau.
Working, businesses and nightlife, seem there aren't anything more to offer in the city.
Including Hong Kong? HK is a gorgeously beautiful city, with tons of things to do. Tons of hiking trails as well, as urban amenities. I couldn't possibly get bored in that city.
Regarding Shenzhen, I only visited, but that city DOES look boring. I don't find China boring, in general, but Shenzhen is way too shopping-focused for my tastes.
But, in general, nowhere is truly boring. There are always other things to do and other options, no matter where you are at. Shenzhen looked visually dull and boring to me as well, but I'm sure you could do something like 'study Chinese' and then suddenly it's not boring at all, as you are constantly inputting things into your brain.
Hong Kong is about as opposite as you can get from boring.
What I mean boring is not strict policies of a communist government or conservative society, both of which are no longer the case in modern China. The legacy of poverty lingers and people may still don't want to have more fun even when their wealth increased.
As for HK and Macau, they are more international, but people, locals or expats, seem to have most their activities related to money there. If you are a tourist, of course you will be exploring the places. And in China, including the SARs, social circles are important or else you can get extremely boring and isolated too. Most people in China aren't that keen in meeting new people, Chinese or foregin, without a clear intention.
What I mean boring is not strict policies of a communist government or conservative society, both of which are no longer the case in modern China. The legacy of poverty lingers and people may still don't want to have more fun even when their wealth increased.
As for HK and Macau, they are more international, but people, locals or expats, seem to have most their activities related to money there. If you are a tourist, of course you will be exploring the places. And in China, including the SARs, social circles are important or else you can get extremely boring and isolated too. Most people in China aren't that keen in meeting new people, Chinese or foregin, without a clear intention.
Okay, sounds like you ARE bored.
You create your own social circles. Why move to China to look for other people to invite you into their social circles?
Universally, when people move to new places, they find people in their similar situations, and they hangout with them. Or they find interests they share with others, and do them together. Or they do solo activities like read, write, study something.
What I mean boring is not strict policies of a communist government or conservative society, both of which are no longer the case in modern China. The legacy of poverty lingers and people may still don't want to have more fun even when their wealth increased.
As for HK and Macau, they are more international, but people, locals or expats, seem to have most their activities related to money there. If you are a tourist, of course you will be exploring the places. And in China, including the SARs, social circles are important or else you can get extremely boring and isolated too. Most people in China aren't that keen in meeting new people, Chinese or foregin, without a clear intention.
I can say the same to the US then.
Suppose a Chinese person immigrates to the US, do you think Americans are keen in meeting him and keeping him involved? It is a problem wherever you go. You are still in the phase of cultural shock and it will pass.
In fact Chinese people often go out with colleagues. If you work there, it'll be weird if your colleagues have not invited you to dinner, karaok etc.
However, normal Chinese people do NOT go to the bars or clubs like westerners. If "having fun" means getting drunk in a club and then dancing with hot girls/guys, China is not the place. They are truly more frugal too. Very few live paycheck to paycheck like young Americans.
If "having fun" means getting drunk in a club and then dancing with hot girls/guys, China is not the place.
I'm curious about the OP's definition of 'having fun' as well.
I think that kind of 'having fun' is ONLY possible in poor countries where a relatively rich foreigner has a huge advantage; or it's possible when a kid is still in college among their peers, and still experiencing young love, sex, etc.
It's not really the norm in 99% of the world's cities...not even in most U.S. cities. The odd thing is that I swear I have seen some foreigners with their own youtube channel, swear up and down, that China has been great for them socially. But, I guess, not all people have the same experiences.
I live in Guangzhou and I think it's a blast. I've been out literally every night this week, whether it's a nightclub, bar, or just hanging out and watching movies with friends... some of them locals, some of them other expats, but I'm never hurting for stuff to do.
Admittedly, GZ has more nightlife than SZ. I know you said you spent a few days in all these different cities but is a few days ever really enough to get a feel for a place? A lot of it depends on what sort of fun you want to have, too: if you want to have a mellow game night followed by live jazz with some friends (Monday), you're not likely to find it after two days in a city unless you already know people there. If you want to go to a huge expat taco party (which I throw every Tuesday) and mingle with <200 foreigners from all over the globe plus some locals, unless you know it's happening via an invite from a friend over wechat or happened to talk to someone at a bar who knew about it the previous night. If you want to go to laser tag with a group of 40 people (my birthday on Wednesday), you're not likely to just stumble upon a group like this walking from the Hyatt to the Chigang Pagoda. But, I've only been here nine months and I am in a few massive social circles, I throw parties that tons of people go to, I get invited to events constantly... the only time I'm bored is if I allow myself to be.
And I'm actually not a partier or socialite by any means. I'm a mellow, 31-year old metalhead from Boston who teaches kids to say "apple" during the day and makes tacos at night. The average Chinese person on the street may not want to be your bid, but there are plenty of Chinese folks from all walks of life who do actually want foreign friends and will be more than happy to seek you out. I've met a good dozen just riding the metro or standing at the store without my headphones, despite being 6'2, muscular, bearded, and having a mohawk
YMMV in any social situation of course, but I don't hardly think that life in China is "boring."
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