You don't need to join a group to go to China. Backpackers can roam the country for $5 a day, and those willing to pay more can travel first-class without a guide. China Off The Beaten Track tells how. There's detailed coverage of 100 cities: where to stay, what to see, how to get there. Walking tours lead through streets of ramshackle wooden houses to lively markets, crowded teahouses, and abandoned temples. Unusual travel suggestions abound: bussing from Hong Kong to Shanghai, boating down the Mekong, and hitching to Tibet. In addition there are thought-provoking essays on Chinese history, politics, economics and culture, a phrase book and over 20 maps.
