Youth Hostles In China

One day in the early 20^th century, a German teacher named Richard Schirman took his pupils on an outing, but an unexpected heavy rain ruined their day. Thus, the idea of establishing a hostel for young travel lovers was born in Mr. Schirrman¡¯s mind.

In 1912, the first youth hostel in the world was established in an ancient castle. The hostel was funded by public donations and government investment, and it offered services mainly for young people. Soon, many youth hostels were set up worldwide and became popular among young travelers. The hostels in many countries united and established the International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF), which has developed into the world¡¯s biggest hostel network, providing more than 30 million beds in 65 countries and serving 10 million guests a day.

China¡¯s first youth hostel was established in Guangdong Province in 1998, and today, China has over 30 youth hotels in such tourist cities as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Kunming, and Guilin. There are now six youth hostels in Beijing, offering 500 beds all together.

The success of the IYHF testifies to the special contribution offered by youth hostels to young people, especially those who travel with a backpack. Youth hostels are among the most simply equipped hostels in the world: no television sets in the guestrooms, no private bathrooms, and in many cases, no air-conditioners. You clean own room, boil your own water, wash your own clothes, and do your own cooking. You provide your own articles for daily use, such as toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Of course, youth hostels charge much less than hotels. According to the standard instituted by the IYHF, the charge per day for one guest should be equivalent to the price of a fast-food meal. The youth hostels in China charge 60 to 80 yuan per day, one tenth of cost of a room in a three-star hotel. Furthermore, youth hostels offer discounts during holidays.

Among the youth hostels in China, the Far East International Youth Hostel, established nearly a year ago, is known for its traditional Beijing features. The hostel is a converted siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard ) deep in a long, narrow hutong (back-street lane). It is surrounded by the famous Liulichang Street, the Zhengyici Teahouse, and the Guildhall of Hubei and Hunan Provinces (also known as the Beijing Museum of Traditional Opera).

The hostel is equipped with Internet bars and television rooms. Each guestroom has 4 to 6 beds, and each bed is equipped with a bedside lamp and a night table. The only electrical appliances in the guestrooms are an air-conditioner and an electric teakettle.

To help foreign tourists better understand traditional Chinese culture, the Far East International Youth Hostel organizes such activities as watching Beijing Opera, drinking at teahouses, flying kites, and hiking along the Great Wall. These activities not only present Chinese folk customs to foreign tourists but also promote friendship among the young people of different countries.

The best thing about the hostel is that you can have the real experience of soybean milk, then rent a bicycle form the hostel and ride along Chang¡¯an Avenue to Tian¡¯anmen Square, the largest city square in the world. On the square, you will see elderly people on their way to work. Going northwards through Tian¡¯anmen Square, you will enter the Forbidden City.

It will be noon when you leave the Forbidden City. Then, you can ride to the Wangfujing commercial district, where you will find the famous Snack Street and enjoy snacks from various areas around China. Then, you can do some shopping or by some souvenirs.

On your way back to the hostel, you can stop at Liulichang Street, where there are a wide variety of antiques, including bronze vessels from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties (16^th Century B.C ¨C 256B.C.), tricolor glazed pottery from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and porcelains from the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911).

After dinner, you can drink some tea at a nearby teahouse and enjoy traditional Chinese opera at a theater. You can even check your E-mail at the hostel¡¯s Internet bar.

In this way, you can touch the essence of Beijing much better than you could if you stayed in a luxurious hotel. No wonder youth hostels are popular among young tourists.