3 - 3 1/2 weeks in China

My husband and I are planning a trip to China and would like to spend around 3 l/2 weeks there. I%26#39;ve played around with an itinerary and would really appreciate any input, suggestions or deletions. We are independent travelers in our early 60%26#39;s and are in good health. From everything I%26#39;ve read, I don%26#39;t think we%26#39;ll need guides for most places. We don%26#39;t mind hiring drivers or guides when needed, but really do enjoy discovering places and things ourselves. We love the adventure, but are always cautious. Also, we hate to keep moving from one place to another every day or two, so the ideal time at each place for us is around 3-4 days. But, we do understand that if there%26#39;s not much to see, then less days is an option.

I%26#39;ve listed the places and amount of time that we would like to spend at each location:

Arrive Beijing and spend 4 nights

2 nights Xian

4 nights Hong Kong

2-3 nights Guilin/Long Sheng

2 nights Yangshuo

1-2 nights Suzhou %26amp; Tongli

3-4 nights Shanghai %26amp; then home

We are open to all ideas and opinions and really do appreciate any advice. We%26#39;ve had wonderful experiences with Trip Advisor forums in the past and have done some wonderful trips because of all of you.

Thank you.

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3 - 3 1/2 weeks in China

in Shanghai,3-4 nights will be quite relaxing trip:)

Since you will go to Suzhou, I think you could skip Yu Yuan Garden. You will have enough garden trips in Suzhou:) But Yu Yuan bazaar is a place worth t opay a visit, esp the steamed-bun in Nanxiang Steamed-bun Restaurant. Yummy yummy! And around that area you will find a old neighborhood %26amp; dongtai road antique market.

the Bund is also a landmark in Shanghai, it deserves to visit both in day time and night time, at night, you could choose to take a river cruise on the Huangpu river.

East Nanjing Road, walking street is a shopping street, at night will be very pretty with all the lights-up.

People%26#39;s Square area: Shanghai museum, Shanghai urban planning exhibition center, people%26#39;s park. Shanghai museum now is free to public, don%26#39;t go at the weekends, lots of people and you might need to wait for a very long queue. But it%26#39;s definitely worth to go, thousands of masterpieces in it, my favorite is the hall of ancient sculpture.

Lujiazui financial zone, 3 highest buildings in that area, very modern place in Shanghai. SWFC is the highest one, but you need to wait for quite long queue. Pearl TV Tower with a Shanghai history museum inside it%26#39;s worth to visit. Shanghai history museum is not that kind of normal museum. You will enjoy the models of Shanghai during different period. Jinmao tower is the 3rd highest among those 3, and the price is also cheapest, but you could try to have a drink on 87th floor without paying any entrance fee. ( observation deck is 88th floor)

Walking around former French Concession is a must. I recommend in the morning, walking around Fuxing Park, you will see lots of people, doing drum dancing, taichi, singing... then Tianzifang is place you can%26#39;t miss, old Shanghai ';gate stone'; architecture with coffee bars and restaurants inside. You will find local people actually still live upstairs:D. Xintiandi is also a place for ';gate stone'; architecture, but it%26#39;s so new after the renovation.(Anyway it%26#39;s so a fancy place:) Changle Road %26amp; Huashan Road area it also a nice place for wandering around.

BTW Suzhou is quite famous for silk items and the price is very competitive there. The place I recommend, tiger hill, West Garden Temple ( 500 original arhat statues), and lots of gardens, I like lingering garden, and humble Humble Administrator%26#39;s Garden, they are both 4 most famous gardens in China. I will choose to stay one night at ancient water town ( like tongli you chose). Choose a good guesthouse with ancient style beds %26amp; garden, special:D

3 - 3 1/2 weeks in China

ONE trouble for you is that you arrive in Beijing and leave from Shanghai but you want to go Hong Kong so you must have apply second Visa into China from Hong Kong.

Based on your info the best traveling route is as follow:

Arrive Beijing and spend 4 nights. That is enough. and at evening of the 4th day take by the train from Beijing to Xian (1200km) lasting about 11-13 hours. There are many trains daily. This is the best and cheaper way.

2 nights in Xian would be OK. and then take by flight from Xian to Guilin (about 2000km) lasting about less than 2 hours.

2 nights in Guilin, 1 night in Long Sheng and 2 nights in Yangshuo is great. and then at evening of the last day in Guilin take by T37 (21:48--10:23) from Guilin to Shenzhen (1040km) lasting about 12 hours 35 minutes. This is the cheapest way to Hong Kong.

Arrive in Shenzhen and then transfer from Shenzhen to Hong Kong by bus or train or train.

4 nights Hong Kong. and then take by train or flight from Hong Kong to Shanghai.

Arrive in Shanghai and take by train or take by bus

from Shanghai to Suzhou (84km).

1 night in Suzhou and 1 night in Tongli. back to shanghai.

3-4 nights Shanghai %26amp; then home.

Hi,

You can also change the order like this, Shanghai, Beijing, Xi%26#39;an, Guilin and HK. One entry visa is ok.

Train tickets are not easy to buy, you need to wait in long queue, and you need someone who can speak English for help. When you sleep on the train, please note that there are four sleeper berths inside one cabin, two up ones and two down. Someone esle will share the cabin with you. And please keep the train tickets until you get out of the destination, the staff will double check your tickets when you going out of the %26#39;gate exit%26#39;. If you lost them, you need to pay the tickets again.

You can book the air in trought the internet, you can visit www.ctrip.com. Ask your air agent book the international flights together with the domestic ones. You will get good price for the entire air package.

Itinerary is ok, you can collect some place must-see in hand beforehand.

Hi Cuteminmin %26amp; Travelingislife2008,

Cuteminmin,

Thanks you sooo much for all the information on Shanhai. I will keep all of it and use it for our time there. So much to see and so interesting.

Travelingislife,

I%26#39;ve changed our itinerary to either arrive or depart HK. It makes so much better sense. Thanks for your help.

Zingal