Second China Trip Planning Help!
 

Hi All!

Well, my first trip to China (Shanghai/Beijing) was amazing. Thanks to everyone here who helped me plan. I'm looking at going back in 2014 since I have a 2 year Tourist visa ...

Can you guys assist me in recommendations? This time I'm thinking of Flying into Shanghai and then visiting 2-3 cities nearby, maybe by train or car?

So far, I think these are at the top of my list:
Suzhou
Hangzhou

Not sure about these cities:
Huanshan - little far but looks amazing. Not sure how logistics would work with this.
Ningbo - is this worth going to? I don't know much about this place ...

Any other recommendations?

Thanks!!

On the face of it, I'm not impressed by your plan. There's nothing wrong with Suzhou and Hangzhou, but if you've already done Shanghai/Beijing I would think you'd want to see something really different. Mt. Huangshan I have mixed feelings about but most people really like it a lot, though I like the villages nearby and it fits with a trip to this area. Ningbo has nothing for you if you aren't there on business.

But without additional information, such as...
--how long is the trip?
--what month(s) are you likely to come (hint: summer is worst time)
--do you have any specific interests or limitations

...I wouldn't be able to make better and meaningful recommendations.

Probably 10-14 days.

I'd likely plan a Spring or Fall visit and avoid summer. No limitations ... Thanks for the input on Ningbo.

I like Huangshan (I'm sure jiejie knows this, but "Mt. Huangshan" means "Mt. Yellow Mountain" :)). Scenically, it's beautiful and China has done a nice job making it accessible to tourists. I agree with jiejie that the little towns around it are interesting, and a definite "must see" if you're going to be there. Here are some photos of Huangshan and some of the towns.

http://midium.org/CRW_4586.jpg

http://midium.org/CRW_4715-small.jpg

http://midium.org/CRW_4693a.jpg

http://midium.org/CRW_4621.jpg

http://midium.org/CRW_4740-small.jpg

http://midium.org/CRW_4931a-small.jpg

http://midium.org/CRW_4933a.jpg

http://midium.org/CRW_5102-small.jpg

http://midium.org/CRW_5012.jpg

Great idea - Huashan (well, that's how I learned to spell it - unless it's a different place? But it looks the same) is really spectacular. I didn't get to see all the villages around it, though - they look very interesting. Anyway, Huashan is pretty close to Xi'an (2-3 hours or so by bus), so it would make sense to see the terra cotta warriors and other sites nearby, too.

I didn't realize Huangshan was so close to Xi'an. I love Xi'an -- there's so much more to see and do than just the terracotta warriors (though, of course, they are a must see -- another attraction that China has done particularly well). I'd give Xi'an at least a few days. We spent 10 or 12 days there and didn't exhaust what the city has to offer.

Nice photos you supplied of Yellow Mtn.

There is a mtn in Hunan prov. with a glass pathway 4700 ft elevation drop.
That's looks pretty fun!

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/ima.../tianmen04.jpg

http://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/...ed4fed7c5a.jpg

http://enpundit.com/wp-content/uploa...n-mountain.jpg

Aaagh! No! That looks like torment.

A pair of split pants would be useful for that journey:D

Oh my god! I could NEVER do that walk. I have a mortal fear of heights.

Ha!

What about the guys that built it?
Safety harness? Nah, those things just get on your way.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hsxHLLSKMY...600/china4.jpg

http://xandreverkes.files.wordpress....e014.jpg?w=960

http://xandreverkes.files.wordpress....e011.jpg?w=960

As my wife frequently says, China doesn't value the lives of individuals as we do in the west. Then again, my grandfather on my father's side was an iron worker in NYC -- I could never do that, either.

[QUOTE=PTravel;20844451] Then again, my grandfather on my father's side was an iron worker in NYC --QUOTE]

A proud group, no doubt! Local 40 and 361.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/...33_634x422.jpg

[QUOTE=anacapamalibu;20844534]You're really trying to give me an anxiety attack, aren't you. :)

Geography lesson:

1) HUANGSHAN is in Anhui province. Huangshan Mountain = Yellow Mountain and it is about one hour away from Huangshan City = Tunxi. Closest large city is Hangzhou.
2) HUASHAN is in Shaanxi province. Closest large city is Xi'an. Famous for it's rickety old plank walk. Actually has some fairly dangerous paths.
3) WULINGYUAN is in Hunan province and is often synonymous with "Zhangjiajie" which is the closest town. The area's Tianmen Mountain is the location of the glass walkway pictured above.

Suggested for the OP, all easy to arrange, with good infrastructure and intercity primarily flight (no overnight trains) with shorter distances option for private car or cheaper intercity coach.

Plan A: Arrive intl to Shanghai, transfer to Suzhou (2 days including Tongli water town). By train or road to Hangzhou (2 days including transport). Road to Mount Huangshan, ascend and overnight at summit (1 day). Much of day on mountain, descend afternoon return to Huangshan City (1 day). Daytrip to Yixian villages (Hongcun, Mukeng, Xidi), return to Huangshan and overnight (1 day). Coach to Nanjing, rest of day + following day in Nanjing (2 days). Bullet train back to Shanghai for rest of day (1 day). That's 10 days in a loop route with no backtracking. Lots of good infrastructure in this area so things can be sequenced in alternative ways.

Plan B: Fly intl to Guangzhou, connect to Guilin. Area includes Rice Terraces and Yangshuo (total of 5 days), fly to Hangzhou (1 day), road to Mount Huangshan, ascend and overnight at summit (1 day). Much of day on mountain, descend afternoon return to Huangshan City (1 day). Daytrip to Yixian villages (Hongcun, Mukeng, Xidi), return to Huangshan and evening flight to Shanghai (1 day). Shanghai (1 day) w/possible daytrip to Suzhou. Total of 10 days. Also can be done in reverse, open-jawing into Shanghai and out of Guangzhou.

Plan C: Arrive intl either PEK or PVG, connect to Xi'an (2 days). Fly to Jiuzhaigou and see Huanglong Park before heading for overnight at Jiuzhaigou village area (1 day). Jiuzhaigou Park (1 day). Fly to Chengdu, rest of day in city plus extra time to see Pandas, Leshan, other area stuff tbd(3 days total). Fly to Wuxi, taxi transfer to Suzhou (2 days including water town), quick bullet to Shanghai for rest of day (1 day). That's 10 days. Also easy to arrange. With one extra day, can add a daytrip to Mt. Huashan out of Xi'an (by bullet train, not by road). With two extra days, add Huashan and Luoyang (Longmen Grottoes) which is also on the bullet train line.

Around Shanghai, there's Nanjing if you want scenery and history; Huangshan, as mentioned, and Ningbo if you want beautiful scenery all around. Don't bother spending time in Shanghai, it's just a big city with no personality and no history.

Well that just isn't true.

+1. I didn't appreciate Shanghai much during my first several go arounds, but now I think it is an amazing place.

+2

Not sure what makes you think that but I was in Shanghai in April and thought it was awesome.

Birthplace of the Chinese Communist Party. Rules more people than
any other government.

jiejie Thank you for the above suggestions.

Planning to visit after OCT 13. Fly into PVG and and try to do Plan C.

How do I arrange all this ?

Aim to finifh in PEK and join a land tour for 5 days for $ 299 PP.

Fly out to BOM aand return in 60 days to PEK / PVG to return to ORD All American Airlines SWUs.

Thanks.

Before we get to the how-tos, some clarifications?
--Have you already made TPAC flight arrangements?
--Is the land tour you are talking about just for Beijing and surrounding city? You do know that you can easily do BJ on your own but I'm assuming you're attracted by price of $299. Dissect that tour itinerary with a fine scalpel, since I'd bet a bunch of it is spent on required "factory" (shopping visits). These too-good-to-be-true deals usually have a catch. Remember to value your time into the equation.
--Taking this tour off the table in favor of DIY would have me alter Plan C with TPAC to PEK first then Xi'an, JZG, Chengdu, over to Jiangsu and PVG-BOM flight.
--Insisting on including this tour would have me suggest reversing Plan C to fly into PVG, do Shanghai and Suzhou area then Chengdu, JZG, Xi'an then Beijing for the tour before you go to India.
--On way back from India to USA, since it will be mid-December, suggest you stick with PVG as your first choice of TPAC connection. PEK more prone to weather issues and delays.

DIY for China domestic arrangements should ALWAYS follow the long-haul international confirmations. It is way too early to make any sort of China bookings...you won't need to deal with any of that until early September, believe it or not. If you haven't already done so, go to our China Master Transportation Thread and read the front sections, particularly post 2 on Intercity Domestic Flights since in some ways, the system is counterintuitive to the USA domestic setup on booking timings.

I disagree.