Q&A: Planning Family Trip to China?
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December 18th, 2010
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Question by Dafan: Planning Family Trip to China?
My adventurous family and I are planning a trip to China in June 2010. We are planning to arrange all travel ourselves and stay in non-Western hotels. I’m a teacher, and I hope to see the sights while avoiding (to the greatest extent) having a typical tourist experience. I especially hope to get a sense of China’s past (philosophies, history) vs. her present/future, and to be an observer of Chinese “life”.
I would love to hear advice from experienced travelers to China! Here’s our basic itinerary. I’m struggling over whether to stay in Guilin or just go to Yongshuo instead. Thoughts??
Beijing – 5 days (4 nights) – Great Wall, Forbidden City/Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Back Lakes, Daoist/Buddhist temples, Panjiayuan Jiuhuo Shichang Shopping District
Xi’an – 1.5 days (2 nights) – Terracotta Warriors, City Wall/Muslim Quarter, Wild Goose Pagoda, museum
Shanghai – 3 days (3 nights) The only guided tour I have planned is in Shanghai (includes Bund, Yu Yuan Gardens, Jade Buddha, Pudong, Xin Tiandi, People’s Square). Also plan to see Old Chinese City, French Concession, take the Maglev train, and am debating the Huangpu River Cruise
Guilin/Yongshuo – 1.5 days (2 nights) Don’t know which one to see, but I want to do the Li River Cruise. I’ve heard it’s 1/2 the cost if you start in Yongshuo.
Hong Kong – 4 days (4 nights) Repulse Bay, beach, Lantao Island, ???
Best answer:
Answer by Collen
That’s an ambitious itinerary! How old are your children? Traveling in China can be very tiring, regardless of your age, but your children may need more downtime than you, especially while they’re adjusting to the time difference. As China Traveler pointed out, your hectic schedule doesn’t leave much time for interaction with Chinese. One activity I would suggest is to take in some parks — Beijing has wonderful parks and you might want to go early some morning (say 6 a.m.-ish) to view all the activity such as ballroom dancing and exercises that go on. Later in the day, parks could provide a chance for your kids to play with Chinese kids (if it’s after school or on a weekend) and for you to interact with their parents. Language could be a problem, but smiles go a long way!
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Dec 18th, 2010 at 2:31 am
Well I just got back from China about 4 days ago and it’s amazing there! I went to Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai. I went to pretty much all of the places you plan on going to. I’m not an experienced China traveler but in Xi’an be careful at the muslim market its very crowded and there are pick pockets. It didn’t happen to me but it happened to my friend. The only other advice i can give is take tons of pictures, enjoy the time you have there (i miss china already haha) and just be friendly with everyone. Chinese people are very friendly and kind. Have fun! Oh and don’t drink the water! Buy bottled water to drink and brush your teeth!
Dec 18th, 2010 at 2:52 am
All of these places you want to visit are the main tourist cities in China. I know the Company (the website is http://easytourchina.com), which specializing in Tailor-made Tours, The itinerary can be worked out upon your requirement. So if you are interested in it, you can focus on the website. Maybe they can help you to modify your itinerary, to make sure your travel is more smooth and comfortable. Hoping you have a nice travel !
Dec 18th, 2010 at 3:15 am
Wow! That’s quite a plan. How old are your children? You don’t seem to have any time to rest! China is pretty full on, just make sure you plan some ‘rest days’, even as an adult traveling, I know I needed them.
Also- how are you getting to each place? All those places are at least an hour by flight, if not more each, and all a good 12+ hours train journey.
Shanghai to Yangshuo is nearly 24 by train.
All that traveling is going to be very tiring! Just something to think about.
You seem to have got all the main places in though, like I said in another answer for you, got straight to Yangshuo, If you have children, it’s great!
Hong Kong again, great for the kids, Disney Land, Ocean park and the beaches are good fun.
I can’t comment on Shanghai, but it’s meant to be great.
Xian is good, the Teracotta army is unbelievable!
Beijing, again, good…very big, lots of walking.
It’s a good plan, but maybe a bit too much crammed in. Like I said, even as an adult, looking at that plan I’m thinking – I’m going to be tired!
Good Luck!
Dec 18th, 2010 at 3:33 am
definitely go on the night boat trip in Shanghai of the city, it is all lit up and absoultely BEAUTIFUL! costs 50 yuan but totally well worth it! Flick me an email baby_banana_fone@hotmail.com i went to China for 3 weeks last year in April and i will never ever forget the experience!!!!
Cheers!
Dec 18th, 2010 at 3:35 am
You may need a vacation after your vacation, as your schedule is quite extensive. Have fun and enjoy your trip.
There are surprisingly few foreign hotels in China, though more are being built every year. Most Chinese hotels are stand-alone or domestic chains. If this is your first trip to Asia you may be stunned by the grandeur of an ordinary 3 star hotel here. The service levels in China are on a fundamentally higher level than in western countries. Want a private dining room at a restaurant? Usually no problem and at no additional cost.
I have lived in Shanghai for the last 5 years and am absolutely sold on the place. Life is genuinely better here than in western countries. I especially enjoy the positive attitude that Chinese workers project, unlike back home where my fellow countrymen have bad attitudes and no pride.
Here are links to Chinese travel sites, so you can look at potential accomodations. Both sites are available in Manadarin and English.
Dec 18th, 2010 at 3:38 am
Two suggestions:
1, In Shanghai, you can see some old-low house not far from the Bund.
2, In Guilin, if you start your Li River cruise in Yangshuo, the cost saved 1/2. But the highlights saved 3/4. You decide.
Dec 18th, 2010 at 4:20 am
I would suggest you avoid the Huangpu River cruise. It’s boring! I had a cruise 1.5 years ago.
Dec 18th, 2010 at 4:43 am
Welcome to Hong Kong, the Pearl of Orient where East meets West! If you like Lantau Island and are not in a rush in going to places as I understand from your other posts that you’ve been to the City many times, stay in the Silvermine Bay Hotel located in Silvermine Bay of Lantau. It has the cheapest rate in town, around US$50 per night, however there’s no road that connects to Silvermine Bay from the Airport. You’ve to take the shuttle bus or MTR to Central then catch a ferry from the Central Pier right outside IFC Building. The ferry trip takes about 20 minutes, a very nice ride if you like the sea and not in a rush.
Another beautiful mountain and sea areas is Sai Kung, there’s a Seafood Street where you can handpick life seafood, have the restaurant cook them any way you like and enjoy in front of the sea. If you’re into the nature, there’s a beautiful Maclehose Trail that stretches from Sai Kung, in the eastern side of the New Territories all the way to the west. The entire trail takes more than 10 days to walk, you’ve to know where the exits are if you dont plan to finish the whole trail, it’s free to enter and exit, just bring enough water and a mobile, and do not go there at night time, just in case, there may be some illegal immigrants hiding in the bushes. There’re some small but beautiful beaches in Sai Kung, many big and mini buses go there.
There’s also a beautiful trail up in the Peak that goes all the way down to Aberdeen.
Check http://www.discoverhongkong.com and have a wonderful time in a wonderful city!
Dec 18th, 2010 at 5:08 am
By saying non-western hotels, do you mean Chinese-owned western style hotel, or Chinese-styled hotel? Because there are huge differences between both.
Seeing your itinerary, I cannot help but saying to myself: is it not the typical tourist experience you’re avoiding? Because most of your destination points ARE tourist spots. But again, if this is your first time to China, then it’s unavoidable.
There are ways, however, to get a unique non-typical tourist experience from these tourist spots. Let me share you a few:
1. Great Wall: rent a car with its driver, go to Mutianyu. You have to leave at 5/6 in the morning, upon returning you can drop by Summer Palace and Bird’s nest en route back to the hotel. Take an early rest, you’re having a jet lag.
2. Temple of Heaven: go to Temple of Heaven REALLY early in the morning to observe Chinese “life” (take subway, bus, or taxi depends on where you stay). Continue to Panjiayuan, then take taxi to Qian Men Street (don’t miss Da Shi Lan alley) and Tian’an Men Square, proceed to Forbidden City and go out from the north gate to Jingshan Park (a must do). Beihai Park if you still have the time/energy.
3. Yonghegong Lama Temple, Confucius Temple (just nearby), taxi to Drum/Bell Tower, Nanluoguxiang Hutong/alley, Back Lake until evening.
4. Leave really early in the morning to Cuandixiacun and several cultural villages around there (get a car/driver). About 3-hour drive to the western part of Beijing. You’ll get a full dosage of cultural intake there
5. From Beijing, take flights that arrive at Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG) and take Maglev to Longyang Road.
6. Take the Bund cruise, in the night. Breathtaking view. Although Shanghai is definitely no match for Beijing in term of historical/cultural travel.
7. If you’d really like cultural experience, I suggest you to spend less time in metropolitan Shanghai and take a day trip to Suzhou (1 hour train) and allocate another day/night in Hangzhou (1.5 hour train) visit West Lake and enjoy the atmosphere. Suzhou’s gardens and Hangzhou’s West Lake are essential parts of Chinese culture since ancient times, but Shanghai has just begun its history from 1900s (unless you’re planning to visit the World Expo). You can leave for Guilin/Yangshuo from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport.
8. Go straight to Yangshuo and don’t bother to visit Guilin.
9. Hong Kong: visit http://www.discoverhongkong.com, they have very extensive resource about Hong Kong. My recommendation: Hong Kong’s famous markets (Stanley, Aberdeen, Temple Street, etc), Victoria Peak, Harbor Cruise/Symphony of Lights, Ngong Ping/Lantau Island, go to Disneyland if your children would like to, although Hong Kong’s Disneyland is very small and incomparable to Paris’ or Japan’s.
10. No, no beach in Hong Kong. You go to Bali or Phuket for that. You do shopping and feast gluttonously on Cantonese food in Hong Kong.
11. Spend a day in Macau if you like (about an hour cruise). You can take ferry in the morning and get back to Hong Kong in the afternoon. Careful not to spend too much money in the casinos.
12. You said you’re going to have a tour guide only in Shanghai? You must speak some Chinese or prepare considerable amount of money to get around conveniently in China. Else, prepare to get ripped off or get a ruined mood for communication problems. Another way to get around this is to get ALL your destinations written in Chinese (I mean it, contact me for this).
13. Make sure prepare yourself and your family so they come in a fit condition. Yes, you might need another vacation after this vacation, lol.
Phew, that’s a long list. Pm me if you need more info about transportation or the Chinese style hotel you wish for. I can help you plan your trip better. Yes, it’s free of charge, don’t worry about it