Beijing, Xian and Shanghai in October

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  • fruitpie
    fruitpie Posts: 202
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    carly wrote:
    The forbidden city is a Must! Try to get to a less commercial part of the Great Wall if you can. Terracotta Army is amazing at Xian. Have a look at "Travelsphere's " tour brochures online. They go to all the tourist hotspots. the summer palace was good too. I really cant remember all the places we went too. It all went by in a blur! Can't wait to go back and do it all at our own speed.

    Hi Carly

    Thanks for that..

    so many places to see in the world and not enough time or money ..... although through Martin's site - we are saving loads ... so China maybe next year too. :j
  • nearlyrich
    nearlyrich Posts: 13,698
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    My OH fancies China for a holiday, is there a particular time of year that is better or worse to go there?
    Free impartial debt advice from: National Debtline or Stepchange[/CENTER]
  • tulip1_2
    tulip1_2 Posts: 24 Forumite
    Hi we are off to China in September with Kuoni doing a 9 day escourted tour, Beijing 3 nights, 2 nights Chengde, 2 nights Xian, 2 nights Shanghai then on to Sanya for 3 nights - the relaxing bit- finishing off in Hong Kong for 3 nights to shop. We were advised to go in September as it is not so hot or humid. Can not wait for the experience and I think you may be right Ianfao we will need another holiday to get over it!!! I will let you know how we get on. Any tips before we go would help.
  • Dasnookster
    Dasnookster Posts: 282 Forumite
    I went in April, the weather was good for sightseeing. The sun was out, but it was more jean/trousers and t-shirt weather, a bit too cold for shorts, but definitely warm enough not to need fleece.
    You never know how far you can fly, till you spread your wings.
  • fruitpie
    fruitpie Posts: 202
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    Hi Tulip1

    Glad to hear you are going too. What date do you fly out - we fly to Beijing on 27 September.
  • fruitpie
    fruitpie Posts: 202
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    jen_jen wrote:
    hey, im doing this tour in January so will you let me know how it goes and what is a must and what is a dont do. im going with travelscope, if you are too let me know if they are any good. enjoy

    on another post someone suggested the opera and ballroom dancing in the squares - hopefully they will return with more info

    Hi Jen-jen. Will let you know what we think, although we tend to like/accept everywhere we go - just have to take things for what they are, and enjoy. Thats the experience of travelling don't you think ?

    We booked flights and hotels with Thomas Cook, but will arrange our sightseeing trips ourselves. We dont like being " coached " around and going to jewelry,silk and tea, etc shops ... Cheers
  • 9 days is perfect for a quick tour, better to leave each city on a high I say! You could spend much more time in each, but 9 days is a lovely length trip.

    In Xian, hire bikes out (on the wall) and cycle around the wall (about 9 miles). Lovely views and you get to see Xian from a different view (the wall is about 30ft high, and about 9 miles long if I remember correctly).

    Shanghai - boat cruise to see the lights at night. Nanjing Che for shopping.

    Beijing - Eat duck! What else! (oh and Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tianamen Square etc)

    China is amazing.

    Don't be initimidated by people staring (you'll get a lot of it), they are just curious about westerners (assuming you're a westerner of course).

    Enjoy!
  • fruitpie
    fruitpie Posts: 202
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    Hi Bingobango

    Thanks for your input too.

    Coming home from Oz last year we stopped in Hong Kong for 10 days - had a ball there. After sleepy Perth - HK was a buzz - we loved it.

    Agree about them looking at you, we caught a tram on HK island just thinking it went along "the sea front" just like Blackpool !!! ended up way,way past Happy Valley Race Course and surrounded by very high rise flats (millions of little windows) when we finally plucked up courage to get off the tram - I think the natives thought we had landed from the moon... incidentely, they were all very friendly and helped us get on the correct tram back again... hardly any of them spoke English. We loved it ....

    How much time, roughly, will it take for us to see Forbidden City, T Square and Terracotta Warriors ? ... Cheers ...
  • Forbidden City, T Square - half dayish depending on how quick you walk through

    Terracotta Warriors - at least half a day, but it's prob about an hour outside Xian. It's overwhelming how many there are (you'll see ;> )
  • and remember, haggle haggle HAGGLE. It's only normally over a few pennies but great fun!
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