Beijing and Shanghai for 11 days

[LWZ]

Since Beijing is a must, perhaps you should allocate 3 nights to Shanghai for your group to visit the checklist sites ie. The Bund, Yuyuan etc. Personally I dislike Shanghai after having visited thrice. And since Beijing is a must, you can devote another trip for the other Yangtze Delta cities, so as to give more time to Beijing. For Beijing alone, you can plan a day each for the main city sights, such that you might never have to visit Beijing again. A trip to the Great Wall, for instance, takes up the major part of a day. Perhaps Chengde, the summer retreat as well. Another full day.

Is Chengde worth a day trip ?

Have 3 free solo days in Beijing for my upcoming trip to spare. Will already be seeing the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven other times.

 

[beanstalk6]

Is Chengde worth a day trip ?

Have 3 free solo days in Beijing for my upcoming trip to spare. Will already be seeing the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven other times.

Only if you are not expecting a bout of fatigue of palaces from the Qing Dynasty by then. Chengde is also a Summer Palace, a sprawling resort in the mountains outside Beijing. Are you visiting the Great Wall already?

 

[LWZ]

Only if you are not expecting a bout of fatigue of palaces from the Qing Dynasty by then. Chengde is also a Summer Palace, a sprawling resort in the mountains outside Beijing. Are you visiting the Great Wall already?

Not this trip. Already visited the Great Wall twice, in 2001 and 2019. Can't remember which sections, but went there from Beijing city centre.

Big fan of Qing and modern Chinese history, including the Sino-Jap war and Manchukuo.

 

[beanstalk6]

Not this trip. Already visited the Great Wall twice, in 2001 and 2019. Can't remember which sections, but went there from Beijing city centre.

Big fan of Qing and modern Chinese history, including the Sino-Jap war and Manchukuo.

Have you visited Marco Polo Bridge? I suggest dropping the Summer Palace in Beijing if you are going to Chengde. How about the Ming Tombs?

 

[LWZ]

Have you visited Marco Polo Bridge? I suggest dropping the Summer Palace in Beijing if you are going to Chengde. How about the Ming Tombs?

hmmm, can't drop SP cos local colleagues have arranged for me to visit it

trip is a mix of work and personal, and there's a weekend within the work duration, which is when the SP visit will occur

thanks, will add 卢沟桥 and 明十三陵 to my list

 

[fxssg12345]

hmmm, can't drop SP cos local colleagues have arranged for me to visit it

trip is a mix of work and personal, and there's a weekend within the work duration, which is whenthe SP visit will occur

thanks, will add 卢沟桥 and 明十三陵 to my list

[edit: my 3 free solo days exclude the semi-work touring]

I would recommend Qing west or east tomb instead of Ming tomb if you big fan of Qing. Alongside forbidden city + summer place + gong wang fu.

Ming tombs usually combine with badaling great wall for day trip

 

[beanstalk6]

The Ming Tombs are accessible by Beijing subway, whereas the Qing tombs are to the east and west of Beijing, in Hebei.

 

[carey]

Just came back from Beijing and Shanghai

Didn't really do a lot of site visits as we aren't really into historical stuff

And if you take those out of the itinerary, there's not a lot much left to do hahah

Word of advice - don't bother going to the Beijing Zoo, it's very poorly maintained and hardly anything to see

Getting around was very easy with Amap - we navigated their MRT with no issues

Oh, don't rely on Google reviews - many of the places aren't updated and have closed down

 

[beanstalk6]

Word of advice - don't bother going to the Beijing Zoo, it's very poorly maintained and hardly anything to see

Getting around was very easy with Amap - we navigated their MRT with no issues

Oh, don't rely on Google reviews - many of the places aren't updated and have closed down

Beijing Zoo is huge and quite ordinary as a major zoo, if not for some of the animals which are unique to China. Don't rely on Google for the whole of China. Since the Chinese are not able to access Google, they cannot update the reviews in there.

 

[carey]

Beijing Zoo is huge and quite ordinary as a major zoo, if not for some of the animals which are unique to China. Don't rely on Google for the whole of China. Since the Chinese are not able to access Google, they cannot update the reviews in there.

Not only was it ordinary, the animals were in quite poor conditions and kept in filthy enclosures

Our Mandai Zoo is light years ahead

Yes, using Xiao Hong Su is much better; but there is a language issue as our Chinese sucks hahah

 

[beanstalk6]

Not only was it ordinary, the animals were in quite poor conditions and kept in filthy enclosures

Our Mandai Zoo is light years ahead

Yes, using Xiao Hong Su is much better; but there is a language issue as our Chinese sucks hahah

Wait till you visit the Johor and Malacca zoos. I visited the Beijing Zoo again in the winter of 2023. There were improvements over my first visit in 2008- less cages and the pandas did not roll in their own filth.

Xiaohongshu has many reviews, just watch out for phantom, self-serving or sabotage reviews.

 

[Windowlover]

Any hotel recommendation to stay near airport to station as traveling to Beijing, Xi an and Shanghai as first trip planning in Oct / Nov 25 ?

 

[Garlic & Butter]

Search "Longyang Road" station (non-stop Maglev train, takes 10 mins to Airport) or stay at those airport hotels

But Maglev is every 20/30mins, and after alighting, is a 10-15mins walk to departure level. Waiting + boarding + journey + march towards T1/ T2 departure hall + there is a security checkpoint (need to scan all luggage + empty pocket etc) will be easily >45mins

Or stay anywhere near Lujiazui/ Century Avenue and take taxi. door to door abt 45mins. You will alight at the departure hall level and dont have to pass through any security checkpoint (ie. scan luggage + empty pockets)

 

[jywy2005]

For Beijing, best to stay in Dongzhimen station. It is one of the stations at the Airport Express line. There is Rafflles city and Ascott serviced apartment around the station.

 

[LWZ]

Anyone stayed in Atour chain of hotels before ? How was it ?

 

[jywy2005]

Anyone stayed in Atour chain of hotels before ? How was it ?

Decent business class hotel chain. They usually have laundry rooms and breakfast buffets.

Similar to Hanting and Rujia. But more expensive.

Just came back from Beijing. They accept visa /mastercard payment at subway stations. So can use Google or ApplePay

Do plan a trip to Universal studios Beijing..if you like theme park. Can also visit Gubei old town which is next to Simatai Great Wall.

Didi is cheap in Beijing. Taxi starting meter fare is $2.20 CNY.. A lot of empty cabs on the road..

Be careful when crossing the roads. Watch out for scooters, bicycles and cars which will not necessarily stop for pedestrians at crossings..

 

[dilphinus]

Can also visit Gubei old town which is next to Simatai Great Wall.

This is such a tourist trap. There are other water towns where you don't have to pay for entry.

 

[rrr2015]

Do plan a trip to Universal studios Beijing..if you like theme park. Can also visit Gubei old town which is next to Simatai Great Wall.

gubei old town (real old town meh?) looks stunning with simatai as backdrop. gotta add this into my wishlist if i visit china again

 

[dilphinus]

gubei old town (real old town meh?) looks stunning with simatai as backdrop. gotta add this into my wishlist if i visit china again

Stunning??????

I thought it's pretty meh and a waste of time and money.

Which other old towns and water towns have you been to?

 

[rrr2015]

Stunning??????

I thought it's pretty meh and a waste of time and money.

Which other old towns and water towns have you been to?

based on photo from klook since there are hardly any photos in this travel forum. i like what i saw with opportunity to hike simatai again. well maybe there are better ones but for now this good enough
https://s.klook.com/c/lwNMA6_Lyr

i haven't been to China for very long time, no intention to visit yet.