16 days in China - decisions with a couple places
 

We are 2 couples in our 50's going on a private tour. We are including Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin and a couple nights in Hong Kong. I recently spoke with someone who did not go to Guilin but rather went to Kunming and Lijiang. Lijiang sounds charming but I think is further West. Should we stick to the original plan (i.e. Guilin) for our first time to China?
Any suggestions Please!!!

Well, if you're flying it won't make so much difference, although it certainly would by train. Both places are overrun with tourists, including plenty of Chinese tourists. The scenery around Lijiang is more dramatic.

I'm sorry I can't help answer your question, but I almost missed it because it isn't tagged for China. You might ask the editors to tag it for you - you might get more responses that way.

Keep your plan. Yunnan province is out of the way and not as easy to travel to. You need one week just for that. You are already trying to do a bit too much for just 2 weeks. Given transportation between cities it is really just 10 days of visiting, or on average 2 days per place. Not much.

Thanks for the advice. My feeling was to stay with the original plan as I agree we are already cutting it fine. Hong Kong really should be another trip.
Thanks - I just needed a bit of confirmation.

I forgot to ask - We are 2 nights in Guilin. Should we stay the second night in Yangshuo after the Li River trip. We were planning on driving back. I'm hearing varied opinions on Yangshuo so thought we'd stay in one place to save another move since we are short on time. Can you fly from Yangshuo to HK or would we have to go back to Guilin?

You have to go back to Guilin to fly anywhere from Yangshuo. I think it's a lot of bother to switch hotels for one night. You would also have to take your luggage with you on the boat. We just took the bus back from Yangshuo to Guilin. IMHO If you had more than one night Yangshuo would be more appealing.

To the best of my knowledge, Guilin and Yangshuo use the same airport, you can go directly from Yangshuo to the airport without going back to Guilin.

If you are going to revisit China in the future, suggest you leave HK out this time and add a night to Yangshuo and Beijing or Shanghai for a nearby watertown.

Thanks for the advice. One more thing. Does anyone have a preference for a hotel in Shanghai? Would prefer a chain like Sheraton, Marriott etc.

Yangshuo is 1-2 hours from the Guilin airport depending on traffic, if there's none at all you can make it in under an hour. There are plenty of directs from Guilin to HKG. SZX may be cheaper.
I actually prefer the scenery in Yangshuo to Guilin and think it's much prettier, but it's easier to spend 2 nights in one place. I stayed in the Moondance Inn in Yangshuo - a great new boutique hotel there. Much better experience than the Sheraton in Guilin.

There is more than one Sheraton and Marriott in Shanghai, the JW Mariott is 2 blocks from city center People's Square; some Fodorites are staying this month with Marriott points at the Renaissance Yu Gardens, 1 Metro ride and a few blocks walk to city center. The Sheraton Hongkou is also close to city center.

Three shows have been offered to us during the trip. Not sure we need to see all of them as we have added the Yangshuo Impression Show. Any suggestions re the Peking Opera in Beijing, Tang Dynasty in Xian and the Acrobatic show in Shanghai. I think 2 or 3 will be ample.

From my report on my 2010 trip (click on my name to find it):

> Beijing Opera in Beijing

I ... took the metro to the Huguang Guildhall for a performance of Beijing Opera. I didn’t expect to enjoy the vocals, and I can’t say that I did. Still, I enjoyed the performance much more than I expected — the costumes and make-up and stagemanship and unexpected acrobatic elements were all memorable! And I found the theater quite special — it was small enough to feel intimate, tall enough to heighten the sense of theatricality, and very nicely decorated in a style that was (I thought) pleasantly understated.

> Tang Dynasty in Xi'an

... the Tang Dynasty Dinner Theater. That this dinner theater is clearly intended for tourists did not diminish my enjoyment at all. The “imperial banquet” included a number of dishes that varied in quality, but none were awful, some were quite good, and all were beautifully presented. I also appreciated getting to taste small portions of multiple dishes. (During my time in China, I almost always ordered only two dishes at any one meal. The food is so inexpensive that I could have ordered more, but I hate wasting things.) The show itself was enjoyable — gorgeous costumes and makeup, incredible staging and theatricality, a pleasing variety of performances, and some compelling musical pieces, including a memorable performance using a traditional instrument that the announcer said is rarely played today and that I had never seen or heard before. I’m glad I went.

(I didn't go to Shanghai.)

lynrak:

I can answer some of your questions, but it's probably best to do it with photos. I have four sets of photos from a 2007 trip: Beijing and vicinty including the wall at Mutianyu.
Xian and the terra cotta warriors. Guilin/Yangshuo including a Li River trip and the dramatic Sanje shows in Yangshuo.
Adn finally Shanghai in all its glory. I also have pics from a 1984 trip, another world.

Just send note and I can send the pics in four sets,
with appropriate hepful comments.

rozstu1 at aol dot com

No danger. I'm an old Fodor's member who makes frequent contributions on this Forum. kja, thursdaysd, shanghainese can all vouch for me. (or else!)

Stu Tower (click on my name for profile)

I most definitely vouch for Stu! (And it's great to see a post from you, Stu - I was just thinking that I hadn't seen anything from you for quite a while!)

I stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Shanghai. It was well located and very comfortable. I passed on the Acrobat show in favor of going to the Bund in the evening to stroll and enjoy the lights and the people. I think the tours do not give enough time in Shanghai. What a beautiful city. Try to see as much of it as you can! You can always watch the acrobats on YouTube!

kja...have only posted infrequently these past few months. I will try to pop in more often in the future. Thanks for the vouch! I will see Syd in Ventura this weekend. He'll have the spring tour schedule before the end of the year. He has a quick concert in Brooklyn in November. Stay well and keep on traveling!

Lynrac, I think you'd enjoy the acrobatics in Shanghai, also the Jade Buddha Temple (at 10 am for the ceremony) YuYuan Park, the tai chi early mornings at Peoples Park, strolling the bund and NanjingLu, the French Concession, etc. Shanghainesecan help you immensely...chime in Shanghainese!
stu

Good morning, Stu, here I am, hope all is well with you and DW!

Lynrac: Stu doesn't need vouching, DH and I had a mini GTG with him last year, he is a well known, prolific, published writer, extremely gracious and witty, we respected him incredibly and enjoyed his company immensely, could have chatted with him all day if we didn't need to leave and drive to our next destination.

I can't comment on shows since I don't go to them ("showed" out in my younger years), click on my name and check out the NOTES to see if there is any info that my assist you.

thanks guys. i'm also picky these days about shows. my husband is not keen on the opera one so maybe we'll pass on that one. the impression light show looks different and awesome as it's on the river. tang dynasty show beginning to realize is major touristy. oh well, we'll decide soon.

When is your trip?