1st time Asia which tour?
#1
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1st time Asia which tour?
My wife and I would like to go to China in October for about 21 days.Which tour company would you recommend? We have been told to see Hong Kong,Singapore,and Bangkok.Is 21 days enough to see all this?We are in our late sixties and are good travellers so we would appreciate any input we can get from all you experienced travellers.
#3
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Manny: I hope you're planning on a cruise on the Yangtze while you're there. Would be a real shame to go to China without seeing the river and what is being done there. And perhaps Bangkok could be saved for another time--there's more than enough to do in China for three weeks. I did a 3 week Overseas Adventure Travel tour last June and would be happy to answer any questions.
#4
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Manny: There are many good tour companies. We used Pacific Delight on the reccommendation of our Chinese Friends. We live in the San Francisco area and have many Chinese Friends. They suggested that we do a tour for our first trip to China; even though we have travelled independently all over the world. We found that Pacific Delight has two levels of touring. One is a "value" level which is really not that much different in price. However, it offered Hotels one class lower than the top level tour and was perfect for us, since we have no interest in staying in High Rise Western Style Hotels when we travel. The dress was more casual and the attitude allowed us to focus on what we were seeing instead of what we were wearing. We had a primary guide that stayed with us through the whole trip and local guides would meet us at each destination. We really enjoyed Pacific Delight's flexability. I was selected Group Spokeperson by the Group and whenever we wanted to see something other than what was on our formal itinerary, the guide would confirm the Group's desire and make the change. Sometimes this was an addition. Sometimes it was in lieu of. We were in our early sixties when we did this trip (1995) and have never regreted taking a tour. We are now planning our first independent trip to more remote parts of China this year. Get hold of some tour company brochures. You can do this off the internet. They will be happy to send them to you. I would focus the 21 days on China. Pacicic Delight has a tour that does the the significant part of the Yangtze, Shanghai, Huangzhou, Wuxi, a Grand Canal Trip, Suzhou, Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Guangzhou and ending in Hong Kong. This would give you a very good look at China; a little short on the countryside, but you will get som of that gpoing from location to location by coach. You are going to have a great time. If I can answer any questions, please email me.
#5
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I would second Pacific Delight Tours (www.pacificdelighttours.com). They are the largest tour wholesaler from North America to China and the Orient, and were the first US-based tour operator to do business with China when relations were normalized with the US.
Because of their large purchasing power, they are able to offer great deals to thier customers. Also, they have their own network of affiliates overseas, which means less mark-ups and better handling of logistics on the tour. I have taken their tours and have been quite pleased, and my wife used to be their director of marketing.
Because of their large purchasing power, they are able to offer great deals to thier customers. Also, they have their own network of affiliates overseas, which means less mark-ups and better handling of logistics on the tour. I have taken their tours and have been quite pleased, and my wife used to be their director of marketing.
#9
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Wendy,
Actually, I don't consider myself ignorant. I'm a history teacher who is going to China in the Summer. I love to travel and for your information I do know a thing or two about China.....something about a GREAT WALL maybe!
China should be beautiful, but then again what do I know....I may be ignorant..........
Actually, I don't consider myself ignorant. I'm a history teacher who is going to China in the Summer. I love to travel and for your information I do know a thing or two about China.....something about a GREAT WALL maybe!
China should be beautiful, but then again what do I know....I may be ignorant..........
#11
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Hi Manny,
I have been to China 6x, all on packaged tours and to different parts of the country. Personally, I think a trip covering Guilin (a boat trip about 4 hrs in all down the river is beautiful in Autumn. The mountain scenery is particularly picturesque during this season. It is like seeing a chinese brush painting 'live'), Xian (a must see...Terracota Warriors), Shanghai and Beijing( to see the historical Great Wall...yes, must go to the Badaling side to view the Great Wall. Of course there are the Summer Palace and many other historic architecture) would be nice. Hangchow is nice in Spring, not in Autumn. Suchow is crisscrossed with dirty canals...so you can skip.
I have been on a " Silk Route tour", starting from Urumqi, which is at the NorthWest part of the country. The population here comprises of the 'Uighur'(Muslims) and the Chinese Hans, therefore you'll see the different cultures. The Uighurs does not look like Chinese at all. In fact they look like Europeans and then they are the Tibetans..so you see many different cultures, dance, songs and culture here. We travelled from Urumqi southwards to Turpan, then to Dunhuang and a couple of places until we reach Xian. The scenery is beautiful (must put up with uneven roads... think that's what make it interesting) and it is totally different from theShanghai Beijing route.
It would be great if you are able to get a tour company in HongKong who can arrange a tour starting in Beijing to Shanghai to Guilin to Xian (9 days in all) and then from Xian to Lanchow going towards the North West region ending in Urumqi(12 days). There are direct flights from Urumqi to Guangchow and Hong Kong. If you do this, you would have travelled a 'V' shape of China covering 'the best of both worlds'.
Ooops! seem to have misunderstood yr question. You only asked for recommendation on tour company. But since I have already typed so much, I'll just post it for the benefit of other travellers. Sorry!!!
I have been to China 6x, all on packaged tours and to different parts of the country. Personally, I think a trip covering Guilin (a boat trip about 4 hrs in all down the river is beautiful in Autumn. The mountain scenery is particularly picturesque during this season. It is like seeing a chinese brush painting 'live'), Xian (a must see...Terracota Warriors), Shanghai and Beijing( to see the historical Great Wall...yes, must go to the Badaling side to view the Great Wall. Of course there are the Summer Palace and many other historic architecture) would be nice. Hangchow is nice in Spring, not in Autumn. Suchow is crisscrossed with dirty canals...so you can skip.
I have been on a " Silk Route tour", starting from Urumqi, which is at the NorthWest part of the country. The population here comprises of the 'Uighur'(Muslims) and the Chinese Hans, therefore you'll see the different cultures. The Uighurs does not look like Chinese at all. In fact they look like Europeans and then they are the Tibetans..so you see many different cultures, dance, songs and culture here. We travelled from Urumqi southwards to Turpan, then to Dunhuang and a couple of places until we reach Xian. The scenery is beautiful (must put up with uneven roads... think that's what make it interesting) and it is totally different from theShanghai Beijing route.
It would be great if you are able to get a tour company in HongKong who can arrange a tour starting in Beijing to Shanghai to Guilin to Xian (9 days in all) and then from Xian to Lanchow going towards the North West region ending in Urumqi(12 days). There are direct flights from Urumqi to Guangchow and Hong Kong. If you do this, you would have travelled a 'V' shape of China covering 'the best of both worlds'.
Ooops! seem to have misunderstood yr question. You only asked for recommendation on tour company. But since I have already typed so much, I'll just post it for the benefit of other travellers. Sorry!!!