Iowa_Redhead

Before long I'm going to have to join a 12-step program for travel addicts. My 10 day trip to China has now turned into a 15 day trip to China. Due to the added days I've added Shanghai to my trip.

I'll be arriving in Beijing at 4:25pm Dec 19. My flight leaves Shanghai Jan 1 at 5:00pm. In the middle I want to see Xi'an. I'll work on exact details later, but how does this look for balancing the cities (too much time, too little)? The only thing that is set is the flights, and that I want to spend a day on the Great Wall (Mutianyu section most likely) and want to see the Terra Cotta Army.

Dec 19 - Arrive Beijing, get dinner and go to bed
Dec 20 - 25 - Beijing (normal tourist places, a full day at the Great Wall)
Night train to Xi'an
Dec 26 - 29 - Xi'an area (Xi'an, Mt Huashan, Longmen Caves)
Night train to Shanghai? Fly?
Dec 30 - Jan 1 - Shanghai
Jan 1 - Fly home


Is this too much time in Beijing and not enough in Shanghai? Are things open on 12/31 and 1/1?

Xi'an - I want to go to the closest peak of Mt Huashan (I believe there's a cable car) and a little walk further, but nothing too scary. Walking is good, hiking is good. Some of the pictures of Mt Huashan are not good. I only intend to walk as far as the trail is safe/easy and then turn back. I have no desire to go on some of those creepy stairs and board platforms. http://www.pagog.com/2008/12/19/dead...on-mt-huashan/

Am I correct that the Longmen Caves are just a short (1-2 hour) train ride from Xi'an?

Thanks for any help and ideas!

PeterN_H

Bring moisturizer. The air will be very dry indeed and static electricity almost constantly present.

Xi'an really will be bitterly cold. Serious winter gear needed, and think twice about Hua Shan. (NB: Mount = Shan.) You'll also need to be very well wrapped up for trips to the Great Wall, which is on significantly higher ground to the north of Beijing.

Offices will be shut on Jan 1, since this is a public holiday, but everything else will be open. This date is not a big deal in China. Transport will run as normal.

Division between cities looks just right to me.

Between Xi'an and Luoyang there are nine G trains a day taking under two hours, with dozens of other trains taking more like four to six hours. If you're thinking of a day return there's the outbound G2002 at 08.30 arriving 10.21. Return there's the G2009 at 17.45 getting back at 19.08, for instance.

Peter N-H

Iowa_Redhead

Thanks Peter.

I'm already planning on capilene long underwear, many layers and a seriously warm coat. On the upside, I'm used to insanely cold winters. I don't think that my Carhart bib-overalls will fit in a carryon bag but it's tempting to try. I may look like an idjit in those but I'm a WARM idjit!

My job gives me time off at Christmas/New Years so that's when I have to travel if I'm going to take more than one short vacation a year. For this trip I'll only have to take 3 days off. It'll be insanely cold but there likely won't be crowds. It'll be just me and the yeti's!

Gpanda

More time in Shanghai. It's an amazing place that has a lot to see and experience. If PNH's weather forecast keeps you from Xian, you can easily spend all your time in Beijing and Shanghai. We liked Shanghai more, but both have a lot to offer.

rocqueen

Four full days in Beijing is plenty of time. I suggest you shave 1 day off of Beijing and add it to Shanghai as Shanghai also has much to offer. You won't regret it. I would spend no more than 2 days in Xian and spend more time in Shanghai instead. Xian is smaller, more rustic, and frankly not much to see besides the Terra Cotta Warriors which are fantastic. I would rethink Huashan since the freezing cold of winter is too forbidding. Consider flying from Beijing to Xian & from Xian to Shanghai for comfort and to make best use of time. Its quite reasonable. Reserving a flight while you are in China may be cheaper but you can do it ahead of time as well. Be sure to ride the magnificent Maglev train in Shanghai, one of very few in the whole world. Down coats are a good buy in China and Northface goods are also a great buy as well. I think the Northface factory is around Beijing. Even the "fake" Northface goods are of very good quality. Of course, be sure to examine goods closely. A minimum of 4 full days in Shanghai would be nice. Have fun! I envy you!

Iowa_Redhead

How cold is it on Huashan? Are we talking 0 degrees F or like -30F? I'm used to some insanely cold winters here in Iowa, but I don't want to be stupid about it. Frigid is one thing, dangerously cold is another.

I'll probably wiggle a day from Beijing to Shanghai. And possibly more depending on how Xian plans change. If Huashan is simply too cold then that will eliminate a day in Xian.

PeterN_H

http://www.weatherbase.com for temperature information month-by-month just about anywhere. Whether Xi'an's winter is tolerable is indeed a matter of point of view and preparation. I don't think the weatherbase figures factor in wind chill, so you might also want to cast about elsewhere. The only point I wanted to make was that while I'm quite often in Beijing mid-winter, and find it tolerable, Xi'an is significantly colder, and high ground significantly colder still.

I would suggest again your original instincts on timing are correct. Four days isn't remotely enough for Beijing, which is packed with historical and cultural things to see both in the city and in the surrounding countryside, none of which Shanghai, essentially a modern invention, can match. A quick view of Shanghai's colonial history, the sweep of the river (which certainly adds drama), and rather tawdry modern re-invention is fine. An extra day would be nice (extra time everywhere would be nice) but is not essential, and not at the cost of taking a day from the other places.

To suggest that Xi'an only has the terracottas is simply not to know Xi'an at all. There's an account of spending four full days in Xi'an here:

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...na-amazing.cfm

But chacun à son goût, and no combination is wrong except one that you don't enjoy.

Peter N-H