We are planning a trip to China & Thailand...our 1st time, rough itinerary:
4 nights Beijing
2 nights X'ian
3 nights Yangtze River cruise
2 nights shanghai (with a one day trip to Suzhou)
2 nights Hong Kong
2 nights Bangkok
2 nights Phuket?? not decided which beach

Dates are to be determined (sometime in Nov or Dec).

A couple questions:
We have to take out something, there's too much here - should we take out the cruise or Hong Kong? or leave thailand for an entirely different trip? Are we missing anything in China?

Save Thailand for a different trip. It deserves at least a couple of weeks by itself.

i agree with kathie....add time to hong kong...2 daya is not nearly enough...5 would be a minimum for me..
also 4 days is not really enough for beijing--6-7 is better...

personally i would skip the cruise and add those nites around also...

two nites in any place really only gives you one full day and travel time..

I would also skip the Yangtze River cruise. I know some people have enjoyed the experience but I personally found it something of an ordeal, my single regret from three months of travel in China. I would tend to agree with Kathie also, in 2.5 weeks it might be better to stick to one country. Your trip is very urban based too, maybe that's what you're interested in. I would check out some of the more rural areas, perhaps horse trekking around Songpan or trek along Tiger Leaping Gorge.

my travelogues:
http://www.travelsinasia.com

WeiLong,

We would definitely like to see more rural places, where would you suggest? Are you referring to places like Guilin & Lijang? Some recommended staying longer in the cities but you said it was too urban. What would I see if I stayed longer in HK and Beijing?

dear rhkkmk,
what would you recommend we visit/see with 5 nights in HK and 6-7 in beijing?

I am also about to book a trip to China. My son is living in Beijing and will tour with me. We are going to do Beijing, Xian, Yangze River Cruise(3) nights and Shanghai. He is suggesting that after the tour we go to one other place for a day or two, also less urban. Any suggestions. He has only been there 5 months or so so hasn't beent o any of the other places either. I am not up for anything too strenuous.

I also agree, Thailand is another trip and if you go only to Bangkok and Phuket you really won't get a feel for the country.

We have friends visit us here in Chiang Mai Thailand often and they include China in their trip. My wife and I love Yunnan Province China. In Nov and Dec you can take a river cruise for 2 days 1 night up the Mekong river to Sippsongpana in Yunnan China, very nice.

Here is what most of our friends do.

Bangkok 2 days, overnight 1st class train to Chiang Mai, go to the china consulate for their visa, tour north Thailand for 3 days, fly to Khunming for 2 days with tour then on to Dali for 2 days and tour then to Lijiang for 3 days and tours. Fly to Phuket and Karon Beach for 3 days. From Phuket to Hong Kong for 3 days then fly back to the U.S.

Randy and Ning.

Okay so we're changing our itinerary but still have a long way before we finalize. THanks everyone for your valuable input!!!
so it will be:
4 nights Beijing
2 nights X'ian
2 nights Shanghai (w/ day trip to Suzhou)
3 nights HK
3 nights Lijiang
3 nights Sanya (must have some down time @ beach)
Plus I would love to go to Leshan to see the Buddha but not sure where I would fit it in.

Going to see the Leshan buddha will cost you another 2 days to fly to Chengdu and then transfer. You don't have that time, unless you cut out one of your destinations.

the 3 gorges (dam project)-- has the landscape of the gorges changed much since they started filling with water in '03? Is it still worth seeing today, in 2007?