china itinerary - please critique!
 

Hi All,
I am travelling to China with a friend, neither of us have ever been there before. We arrive in Beijing on the 22nd January and depart Beijing on the 20th February.

Following is our itinerary, any suggestions/criticisms/hints/places to eat or stay/transport suggestions are most welcome! We have not booked anything yet (apart from accomodation in Shanghai over CNY).


22 JANUARY Beijing (arrive late in afternoon)
23 Overnight train to Xian
24 Xian
25 Xian
26 Xian to Yichang. Fly. Overnight in Yichang.
27 Cruise down Yangtze River (departs late at night)
28 Cruise down Yangtze River
29 Cruise down Yangtze River
30 Cruise down Yangtze River (Victoria line)
31 Cruise arrives in Chongqing. Fly from Chongqing to Guangzhou
1 FEBRUARY Guangzhou
2 Guangzhou
3 Guangzhou
4 Guangzhou
5 Guangzhou
6 Train from Guangzhou to Shanghai
7 CNY - Shanghai
8 Shanghai
9 Shanghai
10 Shanghai
11 Shanghai
12 Shanghai
13 Fly from Shanghai to Beijing
14 Beijing
15 Beijing
16 Beijing
17 Beijing
18 Beijing
19 Beijing
20 Depart Beijing

Thanks a lot in advance fodorites! (sorry for spelling mistakes).

You're taking the night train out of Beijing the day you arrive??? No way I would do that - unless you're flying from somewhere really close.

I would also cut down on time in Shanghai unless you're especially fond of big, bustling cities - I love the museum there, and enjoy strolling down the Bund, but otherwise I would head for Suzhou or Hangzhou instead.

1. Yeah, if you have to fly into PEK, but wants to leave Beijing at the end, then just connect same day to XIY. No reason to stay a night at PEK. There should be plenty of flights into the evening.

2. Yichang to Chongqing is cruising UPstream.

3. Guangzhou for that many days. Why?

Thursdays, we are not taking the overnight train the day we arrive. We get in on the 22 January, then will take the train that leaves the evening of the 23rd and arrives in Xian early on the 24th. We do like big cities, but perhaps 7 days in Shanghai, and then 7 days in Beijing will just exhaust us?

Rkkwan, we are in Guangzhou for several days because we are staying with a friend there. And thanks for correcting me, yes - cruising UPstream!

Thanks for prompt responses so far....

cookies - sorry, my mistake.

I'm not a big city person, so 14 days split between Shanghai and Beijing might exhaust me... But you have to ask yourself what you would do with seven days in Shanghai? You could use it as a base for day trips, but I'd prefer to overnight, at least in Hangzhou. Actually, with that much time you could consider visiting the sacred island of Putuoshan, although rkkwan says there is new development going on there...

1:If you decide to take the overnight train,you need to find someone to help you book tickets in advance.23rd is near New year,the tickets a little bit hard to purchase

2:It seems you will spend Chinese New year in Shanghai?I suggest from shanghai you do the side trip to hangzhou or Suzhou.

3:when you in Beijing will have temple fair and lantain show.

Good luck

Better off for you to take a cruise ship downstream from Chongqing to Yichang,then catch a flight to Guanzhou. Downstream takes less one day than upstream. So you can stay in Shanghai or Beijing one more day.
Please browse www.yangtzedream.com for detail info about Yangtze tour.

Cheers!

Thank you everyone for all your help.

I am now re-thinking the amount of time allocated to Beijing and Shanghai, and also thinking of including a couple of day trips from Shanghai.

Suchou, Hangchou and 1 of the 6 watertowns will be nice day or overnight trips from Shanghai.