Help with last minute travel to China next week
 

Hello Foderites,

I will be traveling to China next week and was wondering if I can get help to plan my trip.

I will be visiting Shanghai, Sanya and Beijing.

Any tips on what are "must sees" in Shanghai, Sanya and Beijing, given the limited time I have at these places (see below for details)?

I want to visit The Great wall of China from Beijing. Any recommendations on which section of the wall I should visit. I found these two sections to be easily accessible: Mutianyu Great Wall and Badaling part of the great wall.

Is this a possible itinerary?
Shanghai (2 days)
March 20: Visit Oriental Pearl TV Tower in the morning, Yuyuan Garden and Yuyuan Market in the afternoon, evening to Bund.
March 21: (No idea what to do- open for suggestions -shopping maybe?), leave Shanghai in late evening for Sanya by flight.

Sanya (4 days)
March 22- March 25: (No idea what to do- open for suggestions -maybe hit the beach!)
leave Sanya late evening on March 25 for Beijing.

Beijing (1.5 days)
March 26: Visit the Great wall (Mutianyu or Badaling) in morning, return by 2pm (hopefully), visit Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City
March 27: Visit Summer Palace in the morning, leave for airport at 1pm as my return flight to Chicago is at 4:30pm.

I don't know if I can squeeze in Lama temple or Panjiayuan market/Silk Alley Market during the time in Beijing!

Also, any recommendations for hotels in Beijing? These are the 3 that I had in mind:
1. Hilton Beijing on Dong Fang North
2. Renaissance Capital on Dongsanhuan
3. Intercontinental on Beichen West

Looking forward for some suggestions.........

Thanks and Have a nice day!

Why so much time in Sanya and so little in Beijing? There's nothing to do in Sanya except enjoying the beaches.

Completely agree with rkkwan. Time in Beijing is an impossible crush. The Shanghai Museum is outstanding, a river cruise along the Bund is nice. Should have replaced the beach with Xian. Sorry.

I'd cut the beach. Spend your very limited time in Shanghai and Beijing.

Thanks for your comments. I have some work in Sanya. I know it's a tough itinerary, hence I am asking for recommendations. I definitely want to visit the great wall. Not sure how far it is....

Shanghai (2 days)
March 20: Visit Oriental Pearl TV Tower in the morning, Yuyuan Garden and Yuyuan Market in the afternoon, evening to Bund.

Skip the Oriental Pearl Tower and go to Shanghai World Financial Center Building instead. It's nicknamed " The Bottle Opener ".
Better views, and much better access. I have been in the Pearl Tower on a few occasions,but,would never go there again.

They have two observation decks at the SWFC, and it costs RMB 150 to take the elevator to the top deck which is 474 meters above the ground.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangha...nancial_Center

When in Sanya:
March 22: to hotel for a good rest

March 23: Luhuitou Park in Sanya is a nice place.After a sightseeing in Luhuitou Park, you can visit Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Center which is located 40 km west of Sanya City.

March 24: a pleasure day in beach, checking about the weather
Optional itinerary on Mar 24: a leisurely trip to the marvelous Butterfly Valley and then the Sea Shell Museum, where you may find sorts of beautiful or weird sea shell.

March 25: fly to Beijing.

If your flight arrives in Beijing in the mid-day, you can go the Tiananmen and forbidden city in the afternoon.Because in my experience, a tour after Mutianyu Great Wall is tired and it is better to have a rest after that.

A suggested Beijing hotel for you
4-star hotel
Holiday Inn Central Plaza Beijing, in Xuanwu District. It is near the Xidan Comeercial area with outstanding service.

You can check this hotel from tripadvisor as well.

Visit the Summer Palace after the Wall,the Tian`anmen Square after the the Summer Palace.
Next day to Forbidden City.Afte
The Summer Palace is outside the city.
The hotel such as Novotel Peace,Park Plaza,Kapok at Wangfujing Area are nice.15 minutes walk to Forbidden City.

I think 1.5 day for Beijing is just not enough, it's my favorite Chinese city! We visited Mutianyu Great Wall, left hotel at 9:00 in the morning, and arrived the wall around 10:30. We spent 3 hrs on the wall and had a late lunch.

Thanks all four your comments! All this is definitely helping me shape my itinerary!!