Hello,

DH and I are leaving on Sunday for China. We will fly into Shanghai, spend 2 nights there, then go to Hangzhou for 3 nights, then back to Shanghai for 3 nights.

Some background: this is our second visit to China. We spent 4 days in Shanghai last summer and got a really good rate (and double miles) on a new route on American Airlines from LA to Shanghai, so we are headed back. I just wanted to get a few suggestions for our trip.

Hangzhou: any restaurant suggestions? I looked here and saw a few mentions of places, but not many.

During our stay in Hangzhou, we were thinking of perhaps taking the train from Hangzhou to Shaoxing for a little day trip, depending on our inclinations once there. Has anyone been there? Is it worth doing? Is catching the train there from Hangzhou on a spur of the moment decision fairly easy?

Shanghai: looking for any restaurant suggestions. We will definitely be headed back to Jia Jia Tang Bao. I was thinking of Lost Heaven, South Beauty and Crystal Jade. Any suggestions of dishes to try at those places?

Shanghai Sights: we hit the major ones while we were there before. I do want to return to the Shanghai Museum. I also thought we'd visit the Jade Buddha Temple and Soong Quingling's former residence, as we missed these last time. I saw a suggestion on the neighborhood of Qibao, so think we'll see that too. Any other lesser known sights to see in Shanghai?

If we aren't "trained out" by our last day or two in Shanghai, is a day trip to Suzhou fairly easy? Is the train station in Suzhou within walking distance of the major sights? Again, we'll probably play that day trip by ear. If we do, are there any memorable restaurants you can recommend?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

I just returned from 2+ weeks in China this week.

I cannot comment on Hangzhou restaurants as we just did a day trip to West Lake from Shanghai (45 min on the bullet train). Suzhou is only 30 min on the bullet train so very do-able as a day trip from Shanghai and recommended. It is not really walking distance from the train station, it would take at least 30 maybe 45 minutes of walking to get to the sites. And even between sites can be quite a ways. It can also be difficult to find taxis in that city.

I just returned from 2+ weeks in China this week.

I cannot comment on Hangzhou restaurants as we just did a day trip to West Lake from Shanghai (45 min on the bullet train). Suzhou is only 30 min on the bullet train so very do-able as a day trip from Shanghai and recommended. It is not really walking distance from the train station, it would take at least 30 maybe 45 minutes of walking to get to the sites. And even between sites can be quite a ways. It can also be difficult to find taxis in that city.

Thanks for the Suzhou information, krgystn. I do hope to work Suzhou into our schedule!

We believe train is a good option for long distance and short distance traveling, which is cheaper and more convenient compared with air plane. Welcome to China!


I am back from Hangzhou via CRH Train. I would still highly prefer train over cars to get to Hangzhou from Shanghai, especially for international visitors. Here are some advantages of train:

Train is faster – 1 hour and 30 minutes for train, but car can easily take 2 hours – both does not include the travel time in Shanghai or Hangzhou city.
Train is safer – I am not happy with the safety record of Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway (aka A8). You have to deal with many full stop on the road – scary.
Train is more modern – look at the photos of Hangzhou-Shanghai train, and Beijing-Shanghai train – it is so beautiful – just like a five star hotel.
Train is smoother. Of cause you don’t expect that the train is completely still at speed of 170 km/hour, but you just feel very comfortable sitting there. Don’t try to stand up thus – you cannot stand there without holding something if the train is turning directions.
Train is reliable – 1 and half hour – with error within several minutes.
Shanghai South Railway Station – this is the bonus tip: You will regret if you don’t use the Shanghai South Railway Station during your stay in Shanghai – it is wonderful.
Train is better for a group of people – either poker or chat is good on train, not car.

So, the next time, I would use train over car – always.

Train from Shanghai to Hangzhou Schedule
http://www.chtrak.com/result.php?fro...ai&to=hangzhou

You may have come and gone already, but if not, I would urge you to try a Shanghai restaurant in addition to Jia Jia Tang Bao. None of the other places you mention feature local fare and the cooking of Shanghai is just about my favorite of the Chinese cuisines I've sampled. If you still have time, let us know and we will make suggestions.

In Shanghai we had great meals at the fish head restaurant on Level 2 of Ruitai hotel (opposite Jia Hotel) at the Nanjing pedestrian mall.

Please go ahead and suggest restaurants for all places mentioned as I MAY be flying into Shanghai, too, this winter.

Linda: See Shanghai section of this report from my trip of 2010, beginning with post on June 22:


http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...yssey-2010.cfm


More food info in my first Shanghai report, from 2007 here:

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...g-shanghai.cfm

thanks