What should I NOT miss/try in China and Thailand?
 

I will be traveling to China (17days) and Thailand (13 days). I have never been to either country before. What should I NOT miss/try? I am seeing most of the major sites in various cities, but what about foods? experiences?

June 27-June 30th Shanghai (nothing planned, using this time to get used to being in China!

July 1st- July 3rd, Beijing

July 4th-July 5th, Xian

July 6th-July 7th, Shanghai

July 8th- July 10th, Hong Kong

July 11th-July 14th, Bangkok

July 15th-16th, Kanchanaburi

July 17th, Phitsanulok

July 18th-July 19th, Chiang Mai

July 20th-July 21st, Bangkok

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

anyone?

This is such a broad question, one could write a guidebook (actually, two guidebooks) on it. This forum works best for specific questions once you've researched the places you are going. Even then, we would need to know what you are interested in to make any specific suggestions. So do your background reading, then come back with specific requests.

This looks rather like a tour - is that right? In that case, we might give specific suggestions based on your interests and what the tour doesn't cover.

Hi

For Bangkok you should check out my Bangkok trip report with pictures and links http://gardkarlsen.com/Bangkok_trip_report_2007.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there.

My wife and I did Baeijing, Xi'an and Hong Kong a few years back...here is the trip report http://gardkarlsen.com/china_beijing.htm

Have a great trip :d

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

I agree with Kathie. There's still time (if you haven't already done so) to buy a couple of good guide books and check off the attractions that interest you. You can supplement this by using the search box on this page - I remember making a few suggestions about Shanghai, for example, but as they may not be to your taste there's not much point repeating myself.

With only 3 days in Beijing, realistically it's the obvious, well-trodden attractions, which are well-trodden for good reasons, and I don't think anyone here will be able to add much to them - Great Wall, Summer Palace, Forbidden City and so forth, a walk around the Back Lakes if you have time, a night out at a good Beijing Duck restaurant.

Some of our most pleasant memories are of just walking around, poking into neighbourhoods free of other tourists, getting a feel for ordinary life in these great cities.

Hi freeman: your enthusiasm is nice to see - but I'm a little confused: 27 June - July 10 counted out on my little Australian fingers is 14 days.
July 11 - July 21 is 11 days. Already your trip is 5 days shorter.

Maybe you have a different system of counting in freemanland.

I wouldn't fuss too much on missing anything.. unless you have your own private helicopter you're going to be spending about 40% of your time packing, checking out of hotels, driving to airports, going thru security, waiting in the departure lounge, flying from A to B, collecting your luggage, driving to your next hotel, checking in and waiting in the foyer for your [I assume] tour group to assemble.

Let's presume you'll want to eat 3 times a day - and maybe even sleep. Perhaps a shower or two..

You'll have so little time to see anything BUT the 'major sites' that your question is redundant - in my humble opinion.

My apologies on the "too broad" of a question.

The numbers DO work different in freemanland. ;)

Thanks gard for the links.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to answer. I will re-post with more specific questions.

I think you may be overdoing Shanghai by a few days. Shanghai IMHO does not have any more that a few days worth of interest, while your other big cities, Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok could easily fill a week on their own.

Maybe consider, if you still can, either spending June 27th thru July 3 in Beijing or going fron Xian straight to Hong Kong or Bangkok.

Sounds like a fab trip. I've been to all of these places and love them all. Have a wonderful time and have fun planning.

Lynnie