Travel to China

Date: Summer 2008, 1 month
Places:

• 1. Shanghai （上海） largest city, famous riverside scenery
• 2. Nanjing (南京, Jiangsu)^* - historical & cultural city, many historic relics
  • 3. Hangzhou (杭州,Zhejiang) famous, beautiful, silk road
  • 4. Suzhou (苏州, "Venice of the East") old city, famous canals and gardens
• 5. Guangzhou (广州, Guangdong)^* - Cantonese culture， prosperous city
  • 6. Guilin (桂林,Guangxi) - landscape, mountains, rivers
• 7. Xi'an (西安，Shaanxi) - silk road, terra cotta warriors
  • 8. Shaolin (少林,Songshan National Park,Henan) - origin of wushu (Kungfu)
• 9. Beijing （北京）^*/2 capital, many historical sights
• However the most interesting places are where there are no tourists; cities or villages where you did not intend to stay, but eventually stay by accident, and that will seem to you much more interesting than the main touristic places! (a friend having already visited China)

Todo

1. places and sights 70%
2. travel accompainment, partially
3. route and connections 60%
4. flight, Tue May 13 -- Wed June 11 (State College SCE -- Shanghai, Pudong)
5. visa (requires dates, flight, passport, Chinese reference; personal application in NY) done.
6. hostel reservations 30%, ? necessary
7. appointments with friends done.
8. medications, message to BoA done.

Shanghai (上海) -- Wed May 14- Sat May 17, June 10-11

• walking/ sightseeing on Bund (外滩,waitan) and East Nanjing Road (南京东路):
  Three on the Bund (外滩三号, Shanghai Gallery of Art)
  城隍庙 (Chenghuang temple, also on the Bund)
• Renmin Square (人民广场) with Shanghai Art Museum (325南京西路)
• Yuyuan Gardens
• French Concession (Xuhui District, 徐汇区)

eat:

• 小籠包子 (little dragon buns),
• 醉鸡 (zui ji, drunken chicken),
• 油条(You Tiao, for breakfast)
• with a bottle of 青岛(Tsingtao) or 雪地啤酒(Snow Beer)

Stay:

• visitors' hotel of Fudan university (正大发展中信，上海复旦大学 (邯郸路)杨浦区/ZhengDa FaZhan Zhongxin(Handan Rd.) Yangpu District) take bus to 五角场(Wujiaochang) and walk to the university

Nanjing (南京, Jiangsu) -- Sat May 17 - Tue May 20

sights: (also ask Wang Xiangfeng)

• Zijin Mountain (紫金山,bus9/Y1,sights 8am-5pm) panoramic view over Nanjing,
  • Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum (中山陵)
• Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre (南京大屠杀纪念馆,418Shuiximen, 8:30-4:30)
• Linggu Temple (灵谷寺,)
• Nanjing Museum (南京博物馆,321Zhongshan Donglu,9-5:30,¥20)
• Yangzi River Bridge (南京长江大桥,bus67 from Jiangsu Lu, enter park,¥12, 7:30-6:30) one of longest bridges in China, socialist sculptures on approach
• Jiming Temple (鸡鸣寺,around Ming walls and Xuanwu Lake,7-5pm)
• Suzhou (苏州, "Venice of the East"), Sun May 24th or Fri 22nd
  - old city, famous canals and gardens

stay:

• Fuzimiao Youth Hostel (Confucius Temple region, 025-86625133, ¥35)
• Nanjing Danfeng International Hotel (丹凤国际青年旅館, 59-1 Yushi Street, North Floor 6. (三十路鱼市街站旁的华诚超市6楼)，¥50)
• Jasmine International Youth Hostel (7 Hequnxincun, Shanghai Road,¥35)
• I am Hostel (52号客栈(Zhongyang Road), ¥35)

Buy tickets to Hangzhou and Guangzhou.

Hangzhou (杭州,Zhejiang) -- Tue May 20- Fri 23

sights:

• walk the West Lake (西湖, Xī Hú, 5h) or via bike and see:
  • Lesser Yingzhou Isle (Three Pools Mirroring the Moon)
  • Lord Ruan's Mound with entertainments in the gardens at night,
  • Solidary Hill And Zhongshan Park
• Wushan Square (吴山广场, Wu Shan Guang Chang)
• Jade Emperor Hill (玉皇山公园, Yuhuang Shan Gong Yuan)
• Six Harmonies Pagoda (六和塔, Liùhé Tǎ, 15min by cab)
• Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺, Língyǐn Sì, Buddhist), also lift to the hill-top with another temple
• Baochu Pagoda (保俶塔 Bǎochù Tǎ), awesome view and Baoshi hill
• Dragon Well Tea Fields (龙井茶园 Long Jing Cha Yuan), watch tea harvest
• Guo's Villa (Guo Zhuang, excellent private garden, on the shore of the West Lake)
• Xixi National Wetlands Park (bus from Huanglong Soccer Stadium, go past West Station)
• silk road

Other things to do:

• visit a tea house,
• try to get Dragon Well Tea (Longjing cha), ?silk clothes (Yan'an Road near Pinghai Road or Wulin Road)
• excellent place to eat in China (pork, seafood; some Japanese)

stay:

• Hangzhou International Youth Hostel (Nanshan Road (right on the south end of the lake and just off "bar street", next to Qing Temple) ;¥45/n)
• West Lake Youth House (No 62-3 Nanshan Rd (At the southern end of West Lake); Y50/n, +86-571-87027027)
• Green Tea Youth Hostel (Lingyin Road (near Lingyin Temple))

duration: 1-2 days

Suzhou (苏州) -- Fri May 23

Also called "Venice of the East"
sights:

• Ping Jiang Road (平江道), ancient houses and shops, Kunqu Opera Museum, performance at 1:30 for 10¥ for tea
• Temples:
  • North Temple Pagoda (great view over the city)
  • Twin Pagodas
  • Hanshan Temple
  • Mysterious Taoist Temple
  • Tiger Hill Pagoda and Hill (Yunyan Ta and Huqiu Shan) with near gardens Verdant Mountain Villa (Yongcui Shanzhuang) and the Wan Jing Villa
• famous canals and
• gardens:
  • 拙政园 (Zhuo Zheng Yuan, Humble Administrator's Garden)
  • 留园 (Liu Yuan, The Lingering Garden) UNESCO world heritage since 1977
  • 狮子林 (Shi Zi Lin, The Lion Grove Garden) one of the 4 greatest
  • 网师园 (Wang Shi Yuan, The Garden of the Master of the Nets)
  • 环秀山庄 (Huanxiu Shanzhuang, Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty) Rock and water garden
• Museums: Suzhou Museum (by Ming Pei) or Silk Museum

stay:

• Suzhou Minghantang Youth Hostel (＃61 tongguiqiao,xiatang, ShanTang ST GuangJi Road,广济路新民桥,山塘街口, ¥50,+86-512-6583-3331, ) traditional Suzhou block-house.
• Suzhou Watertown Youth Hostel (＃27 Dashitou Lane, Renmin Road, ¥40, +86-512-6521-8885). traditional Suzhou block-house.
• Suzhou Youth Hostel (178 Xiangwang Lane (Next to Shi Quan St and Dong Wu&100 Happy Hotels), +86-512-6510-9418 or 6518-8734; ¥50)

Guangzhou (广州, Guangdong) -- May 25-May 31

sights:^*

• Yuexiu Park (越秀公园,m2exB1³, 6am-9pm)
  • Five Rams Statue (五羊石像), Zhenhai Tower (镇海楼)，
  • Guangzhou City Art Museum (广州美术馆,9am-5:30pm),
  • ?Guangzhou Art Gallery (under renovation?)
• ?Orchid Garden (.园, Jiefang Beilu),
• Mausoleum of the Nanyue King (南越王.,867 Jiefang Beilu, 9am-5:30pm)
• ?Temple of Six Banyan Trees (六榕寺，m1公园前exI),
• Guangxiao Temple (光孝禅寺，m1西门口exC,109光孝路) oldest temple in G,
• Temple of the 5 Immortals (五仙观，m1西门口exC,9am-5pm) mystical founder of the city,
• Sanyuan Temple (三元宫，m2纪念堂exC) largest and oldest Taoist temple,
• Guangzhou Sculpture Park (广州雕塑公园，Tour-bus 1/3)
• Sun Yat-Sen Museum (孙中山大元帅府纪念馆，18Dongsha Jie, Fangzhi Lu,9am-5pm, not Mo)
• Guangzhou Martyr's Memorial Garden (广州起义烈士陵园，m1exD)

Duration: 2-3 days
Stay:

• Guangdong Youth Hostel (广东省外事办招待所, 沙面4街2号, m1黄沙, www.gzyhostel.com, ¥50, across the street from the landmark White Swan Hotel)
• Tielu Tongtong Hotel (101光源西路, m2广州火车站，¥80-100)
• Guangzhou City International Youth Hostel (广州国际青年旅馆点，near train station, ¥60-118)
• Guangzhou Riverside Youth Hostel (No.15 Changdi Street, Luju Road, Liwan; 020-22392500) along Pearl River

Eat and Drink: Cantonese food (dim sum, …)

Guilin (桂林,Guangxi) -- June 1-2

Sights:

• Double-Peak Mountain (view from Diecai Shan),
• Dragon hill (north of 桂林, small village aside, not the "main village")
• Reed Flute Cave (芦笛岩, bus3final stop, 8am-5:30pm, ¥60) limestone cave,
• ? Elephant Trunk Hill (象鼻山, bus 16 and 23, park ¥30),
• ? Yaoshan Hill Park (Yao山公园, bus 10/98, taxi ¥60,) highest peak,
• ? Ocean Aquarium (中山路,bus4/11/12/19/99/56South Stream Hill Park), one of largest aquarium in Asia
• Yangshuo (阳朔, South of Guilin) a small touristic village, a very friendly place

• Guilin Flowers Youth Hostel （Block 2, 6 尚智 Lane, 中山南路 - opposite the main station, down a side street, ¥40)
• Backstreet Youth Hostel (后街青年旅舍,人民路3号,¥40)
• Overseas Chinese Hotel (花俏大沙,中山南路3号,¥60)

Xi'an (西安，Shaanxi) -- June 2-4

sights:

• Army of Terracotta Warriors and Horses (兵马俑, bus 306 from the central bus station opposite train station 40min ¥7, next to Qinshihuang Mausoleum)
• City Wall of Xi'an
• Shaanxi Provincial Museum ()
  • Forest on Steles (西安碑林),
  • Wolong Temple (寺),
• Big (Wild) Goose Pagoda (大雁塔 Dà Yàntǎ,Ci'en Temple,bus41/610)
• Drum Tower (鼓楼 Gǔlóu,center of the city)
• Famen Temple (法门寺,) 13 storied brick pagoda, treasure of Tang
• Huaqing Palace (华清池 Huáqīngchí,foot of Lishan)
• Mount Hua (华山, bus opposite train station, 2-3h) walk up (2-3h) and cable car down (¥70)

eat: Yang Rou Pao Muo (piece of bread and a kettle of lamb soup)
duration: 1-2days
stay:

• Backpax (Nandajie, the Prince Mansion building 9th floor (located on a sidestreet to the right, near a KFC directly south of the bell tower); order at hostelworld.com ¥25/n) A quite luxorious hostel, feels like something between a fancy bar and a middle-class hotel.
• Bob's Guesthouse (NO.85 Huan Cheng Bei Lu Road (just outside the city walls, a short walk from the train station), ¥25)
• Ludao Binguan (80 XiBa Lu, Xian, +86-(0)29-87420308 (fax: 82101222), ¥50) A nicer-than-average hotel and hostel.
• Hq Hostel (+86-13149250037, by the Muslim Quarter Xi'an, 50Rmb/bunk) Small but cozy setup in a brand new apartments. Perfect for families, couples and independent travellers of all ages. Free pickup, free internet.

Shaolin (少林,Songshan National Park, Henan) -- June 4-5

Sights:

• Shaolin Temple (少林寺 Shàolínsì,8-6:30,¥100), also known as Shaolin Monastery, is a Buddhist temple where China's most famous martial art was born
• Shaoshi Shan (少室山,cable car ¥20,6h) - area's tallest peak with 1512m
• Songyue Pagoda (嵩岳塔,bus2green last stop & motor rickshaw) - oldest surviving brick pagoda in China
• Gaocheng Guanxing Tai (观星台,south-bus from Dengfeng) - earliest surviving observatory in China
• Zhongyue Miao (中岳庙,-6:30,bus2green) - largest Daoist temple complex in Henan Province
• ?Wuru Feng - location of the cave where Damo meditated

stay:

• easily reachable from Luoyang (洛阳， Jinyuan busstation, ¥16 fastbus)
  • Mingyuan Hostel (明苑宾馆, 解放路20号(Jiefang), ¥60)
  • Shenjian Hostel (神剑宾馆, 解放路32号, s¥200, 20%discount upon request)
• easily reachable from Zhengzhou (郑州, bus opposite train-station in Zh.) hostels around train station or Erqi square
• Songshan Binguan (嵩山宾馆,next to the Tagou school, near Shaolin Monastery)

Beijing (北京) -- Thu June 5- Tue 10

sights: (also ask Chen Zhuo)

• Tiananmen Square (sub.:天安门西or天安门东):
  • Gate of Heavenly Peace
  • Great Hall of the People,
  • Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (w. Maosoleum)
• ? China Natioal Museum (sub.:天安门东),
• 1 day: Forbidden city,
  • palaces, walls,
  • imperial garden,
  • clock exhibition hall
• Ming ?, Great Wall piece (sub.:崇文门, also SE corner Watch Tower)
• Lama Temple (sub.:崇文门,closes 4pm ,enter from south gate),
• Beihai Park (sub.:天安门西then bus 5, closes 4pm; Round City, Yong An Temple, White Pagoda),
• Temple of Heaven Park ?,
• Jingshan Park (sub.:天安门西then bus 5, closes 9:30pm)
• Drum Tower (bus 5, 58 or 107 until 鼓楼Gulou, closes 4:30pm, View over Beijing and its hùtóng roofs),
• China Art Gallery (bus 103,104,106 or 108 until 美术馆, closes 5pm, contemporary art, changing exhibitions),
• 1/2 day: Haidian & Xicheng: Summer Palace (19 Xijian Gongmen (LP p.139), closes 5pm)
• Beijing Botanic Gardens (bus 318,330 or 360 until Beijing Zhiwuyuan (LP p.116f), closes 8pm)
• ? audit. Beijing Opera (life performance, ≥¥50, Laoshe Chaguan, 7:30pm, www.laosheTeahouse.com),
• Larger piece of the Great Wall (bus from Beijing Sightseeing Center (phone: 83531111) line A or C, leaving 6：30am-10:00am, returning ≤6:30pm, ¥80 for train and entrance fee),
• Ming Tombs (same bus, ¥140 for both together)

duration: 1 week
accomodation: dorm in a cheap hostel, p.ex.

• Red Lantern House (No.5 Zhengjue Hutong, Xinjie Kou, Xicheng District, ¥45, +86-10-66115771/66169477)
• Beijing Join Inn (#14 Qinmao Hutong, Zhaodengyu rd, Xicheng District, ¥30, +86-10-66135481/13552794897)
• Beijing Saga International Youth Hostel (#9 Shijia Hutong, Dongcheng District, ¥50, +86-10-65272773/65249098)
• Leo's Hostel (Tie Shu Xie Jie, Xuan Wu District, ¥70, +86-10-63031595/63033318)

Food specialities： Beijing Duck, Hot Pot, Noodles

For the travel

• camera, additional XD-card,
• backpack, clothes, toilet stuff,
• Passport, Visa, flight tickets, Cash/travelers checks, ATM-card¹
• Lonely Planet, Hostel addresses & phone numbers, e-mail contacts
• 1st day for curing the jetlack.

^*I have a tourist guide for these cities
¹ Bank of America has a credit alliance with People's Construction Bank, thus you can use your BoA ATM-card on PCB ATMs.
²Lonely Planet, China (May 2007), which I already bought
³ m: metro, ex: exit, B: bus

Page maintained by Melchior Grützmann.