Shanghai Travel Forum

Hi
I would like to include Suzhou, Hangzhou and Wuzhen as sidetrips to Shanghai. Is it possible to do it in two weeks? Transportationwise in what order should I arrange the cities to minimize travel time?
I also plan to visit Beijing next.....

Is it easy to do it independently, ie take local transportation? If not, is there a street(like Khao San Road in Bangkok) where one can easily find daytours for the next day or arrange onward transportation among many competing agents?

Thanks.

I think you have adequent time to visit all cities you listed above. You may also visit more. I think you can spend 1 day Wuzhen, 2 days Suzhou, 3 days Hangzhou, 3 days Shanghai, it's not two weeks yet! Transportation between these cities are easy. Wuzheng is a day trip from Shanghai, there are tour bus from Shanghai Stadium everyday. You can use taxi or subway in Shanghai. In Suzhou and Hangzhou, taxi can take you to anywhere and they are cheap. Of course, most hotel also can arrange you to a day tour.

Yes, definitely doable in 2 weeks.
Assuming these are the only sidetrips you'll be visiting, I would suggest Shanghai -- bus -- Wuzhen -- bus -- Hangzhou -- overnight ferry -- Suzhou -- overnight Z train -- Beijing. I would also recommend going on to Nanjing after Suzhou, before Beijing. Nanjing is about 1.5-2 hours away from Suzhou by train, and you can also continue on overnight Z train to Beijing.
Yes, it's quite easy to take trains and buses.
Drop me a VTMail if you'd like to meet up in Shanghai for travel tips and etc, I'm studying in Shanghai and have been to these destinations many, many times.

Wonderful......thanks for the useful tips, Vters.

I see these cities in tour itineraries everywhere so want to include them in my trip which I customise according to my interests and budget......which is super low, I might add.

Ellyse, I'll keep your offer in mind, thank you. I'll VTmail you when my plans firm up.

Rdgs
Susan

What's on tour itineraries doesn't necessarily mean that they're the ones most worth visiting. It usually means that it's economically viable for the tour companies to be including them.

Yes, that's true. What are the places around Shanghai not covered by organised tours but still easily accessible to visitors? Is Zhouzhuang one of them?

I only speak a smattering of Mandarin and don't read Chinese.....a shame really. But I'm heartened that non-Chinese visitors have enjoyed touring China on their own.

How long would you like to visit these cities in china and what is your interesting.
You may:
D1: Shanghai Yu Garden and enjoy night view at Bund;
D2: Take one day tour to Zhouzhuang, or Wuzhen, departs from Hongkou Stadium or Shanghai Stadium at Xujiahui, return Shanghai in the evening;
D3: Take morning train(south railway station)to Hanzhou,visit West Lake in the afternoon;
D4: Visit Long Jin and Lin Yin Temple,evening train back Shanghai,if you like the city, next day might be added;
D5: Shanghai Museum, Orient Pearl TV Tower, night life at Xin Tian Di;
D6: Take morning train to Suzhou from Shanghai Railway Station(or bus from Hengfeng Road Station with Volvo or Darwood express, but train personally preferred ),visit two of downtown Gardens;
D7: Visit Huqiu, similar to Pisa Tower, and visit Hanshan Temple,evening train Z86 bound for Beijing;
or as above mentioned, visit Nanjing, 2 hours train from Suzhou, then take Z50 in the evening for Beijing;

You have enough time for these cities. Let me know your further queries caz I've been there numerous times.

Hi Neverstoptravel,

Thanks for the 7-day Shanghai itinerary........so helpful. I think I'll probably skip Beijing and spend several days in Anhui province instead(Huang Shan and Jiuhua Shan)

if you do not believe in budda, then skip jiuhua mt.
once huangshan added, following itinerary suggested:
shanghai-suzhou
suzhou-nanjing
nanjing-huangshan by night train
huangshan-hangzhou by bus
hangzhou-shanghai

Oh, I just wanted to visit Mt Juihua for its scenery. Or is it not beautiful there? Would be cool to spend a night in the monastery but not if I'm the only female there :)

I was thinking to go this route:
Shanghai-Nanjing
Nanjing-Juihua Shan
Juihua Shan-Tangkou(Huang Shan)
Tangkou-Tunxi
Tunxi-Hangzhou
Hangzhou-Suzhou (by overnight boat)
Suzhou-Shanghai
Remaining days to spend in Shanghai and daytour to Zhouzhuang. Shanghai last because shopping is last on my list :)

Jiuhuashan is not so beautiful as you imagined,skip it and spend more days at Huangshan and Hangzhou.
Boat from Hangzhou to Suzhou is not recommended caz you will see nothing at night.
Otherwise, put Suzhou between Shanghai and Nanjing and you will have more time for sight seeing.

Thanks,
You are the second person to tell me to skip Jiuhua Shan(I also posted in LP Thorn Tree forum). I have 3 weeks so I will go to Putuoshan instead.....I've heard it's really beautiful.

well, if you are interested in natural sceneries and have three weeks, i do recommend some plcs to go in spring: huangshan which already in your itinerary, wuyishan in fujian province, zhangjiajie in hunan province. wuyi and zhangjiajie both are world natural heritage sites and best season for visiting is in spring. further, two sites are not so far from shanghai, first one can be reached by overnight train and some 1 hour flight for the second.
if you are interested in budda, then visit putuo;
if you favor in island/sea, then visit dalian, xiamen, or sanya;
if you are interested in natural beauty, then definately go wuyi(with rafting) and zhangjiajie(raft on mengdong river)

Thanks for the ideas. I'll look into these places and see which ones I can fit in comfortably. This is my first trip to China and I want to make it manageable.

here is site for your reference,
http://www.whwy.org/index_01.htm