Shanghai Travel Forum

Hi,

My family and I are planning a short China trip of 11 days (not including travel days to/from New York City) this December/January. We are considering skipping Beijing and heading straight for Shanghai and the region. My preference is to enjoy the food and feel of the city calmly (if that's possible in Shanghai) and then look for other scenic/historic destinations south and central. We are willing to miss some of the big attractions to gain a feeling for the country.

I am just beginning my learning curve starting to plan a winter trip, but my over-riding question is: are there any of the more common tourist destinations that are particularly uninteresting in the winter? Also, are there any areas around Shanghai that might be more interesting to visit in the end of December?

As is obvious, we are just in the beginning stage, I appreciate any thoughts on off-peak adventures.


Gregg

I would suggest (generally) adding Huangshan, Nanjing as well as a water village. If you do that, I think you have enough for a leisurely 11 days.

Personally I'd stay in Beijing and skip Shanghai. There are several major attractions in Beijing: Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Great Wall.

I would skip the whole trip in mid winter. So much of China travel requires being outside, it is just not fun visiting Hangzhou, for example, when the temperature is in the low 40F, 3C area. The forbidden city is all outdoors and it could be 0C 32F or below with snow. I just don't see the fun in that.

It's still fairly warm in the south - Guangxi (Guilin, Yangshuo etc.) Guangdong and probably Fujian too. Around Lijiang in Yunnan is very popular in winter - it's hot during the day but very cold at night. Plenty of snow there at the end of the Himalayas, and very pretty.

Why must it necessarily be warm? It's winter after all.
I like enjoying the sights when there're less people around. Huangshan with snow is pretty.

Thank you all for your answers.

I am finding that the guide books are sort of useless, a lot of the pictures and descriptions seem to run together, I need to find out some cultural and scenic distinctions to make some decisions. Then decide how much we want to travel.

Plus I have always been fascinated by the use of wood in China's (pre-modern) design and architecture, so I am on the lookout for original, or well maintained structures - so much home work for the former euro-phile!

Thanks again, I'm sure I'll be posting more questions later.


Gregg

I know Shanxi province is not really near Shanghai, but it does have the reputation as the "museum above ground", in China. This province has the oldest surviving wooden structures in the country. Would you be interested?
The Hanging Monastery at Hengshan, and the Wooden Pagoda at Hunyuan, would be 2 of the most famous in this field. Pingyao ancient city and Datong's Yungang Grottoes are the most well-known sights, and I'm a huge fan of the latter.

Thank you ellyse for your recommendations,

I had to check Shanxi province out. Wow, Pingyao is amazing, I would love to go up there. Some day when there is more time and money. We might be wrong-headed, but we are committed to staying south and not having a freezing vacation. We are escaping winter in New York with a seventeen year old and a twelve year old - who will by that point be in the middle of his second year of mandarin - and we can only ask so much of them as fellow travelers.

I am sure that we will get plenty out of simply being in China, great little things often make as big an impression as the more favored tourist activities. Sorry, that may sound trite, but when we are going to miss most of the things one is supposed to see in China, we have to comfort ourselves somehow.

If I want to go south and get cold I might visit Heng Shan in Hunan? I'd like to look into Yangshuo - and I might be completely spinning us too far, but I'd also love to see Guishou - but as inexperienced as we are with the language and traveling in China - we'll probably be conservative - though it's against my nature.

I'd better figure out how to get out of the Shanghai airport first..... (joke).

Again. I appreciate your help.


Gregg

Not much to see at Hunan's Hengshan, apparently. But I haven't been there myself.
Seriously though, you should consider staying closer to Shanghai if you only have 11 days.
I would also suggest that you check out Xiamen, and the Hakka roundhouses near Yongding. http://www.amoymagic.com is a good resource for that area.

Why not keep Shanghai for another day, say in the spring or fall, and start in Hong Kong. It will provide a good experience, as well as Shanghai, and it is warmer.

You're right, it's better to keep it simple.

Gaolei, My wife has been to Hong Kong, and would like to see Shanghai, and the mainland. Unfortunately, his will be our big trip to asia for a while.


Gregg

We had a wonderful time in Shanghai during late winter. The weather was tolerable and the briskness actually made walking around better. We loved the French Concession: there are so many unique stores and the Boonna Cafe is wonderful. Also, there is a good bookstore (with cafe) that has amazing books on Shanghai (not available in US), and China. We stayed 12 days and although it did not seem like enough time to "see it all", it was sufficient to get a feel for the city and ferret-out some unique experiences (like stumbling upon a makeshift meeting place with elderly musicians playing traditional instruments)...we decided to, mostly, just go wherever felt right. That took a lot of the pressure off and we had a marvelous time, and met some wonderful people (especially at the Boonna Cafe). Have Fun!!