Tips How to Spend a Vacation in Yangshuo Guilin by Paula

November06

Like me and my family, this year summer we could spend a long vacation in China especially visit Guilin. A trip to Guilin is surely recommended for visitors who love nature, river and mountain landscapes. Our vacation centered in Yangshuo, a small county not far from Guilin. So from our experience including from what we got, what we cannot miss and what must things to do in Yangshuo, we could share it to all the travelers who want admire China impressive landscapes.

1. Just Wandering around Yangshuo by Bike or Walk
Since the town is really small then a walk explore it should be nice enough. If you want to save your time then rent a bike is a best option. By bike, visitors could easier to get through some areas less practical as the paths through the paddy fields. Visitors also could get tour guide who speak excellent English for accompany you touring the village.

YangshuoBiking around Yangshuo

2. Yulong River Bamboo Rafting
Yulong River is about five kilometers away from Yangshuo and is a favorite for bamboo rafting. The bamboo raft came into being when the locals set up chairs on a bamboo raft and enough space made for a boatman to sit on the raft.
The bamboo raft is pushed in to the river by the bamboo pole. One can also see the reflection of the raft and oneself in the clear water of Yulong River. It is a peaceful experience as one can lie down on the chair and smell the fragrance of rice, cool breeze, bright sky and clear water.

3. Best Performance of Impression Liu San Jie Show
It is a very spectacular outdoor night show with Li River and its karts mountain as its background. It is directed by movie director Zhang Yimou and is performed by almost 600 local villagers and fishermen, particularly local minority groups as Zhuang and Yao. The show focuses on the lives of the people living around the Li River and projects their culture, music and dresses.
Apart for its natural backdrop, the seasonal lighting like mist, cloudy weather, and moonlit nights gives way to natural lighting. Travelers are highly recommended not to miss this spectacular show.

Li River Impression Liu San Jie Night Show with Li River as Backdrop

4. Short Visit to the Busy West Street
The west street is the busiest and the most happening street in Yangshuo as majority of the hostels, hotels, cafes and bars owned locally or by foreign residents are located here. Have a vacation in Yangshuo far away from the noise and pollution of the city life.

Post in : China Tours Blog , China Tours from Shanghai , From Shanghai to Guilin ,

Top Places to Visit in Xian for First Visitors by Diane

November03

I traveled China last year with my friends, in Shanghai for a business trip, and couple of us had decided to stay a bit longer and visit Beijing and Xian. Xian is ancient city of China which home for lots famous tourist attractions, one that everyone must know is Terracotta Warriors. So a visit to Xian, it is a must if you have a short trip to this ancient tomb. But apart from that, Xian is a great city with a lot more to see than the Terracotta Warriors.

1. A Must List for Terracotta Warriors Visit
Xian is such a famous cultural and historical city with so many popular tourist attractions, one of the famous is Terracotta Warriors. Get the opportunity to explore the site, where 7,000 of these life-sized figures were constructed to guard Emperor Qin Shihuang's tomb.
Discover thousands of life-sized Terracotta Warriors near Xian which date from 210 BC and were meant to guard the first emperor of China in the afterlife. Make a trip to Xian complete by visiting this UNESCO World Heritage-listed Terracotta Warriors.

Terracotta WarriorsLife Sized Terracotta Warriors

2. Visit the Drum and Bell Tower
The Drum Tower or Gulou was built during the Ming Dynasty, just a few years before the neighboring Bell Tower. From here sunset was marked by the beat of the drum, sunrise having been announced in the Bell Tower. There is a smaller drum which you can beat three times for good luck (for a fee). Whereas the Bell Tower has contains several large bronze-cast bells from the Tang Dynasty. Now, Bell Tower has known for its location right in the center of the city.

3. Walk or Bike along Xian City Wall
Xian City Wall was built between 1374 and 1378, dating back 600 years ago, Xian City Wall is the oldest and most well preserved ancient city wall in all of China. Walking on the City Wall, you will have spectacular views of the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower, and the ancient center of the city.  Walking on the City Wall, you will have spectacular views of the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower, and the ancient center of the city. On the wall you can stroll along or rent a bicycle. It is a fast and efficient way for visitor to get a memorable experience on the Wall.

Ancient City WallBike along Ancient City Wall

Apart from those attractions which are remarkable in Xian, for personally I think there are lots of other interesting attractions, such as, Huaqing Hot Spring, Banpo Museum, Hanyangling Museum, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Nightly water and light show in front of the Big Goose Pagoda also a beautiful performance that you might enjoy.

Post in : China Tours Blog , China Tours from Shanghai , From Shanghai to Xian ,

Shore Excursion from Shanghai to the Calm Hangzhou by Sarah

October31

As my Shanghai trip end and we had lots of free time after that, then we decided to have a short excursion to Hangzhou, a calm city beside Shanghai. Since my friends live and stay in Shanghai, so I was great to travel Hangzhou with people who familiar with the transportation and Chinese. I reached Hangzhou from Shanghai by took high speed train. It is a 45-minute to 1 hours ride for about 82RMB (13USD) one way. Train runs every 30 minutes from Shanghai Hongqiao train station a high speed train in China.

Hangzhou West LakeWest Lake in Hangzhou

Of course a visit to Hangzhou cannot be complete without a visit to Westlake or known as Xihu in Chinese. Surrounded by mountains and stunning foliage, and one of the newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites (it received the designation in 2011), the lake grounds are speckled with temples, pagodas and gardens renowned throughout the world. Visitors who come to West Lake should catch the best attractions, as well as other worthwhile discoveries that many guides and most visitors miss, one of them is Leifeng Pagoda.

Hangzhou West LakeLeifeng Pagoda in West Lake

Besides enjoy stunning views around the lake, gardens and other sightseeing in surroundings, visitors also could take a boat across the lake. As I did experience, this is the best way to capture the whole view of the lake. Come to West Lake would not complete without take a boat. Moreover, another highlight in West Lake is Leifeng Pagoda. Our first stop is the five-story, octagonal emblem of West Lake. Built in 975 of brick and wood, Leifeng Pagoda is known throughout China as the location of the folk tale of "The Legend of the White Snake", a love story about a snake who is transformed into a woman and then locked up beneath Leifeng Pagoda by a monk. Inside the pagoda is a recently excavated mausoleum, with treasures including Buddhist silk scriptures, hand-carved, wooden dioramas of an epic West Lake myth, and, of course, sweeping views of the lake. I did climb to the top of the pagoda and view the stunning and peaceful West Lake from above.

A full day we spent walked around West Lake scenic area. We did stay overnight in Hangzhou in a nice hotel with affordable price and nice environment. The accommodation in Hangzhou is cheaper than Shanghai. I got a memorable excursion from the modern Shanghai to admire iconic views of Hangzhou West Lake.

Post in : China Tours Blog , China Tours from Shanghai , From Shanghai to Hangzhou ,
Displaying 1 to 4 (of 10 items)<< Previous 1 2 3 4 Next >>