Wonders of the East: Exploring Chinaโs Top Destinations
Dear All,
Preparation
My friend and I started planning 2-3 months ahead, dividing a long list of tasks. Realizing we needed help, we found a travel planner from China on Facebook who reviewed our itinerary, suggested improvements, and booked tickets we couldnโt. It was the best decision!
Also we made some important preparations for China:
Set up 1 Month before the trip:
- WeChat: An app for booking events and messaging. Note that it can only be used after verification by a local Chinese user (we found people on Facebook to help with this).
- Alipay: An app for payments in China, as cash and credit cards are often not accepted in many places.
Set up 1 Week before the the trip:
--โฃ๏ธTrip.com: The most essential app during our travels for booking accommodations and tickets. - Didi App: A local ride-hailing app similar to Uber. It can also be used as a map to check locations.
- VPN: Essential for accessing Google, Instagram, and Facebook, which are blocked in China. Install a VPN before arriving, as installation can be difficult once there. Install multiple VPN app as they are quickly blocked.
- Offline Translator (e.g., Papago): Helpful since only about 0.5% of the population speaks English.
- eSIM: For reliable internet access everywhere (services like Airalo are useful). Normally with eSIM you donโt need VPN to use FB, instagram.
Setup upon arrival:
- Apple Maps: In China, Apple Maps offers better functionality. Once in China, youโll be able to check directions more accurately.
- Chinese Phone Number: If you donโt obtain a SIM card before arriving, buy one there. A local number is necessary for booking tickets on WeChat.
- Online Registeration by the local police (if you are not staying in the hotel)
Setup upon departure:
- Online Deregistration by local police (if you are not staying in the hotel)
Book before trip:
- Train tickets ๐: Available for booking 20 days before departure. They sell out quickly, so itโs best to book as soon as possible.
- Popular attractions ๐จ๐ณ: Book tickets for the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square (including the rostrum), and the Summer Palace about one week in advance. The tickets are sold in 5 minutes after publishing.
*Tip*: The best practice is to book everything in advance to ensure a smoother experience
Main Mistakes for travelling to China:
- Not confirming in advance if the hotel accepts foreigners - as some do not, and they may not inform youโleaving you without accommodation.
- Arriving 15 minutes before departure to train station - You should be there 1 hour before departure. There are multiple security checks, including for luggage and passport control. If you have a bottle of water with you, you may be asked to drink from it. The gate closes approximately 15 minutes before the train departs.
- Not having offline translators - Most people donโt speak English and donโt understand European mimics.
- Rely on credit cards and cash - wonโt be accepted in almost all places - you should have Apps like WeChat and Alipay.
- Not installing VPN or ESIM before the trip - installing VPN in China is quite impossible.
- Not booking train tickets/ popular destinations in advance - there is 1 billion of people in China - you wonโt get a ticket on side.
Hints for China:
- Booking of restaurants usually not required and not possible (expect for banquet) - however, it is better not to eat during lunch time (12-13), can be crowded.
- Contacts of travel planner to review your trip and help with a plan and local tips: Xinhong Wang.
Our trip initiary
Shanghai arrival - 1 day
Suzhou region - 3 days
Beijing - 3 days
Shanghai - 3 days
Shanghai departure - 1 day
Suzhou region - beautiful watertowns
Since we arrived at the end of the national holidays, we decided to visit some villages in the Suzhou region and the city of Suzhou to avoid the crowds of mass tourism.
How to get to the watertowns
We have booked a guide for one day to visit watertowns in Suzhou from Shanghai via GetYourGuide. The guide Fan Ming brought us everywhere by car.
Jinxi Ancient Town
An authentic, peaceful spot with no tourist crowds. Free entrance. Activities were also cheaper. We loved the boat tour, tea time, and tried some unique Chinese street food!
Zhouzhuang
A larger, more touristy town, but full of charm. Entrance fee was 100 yuan (2024).
We explored traditional houses (Zhang and Shen), enjoyed traditional lunch, walked the iconic Double Bridge, and even caught two live Kun opera performances (due to holidays there was one free performance, I donโt know how regular is another evening show)!
Suzhou city
We went here by train from Shanghai - the trip was approximately 20-30 minutes.
Suzhou is a real authentic city - to fully immerse into Chinese life and culture. We had rainy weather ๐ฆ๏ธ but still managed to enjoy the city - rain coats ๐งฅ were a solution.
How to get here
We took a train (20-30 minutes) from Shanghai. Booked via Trip.com.
Where to stay
We have booked a really cool and local 3* hotel in Suzhou - Suzhou Jade Snow Lodge - I can fully recommend it as it is good value for money and has a local atmosphere. We also got multiple presents during our stay - as tea and some cookies. Also the host brought our luggage to our room.
Must-visit places in Suzhou
Lion Forest Garden ๐ฆ
Get lost in the stunning rock formations and peaceful ponds of this ancient garden.
Humble Administratorโs Garden ๐ธ
A UNESCO World Heritage site, this garden is the ultimate symbol of classical Chinese landscape design. I liked this park the most. There was also a VR experience offered to learn the story behind this garden.
Tiger Hill Pagoda ๐
Also known as the โLeaning Tower of China,โ this historical pagoda offers incredible views of the city (when it is not raining. ๐ ).
Historical accounts mention that King Helรผ of Wu was interred on a site once called "the Hill Emerging from the Sea." According to legend, three days after his burial, a white tiger appeared and rested on the hill, leading to its renaming as Tiger Hill.
My โค๏ธ place in Suzhou. You can also enjoy tea ceremonies and boat tours if the weather is good.
Lingering Garden ๐
Famous for its serene beauty and elegant layout.
Hanshan Temple ๐
One of Chinaโs most famous temples. The most popular place among tourists.
If you donโt have much time - choose only one from classical gardens (Humble, Lion, Lingering) - Humble Administrators Garden was the best for me.
Other must-do activities
Kun opera / Kunqu Opera
If you are in Suzhou, don't miss the Kun Opera in Fuxi Tea House. It is not only traditional opera house, but also one person show - with jokes in Chinese (we could not understand ๐ but weโre lucky as other guests translated us some parts), with great poetry, music instruments and unique tea (I tried Chrysanthemums tea).
Kun opera is one of the oldest Chinese operas. originated in the Kunshan-Taicang area of Suzhou about 600 years ago.
Kunqu Opera was traditionally performed by male actors in its early stages, with men playing both male and female roles (using Falsetto voice).
Location in Google: Fuxi Guqin Cultural Clubhouse, 97 Ping Jiang Lu, ๅนณๆฑๅบ Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, 215005. Book via WeChat.
Tea ceremony like in Song Dynasty
We have visited the traditional Song Dynasty tea ceremony in Suzhou. Originated in 960- 1279 AD. This is the best place to try the tea ceremony - not a touristic place.
Tea originated in ancient China around 2737 BCE when Emperor Shen Nong accidentally discovered it. According to legend, while boiling water under a tree, some tea leaves blew into his pot. The resulting brew intrigued him with its refreshing taste and medicinal properties, marking the beginning of tea's long history.
1. Prepare powdered tea: Tea leaves were ground into a fine powder, similar to matcha.
2. Heat the water: Water was brought to just the right temperature (85 Celsius degrees), not boiling, to preserve flavor.
3. Add tea powder to the bowl: a small amount of powdered tea was placed in a dark ceramic tea bowl, called jian ware.
4. Whisk the tea: Hot water was poured over the powder, and the tea was whisked vigorously to create a thick, frothy foam.
5. Painting on the foam: Using a fine tool, we created artistic designs on the foam, adding a personal touch to the tea.
6. Tea appreciation: We admired the tea's froth, aroma, and taste.
Location: Taoran Teahouse๏ผ้ถ็ถ่ถ้ฆ๏ผ
Pingjiang Residential District Xiaojia
Alley No.42, Gusu Suzhou
Reserve in advance > via WeChat (only Chinese with translator)
Boat Tour
We missed unfortunately our booked boat tour due to weather conditions.
But the recommended boat tours (evening sunset tour) are from Shantang street - the street has also multiple shops and restaurants. Can be booked via Trip.com.
As an alternative you can take a boat tour on the Tiger Hill.
Where to eat - local tips
Bistro with dumplings - ๐ฒ- near Lingering Garden (15 min walk)
We tried this tasty soup with dumplings - but bistro was hard to find in the small streets - search the address in Didi app.
Address:
็งๅจๅฐๅๅบ
ๅนฟๆต่ทฏ่ฅฟๆจๅฎๆต3ๅทๆฅผ
Lvyang Wonton Restaurant - ๐ฒ- Near Lion Garden (10 min walk)
็ปฟๆจ้ฆ้ฅจ
Tasty dumpings soup and wantangs
Appoximate location. - Google +/-2 minutes difference. Didi app is better.
Street food -๐ฒ
Caramelised tomatos ๐
Strange taste for us - but Chinese like it
Beijing - ancient city
We discovered the capital of China and explored Forbidden City, Summer Palace and of course famous Great Wall of China.
See my guide for Beijing for more details:
Shanghai - modern lights
See my guide for Shanghai
The home for unique & authentic travel
