Itinerary
April 14th – London to Beijing
April 19th – Beijing to Xi’an
April 21st – Xi’an to Shanghai
April 26th – Shanghai to London
When we had to decide where to go on honeymoon it was a really hard choice. It’s the most important holiday of your lifetime and you want to get it right. My (new) wife and I are not beach types -we might end up divorced after two weeks lazing in the sun- so we wanted to go somewhere different and China won the race. We had heard mixed opinions of holidaying in China but after our trip I would definitely recommend it.
Beijing
Arriving in Beijing we were faced with the largest, sprawling city either of us had ever seen. Both of us are well travelled but were surprised at how organised the city was and how easy it was to get about. We stayed in two different hotels (variety being the spice of life): one was a serviced apartment near the business district and the other a Traders hotel by Shangri-la near in the World Trade Centre. To be fair, we chose these hotels on recommendations and deals offered by a friend and so these may not be in the most central location but taxis are so cheap and plentiful that distance was not a problem. In peak times the underground is certainly the best way to get about.
You can easily fill a week or more in this vibrant city. The Temple of Heaven, Tian’na Men Square, The Forbidden City with the beautiful Jing Shan Park behind, Summer Palace and the Olympic Village are just some of the highlights. We hired a driver to take us to the Great Wall as the main tourist buses don’t drop you at the most magnificant spot, Mutianyu. If you decide to go this way you could stop at the Old Schoolhouse restaurant on the way if you fancy a break from Chinese food. Other highlights included the Duck Banquet at Da Dong Duck, booking is essential but well worth it -the menu is over 100 pages long! For cheap eats head to xxxx -a Japanese restuarant-book a table at the grill and eat and drink as much as you like for the equivalent of £16!
Beijing Crows Nest Stadium
Crispy Duck at Da Dong Restaurant
Scorpion Kebabs
The Great Wall of China
Xi’an
Xi’an is a must if only to see the amazing Terracotta Warriors. It blows you away to see the army standing ready to fight after thousands of years. They are even more impressive when you discover that each one was painted vibrant colours, unfortunately these colours quickly fade due to oxygenisation. We booked a tour in Xi’an through our hotel as we were only there for a few days and wanted to make the most of it -our guide was great and took us to an amzing backstreet cafe that we would never have found ourselves. The town itself was really interesting too, you can hire a bike (or even a tandem if you want) and cycle round the 12 mile long city walls. There are also a number of temples and the Drum and Bell tower to keep you busy.
Cycling Around the City Wall in Xi’an
TerraCotta Warriors
Shanghai
Shanghai was our winning destination. We felt at home and comfortable almost immediately. It is very different from Beijing being a more modern cosmopolitan city, particularly on the Pudong side. We got some great clothes made for very little at the Fabric Market (visit the first day of your trip so as to allow time for alterations and go with a style in mind). During the day it is great to stroll along the Bund and take a boat trip down the river (the one hour trip is fine). If you fancy hitting the shops Nanjing Lu is the place to go and for a bit of culture drop into the Shanghai museum.
At night the city really comes alive -pop into the Grand Hyatt Cloud 9 bar for a drink in the highest bar in the world. It is a bit touristy but on a clear night the view well worth the price. You can give the Oriental TV Pearl Tower a miss if you go to Cloud 9 as for entry fee to the Pearl Tower you can get a cocktail and a seat! If you are on a budget, wander through the food markets trying all the local delicacies (if you dare!). We ate at night markets a few times for less than £3 between us.
Another great place to explore is the fake market -bargain hard, you will almost always win!
We hated to leave this fantastic city and would go back in a flash -even with a population of over 16 million it is easy to find your feet and feel at home.
Shanghai by Night
Shanghai by Night
