From day one, China exceeded our expectations. The country, with it's ancient architecture and magnificent vistas, was breathtaking. But it was the the people that truly won our hearts. So friendly, and happy to see a foreigner enjoying their country.
This was our first trip to Asia, and I wanted to explore it's birthplace. We lodged in Beijing, Chengdu, Emeishan, Guilin, Yangshuo, and Hong Kong.
Here's how to plan your own journey through the beauty and wonders of China!
Our 20 day itinerary:
Day 1 & 2 - fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Beijing, China (PEK)
Day 3 through 6 - Beijing
Day 7 - fly to Chengdu (CTU)
Day 8 & 9 - Chengdu
Day 10 - drive to Emeishan Shi (private guide)
Day 11 - return to Chengdu (private guide)
Day 12 - fly from Chengdu to Guilin (KWL)
Day 13 - Guilin
Day 14 - Li river cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo
Day 15 - Yangshuo
Day 16 - drive to Guilin. Fly from Guilin to Hong Kong (HKG)
Day 17 through 19 - Hong Kong
Day 20 - fly from Hong Kong to Los Angeles
BEIJING
Our first stop was Beijing, with lodging at Beijing Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel in a traditional hutong district. Our favorite places there included the exquisite Buddhist Lama Temple where we witnessed the mesmerizing sounds of monks chanting in the morning, Temple of Heaven, the beautiful Summer Palace and grounds, the Great Wall at Mutianyu, and wonderful Beihai Park adorned in lotus blossoms and willow trees.
We entered the Forbidden City (known as the Palace Museum) as well. After its completion in 1420, the Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors during the Ming (1368–1644) and the Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. The last emperor of imperial China, Puyi (1906–67), was expelled from it in 1925.
We recommend you stray left or right from the main path to visit some of the smaller, more intimate gardens. They have indoor museum exhibits as well.
Tip: We needed our passports to enter the Palace Museum, so just be aware that you must carry them with you on the day you plan to visit.
We also attended a classic Peking opera at the Liyuan Theatre. The costumes were beautiful and intricate! The singing? Well, a little shrill to our ears. lol
We utilized the public transit system to get around Beijing and it was no problem at all. The subway system and buses were very clean and extremely safe. And we called upon China Highlights, a private tour company, to get us to and from the Great Wall.
The Great Wall is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient China, spanning over 20,000 km (12,000 mi) in total. Several of the fortifications were built from as early as the 7th century BC, with the most well-known sections being built by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
CHENGDU & EMEISHAN
Next was Chengdu and Emeishan. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Pandas was gorgeous! We arrived first thing in the morning, with the weather nice and cool, almost no crowds, and the pandas were awake and feeding!
We also enjoyed the wide and narrow alley pedestrian mall where we sampled dragons beard candy, the Wenshu Monastery (all of the Buddhist monasteries in China are superb), Old Chengdu, the serene and picturesque Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Qingyang Palace, and the Leshan Giant Buddha, a 233 ft (71m) tall red sandstone statue, built between 713 and 803 and resting on the edge of the Min and Dadu rivers.
We enjoyed Emei Mountain with it's multitude of monasteries, temples, and short-tailed macaque monkeys as well.
Our friends in Chengdu introduced us to the Sichuan hot pot, which was absolutely delicious! Just be careful not to let your food sit in the hot Sichuan chili pepper oil for too long. Yep, HOT! And Wangjiang Pavilion Park was full of a variety of beautiful and unique bamboo species. We also attended a traditional Sichuan opera and changing faces show at Jinjiang Theater. It was like a variety show, and the costumes were magnificent!
GUILIN & YANGSHOU
Guilin and Yangshou were next. From Guilin, we visited the breathtaking landscape of the Longji Rice Terraces and had lunch in the ethnic village up above. Try the open fire-roasted bamboo rice. It's rice, mixed with corn, served in a roasted bamboo husk. In September the rice was about ready to harvest, so the fields were full of color.
The next day we went on a spectacular cruise down the Li River. Wow, those stunning gumdrop-shaped karst mountains! Our lodging was our favorite of the entire trip at Giulinyi Royal Palace in the heart of Guilin Park!
Note: Gui Lin Yi Royal Palace changes web addresses a lot. China tends to change or remove web addresses quiet often. If the link above is broken, just copy and paste the name of the hotel and search for it online.
Yangshuo was our favorite city, surrounded by majestic karst mountains. We watched the huge outdoor spectacle of the Impression of Sanjie Liu show at night, went bamboo rafting down the scenic Yulong River, rode bikes through the countryside where we witnessed fields of wildflowers and visited a home that had been standing for centuries, and explored the Seven Star Tea Plantation as well. Incredible landscapes in every direction!
HONG KONG
We arrived in Hong Kong just in time for the Mid-Autumn, or Moon, Festival. Once again we utilized the public transit system, which was safe, clean, and fast. We sailed on a traditional Chinese junk around the harbor and were able to witness the Light Show at night.
We also enjoyed the massive Tian Tan Buddha statue and stunning gilded neighboring Po Lin Monastery, Nan Lian Garden, and witnessed the Tai Hang Fire Dragon dance as well. Originating in 1880, a village elder dreamt Buddha told him to perform an incense-burning fire dragon dance in order to defeat a plague. It worked, and they've been performing the dance ever since!
One could visit China for the history alone. But the incredible gardens, architecture, and landscapes cannot be missed. China's greatest asset, however, is it's people. We found a new love and respect for the Chinese. Such a great country. Such a great people. You must go see for yourself.
HELPFUL TIPS
Electrical outlets
Everywhere we stayed in mainland China had sockets which accommodated American, European, and British plugs. Hong Kong only accommodated British.
Food and drink
China is far from a developing country. The food at the local markets is perfectly safe. We only drank bottled water, but had no issues with hot tea or hot water (which they serve everywhere instead of cold water). There is lots of great food, and our favorites were noodles, eggplant, bok choy, hot pots and dumplings. Be adventurous! Just be sure to order rice with your meal, as an excess of sesame oil can wreak havoc on Western stomachs.
Language
I learned a few phrases on YouTube, and the ones I used the most were ni hao (hi), xie xie (thanks), mi fan (rice please), bu yao (don't want), ting bu dong (can't understand), bu ke qi (you are welcome), ni shuo ying yu ma (do you speak English), ce suo zai na li (where is the toilet), and zao shang hao (good morning).
Internet access
I used ExpressVPN on my phone and laptop, and was able to connect to Google, Google maps, gmail, Facebook, Instagram, and Yelp. Without a VPN, you can't connect to any of those thanks to the Chinese firewall. And I installed WeChat to connect with the locals.
Comments