Categorie: English

[:en]Published on July 24, 2012

When visiting China a tour to the Great Wall is more or less a must. A day tour to the Great Wall is very doable from Beijing; within two hours by tour bus or public transport you can get to several passes to access the Great Wall. A very popular pass is Badaling which offers a great view and a nice hike at about 70 kilometres from Beijing. The Great Wall is of quite good quality and is the most well-preserved part of the wall in the Beijing area. Lots of tourists visit the Wall at Badaling, especially during weekends.

Not far from Badaling and about 60 kilometers from Beijing you can access the Great Wall via the Juyongguan Pass. This part of the Great Wall is less crowded then Badaling and offers a great view as it’s surrounded by mountains. Both Badaling and Juyongguan can be reached with public transport so you can come and go whenever you like. Booking a tour does have some advantages.

Most organized tours travel from Beijing to Badaling, but there are some tours travelling to unexplored passes. Check for tours to the “Secret Wall” in hotels and tourist offices and you might see an area of the Wall where almost no other tourist will wander around. We were lucky to book a tour at the hotel that went to the strategic pass of Emperor Li Zi Cheng. When we arrived at the Great wall we were the only human beings on that part of the wall, just a small group of twelve tourists from our hotel. The view, quietness and immense wall were breath taking. Because there were no other tourists around we were able to make great photo’s and wander around without bumping into big crowds of tourists. A valuable tip when you’re thinking of visiting the wall is to explore the area of your hotel looking for trips to less crowded parts to fully enjoy the beauty and magnificence of the Great Wall of China.

Written by: Danitsja Koster

Published on the site of City Guide China.[:]

[:en]Published on July 24, 2012

Shanghai is a city with definitely its own personality. The skyline at the Bund is one of the most famous spots in China and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower is one of the prides of Shanghai. The city is quite accessible and a short trip of two days is enough to a glimpse of Shanghai. Visit the Bund and the skyline of the city both during the day and at night to see two different sides of this modern Chinese city. When you’re travelling from Beijing it’s easy and relatively cheap to take the high speed train to Shanghai and arrive within six hours. Do keep in mind you will need to be at the train station at least half an hour before departure, trains always leave on time in China.

After your arrival in Shanghai it is great to wander around and see some highlights the city has to offer. You can start in the French concession area which shows the French influence on Shanghai from the 19 th century. From this area it’s a small walk to Huaihai Lu, the second biggest shopping street of Shanghai. From here you can take a cross street up north to get to Nanjing Xi Lu, the biggest and most famous shopping street of Shanghai. This is a broad street with lots of international shops and it doesn’t feel like you’re in China. Then walk to People’s Square to see several huge towers Shanghai is known for.
From the Nanjing Xi Lu it’s a short walk to the People’s Square and you’re almost at the Bund to see the famous skyline of the city.

When you’re at the Bund at night it’s great to take the metro to the other side of the river to visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. From the top there’s an amazing view over the city. With all the lights on both buildings and boats on the river it is truly marvelous to enjoy the view over the city. The tower usually closes around 9 pm so it’s worth to postpone dinner to experience the bright city lights from the top of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

For a second day tour a day ticket for the metro comes in handy. Start your day with an early visit at the Yu Gardens and Bazaar. The Bazaar is rather new but has an old feel, it can get very crowded but it is worth the visit. After the craziness of the Bazaar the serenity of the Yu Gardens will feel like a little piece of heaven in the middle of the city. This ancient garden is a treat and you can wander around for hours to see all the different beautiful ponds, traditional buildings and exotic trees. This is a great way to relax for a little while.

After this inspiring morning a trip to both the Ji’an Temple and the Jade Buddha Temple are great to explore the older side of Shanghai. The Ji’an Temple is located next to a few golden towers which gives a huge contrast with the ancient temple. It is a rather big complex and beautifully decorated, quite different to temples in Beijing. The Jade Buddha Temple is a bit quieter and monks still live in the monastery. When you’re lucky you can see one of their ceremonies in the afternoon which is an unforgettable experience.

Written by: Danitsja Koster

Published on the site of City Guide China.[:]

[:en]Published on July 24, 2012

The main attraction of Xi’an is the world famous Terracotta Army which is about an hour drive from the city centre. Most tourists visiting Xi’an are on a short trip to see the army and have little time to explore the area. With this nice day tour you’re able to see some highlight of Xi’an and have a full day to explore the Terracotta Army also.

Most distances in Xi’an are rather small so walking around is a nice way to visit the touristic highlights. Start the day with a nice walk through the Lian Hu Park. This nice park is a little oasis in Xi’an with beautiful trees, small traditional porches to sit down and a nice lake. Wander around in Lian Hu Park to start the day easy in Xi’an.

From Lian Hu Park it takes about 10 minutes to get to the Muslim area of Xi’an. The city has a long history in which the population of Muslims has been living in the same area of Xi’an for centuries. Around Beiyuan Men Street there are a lot of shops and restaurants with exotic foods and souvenirs. Quite a lot of women wear head scarves and some faces do look slightly Arabic. In this area the Great Mosque of Xi’an is situated which offers a nice blend of Muslim and Arab tradition mixed with Chinese architecture. Take the time to wander around the complex to find both the similarities and differences with traditional Chinese temples.

From the Great Mosque of Xi’an it is a small walk to the Drum Tower which is right next to the Bell Tower. Both towers are quite impressive and give a beautiful sight over the city but the admission is rather expensive. When you have visited the Drum Tower and Bell Tower in Beijing it might not be worth it to climb the towers since the views in Xi’an are much less impressive then in Beijing. The towers are located on a large square which gives great opportunities to take pictures. Next to the Bell Tower there is a large shopping area which is rather expensive, but nice to walk around in after this cultural trip.

The last stop for the day should be Revolutionary Park which offers a great silent area to relax and take a walk in. There are people playing instruments and dancing and there are lots of places to sit down and enjoy the afternoon. In the summer there are several possibilities to enjoy the day when taking small kids, there are for example little boats for rent to take onto the small lake. After that try a local Chinese restaurant and get yourself ready to visit the Terracotta Army the next day.

Written by: Danitsja Koster

Published on the site of City Guide China.[:]

[:en]Published July 24, 2012

The Terracotta Army is one of the best known tourist attractions of China. Located near Xi’an it is a great site to visit when combined with a trip to Beijing, Shanghai Lanzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing. A short trip to Xi’an to visit both the city and Terracotta Warriors is very doable by train or airplane; within two days you’re able to visit both the Warriors and the city of Xi’an. Most hotels offer trips to the Army which usually includes stops at a local overpriced museum and a terracotta factory with a large gift shop. The Army can also be reached by public transport, there are buses leaving just outside the ancient city wall of Xi’an which takes about an hour to get to the touristic site.

One of the best tips when visiting the Terracotta Warriors is to start with Terminal 3, continue to Terminal 2 and leave the biggest and most impressive Terminal 1 to end with. Terminal 3 shows a glimpse of what the Terracotta Army has been; a lot of areas in this hall are damaged or even destroyed. Certain parts have been set on fire in the 1st century BC and the black areas are still shown.

Terminal 2 offers the first few almost complete warriors and horses. In every Terminal there are pictures showing how the warriors supposedly have looked when they were made in the 2nd century BC. Most warriors and horses have no paint anymore. You can end your visit with wandering around the biggest pit on this site: Terminal 1. In this terminal there are lots of warriors which are more or less intact. There are still archeologists working in this terminal trying to uncover even more warriors then there are displayed at the moment. This huge pit holds rows and rows of warriors which offers an incredible and impressive view on Chinese history, culture and craftsmanship. The Terracotta Army is definitely a must-see when visiting China for two weeks or more.

Written by: Danitsja Koster

Published on the site of City Guide China.[:]