10 Days in China

China is a magnificent country, one of the oldest cultures in the world, set in a vast and diverse landscape. Limiting your time to 10 days in China means compromising one National Park for others, or one historically important city for another. It can be hard to narrow down your destinations on a short trip, but if you want to follow along on our 10 days in China, we hope to inspire you!

Days 1-3: Shanghai

Shanghai is a city on steroids! It is the most populated city in China, yet it does not feel overcrowded. The comprehensive public transportation is fairly easy to navigate which makes it easy to get around. There are so many lights, so many stores, and so many nooks and crannies to explore! 

Having been unfamiliar with the details of the Pacific Theater of WW2, I was surprised to learn that parts of Shanghai were occupied by the Japanese from 1941 to 1945, until Japan’s surrender. During and after the occupation, Britain and the US were strong allies of China. In fact, China, the US and Britain were the principal members of the United Nations, which was formed directly following the end of WW2. I found this history so interesting to learn about on our visit, and it brought new layers to my knowledge of the time period. 

We stayed at the Shanghai Park Hotel, sometimes called the International Hotel, which was just across the street from the Peoples Park and steps from the Peoples Square metro stop. It was centrally located, surrounded by tons of shops and restaurants, and made walking around the city a joy. This was especially important for us, being two females alone and arriving in the city after dark. Getting there from the airport quickly, in a safe area, is key to a successful trip.  

We started our visit in Shanghai by wandering through the tranquil Peoples Park on our way to breakfast. Locals were practicing their Tai Chi, exercising, and gathering in groups. It was enjoyable to watch people go about their lives in the traditional park. We then took the underground metro line 2 to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum stop. Once off the metro, we wandered through the markets on either side of the entrance/exit level and found all kinds of treasures! After dropping our haul back off at the hotel, we walked down Nanjing Lu Shopping Street to The Bund, admiring that glorious skyline- including the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower and World Financial Center. The city was so lit up on the walk back that evening, it rivaled Las Vegas- so many sounds, arcade games, sweet shops, performances, and vendors came to life in the dark! We felt safe being out late and we found some amazing dinner at a tiny noodle shop that was only $2.50 per entree. 

The next day we visited Shanghai Disneyland which was well worth the visit. We loved the rides Tron and Pirates of the Caribbean (the best in the world!). The details all around the park were stunning, larger than any other park and so complex. There was a ton of digital magic baked into the lands, which added another layer of enjoyment, and the unique food options were really fun too! 

Some other things we might have done in Shanghai were the Yu Garden, The Jade Buddha Temple, Jing’an Temple, or a day trip to Zhujiajiao Ancient Water Town. Although we had intended to visit these things we just had too much fun shopping and eating and didn’t make it on this trip.

Days 3-6: Zhangjiajie 

We got so lucky and stayed at an absolutely amazing establishment, Asgard Lodge-XMAN. You can read more about it the post: The Best Place to Stay in Zhangjiajie. It was close to the airport, train station, and the city center, which is what we needed for a late flight arrival and early train trip out. We were also really super close to Tianmen Mountain for the day we visited that area. It was a 40 minute drive to Zhangjiajie National Park and Tianzi Mountain, which was the only long drive we had to do in the area and cost 100 yuan each way. Alternatively, we could have stayed closer to Zhangjiajie National Park, but it felt much more like a tourist trap in that area, and we would have had to trek to the airport, train station, and Tianmen instead of just one long drive, so I was very happy with the location we were at. 

Tianmen Mountain is lovely. The base of the mountain has some really cool artwork, the designs made to look like they are a part of the landscape. Thankfully, we were able to purchase thick winter coats and beanies from one of the vendors (for a total of $40USD), because we would not have survived the weather at the top of the mountain without them. From the main mountain entrance we took the cable car and then paid extra for the escalator ride at the square, avoiding the climb up 999 stairs to Tianmen Cave. Unfortunately for us, everything past the escalator was locked in the clouds, so we didn’t get to see the amazing views we had heard of. We rode a series of transmountian escalators through the cliff paths, climbing 4000 feet in elevation in just one hour. At the top, it was spooky and cloudy and the views were diminished, so we spent little time before heading back down. 

Zhangjiajie National Park is just mesmerizing. It is otherworldly, just as described in all of the marketing. We started with the most stunning walk through Golden Whip Stream, and everywhere we looked was inspiring. The sandstone rock towers reach up to 600 feet over the valley floor, left in a pillar shape after centuries of uplifting and erosion. It was quiet and peaceful, and not very crowded at all. From there, we took the Bailong Elevator to the upper part of the park and then a bus to the Hallelujah Mountain Viewpoint. Unfortunately for us, the upper sections were all in clouds just as Tianmen had been, so we didn’t get to see the pillars from up top. We were okay with it since the lower sections were so incredible, but it did feel like a waste of time and hiking when we could have left from the elevator parking area. From there, we took a series of busses to Tianzi Mountain which was also socked in, and finally the cablecar down the mountain. Basically that entire last 2 hours was just a load of bus rides on terrifyingly winding roads surrounded by creepy fog. Using the free busses around the park may sound like a great perk- but they are actually the most terrifying mode of transportation I have ever experienced. That’s right, move over bus drivers of Amalfi Coast, these guys have officially topped your ride. An adventure, to be sure. In total, the whole route took us about 6 hours and makes me feel like one long day is totally realistic for the whole park, even with a lot of stops. Just remember: do not forget your toilet paper!

Before catching our train to Hong Kong, we took a taxi to the Old City for some shopping. We found so many great treasures in the shops and the Underground Market, and Julie even found some salad for lunch, which made her a happy girl!

Days 6-8: Hong Kong 

We took the high speed train to Hong Kong in an easy and smooth 6 hour trip. From the train station we took an Uber to the hotel, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott. This hotel was in a great location for the airport and Disneyland but was about 30 minutes taxi/subway ride back to Kowloon or Hong Kong Island. The continental breakfast and 24 hour room service were both great, Julie was so excited to get a full American breakfast. Because of the “one country, two systems” thing, I guess I did not realize Hong Kong uses a different style power adapter than mainland China. They also have their own monetary system, legal and political systems, and you have to go through rigorous immigration checkpoints to enter and exit Hong Kong. My itinerary was not flexible as we had to be in HK on this exact date to meet Ronda, but now knowing these things, I suggest Hong Kong being at the beginning or end of a trip to China, rather than crossing back over the border to Beijing after this stop.

Hong Kong Disneyland was magical! It seemed to be a smaller size park, but it was very uncrowded- even on a Sunday. We loved the Frozen land, and the ride Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars. The park had the usual attention to detail expected from Disney, and we loved the adaptations and Asian flair added to the traditional rides from the Magic Kingdom in California. We go into more detail about the worldwide Disney Parks in our article, (insert link here). 

We also had a successful visit to Hong Kong Island, stopping at the customary Brandy Melville store (if you know, you know). We rode the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbor to the Avenue of Stars, and found some great treasures in the Kowloon ladies market. If you love bustling cities like New York, this is the place for you! If not, plan to say OFF of Hong Kong Island and instead choose Kowloon or even further away from Central. In all, it was a lovely visit to this iconic city. 

 Days 8-10: Beijing

We took a 3 hour flight on China Eastern Airlines to Beijing for the final leg of our trip. Getting back into China was just as daunting as it had been the first time coming into Shanghai. We had three customs agents hovering over us while we filled out the proper forms, sternly watching while we scanned our faces and fingerprints- again. They also took my luggage tag with the Canadian flag on it, which was awkward. Then we took a taxi to Hilton Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport. Our taxi driver did try and trick us into 4x the usual fare but I knew what the price should have been from earlier research and I had the hotel concierge intercede on our behalf to correct the price. The hotel was excellent, massive, and very westernized. There were several great restaurants on site, the continental breakfast rivaled our stay at Marriott in Hong Kong, and we got to enjoy the spa and gym as well. 

The Hilton arranged a car for us to and from the Great Wall at Mutianyu, which was convenient and safe. Construction on the Great Wall of China began around 770 BCE as small defensive sections of wall to protect against northern invasions. In around 475-221 BCE, the sections of the Wall began to take shape as one long structure. It was used for border control, trade regulation, protection along the Silk Road, and transportation. It is somewhere around 13,000 miles long, and 16-26’ tall. For 3000 years it has been a symbol of Chinese strength and perseverance. We took the cable car to tower 14, then hiked as far as we could go to tower 20. The route was very steep and hilly over uneven cobblestones and up treacherous staircases, but the view from the top was astonishing! We got lucky with a clear, sunny day so we could see the wall stretching out for miles along the spine of the mountains. Being there was surreal and totally worth it!

On the way back to the hotel, our driver took us to a local tea shop for a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. We were lucky he mentioned it after finding out about my love of tea, because the experience did not disappoint! We got to try several fantastic teas and learn about the health benefits and Chinese medicine, along with the proper way to drink the tea and the process for making each variety. I learned so much and each variety was unique and delicious.

In Beijing, we also visited Tiananmen Square and the surrounding areas. Tickets to the Forbidden City were already sold out, which surprised me, but that would have been cool to see as well. We found Beijing to be just alright. It was more subdued than the more vibrant Shanghai and not as picturesque as the countryside like Zhangjajie. I am glad we got to see it but it was not my favorite stop.

Looking back, I think it was unnecessary to stay at the western hotels. We wanted to be as safe as possible since we were two girls traveling alone, and the familiar hotels made us feel comfortable. However, the Chinese accommodations were just as fantastic, much more affordable, and in more convenient locations. I would recommend booking something convenient to public transportation with great reviews, even if its not a western choice. 

Our trip to China was complete and altogether we really enjoyed our visit. China is the worlds largest trading nation, and one of the largest economies in the world. Although there have been tumultuous times in recent history and strained political tensions, China remains a member of the UN and tentatively peaceful with other nations. Despite complicated politics, Chinese people continue to thrive in a country where every citizen has electricity, travel and trade is open, and emphasis is placed on the importance of family units and prosperity. We found the people to be respectful of other cultures, considerate, and reserved in their emotions, but always kind. It was a fantastic adventure!