Quote:
Originally Posted by Knalus
So, I am planning a long trip to China coming in May, and I am trying to make plans for the trip. I have a sister in China, and following visiting her I plan on taking a tour with my wife. Anyone have any must-see locations in china? Is Shanghai comparable to Hong Kong to a westerner?
Also - has anyone taken tours from the companies Gap Adventures and Intrepid Travel? I'm looking at these tours (even though normally I am NOT a tour kind of guy, but the lack of English signs does make me a little concerned)., and I want to know if they are worth my time and/or money. Anyone with advice?
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I did China with Gap Adventures in 2009 on their Essential China tour (
my photos). I've done a few other tours with them in Peru/Eastern Africa as well. The nice thing about a tour is that you don't need to worry about arranging accomodations/transportation. Most days there were opportunities to get out and explore on your own though obviously if you are doing the river cruise or something your options will be limited during that time.
The area around Guilin/Yangshuo was spectacular and I really enjoyed the panda breeding center by Chengdu. For me the Three Gorges were not that impressive. Hong Kong and Shanghai are only comparable in that they are big cities. From what I saw Shanghai has more history with the modern skyscrapers contained in a relatively small area. Hong Kong is just incredibly urban. Personally I loved both of them.