Hi guys,
I am just posting in regards to asking if anyone has went on this trip/ or similar trips? Any thoughts would be great?
https://exclusives.webjet.com.au/deals/tour-deals/china/10-d…
At face value, we think it is quite cheap, with airfares included, not opting in for their pricey extras and electing to find out own?
Can someone name any cons or flaws in this plan?
Thanks,
make stop offs at jade exhibitions and working silk-spinning mills, and discover the history of traditional Chinese medicine.
Jade shops, silk mills and TCM shops (not limited to) are donating to your cheap airfares etc2 and hence you will be spending some (alot?) of time visiting them there.
Actually upon further looking into the itinerary
Day 3: Beijing (B, L)
You’ll visit one of the largest jade exhibitions in Asia en route, and after lunch, see skilled artisans work at a cloisonné factory.
Day 4: Beijing – Suzhou (B)
Visit a Chinese herbal institute to learn about traditional Chinese medicine.
Day 5: Suzhou – Wuxi (B, L)
Next, visit the Suzhou Silk Factory, the largest silk factory in the country, and discover the mysterious process of making silk.
Day 6: Wuxi – Hangzhou (B, L)
This morning tour the brilliant Lake Lihu, followed by a visit to a fresh water pearl exhibition.
Day 7: Hangzhou – Shanghai (B, L)
Today we visit the Dragon Well Tea Plantation. Then visit the City God Temple Bazaar, which is composed of speciality stores selling traditional Chinese arts and crafts, medicine, and souvenirs.
Day 8: Shanghai (B, L)
In the morning, tour Shanghai Museum, and see ancient Chinese art, furniture and jade, followed by a visit to an Emerald Exhibition Centre.
Unless you are not valuing your time wasted visiting these shops, I personally won't go as I'd like to pack in a lot more into my holiday (which I have to take annual leave for). Although everyone's situation is different, this might be suited for some people with a lot of leisure time and some money to burn on these shops.
I'd be cautious with any tours that include visiting shops. There's almost one shop visit per day in this tour (jade exhibitions, Chinese herbal institute, Suzhou Silk Factory, fresh water pearl exhibition, etc.)
There must be a reason why it is so cheap. They have to make money back from somewhere.
The itinerary looks pretty boring. On day 2, they drop you at Tiananmen Square and you have a whole day to do what you want, otherwise you need to pay more to do something more interesting.
Personally I wouldn't go on this tour. Do a google search and read about other people's experience with tours like this one.
Thanks guys!
Yeah, definitely shoudd've noted that we do recognise the fact that its a "shopping tour".
I just wonder how much of that is shopping, wish they broke down the itinerary into time-ish blocks.
Yeah, given the fact I have 1-2 unforced annual leave a year, might be best to just go where we want.
With any tour in China, a lot of your time will be spent looking out from a bus window. Most likely at other traffic.
flaws in this plan?
You may be imprisoned, without charge, in an undisclosed location, for an unknown length of time, if you verbally announce your opinions of the Hong Kong protests in public.
That is most likely true, but it similarly applies in a lot of other countries. Cultural and political awareness should be mandatory before visiting a country.
I wouldn't say a lot of other countries. I would say very few others.
To be fair, when I was in Thailand last, the king had just passed and it was very dangerous to even talk about the royal affairs, even offhandedly in my taxi my Thai friend put a lid on my attempts to talk about it immediately.
I almost had to call off the trip due to the governments warning (Smartraveller)…
I definitely think you have to be very culturally/politically/donotgetkilled sensitive in some places
Chinese values are different to other countries. There is nothing wrong with that. Social harmony is valued above violent riots. You can visiting another country and you should respect that country. China is Free of guns = less violence. China is cheaper to live in = more bargains.
Unfortunately there is no way HK will be free from Chinse influence, because HK belongs to China.
@xinyi: China should honour the Basic Law and Sino-British Joint Declaration treaty and leave HK alone until 2047 but that's a convo for another thread I guess.
@Typical16-bitEnjoyer: US should stop selling arms to the Saudis who are using US bombs to commit genocide in Yemen.
Another topic, but I don't know why every thread about China needs to contain something negative about China.
@xinyi: Possibly because:
I don't see you saying anything I said was false, right?
US should stop selling arms to the Saudis who are using US bombs to commit genocide in Yemen.
Lol then China should stop selling arms to Pakistan and N. Korea.
Lots of time in shops, lots of time on the bus. Early starts, late finish. Poor food. These tours are value for money but not the most enjoyable way to travel, a lot of compromises.
Seems like the 10 days could be better spent hiking the prom or grampians (new track) or just a domestic holiday with a little extra money!
Cheap, can see them herding you around like cows to 'discount shops'.