Is missing Xian a mistake?

Replies: 20 - Last Post: 02-Feb-2010 11:27 Last Post By: Harry_Mudd

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Irina11

13-Mar-2007 06:36
Posts: 22

Is missing Xian a mistake?

We are planning to be in China for 7 nights/8 days and planning to visit Shanghai and Beijing. We are thinking of visiting Xian in between Shanghai and Beijing by train: Shanghai/Xian, Xian/Beijing. Is seeing terracotta army worth this effort and time? Some posts say it is amazing site and some say it was a dissapointment. What it really is? Any advice/opinions are appreciated.
Also, is there a place to leave a lugguage at Xian station for a day?

zhaoyun

13-Mar-2007 06:46
Posts: 733

There is a place to leave luggage at the Xi'an station.
I'd say skip it. It's definitely worth seeing, but only if you have the time. With only 1 week I think just Beijing and Shanghai is best.

Johnny

13-Mar-2007 06:53
Posts: 6,875

I'd skip Shanghai and go to Xi'an. There's more to it than the warriors.

So...1:1 so far.

Everything in moderation, even moderation.

jbruyndonckx

13-Mar-2007 07:21
Posts: 55

I'd say: stay in Beijing. There's more to see than one week's worth. Eventually a side-trip to Chengde.

Jan

needcoffee

13-Mar-2007 07:57
Posts: 214

skip xi'an. it is absolutely not worth it considering your time limit.

i would stay in beijing for the whole time plus a quick trip to chengde.

another good option:

beijing 3 days
shanghai 1 day
hangzhou 1 day
suzhou 1 day

astroboy

13-Mar-2007 08:35
Posts: 4,927

3 cities is not a good way to split the time.

I honestly think Shanghai has less to offer for the traveller than Xi'an or Beijing, but its a great city to be in. So go to Xi'an if you want history and things to see - come to Shanghai if you want to experience life in a big, modern, fantastic city.

he'll defend us, he'll defend us,
the amazing astroboy!

Johnny

13-Mar-2007 09:21
Posts: 6,875

"Come" to Shanghai? You there now then, astroboy? Cool.

If you only have one week in China, I think it would be ridiculous to spend it all in Beijing (as per #3 and #4).

You have to go to at least one other city, and I still stand by Xi'an.

Everything in moderation, even moderation.

needcoffee

13-Mar-2007 12:11
Posts: 214

where do you leave,enter china ?

ZhouCamel

13-Mar-2007 13:03
Posts: 34

If you have never been to China, I think Xian is a more interesting experience. Shanghai is awesome but given your timeframe, I'm with the Xian over Shanghai crowd. Xian will give you historical China, Shanghai will give you modern (and future?) China.

I personally like to fly everywhere, but the overnight train from Beijing to Xian is a good way to maximize your time.

If you are returning to the same hotel in Beijing (if you are staying in a HOTEL) you may be able to leave a bag there.

Where are you coming from? If you are more than 7 or 8 time zones away you may not even be over your jetlag before you leave.

Perfect Enough!

Irina11

13-Mar-2007 13:03
Posts: 22

We are arriving from NY to Shanghai at 2pm and leaving from Beijing to Tokyo at 5pm. Thanks everybody for advices. We were thinking about visiting Suzhou. It is just that Xi'an bothers me - I do not know when we will be in China next time and everybody say terracotta warriors is "must see" attraction.

Callous

13-Mar-2007 13:09
Posts: 485

I definitely think it is worth the visit,Xian is a great spot to visit,the Muslim quarter and food markets a treat in themselves.We were there in Dec and enjoyed the warriors.

zgtong

13-Mar-2007 14:42
Posts: 87

Don't miss Xi'an. You can make all three without too much hassle.

You arrive in Shanghai at 2 pm, and leave Beijing at 5 pm, so an itinerary could look like this:

Day 1: Arrive, check in at hotel, see The Bund, Nanjing Road.
Day 2: Get up early, see Jade Buddha Temple, Yuyuan Garden, stroll around french quarter, and anything other that you like. Take evening flight to Xi'an.
Day 3: Go to Terracotta Army, City Wall, Wild Goose Pagoda, Muslim quarter.
Day 4: Famen Temple, museum. Take evening train to Beijing.
Day 5: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, stroll around Beihai area, rickshaw tour, opera.
Day 6: Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Spirit Way.
Day 7: Lama Temple, Confucian Temple, Wangfujing and night market.
Day 8: Temple of Heaven and anything other that you want to do before leaving.

Some of these days are packed and some have leeway for more stuff. I don't know your pace or interests, but this is an idea of how to get all three places into your itinerary.

chengdude

13-Mar-2007 15:01
Posts: 664

Skip Shanghai.

There will always be time to see New China; who knows how much time is left to see Old China?

WeiLong

13-Mar-2007 15:25
Posts: 1,735

Quote
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"

Percy Bysche Shelley

Some people just have no imagination.

http://thewanderingant.com/travels/betel-nut.html

astroboy

13-Mar-2007 15:53
Posts: 4,927

Quote
"Come" to Shanghai? You there now then, astroboy? Cool.

Well, it's either that or California just suddenly got a LOT more Chinese immigrants.

he'll defend us, he'll defend us,
the amazing astroboy!

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