Obviously the decisions are never-ending as the country is vast and diverse but the process you should take as to where to go on your first trip to China should not dependent on where your friends had gone nor what the operators promote as the best tour of China. There is no such a thing as the best tour of China. It is what you can make of it, and your ideal verdict should be made on your available time to travel and an approximate budget.
But never mind the money part for now, let’s focus on the interesting attractions. Let’s even assume you do not have any preferences such as art and architecture, nature, wildlife or any other special interest. I will guess that you want to go to China just to wet your appetite, not to try seeing it all in one journey.
Beijing to Shanghai tours figure prominently on the agenda of most operators. The mega cities of Beijing and Shanghai certainly are the must, or at least one of them, there is no need to see them both on the same trip. One of them will certainly be your arrival gateway point to China. Beijing will almost certainly be a better option though Shanghai has scores of equally as awesome attractions. Of course Tianmen Square, the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City and the Great Wall are more icons expressive of China’s Imperial past than Bund. Beijing offers access to sites not far from the site as does Shanghai. If I may advocate one, it would be Yungang grottoes at Datong. Out of Shanghai my pick would be Suzhou, noted for its renowned ancient gardens.
A must-see stop on your first China tour should be the ancient city of Xi’an. While Xi’an can offer the Wild Goose Pagoda and the Great Mosque, its primary draw is the life-size terra-cotta army, no two alike, laid to rest with the emperor for over 2200 years. But no matter how impressive some at this point could start experiencing from excess of temple, shrines and archeological sites. To fill this potential gap can Guilin, your perfect next stop on your China primer tour. While the cruise on the beautiful Li River is sold as a tranquil trip, the fact is it is hardly that with bumper to bumper traffic of cruise ships coming and returning all day long between Gulin and Yangshuo, the typical terminus of the Li River rides. For an alternate experience of the karst mounds so picturesquely rising from the plain in this part of China, opt for a drive among them, then get out and have a walk along the river or even some of its smaller stream tributaries, your guide will know where to get away from the crowds.
An option would be to travel up country from Guilin to Dragon’s Back, the impressive terraced rice fields of Longsheng, for a glimpse of China tribal groups. Needless to say if this outing would appeal to you might want to look at heading further into the interior, to the Dong region of Sanjiang. Fact is if ethnic minorities of China and their radiant and colorful cultures may amaze you, Yunnan province should be part of your program, at least for a few days, say to sample the Bai city of Dali and the Naxi town of Lijiang. Needless to say by the time you get here you will likely start getting tempted juts to keep going, and a Sichuan tour could very well prove to be quite engaging , though your time and wallet may stop you.
Then again if a more eloquent tour of China may be what you are thinking then think about a grand journey of China, or a diagonal traverse of it, for example starting from Chengdu and ending your China tour in Guilin. Well, then there is the far western China, and the Silk Road route to follow, and not to forget, Tibet is there always taking up the horizon of your plans for a unique tour of China. Remember, best is keep it straightforward and plan on coming more than once.
