China Discover Blog

old village hidden in Longsheng rice terraces

billybear — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:29:37 +0000

old village hidden in Longsheng rice terraces – birdeye view, a photo by ChinaDiscover on Flickr.

Staying one night in a village surrounded by rice terraces and high mountains in Longsheng…

The view from the mountain top…our hotel is seperated from the local homes, it is an un-polluted village by tourists…All locals are quite nice to us…remember to buy some pencils and sweets for kids for family visiting, in this way you will make everyone happy. If you promise to send them photos, do it…you’d better ask your Chinese friends for help…we heard the complain from a child: I never receive any photo from guys like you…

More informations of Shuiyunjian Hotel on Longsheng rice terraces…

Ferry from Xiangzhou Beidi Port to Dangan Island

billybear — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:28:13 +0000

Xiangzhou Beidi Port <–>Wailingding Island<–>Dangan Island
This line operates three times a week. The departure from Xiangzhou is at 8:40 every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Reaching Wailingding at 11:50, the boat then heads for Dangan and arrives there at 13:50. The return boat leaves Dangan at 6:15 every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, gets to Wailingding at 8:15, and then goes back to Xiangzhou at 11:15. A one way journey takes approximately five hours and charges CNY 75 per person. And just CNY 50 per person is needed for the Xiangzhou – Wailingding section or the Wailingding – Dangan section.

Ferry to Wailingding from Xiangzhou Beidi Port

billybear — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:25:08 +0000

Xiangzhou Beidi Port<–> Guishan Island <–> Wailingding Island
This line operates three times every day. The boat departs from Xiangzhou at 8:20, 14:30, and 16:30, arrives at Guishan at 9:35, 15:15, and 17:20, and then gets to Wailingding at 9:55, 16:00, and 18:00. The return boat from Wailingding departs at 8:00, 10:10, and 16:20, reaches Guishan at 8:45, 10:55, and 16:55, and goes back to Xiangzhou at 9:30, 11:40, and 17:45. A one way journey usually takes one and a half hours and costs CNY 67.5 per person. The ticket price is CNY 51 per person for the Xiangzhou – Guishan section while CNY 44 per person for the Guishan – Wailingding section.

how to take metro in Shanghai

billybear — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:28:26 +0000

We stayed in City View Hotel Shanghai (2333 Pudong Dadao) and we went to watch the Portman Acrobatic show last night, the hotel staff offered some help for taking metro to theatre.
Step 1: Take a taxi to metro station: Deping lu from our hotel, and then take metro line 6 to metro station: Shijidadao for transfer to metro line 2
Step 2: Taking metro line 2 : Shijidadao to Jingan shi, after arriving at Jingan shi, walk out from exit 3 and take a 3 munites walking on West Nanjing Road, then the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel is there.
More informations on this website: http://www.shanghaiholiday.net/shanghai/shanghai-acrobatics.htm

Nanning to Yangshuo

billybear — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 06:16:11 +0000

Suky and I had a good time in Yangshuo for weekend. It was fun! We took bus from Nanning to Yangshuo, and back…we will do it again definitely next month…

Our itinerary:
day 1 Nanning to Yangshuo
We tooke long distance bus, 5 hours drive, the cost was RMB135 per from 07h00 to 17h00, bus departed every 15 minute from Langdong station. Arrival at Guilin General Bus Station, tooke 1 hour bus to Guilin, bus departed every 20 minute from Guilin to Yangshuo.

day 2 Yangshuo

In the early morning, we cycled for 2 hours from Yangshuo to Gaotian in the early morning, arrived at the Licun village and then we continued our bike ride on the trails to Yangshuo. The climbing of Moon Hill was about 2 hours and up and down and the view from the summit was awesome!

We went to the life show of Impression Liu Sanjie at night, that was my top interest for this trip…so many people, and we could not find a taxi after the show, had to walk 40 minute back to our hotel.

The party on West Street is another highlight.

day 3 Yangshuo to Nanning

Difficult to sleep last night, we were too excited for so many activities….eventually we were on the last bus back to Nanning. 5 hours later back to life of routine.

Guangzhou – Romantic Pearl River night cruise!

jan — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:36:42 +0000

Maybe it is just me, but I think there is something truly romantic about a boat cruise at night. Combine this with a Chinese legend of an exquisite pearl dropped into a river and the beautiful lights of a vibrant city and you have a beautiful love story in the making…

In Guangzhou you and your loved one can have the perfect start to a romantic evening by taking a splendid night cruise on the Pearl River. Sit back, hold hands, and enjoy the magnificent blend of old and new architecture covered in colorful city lights passing by ever so gently.

Enjoy the breeze, stand close on deck, and watch together as the beautiful scenery unfolds in front of you. Glide through some of the most famous bridges of Guangzhou, viewing it from this angle gives you a new perspective of this awesome city. Whether you are just visiting Guangzhou, or you are a long time resident already, the Pearl river’s night view is an experience that will stay with you for a long time.

Acrobatic show at Shanghai

billybear — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 09:08:39 +0000

I went with a work friend about a week ago to watch the acrobatic show in Shanghai, it was a very good show- slightly “trippy”. Take subway line 2, station NanjingXiLu, exit 1….turn left after you are out of exit 1…..In fact, we did not know where was the theatre, and we asked for the direction of the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, the theatre was on the 4th floor of the hotel. The hotel staff was quite friendly to guide the way.

Similar to Circe de Soleil but not quite up to the same standards as the Vegas act. I would definitly recommend it but don’t go any higher than the 380 RMB seats. A great way to spend the evening when you are sick of shopping and seeing the “normal” stuff.

More informations of acrobatic show at Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Shanghai…

Qixi Festival – Chinese Valentines Day

billybear — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 08:09:06 +0000

Qixi is a traditional festvial occurs on the 7th day of the 7th month of Chinese lunar calendar, it falls on August 6 this year. It is also known as the Festival to Plead for Skills, which is derived from ancient custom where unmarried young girls would pray to the Weaver Girl to grant them needle crafting skills.

Qixi is regarded as the Chinese Valentine’s Day, due her romantic orgins. As legend says, the daughter of the Jade Emperor, the Weaver Girl fell in love with a herder. The enraged Jade Emperor took his daughter back to the heaven and split the Milky Way in two to divide the couple. Since then, the couple cried almost every night, so they are allowed to meet once every year on the 7th day of the 7th month of lunar calendar. On this day magpies would gather over the Milky Way to build Magpie Bridge for the couple. Morden celebrations usuall involve flowers, presents and romantic dinners for the young couples.

Great Wall Marathon 2012

billybear — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:09:49 +0000

Question:
Hi, I”m looking to do the great wall of china marathon. where do I go to register?

Answer:
We are told that you have to buy their package of USD635 before you sign in…it is quite expensive…it includes the inspection day on the 17th of May plus The Great Wall Marathon Day 19th of May and the Gala dinner 20th of May, celebrating the accomplishment with all the participants…

You might download the registration form here…

Torch Festival in Shaxi

billybear — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:20:35 +0000

I was thinking of being in Shaxi for the Torch Festival on September 22. From blog articles online, know there is a small family runned hotel – Dragonfly Guesthouse, 5 rooms only simple facilities, is this the only place we can stay in Shaxi?

Few informations available for this town of Shaxi, heard the raod condition is terrible from Dali, muddy and bumping, it is in the remote area of ancient tea horse road.

I am wondering, does anyone know anything about the torch festival in Shaxi, and would you recommend it?