Travel: China - Shanghai
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May I ask for contacts in Suzhou and Hangzhou on local tours for the locals?
Thank you. -
starlight1968sg:
didn't keep the records lah.....but be warned of touts as you get out from the train station, if going by trainMay I ask for contacts in Suzhou and Hangzhou on local tours for the locals?
Thank you.
the hotel concierge should be able to provide good info. can also use http://www.ctrip.com to find out more info -
starlight1968sg:
I can't remember their names off hand. There are quite a no. of travel agents near Raffles City at nanjing road. They do those local tour to Suzhou for less than RMB200 (day trip). Actually we realised that the touts are working for those agents too. They simply accumulate all the people for the day trip. Meeting point is usually near radisson near nanjing road. But to be sure, just approach the travel agents to enquire.May I ask for contacts in Suzhou and Hangzhou on local tours for the locals?
Thank you. -
Thanks verykiasu2010 and MMM for your advice.
The planning of itinerary is giving me more white hairs. Thus am thinking of "out-sourcing".
I would prefer to join the tours meant for the locals to taste the culture. -
Hi verykiasu2010,
May I ask where is Suzhou Industrial Park which you have mentioned that it is worth a visit?
Thank you. -
starlight1968sg:
that is the Singapore-China Suzhou Industrial Park, all 70 sq km....best way to visit is drive through it from end to end on the way from Shanghai to Suzhou, the other end of the park is the old Suzhou city already, near to Suzhou UniversityHi verykiasu2010,
May I ask where is Suzhou Industrial Park which you have mentioned that it is worth a visit?
Thank you.
you will be able to see nice posh gleaming giant factories and tree-lined, no, not just tree-lined, but also beautifully landscaped boulevards meticulously manicured gardens / flowers on both sides of the road traversing the length and breadth of the ind park..... like visiting Jurong industrial estate, except that it is grander and much larger. Jurong is nothing in comparison!
quite a number of nice hotels within the park, with popular F&B joints along the lakeside promenade (Jinjihu - 'golden rooster lake') -
starlight1968sg:
no need to plan too hard lahThanks verykiasu2010 and MMM for your advice.
The planning of itinerary is giving me more white hairs. Thus am thinking of \"out-sourcing\".
I would prefer to join the tours meant for the locals to taste the culture.
decide where to visit, rank them, minimise back tracking, and just hail a cab and go, one after another -
verykiasu2010:
Agree. No need to worry.
no need to plan too hard lahstarlight1968sg:
Thanks verykiasu2010 and MMM for your advice.
The planning of itinerary is giving me more white hairs. Thus am thinking of \"out-sourcing\".
I would prefer to join the tours meant for the locals to taste the culture.
decide where to visit, rank them, minimise back tracking, and just hail a cab and go, one after another
I don't encourage taking local tours.
I attended my shanghai office offsite meeting once and they arranged a tour of Wuxi for the group. Really cannot make it la. Need to squeeze and rush. The tour guide goes on and on about some history of that areas during the bus ride from Shanghai to Wuxi. I fell asleep and wake up and he still talking. :yikes: Even my shanghai colleagues agree he really super talker! :rotflmao: :rotflmao: but they say all china local tours like that cos people want to get their money's worth so tour guide must talk and talk. :siam: Oh I forgot, the tour guides use super loud hailers too. :rotflmao:
Instead of local tours, I suggest getting a private guide better then joining a local tour group. We arranged one in hangzhou, a student and the driver was her dad. She was making extra pocket money before she goes UK for studies. Not licensed guide but no problem since we read and understand Chinese. But what is important is transportation in hangzhou. Diff to get taxi there, not advisable. Good to have a local to take us places. We even went to Wuzhen. Very nice, especially the west area. East area too many local tourist and very congested. Private guide prob more expenssive then joining a local tour, but shd definitely be more pleasant. Easy to get to Hangzhou from shanghai. Just take a train and arrange for the HZ guide to meet you at the train station. -
Hi Dnls_mum,
May I ask for a guide plus transport, what is the cost?
I am in the midst of planning my 1-2 days in Hangzhou.
Thanks. -
starlight1968sg:
I paid RMB450 for a full day HZ tour and RMB800 for a full day Wuzhen tour. Wuzhen more ex because of the longer car journey. These prices exclude entrance fees to attraction. But then entrance fees very cheap. I flew direct to HZ fm SG to meet my husband and I arranged for Hyatt to pick me up as I arrived close to mid-night. My husband went to HZ fm NJ via train and the guide Jian actually gave him a complimentary pickup from the train station to the hotel. Very kind of her as it is difficult to catch a taxi. As we were returning to Singapore via Shanghai, She arranged for the car to send us fm HZ to Pudong at RMB1200. Very reasonable compared to what the hotel quoted. Much more convenient too as the train would have taken us to SH hong Qiao and we would then need to cross over to Pudong to go to the airport. The car the guide used was a Camry. Very comfy for 2 of us.Hi Dnls_mum,
May I ask for a guide plus transport, what is the cost?
I am in the midst of planning my 1-2 days in Hangzhou.
Thanks.
Again these prices are considered cheap becos she is not a licensed guide so she operated as a tour leader. She has a pass for certain attractions only. For others, if we wanted her to accompany us, we bought her a ticket. Not expensive anyway. What is important is that she planned our itinerary after we told her what were the places we wanted to visit. It was well planned with no time wastage and no need to go unnecessary shopping that tour groups like to bring you to earn commission. She also help us buy the impression Westlake tickets and we had great seats.
There are many private guides. Just google and check out tripadvisor. I think there is a website where Chinese guides advertise their service. Pay more for those advertising their services to foreigners, but I think these are more reliable and probably will meet our expectations better them those catering to locals.
If you go HZ, I suggest you must watch Impression Westlake and eat at Green Tea restaurant which is near Longjing Village. Check out the links to my reviews on tripadvisor.
http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/ShowUserReviews-g298559-d1825795-r116584836-Impression_Westlake-Hangzhou_Zhejiang.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/ShowUserReviews-g298559-d1588190-r116463740-Green_Tea_Restaurant-Hangzhou_Zhejiang.html
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