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4 Amazing Short Trip Ideas from Shanghai

Sunday, July 12th, 2015

Shanghai is known through the world for its impressive modernity and beautiful city landscape. From the amazing skyline to the old bustling bazaar area, there is always something to discover in this beautiful metropolitan city.

Shanghai is undoubtedly a tourist transportation hub enticing millions of visitors a year, but if you want to have a pleasant getaway from the high-rises and boulevards, then you may try these short break ideas of taking a side trip to its charming neighbors like Zhouzhuang Water Town, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Huangshan.

Zhouzhuang Water Town

Located around 80 km west of Shanghai, Zhouzhuang is known as the No.01 water town in China. This over-900 year old water town has become a trove of oriental culture with its simple and pristine custom, unique folklore, ancient stone bridges, canals, well preserved ancient residential houses and mesmerizing water town views.

Zhouzhuang Water Town

“Zhouzhuang” literally means “Zhou’s village”, a village named after Zhou Digong. Zhou Digong was a pious buddhist. In 1088 during the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhou Digong donated his 13 hectares of land to the local Fuquan Temple as its temple property. Later the local villagers called the land “Zhouzhuang” (Zhou Village ) in appreciation for Zhou Digong’ generosity. Have a day trip to Zhouzhuang Water Town and back to Shanghai on the same day.

Take the long-distance bus from Shanghai Northern Long-distance bus station.
Entrance Fee: RMB 100 ( Click How to Visit Zhouzhuang for more information)
Enquiry: 4008282900
Complaint: 0512-57211654
Medical Care: 0512-57216107 (Day)
Medical care: 0512-57219990 (Night)

Classical Gardens of Suzhou

Nicknamed “The Venice of the Orient”, Suzhou is located about 95 km northwest of Shanghai. The eight of the finest gardens in Suzhou along with one in the nearby ancient town of Tongli were listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for the art of Suzhou-style classical gardens. Suzhou tour is easily arranged from Shanghai by high speed trains.

Classical Gardens of Suzhou

The city is renowned for its stone bridges, rivers, lakes, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens which have contributed to its status as a great tourist attraction. Suzhou enjoys great fame internationally for its elegant gardens. It is said that the gardens to the south of Yangtze River are the best in the world, and Suzhou gardens are the best among them. Suzhou attracts numerous visitors both home and abroad every day.

For most visitors, getting to Suzhou by train is most comfortable and convenient. You may take high speed trains directly from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station or Shanghai Railway Station to Suzhou Railway Station ( about 30 hour’s train ride). Suzhou Railway Station is one of the largest stations in Eastern China after Shanghai and Hangzhou and Nanjing. It is located north of the city moat of Suzhou city. (Add: 27, Suzhan Road and Tel: 0512-95105105).

The Beautiful Landscape of Hangzhou

Located around 200 km to the southwest of Shanghai, Hangzhou is famous for its picturesque West Lake and June 2011, the West Lake Cultural Landscape was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its fame goes back to over 800 years ago when even Marco Polo called it “beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world”. |

Sunset over West Lake

In addition to its picturesque West Lake, Hangzhou also boasts the ancient canals, lakeside temples and historic buildings. It has lots of local products, like silk, Xihu silk umbrellas, color-glazed porcelain, Longjing tea, and white white chrysanthemum,etc.

Many Shanghai leisure and business travelers would choose to make a day trip to Hangzhou when they plan a Shanghai tour. The best time to travel to Hangzhou is the period from April to October, when the trees and flowers of this garden city are green and in full bloom. A one-hour high speed train from Shanghai Plus 15-minute subway ride in Hangzhou takes you to the core of the scenic Hangzhou – the West Lake Landscape.

Daily over 50 high speed trains darting from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Hangzhou East Railway Station (new station ) and Hangzhou Railway Station (old station). It is easy for you to arrange your Hangzhou tour from Shanghai.

The Charming Yellow Mountain (Huangshan)

Located around 400 km to the southwest of Shanghai, Huangshan is a world famous city for its marvelous mountain known as Yellow Mountain, or Huangshan in Chinese. You may get to Huangshan from Shanghai by overnight trains or flights for a 2 day return Huangshan tour.

The Beauty of Huangshan

Mt.Huangshan was listed as a Natural and Cultural Heritage site 1990. The nearby villages of Hongcun and Xidi were also named part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. In 2002, Yellow Mountain was named the “sister mountain” of Jungfrau in the Swiss Alps.

Today it holds the same fascination for visitors, poets, painters and photographers who come on pilgrimage to the site, which is renowned for its four magnificent views – granite peaks, rocks emerging out of a sea of clouds, featuring pine trees and unwinding hot springs. It is said that you won’t want to visit any other mountains after seeing Wu Yue ( the collective name given to China’s most important mountains), but you won’t wish to see even Wu Yue after returning from Huangshan Mountain.
Any questions, just drop a line.

Tags: 1-2 day trip from Shanghai, Escape from Shanghai, Getaway from Shanghai, Popular destinations around Shanghai, Shanghai weekend excursions, Short trips from Shanghai
Posted in Hangzhou Travel, Shanghai Travel, Suzhou Travel | No Comments »

Wuzhen Pictures – Wuzhen Photo Gallery

Monday, April 1st, 2013

Wuzhen is a historic water town which lies in the center of a triangle formed by Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai. Wuzhen Water Town is located in the city of Tongxian in the northen Zhejiang Province, 80km to the northeast of Hangzhou, 80km to the south of Suzhou and 140km to the southwest of Shanghai. There are daily long-distance buses going directly to Wuzhen from Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai and Jiaxing.

If you are planning your Hangzhou tour, Suzhou tourKwww.tong or Shanghai tour, a side trip to Wuzhen is highly recommended. Wuzhen is the typical water town in the Yangtze river delta region. It has well preserved the layout and the style of a water town in Ming and Qing dynasties.

The waterways crisscross Wuzhen Town, mainly dividing the town into 4 areas Dongzha (east), Xizha (west), Nanzha (south), and Beizha (north). The water paths are incorporated into the ancient grand canal. Wuzhen ancient town dislays its charm and history through its ancient stone bridges, stone pathways, ornate wood carvings.

Beside its waterways, stone bridges and ancient buildings, Wuzhen also gives you the opportunity to appreciate the ordinary life in the Ming and Qing dynasties through its well preserved old house-turned theme museums, shops and organizations such as Ancient Bed Museum, Folk Custom Museum, Wine Distillery Workshop, Indigo Fabric Workshop, Woodcarving Museum, Coin Museum, The Former Residence of Mao Dun, Shadow Play, Fanglu Teahouse, Huiyuan Pawnshop, Wedding Museum, Zhaoming Academy, Chinese Footbinding Culture Museum, Wuzhen Post Office, Wuzhen Grand Theater, Heal town Pharmacy, and Yida Silk Workshop.

Follow me to have a photo tour of Wuzhen Water Town.

Wuzhen Water Town is dubbed as “Venice of the East”. The waterways form the water streets or lanes connect bridges and street buildings and houses.

Wuzhen Water Town is dubbed as Venice of the East.

A humpback stone bridge over the canal linking two blocks of the traditional houses.

The slab paved lanes flanked by the old wooden houses in Wuzhen.

The slab paved street flanked by the old wooden houses in Wuzhen.

A stone beam bridge spans the waterway.

A beam stone bridge over the canal

The old wood houses built by the water pathway.

Many building protrude above the water for more spaces with stone pillars supporting in the water.

Many building protrude above the water

The narrow street with long chairs goes along the canal

Wuzhen Water Town is not a artificial replica of the historic town, and it is a natural town still inhabitated by the local residents.

Wuzhen Water Town is not a artificial replica of the historic town, and it is still inhabitated by the local residents.

Washing clothes by making the water of the canal. Local residents still keep the original water town life.

Local residents still keep the original water town life.

A traditional shop for local wine and liquor

A traditional shop for for local wine and liquor

Stroll on the narrow lane paved with stone slabs with the hanging laundry that sways overhead

A traditional kitchen

A local souvenir shop

A traditional Wine Distillery Workshop

An indigo Fabric Workshop

What’s in his mind? Can the historic town survive the internet age?

Can the historic town survive the internet age

Wuzhen Water Town is akin to a scroll of Chinese painting.

Painting a beautiful life! We need a slow life, we need clean water and fresh air more than the growth of GDP.

Painting a beautiful life! We need a slow life, we need clean water and fresh air more than the

Any questions, just drop a line.

Tags: Wuzhen photos, wuzhen town photos, Wuzhen water town photos
Posted in Hangzhou Travel, Jiangsu Travel, Shanghai Attractions, Shanghai Travel, Suzhou Travel, Zhejiang Travel | No Comments »

Zhouzhuang Pictures – Zhouzhuang Photo Gallery

Thursday, March 28th, 2013

If you are in the process of planning your Suzhou tour or Shanghai tour, a glimpse of Zhouzhuang Water Town is worth your time. Zhouzhuang is reputed as the No.01 Water Town in China and “Venice in the East”. Under the jurisdiction of Kunshan City, it is located 45km to the southest of Suzhou and 80km to the west of Shanghai.

Zhouzhuang stands out from the numerous water towns dotted around the Yangtze River Delta mainly due to its complete and well preserved old houses, bridges and canals coupled with unique culture annd history. Now Zhouzhuang has been included in the UNESCO Tentative List for World Cultural Heritage Sites.

How to visit Zhouzhuang Water Town? There are plentiful buses running either from Suzhou or Shanghai to Zhouzhuang. Many local travel agencies operate daily bus tours visiting Zhouzhuang from Shanghai and Suzhou. So you can join in the coach tours starting from your hotel or go to your nearest long-distance bus station and jump onto a bus for Zhouzhuang.

Shanghai Suzhou Zhouzhuang One Day Bus Tour is available daily with complimentary pick up from your hotel in Shanghai. For more information on the public transport from Suzhou to Zhouzhuang, please refer to my post “How to visit Zhouzhuang Water Town“.

Follow me to have a photo tour of Zhouzhuang.

Passing through the center of Zhouzhuang Town, then walk to the entrance to the old water town of Zhouzhuang.

Walk to the entrance to the old water town of Zhouzhuang

A traditional white-washed house

Zhouzhuang is surrounded and divided by lakes and rivers with over a dozen of stone bridges crossing the rivers. Boating on the rivers and canals are an interesting trip allowing you to have a close look at the houses and bridges on the both sides.