China Travel Forum

[maike]

I am taking a three week tour very soon I have a 5 day stop over in Shanghai and the rest is in Thailand. the shanghai stop over is free. I thought Shanghai may be fun although I know little about it and I am not a seasoned traveler. I would go there after Thailand. Is shanghai worth it (safe, interesting etc) or should the rest of that time in Thailand? Thoughts?
any tidings will be appreciated

[kamal]

I'll say yes.Shanghai is worth to see, It changed a lot in recent years.
My se\uggestion is to contact with a travel company and request them to arrange guide to you . It's a marvelous city with many great things to see and experience.

[lorra]

For Shanghai 2-3 days is really enough. But you can make an additional day trip to the surrounding watertowns. I've been to Xitang only 1h away and it was a great experience It is really something completely different to Shanghai.
have fun

[adviser]

Having been to both places, I'll say yes, a stopover in Shanghai is worthwhile, but a few days should be all you should spare from your Thailand trip. If they won't let you stopover for so little time, then spend your time in Thailand. It's a marvelous country with many great things to see and do, and you can try to come back from Shanghai another day

[Malinowski]

If you haven't been to tour China before then do Shanghai, it will open your eyes. And on a chinese scale its an easy place to do. Some people will speak english, but language will be a challenge - although that will be part of the fun. Authentic chinese food, chinese people doing chinese things - always have your camera with you, always.
For me Thailand is too touristic, too easy, and too money hungry... take a number and join the tourist queue.

[merrand]

hi on this tour If you haven't been in Thailand before then I would say skip shanghai .someone thinks Thailand is more money hungry. It has always been my experience that Thais were markedly less material and less money hungry than many other countries.
but you also might have the experience that Malinowski describes, otherwise Thailand is a truly wonderful place to visit and the people are warm, friendly and really just can't help you enough.
If you never venture out of the tourist traps you will always be treated like a "trapped tourist".

[Drain]

Each to his own... maybe my view was tainted because I flew into Thailand from Pakistan where you never see a foreigner ... 12 hours at Khao San Road was too much for me, and I didn't go near Phuket or Haad Rin. Then after a month, when I crossed the border into the north east of Malaysia I noticed a big difference in how you were treated as a foreigner.
You can easily spend 5 days in and around Shanghai - I'm not saying walk up and down NanjingLu for 5 days, but just 2 days in China if you've never been there before is not enough. And whilst Shanghai is not the place I would go if I could choose anywhere in China, there are plenty of day trips or overnight trips you could do from Shanghai. The Chinese culture alone could have you captivated for 5 days if you haven't been there before.
It depends on what you're after, but my recommendation: Whether you've been to Thailand before or not, do take the 5 days in China.