Hi Nora,

We returned home safely but tired last Friday; went through couple days of awful jet lag, but slowly returning to normal daily routine.

We would like to thank you for your assistance in booking hotels and trains, especially providing the WeChat account that we can contact you in China. We had two guides, Fiona in Hangzhou, and Alvin in Tunxi area. Both are very knowledgeable and professional. We like to especially mention Alvin that he provided very helpful information on trails of Huangshan and the logistics of transportation. We highly recommended him.

We always try to travel with an open mind to embrace whatever we see or do. Since we grew up in Hong Kong, we had basic knowledge of the places that visited on this trip, and with that also certain high expectations.

We were impressed with the cosmopolitan Shanghai. A “Wow” moment. The night light of the Bund looks brighter than the Hong Kong harbor. The historical western style buildings reminded us of the shameful past of the western colonialism. We enjoyed a dinner at the M on the Bund suggested on the tour information. The location is wonderful. The hotel location is great, very near metro station. The train ride from Shanghai to Hangzhou was smooth, but we were overwhelmed by the enormous size of the station and the large number of people.

Hangzhou is one of those places that we look forward to visit, especially the West Lake because its influence on Chinese literature and arts, but in all honesty, we were a bit disappointed with its scenery. We also do not recommend the Watertown visit because of the 4 hours round trip drive. It is not a reflection on the guide, but just our personal opinion of the Watertown. We don’t remember much about the hotel in Hangzhou except it is near the Grandma’s House restaurant where we tried the Tea Favored Chicken.

The drivers were professional and careful drivers. We felt safe.

It was interesting to see the architecture of the ancient villages of Xidi and Hongcun; but the areas are so commercialized that diluted the historical aspect. 

The Pig’s Inn was an interesting place. It is out in the farming area and quiet, not much to do. It is about an hour drive from Hongcun, then another hour drive to Huangshan. Even though the inn is a change of pace, but we are not sure if it’s worth the time on the road.

The lunch during our time with the guides were ok, usually ate at small restaurants in the tourist area. The dishes tend to be similar and served the purpose.

Huangshan is definitely the highlight and a major wow factor. It was a strenuous hike, and you need to caution people who are interested. We met few foreigners who gave up after a short hike. We had read about the crowd on the mountain, but it didn’t prepare us for the massive humanity and the constant blasting of loud microphone from local guides.  We implore your company and other tour companies in China to petition some actions to make Huangshan visit a pleasant one such as banning loud microphones on the mountain. There is no need to talk constantly on the trail, let people enjoy the natural scenery in peace and quiet!  Also the large tour groups swarming the trails and viewpoints create dangerous condition. We found it hard to stay in one place to enjoy the view.  Certainly you are well aware of this situation in Huangshan and other tourist sites.  Yes, Huangshan is beautiful and breathtaking, but it’s also very stressful, and it doesn’t have to be that way.

"We recommend you to customize a Private Hong Kong based on your interests and requests!"

We are impressed with the high speed train system in China. It’s an easy way to travel. Our bad experience was during the 7-hr train ride from Huangshan City to Guangzhou, there was a man who sat across the aisle from us who coughed, sneezed, and spat the whole time. I got a cold from him. The noise level in the train cabin was so loud that it was impossible to rest. We recommend that you suggest a first class cabin on a long distance ride. It is worth the extra money.

Guangzhou hotel is also near the metro, and we took that to the South train station. 

Another pleasant memory is the people whom we met on this trip. After we came down from Huangshan, we went into different people who spoke Cantonese. They went out of their way to help us to get on the correct shuttle bus, and sharing about their lives. That is what we love the most about traveling.  

When we were researching for the trip, we came across your company with good review so we initiated the process. Even though there was some glitches in the planning stage, we appreciate the speedy responds from you and Grace to correct the situation. Yes, we would recommend people to you.

Paul and Alice from the US customized a Hong Kong Tour to Shanghai Hangzhou Yellow Mt. Guangzhou and Hong Kong with private guides and vehicles, well-selected hotels, top attractions, interesting activities, etc.

More Helpful Similar China Tour Reviews