Beijing to Shanghai: A 9D10N Solo Adventure
Just finished an incredible 9-day, 10-night trip exploring Beijing and Shanghai! A huge thank you to the group admin and everyone who shared helpful tips and information. It gave me the confidence to tackle this journey independently.
Unexpected Detours and Sandstorms
My original itinerary included Beijing, Shanghai, and the charming water town of Wuzhen. Unfortunately, a sandstorm in Beijing caused the high-speed train to be canceled for two days. Wuzhen had to be scrapped from the plan. But that's okay, I'll catch it next time! I guess Beijing wanted me to stick around a little longer.
Exploring the Great Wall at Mutianyu
For Mutianyu, I booked a tour bus through Trip. I highly recommend Zanbus. The tour guide takes you to the cable car, but once you're on the Wall, you're free to explore at your own pace. The bus ticket was ¥140 and a round-trip cable car ticket was also ¥140. I recommend heading to Tower 14. Towers 6-4 are perfect for those who aren't afraid of heights and enjoy tobogganing! I booked the 9:00 AM departure, and we met back at the entrance at 4:00 PM to head back. The pick-up point was Dangshikou Exit C, and the drop-off was near the Temple of Heaven, Gonghe Temple, and Hutong Street.
Navigating High-Speed Rail
Getting from Beijing to Shanghai by high-speed rail was also pretty straightforward. Just keep an eye on the large screens to find your train gate. Arrive 30 minutes before departure and line up at the lane with a staff member because the machine scanners might not read your passport.
Budget Breakdown
My expenses for food, local transport, and entrance tickets came to around 11 million VND (Vietnamese Dong). This doesn't include shopping, hotels, airfare, high-speed train tickets, the bus to the Great Wall, or the Forbidden City tickets.
Getting Around
My primary mode of transport was Didi (50%), followed by walking (30%), the subway (17%), and cycling (3%).
Personal Reflections
Personally, I preferred Beijing over Shanghai. The people in Beijing were also kinder and more helpful.
Lessons Learned in Shanghai
A piece of advice for Shanghai: always ask for the price before buying anything if it's not clearly displayed on the menu or in the shop. Also, be wary of taxis that offer a fixed price instead of using the meter; you'll likely end up paying much more.
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