Considering an Asia tour in 2014? A logical place to visit first is China. You can spend 7 to 10 days exploring some of the larger cities in China such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. If time permits you can also take a cruise along the Yangtze river or combine China with other countries in Asia.
For today, let’s discuss travel to China in more detail. China is full of history, but it also offers a modern side as well. Take Shanghai, for instance. Long considered the most western of Chinese cities, Shanghai couldn’t claim a single skyscraper before 1995. Today, it boasts the world’s second tallest – the 101-floor World Financial Center, home to the ultra-luxe Park Hyatt Shanghai – along with the jaw-dropping Jin Mao Tower with its equally posh Shanghai Grand Hyatt. Completing the towering trifecta: the 2,073-foot-tall Shanghai Tower, now under construction. Upon completion in 2014, it will rank as China’s highest structure.
Yet one can still soak in a sense of Shanghai’s fabled past with a stroll through the scenic, sycamore-lined boulevards of the French Concession. The area’s distinctive French panache earned it the moniker, “Paris of the Orient,” and you can still feel the European aura in its many boutiques, outdoor cafés and markets.
The same past-meets-present dichotomy can be found along the streets of the Republic’s capital, Beijing. The Imperial City has been the continuous site of China’s government for more than 600 years – yet within the past 15 years, it has witnessed an architectural revolution that would boggle a Ming Emperor’s mind. In particular, the 2008 Olympic Games brought such bold designs as the cutting-edge National Stadium – affectionately known as the “Bird’s Nest” – and the ice-like National Aquatic Center (aka “The Water Cube”). The iconic, 74-story China World Tower III, just completed in 2010, and its inspired China World Summit Wing Hotel lift the city to even greater heights.
You can, however, still feel Beijing’s ancient grandeur as you stroll across Tiananmen Square to the Forbidden City or Imperial Palace. The epicenter of Chinese royal power from the Ming through the Qing dynasties, the now-named Palace Museum is indeed an imposing site, surrounded by a moat and massive walls. You also will want to take a walk along Beijing’s most formidable fortification, the Great Wall. Constructed more than 2,500 years ago, it actually snakes its way for more than 4,000 miles across China.
Not to be outdone by its mainland brethren, Hong Kong and its bustling Victoria Harbour – a bottleneck of barges, ferries, junks, sampans and cruise ships – must be seen to be believed. Just 425 square miles in size, the diminutive city-state is dominated by mega-scrapers; indeed, half of the 10 tallest buildings in China are found on this former British colony. You can soak it all in from the highest structure, the International Commerce Centre, with its sky100 indoor observation deck and spectacular Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong dominating the top 16 floors.
For a more down-to-earth perspective, visitors and locals alike flock to the melodious Yuen Po Street Bird Garden filled with hundreds of songbirds, the famous Jade Market and the massive Stanley Market for every conceivable ware and souvenir. Escape the hustle and bustle at the golden-roofed Wong Tai Sin temple or one of the hundreds of idyllic green islands dotted with quiet fishing villages, which lay just a short ferry ride away.
Of course, more than just China’s architecture is changing. Chinese cuisine is experiencing a metamorphosis. To be sure, Shanghai still tempts with duck eggs and other classic dishes at such venues as 1931 Restaurant; yet you may want to opt for Italian pan-seared goose liver at the open-kitchen Acqua or fine Japanese at a sleek, minimalist Shintori.
Beijing’s Donghuamen Night Market lures tourists with all varieties of traditional street food (including deep fried snacks), although those looking for Michelin stars head to Ristorante Sadler, headed by celebrated Chef Claudio Sadler and housed in a historic Qing Dynasty building just off Tiananmen Square. And while you simply can’t miss the quintessential Hong Kong meal, dim sum (particularly at the retro-chic China Lan Kwai Fong), do seek out the vaunted French-Mediterranean offerings at Cépage and haute hot pot at Golden Valley.
With the blend of old and new emerging, China’s changing landscape offers something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a new adventure or an old city, you can rest assured that your vacation in China will be filled with incredible sights, continuous exploration and delectable cuisine.
