China. Two Weeks. A $1,000 budget. What could go wrong?
There’s cheap and then there’s cheap. Though I dutifully consider myself the former, I will admit to the occasional blindness for a deep discount - which is how I found myself at a suburban hotel just off the 401 attending a PowerPoint presentation on bus tours to China’s top tourist spots. While many may scoff at the notion of willingly spending one’s weekend at such a flagrant sales pitch, the advertised bargain lured in more than 100 attendees, though most were good-natured retirees curious about the splashy ads. There were several options for the host’s available trips, the majority of which hovered around the $1,000 mark for a two-week jaunt. While the imagination may conjure up concerning details hidden in the fine print, the images presented on screen showed luxurious hotels, historical architecture and knowledgeable tour guides. The severely discounted rates were courtesy of Chinese merchants who subsidize such tours in order to bring busloads of cash-carrying foreigners to their shops. Believing myself oblivious to any timeshare-style sales pressure, I eagerly signed up.
When I arrived in Shanghai I learned another cost-saving method was to house tour groups at large hotels outside the city centre. Though in most Canadian cities this would mean quiet, residential backdrops, China’s population is so vast that even spots more than an hour out-of-town still feature the dense city blocks and towering multi-story buildings typically reserved for downtown cores. The distance also meant mornings began early, a tough feat when the typical Chinese breakfast boasts noodles, rice and soups along with a distinct lack of coffee, although Starbucks accompany most major hotels and attractions. With dozens of tours from various travel companies operating in unison, you get used to the site of rows of tour buses at every turn. Guides were surprisingly chipper and forthcoming on their life experiences, considering the less-than-ideal conditions faced by tour leads. Busloads of foreign visitors, mostly seniors, mean 12-hour-plus days followed by a commute to cheaper accommodations where guides and drivers stay. Most days alternated between starting at a major cultural attraction or shopping expedition. Shanghai’s unforgettable sights like the Bund (a picturesque stretch along the Huangpu River), high-speed Maglev train (topping at 430km) and neon light nighttime cruise were well-worth any sales pitches. Sailing on the city’s river after dark for a view of illuminated sky scrapers in particular is a can’t-miss venture - though tourist overload may mean you have to spend a few more yuan to snag a quiet deck chair.
Commuting by bus does allow you to venture out of the main hubs and explore smaller cities like Suzhou and Hangzhou. A UNESCO World Heritage, Suzhou is not the type of sight one expects from the region. With lush gardens, a serene lake and towering trees, one can easily spend the entire day lazily sipping green tea on its well-manicured lawns - although a tight schedule of silk and pearl warehouse-style shops prevented an extended period of leisure. Nonetheless, merchants aimed to provide a measure of history and learning about their craft and were unexpectedly subdued in their sales tactics. Still, at nearly every daily stop, one – at times all – members of the tour bus would leave clutching plastic bags filled with purchases.
Several sightseeing selections, including a morning in Tiananmen Square, require additional fees, meaning passengers can quickly spend several hundred dollars to visit must-see attractions. Luckily most meals can be enjoyed under $10, including a particularly delicious wonton soup with handmade wrappers and seasoned pork for the Canadian equivalent of a toonie.
The highlight of any Chinese trip is undoubtedly the Great Wall. No longer a single joint crossing, portions of the wall are closed off due to weathering. There are several entrances and by mid-day visitors swarm its sometimes-narrow passages. With uneven steps and occasionally steep inclines, crowd thins towards the higher elevations but those that meander their way to the top are rewarded with breathtaking views of their surroundings.
Though many may sneer at the thought of piling into a coach and speeding through tourist highlights, any visitor will undeniably experience measures of China’s vast beauty and history, even if it’s between visits to mandatory tea shops. And with the cost of flights to the region easily topping $800, selecting a tour is an opportunity to sample a country like no other and return with a small taste of it, along with perhaps a dozen shopping bags.
