Shanghai - Further Afield
Suzhou
A fascinating, authentically bustling Chinese city, Suzhou is about an hour’s train ride away. With its canals and bridges, Suzhou has also sometimes been referred to as the "Venice of the East", but it has an atmosphere all its own, with plenty of elegant parks and pagodas worth visiting.
Nanjing
A more moderate city, rich in history, Nanjing is a delight about two hours away. The city’s Confucius Museum is a colourful collection of temples and tiny, narrow streets lined with market stalls, while the Gate of China is a massive, ancient city gate, once part of the original defensive city walls. Nanjing’s nightlife is also fast becoming a reason to visit the city in itself.
Sanya/Hainan Island
China’s southern province is on the same latitude as Goa or Hawaii, has year round temperatures that remain comfortably above 22 degrees Centigrade, and is lapped by the warm waters of the South China Seas. Its ‘tourism island’ of Hainan is a tropical playground of modern resorts, lush interiors, cool highlands and hot nightlife. Sanya Bay and Yalong Bay - separated by about 15 km at the south of the island - are holiday hotspots, with fine beaches and spa hotels.