Sharing My First China Travel Experience. Including Tips, Guide and Expenses

Finally, visited mainland China! So many things I learned from this trip, not just as a solo traveler but also as a tourist visiting China for the first time. I've learned that joining a group tour organised by a legitimate travel agency with an English-speaking local tour guide is the easiest, the most comfortable, and informative way of exploring China for the first time.

You see, mainland China's key cities are big and look overwhelming for first time visitors and if you're on a DIY trip it might be difficult to explore the places. You need to do tons of research where to go, which spots to prioritise, where to stay and eat, and how to navigate the different areas without wasting your time, effort, and energy. 

Okay so here's how I prepared for this trip. I've been planning to visit Shanghai since April 2025 but kept on postponing this plan because initially I didn't want to go solo traveling, I was not yet emotionally and mentally prepared to go solo especially in a big country like China. So I asked several friends if they are interested to travel to Shanghai. Unfortunately, none of them showed interest haha! Which I find shocking because Shanghai is one of the most beautiful cities in the world to see!

But in October 2025, two of my friends initially expressed willingness to go with me, so I let them chose the date since they needed to file a vacation leave from their respective jobs. They chose June 2026. And that's okay with me. 

However, when I asked them again in late February this year when to reserve our slots from the travel agency. They changed their minds for some personal reasons. Honestly, I felt disappointed, but it didn't hamper my excitement to visit Shanghai this year, so I decided to go solo and be a joiner in a group tour. 

I went to SMB Travel Agency in SM North and secured my slot. They explained to me that there's a supplemental fee that I'm going to pay on top of the package rate because am a joiner and have to occupy the room solo. To secure my slot, I paid Php12,000 for downpayment. I paid the rest of the amount in April.

This tour package covers Shanghai, Wuxi City, Nanxun in Huzhou, and Hangzhou City 

Here's the total amount I paid for this tour:

• Tour package: Php21,540
• Group Visa: Php2,400.00
• Mandatory tipping for tour guide: Php1,200.00
• Supplemental fee: Php5,400.00 (for joiner) If you have at least one companion you don't have to pay this supplemental fee 
• The total amount I paid to the agency for this tour: Php30,540.00

So imagine if I have at least one companion, I wouldn't have to pay an additional Php5,400.00! But yeah, life is really like that, we need to be independent to learn the ropes of exploring other places on our own. Because I figured, if I continue waiting for companions I could never travel abroad this year. Travel Tax is excluded. We paid individually at the airport: Php1,620.00. 

The tour package inclusions:

• Round Trip Airfare via Cebu Pacific (only 7kilos hand carry is free)
• Hotel for four nights with complimentary breakfast 
• Lunch during proper tour (3 lunch meals)
• Boat ride fee in Nanxun Ancient Town
• Meijiawu Tea Village hanfu costume 

Exclusions:

• Airline baggage allowance 
• Travel Tax
• Group Visa and Mandatory tipping for tour guide are separate payments, meaning not included in the Php21,540 rate. But the agency will collect it ahead of time and included when you pay your full payment, 45 days before departure. 
• Dinner and snacks 
• Entrance fee to Mini-Kyoto in Wuxi City 
• Huangpu River Cruise ticket 

You may be wonder why China Tour Packages are cheap and affordable despite its highly developed economy and expensive cost of living in key cities like Shanghai. It is because the local tour operators received subsidy from the Chinese government to boost their tourism industry! China is also one of the fewest countries in the world that offers Group Visa for tourists.

What I love about this tour is the convenience and comfort unlike when I am on a DIY trip. The agency has also provided an airport assistance for us and we were put in a priority lane during check-in. It's also easy to enter China when you're in a group visa, there's a separate area for this type of visa upon entry and no strict interrogation from immigration officers. 

Here's our proper tour:

Because it was my first time to go solo traveling, I was super early in the airport haha! Glad the immigration officer didn't have any questions, after handing him my necessary travel documents, he immediately stamped my passport. 

We departed on time, at 8:30PM on June 17, and arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 11:45PM. Shanghai Time and Philippine Standard Time has no difference. After clearing ourselves in the immigration of China, we met our tour guide past midnight. He gave us a quick orientation then boarded a bus (our tour bus) to our hotel (Artels Collection) located in Nicheng, Lingang in the new Pudong district of Shanghai. 

By the way, Shanghai is a provincial-level city in China, meaning it doesn't belong to a specific province in China. It's a city at the same time a province. Shanghai directly reports to the national government in Beijing. 

Our proper tour didn't start until June 19. So June 18 was our free day. Actually, it was the day reserved for those who wanted to go to Shanghai Disneyland. Others have the option to go for a city tour. And my problem began that night (June 17) 😂 I couldn't secure a ticket for Disneyland! 

Okay, so here's the story: I didn't avail a Shanghai Disneyland tour package from the agency because it was expensive, 120USD per head so that's around Php7,200.00. So I planned to just avail the ticket via Klook because it was only Php3,800.00. 

However, I waited until our departure to book a ticket because I need to meet other travelers in the group first who might also be going to Disneyland on a DIY trip. I can't use my device to book a DiDi car (China's version of grab car) because I off my location services in my device (the reason is due to my content monetization on FB because  China is an ineligible country for content monetization program on fb and if we post updates or be detected by FB algorithm that we are in an ineligible country, we will commit a violation and will be removed from the program).

Unfortunately, on June 17, there was no longer available ticket for Disneyland on Klook and other online booking platforms for June 18. Our tour guide offers entry ticket to Disneyland but OMG super expensive, 180USD that's around Php10,500.00! 

Staying at the hotel room in Pudong district after exploring the area for half a day

So I decided not to go to Disneyland because I've already paid Php5,400.00 supplemental fee for this tour and paying for Php10,500 just to enter Disneyland is so impractical for me. I just explored Pudong district on my own haha! But honestly, I enjoyed my little adventure strolling around Pudong area whole day, I discovered so many things. 

Exploring New Pudong district 

I learned that crossing a massive road was not scarry. I learned how beautiful the road infrastructure in the area. I discovered how quiet the place is, no blasting of horns, vehicles are quietly running because most of them are EVs (energy vehicles), most of the people have their electric bike. I also used my Alipay for the first time buying grocery. 

Hongyin road

For this trip I didn't bring cash to China. I didn't exchange bills for local currency, I only installed the Alipay app and linked my local bank/e-wallet. So I was cashless the entire trip. Fortunately, I did not encounter any problems regarding payments. For my internet data for this trip, I bought an e-sim data via Klook, I chose the 5G for mainland China, 1GB per day for 5 days, only Php274.00. 

Start of our Proper Tour:

Day 1, June 19, 2026 (Friday). Shanghai and Wuxi

We left the hotel at 8:00 in the morning. Our first stop was at the Latex Factory Shop in Shanghai. We learned that this shop is part of the Sino-Thai Trade Agreement and they are located within the Shanghai Pilot Trade Zone. There was a lecture given to us about the latex industry and the promotion of their products. Of course the products were super expensive 😅 I only bought latex undies. 😁

This group tour by the way includes a compulsory shopping to shops we visited but it's still one's choice to buy items. Our tour guide didn't force us to buy stuff but we needed to stay for more than an hour in the shop. I guess this is an agreement between the local tour operators and their government to promote their local industries.  You see, local travel agencies received subsidy from their government to operate and conduct tourism business. 

Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai 

From Latex Factory we proceeded to West Nanjing road to visit Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Louis Vuitton Ship. This Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai is the second largest Starbucks in the world after their Chicago branch. 

Inside Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai 

Louis Vuitton Ship in Shanghai 

Louis Vuitton Ship is another stunning landmark in Shanghai. It's a visionary tribute to Louis Vuitton's 19th-century travel trunks and Shanghai's maritime port history. It has exhibition inside, retail shop, and cafe. We didn't get inside because entry requires reservation ahead of the visit.

Group picture outside Starbucks and Louis Vuitton Ship 

Our next stop was at the Ancient Town, the Grand Yuyuan. Despite the highly developed economy of Shanghai and its futuristic buildings, there's still part of the city being preserved to keep their culture and historic past alive. This Ancient Town has structures that can be traced back to Ming Dynasty in the 14th century. The structures are reminders of China's vibrant imperial history and the country's rich cultural heritage. We also visited an ancient Taoist temple in the area.

Ancient Town in Shanghai 

We spent lunch at one of the restaurants above the Souvenirs Shopping Market in this Ancient Town. It was my first experience trying authentic Chinese dishes in the mainland. I love oriental dishes, my taste bud is always Asian, and I love Chinese food! So trying authentic Chinese food was super satisfying. If I would rate the food in the scale of 1 to 10, it was 20! Haha! So savoury and flavourful, I was very satisfied. 

Exploring Ancient Town 

After lunch and souvenir's shopping we proceeded to East Nanjing road and The Bund. Unfortunately, there was a heavy downpour when we reached the area. 

Two of the must-do activities when visiting Shanghai are exploring Nanjing road, the shopping center in Shanghai where foreign brands mushroomed in the area, and taking a leisure walk along The Bund promenade.  This area will introduce you to two exciting worlds: The colonial buildings in European-style architecture which were built during the British and French settlements in the early 20th century. At night, these buildings spring to life in shimmering gold. On the opposite side is the financial district of Shanghai with futuristic skyscrapers such as Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower, China's tallest building. 

East Nanjing Road on a rainy day

However, during our visit on June 19, there was a heavy downpour and we were not able to explore the waterfront promenade of the Bund. Haaay! So sad because I looked forward for the experience of taking a snap along the Bund promenade. Nanjing road was also crowded during our visit because it was public holiday in China. 

East Nanjing Road 

At 4:30PM, we left Shanghai for Wuxi City! This highly industrialised city in China is located in the Jiangsu province, just three hours bus travel from Shanghai. Wuxi is fast becoming the global center for biotechnology. The city is also known as the pearl capital in China due to its prosperous freshwater pearl farm and factory.

Group photo in the Mini-Kyoto taken by our tour guide 

Our first stop in Wuxi was at the Nianhua Bay, also known as the Mini-Kyoto in Wuxi. It's a scenic resort at the foot of the stunning Lingshan mountain and designed under zen philosophy to provide visitors a healing and tranquil experience. Its called Mini-Kyoto in Wuxi because its atmosphere is reminiscent to Kyoto in Japan whose architecture style mirrored the aesthetics of Tang Dynasty era. Nianhua Bay is a cultural wonder in China, its cultural landmarks and structures are patterned after the aesthetics of Tang and Song Dynasties period. 

Visitors can immerse into its zen philosophy while enjoying cultural experiences and the scenic natural environment. It has beautiful flower fields, light shows, restaurants, and stunning views of the mountains. 

The overall experience at Mini-Kyoto was amazing and relaxing, I love the serene atmosphere, the provincial vibe, and the overall historical aesthetics. Apart from the magnificent Lotus Flower Light Show, we saw the fantastic there was the Drone show. According to our tour guide it's not everyday that there's an elaborate drone show in Nianhua Bay. It just happened that during our visit there was dragon boat festival and when there's public holiday in China, Nianhua Bay has drone shows! We paid ¥40 for entrance.

Stunning drone show in Nianhua Bay 

At 9:30PM, we left the place and proceeded to our hotel for the night, the Wanda Moments Hotel in Wuxi City. This is a high-tech, modern, and 4-star hotel accommodation in Wuxi City.

Restaurants and eatery inside the Mini-Kyoto 

Lotus Flower light show in Mini-Kyoto 

Day 2: June 20, 2026: Wuxi, Nanxun, and Hangzhou

We visited the Pearl Exhibition Center in Wuxi City, and as with most government-accredited shops we visited, there was a lecture how the Pearl farm in Wuxi works. Then we proceeded to Zhejiang province to visit the Nanxun Ancient Water Town in Huzhou. 

Nanxun Ancient Water Town in Huzhou 

Nanxun Ancient Water Town in Huzhou 

Nanxun is known for its iconic waterways and charming old villages with their wooden houses dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is one of the well-preserved water towns in China and is known for its rich cultural heritage.

When you visit this town you, will feel the vibe of the ancient imperial China through its arch bridges, old wooden houses, lush greenery, streets, and water canals. Visitors can immerse into cultural experiences by taking a boat ride just like what we saw in Chinese historical dramas.

Nanxun Ancient Water Town in Huzhou 

The waterways in Nanxun intersected within the town, with its 15 old bridges built during the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The houses were built on both sides of the waterways and the style and features of the traditional streets have been preserved.

The layout remains that of imposing dwellings and spacious courtyards, gardens, guild hall and chamber of commerce, porticos crossing the streets, landing terraces and covered ways.

Many traditional houses and carved-brick arches over gateways still stand today, making Nanxun a must-visit place in Zhejiang Province. This is just roughly three hours from Shanghai. Boat ride costs ¥100 (Php900.00), the ride is about 15 to 20 minutes.

The ancient water canals in Nanxun

A bit of history of China's water canals:

These are man-made canals in mainland China connecting their lakes and rivers dating back to Xia dynasty. History has it that China during ancient times often soaked in severe flooding due to heavy rains, ruining their agriculture and means of living. The cause of severe flooding was the overflow of the Yellow River, one of the longest rivers in China.

So in the early century, the legendary Emperor Yu of the Xia Dynasty tapped the kingdom's best engineers to design waterways to control the flooding of the Yellow River.

Later, the water canals were developed and expanded as it brought positive effects to their commerce and trade and logistics. It became one of the primary transportations of people and merchants.

During the Sui Dynasty in the 7th century, the water canals were largely expanded and the Grand Canal was born. Succeeding dynasties developed these waterways and established villages and local communities. Grand Canal was entered into UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014.

Group picture 

Today, these water canals became cultural relics of the past and some are thriving communities like Nanxun, still doing business like the old times, preserving its charming old vibe and historical importance. Boat ride rate at Nanxun water canals is ¥100 or Php900.00. It will take 15 to 20 minutes. 

After taking a boat ride we proceeded to Hangzhou (after lunch lol!), still in Zhejiang Province. Our first stop was at the breathtaking Tea Plantation! For green tea lovers like me, this is an ultimate dream. Hangzhou Tea Plantation lies along the west lake and rolling hills. It has two famous tea villages: Meijiawu Tea Village  and Longjing  Tea Village. 

Hangzhou Tea Plantation 

These quaint tea villages produce authentic Chinese green tea called Dragon Well Tea or Longjing Tea. This is China's premium and high quality Green Tea. We visited the Meijiawu Tea Village and learned about their tea business. I also bought one can (125grams) of fresh green tea leaves worth ¥300 or Php2,700.00. Before we left the Plantation, we tried wearing the hanfu , China's traditional costume. 

Trying Hanfu in Meijiawu Tea Village 

After Meijiawu we went to West Lake! This is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most iconic freshwater lakes in China. Famous for its tranquil scenery and dramatic landscape. The area is covered by lush greenery, peach blossoms, and weeping willows. This is legendary as its existence dates back to the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century. 

Group picture in West Lake snapped by our tour guide 

It is also immortalised in many books, poems, paintings, Chinese movies and dramas. When you visit the lake, it feels like stepping into ancient times and into Chinese paintings. West Lake holds China's story of its majestic past. The latest Chinese movie to depict the wonders of West Lake is: Dwelling by the West Lake (2023) starring Wu Lei and Jiang Qinqin and directed by Gu Xiaogang.

Strolling around West Lake

After our quick afternoon strolling around the West Lake, we proceeded to the city center of Hangzhou to view the magnificent display of lights along its skyscrapers! You see, China has so many ways in entertaining the crowd, they are not only banking on its beautiful tourist spots and cultural landmarks but also showcasing what they got in modern technologies! They are good in finding ways how to turn their skyscrapers into an entertainment spot to showcase their super advance technology. 

The amazing Hangzhou City Light Show 

This Hangzhou City Light Show is a magical display of stunning lights, illuminating more than 30 high-rise buildings in dancing motions, turning the raw evening into a moment of wonders and amazement. Apart from the light show in buildings, they have a spectacular water fountain show that really brought out the child in me haha! We left at 9:30 in the evening to check-in at the Holiday Inn Express hotel.

But perhaps, no happiness is perfect. While enjoying the scenery in Hangzhou, I didn't know that my father passed away at home in Surigao on that day, June 20. My family couldn't contact me because I didn't use social media while in China and didn't activate my Philippine SIM. Details on my personal blog Check this LINK

Day 3: June 21, 2026: Back to Shanghai 

Our last day in China. After breakfast, we left Hangzhou for Shanghai, stopping by at the Jade Shop. I made a promise to never buy items at Jade shop after splurging at Pearl Exhibition Center haha! I made true to my promise 😂

We arrived in Shanghai in the afternoon and stopped by at A.P Plaza underground market. And OMG! So expensive haha! If you want to shop for affordable souvenir items, please skip this area, and just go to the Shanghai Souvenir Supermarket in Ancient Town (Grand Yuyuan), they have the same quality but a lot cheaper.

The waterfront in Huangpu River 

We ended our Shanghai Tour with a Huangpu River Cruise. Ticket is ¥150.00 (Php1,350.00), but our tour guide collected ¥200.00 each because according to him it's a special side trip and we need to pay the bus use and the driver. Our ticket has no complimentary snacks. It was crowded by the time we got aboard the yacht. And we couldn't get the best spot for sightseeing. There's a specific section at the upper deck for VIPs but you need to pay additional ¥100 to enter the area (it has free snacks), so I paid to enter the area and get a better view of the surroundings. 

View from our Huangpu River light 

It was terrific! Incredibly beautiful! The Huangpu River Cruise allows you to see the magnificent skyline of the financial district of Shanghai and the Bund promenade. The buildings are illuminated by magical lights that move into motion. The colonial buildings along the waterfront simmered in gold! It was an amazing experience indeed. After this stop, we proceeded to Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 9:30pm. We departed Shanghai at 1:30 in the early morning of June 22.

You may watch my complete vlog for this trip on my YouTube channel: The Gourmand Traveler 

At Wanda Moments Hotel in Wuxi City 

To wrap  up this travel experience, exploring three of China's most prosperous cities, its stunning landmarks, and spots that define their rich cultural heritage, it's magnificent! Beyond words can describe. It's my best experience so far in traveling abroad. This itinerary is compact and highly curated to showcase some of China's best tourist attractions that define their past, who they are in contemporary times, and what capabilities they hold for the future, in just three days. Kudos to the tour operator in China that handled this trip of ours, it's satisfying and superb. 

The lunch meals were sumptuous! Our tour guide brought us to special restaurants where foods are pre-ordered and personally customised for us. Those are not just ordinary restaurants but food destinations that offer authentic and savoury Chinese dishes! I super love it! 

Even if China and the Philippines have diplomatic tensions lately due to maritime disputes, Chinese in the mainland showed us their hospitality. They are very accommodating and treated us nicely.

Things I learned from this trip:

• I am a joiner in this group tour (we are 31 all in this group) but I didn't feel isolated or lonely. I am lucky to be in this group where all of them are nice. I had the best time with them. We came from different tour agencies in the Philippines. I booked my tour through SMB Travel Agency. 
• I availed an e-sim via Klook for my internet connection. 1GB per day good for 5 days (5G Mainland China) Php274.00. I activated this e-sim while preparing our boarding time at NAIA.
• During our departure on June 17, the agency provided us with an airport assistance, taking care of our check-in process. We lined up in the priority lane of Cebu Pacific. It was hassle-free.
• In the group visa, we have a group leader who held the original copy of our group visa. We needed to be together when entering the immigration both in the Philippines and in China. If one person is missing in the list, you cannot enter China!
• This is a visa-guaranteed tour. The travel agency just asked for a copy of our passport and one China passport size photo along with the Php2,500.00 amount for our visa application.
• I didn't bring cash for this trip. I also didn't exchange Philippine money for Chinese Yuan. I just installed the Alipay app and linked my Gcash card. My cashless goal was successful for this trip! I didn't encounter problems using Alipay. I used my Maribank card when an establishment accept foreign debit or credit card because Maribank has a big cash back when using the card abroad.
• Most key cities in China are already 100% cashless transactions, even street vendors and small businesses are utilising cashless transactions through Alipay and WeChat pay so you don't need to bring cash when traveling to China, just install Alipay or WeChat Pay and you're good. There are establishments that accept debit and credit cards but only those big shops.
• Shanghai is a charming city! Despite its highly developed economy status, they maintain a green environment, they preserved their natural scenery and their lush greenery. They have so many public parks! Most vehicles I saw were Energy Vehicles (electric, hybrid, and solar powered). The city is so clean, less air pollution, not too noisy, vehicles strictly observed traffic rules.
• I learned that all buses in Shanghai load passengers only based on seat capacity because each seat has seatbelt. Passengers are required to fasten seatbelt when the bus is in the highway or freeways. 
• This is a highly recommended tour package if you want to visit Shanghai on a budget with a side trip to nearby Wuxi and Hangzhou 
• Chinese immigration is not strict with tourists participating in a group tour, in fact there's a special lane in the immigration of China for this type of visa. No questions ask. They will just let you undergo the process of authentication of your identity. 
• Tourists in a Group tour don't need to secure a health card or fill up arrival card in China.
• Chinese immigration is very strict with power banks. Your powerbank must have a visible 3C certification and logo to be allowed to enter the country or board a plane. Look for CCC in your powerbank if there's none, you need to bring another one that complies with this requirement. One powerbank must not exceed 100wh.
• The best shop for your souvenir shopping is in Ancient Town: Shanghai Souvenir Supermarket. It's cheap and so many choices.
• Key cities have police visibility and streets are full of CCTV cameras. I feel safe there. No concern also for pickpocketing. I put my packbag at my back all the time and walked among the crowd. We encountered nice locals. Though they have hard time speaking English, they will try to accommodate and serve you nicely.
• Apps to download or install while in China for a seamless travel experience: Alipay and Wechat Pay for online payments; AMap for navigation (it works better in China than Google maps); DiDi; Translate app.
• According to those who visited Shanghai Disneyland, bringing tripod no matter how small it is, strictly not permitted. 

Here are the itemised expenses for this tour: 

• Tour package I paid to SMB Travel Agency: Php30,540.00 (because I am a joiner, if you have companions you have to pay only Php25,140.00 each person (for 5 days and four nights duration of tour).
• Travel Tax (Philippine airport only upon departure) Php1,620.00
• e-sim via Klook: Php274.00 good for 5 days
• I didn't go to Shanghai Disneyland but if you will, there are agencies in the Philippines that offer 120USD package including bus transfers. If you want to go on DIY and just hire a DiDi car once in China or ride a train, you can find cheaper one-day Disneyland entry on Klook, Agoda, Trip.com etc for only 3,800 to 4,000. If you want to escape Disneyland and just go for city tour, the package is around 60USD.
• I spent around Php800.00 for my meals (fruits, sandwich, one tub of rice, and sweet and sour pork) during our first day in Shanghai. It was our free day and lunch was not yet included. 
• For my dinner meals: ¥140 equivalent to Php1,260.00 for four dinner meals (4 nights)
• Shopping: 1. Latex Shop: ¥100 (Php900.00), 2. Souvenir items in Ancient Town: ¥190 (Php1,710.00), 3. Pearl Necklace at Pearl Exhibition Center: 100USD (6,100.00), 4. One canister of Green Tea at Meijiawu Tea Village: ¥300 (Php2,700.00), 5. Shopping at A.P Plaza: ¥330.00 (Php2,970.00).
• Mini-Kyoto entrance: ¥40.00 (Php360.00)
• Hangzhou City Light Show: ¥70.00 (Php630.00). Entry to this spot is actually free but our tour guide collected this amount from us because this is not part of our tour itinerary so we have to pay for the bus use and driver service for an extended hour.
• Two kind of packed nuts from our tour guide: ¥200 (Php1,800) > 9 big packs all in all.
• Huangpu River Cruise: ¥300.00 (Php2,700). The entrance is only ¥150 if you're on a DIY trip but because it was a side trip and not part of our tour itinerary, we paid ¥200 each for the bus use and extended service hour of the driver. I paid an additional 100Yuan to enter the VIP area for a better view.

This tour package is highly recommended! You can skip the expenses in designated shop tours. Even if the itinerary says compulsory shopping, the tour guide in China won't actually force you to buy things.