I immediately planned our itinerary. Here is how it went. We arrived in Macau before lunch so we stopped by a few sights then headed straight to Guangzhou via land travel. Guangzhou is only a 2-hour bus ride from Macau-Zhuhai land border.
The next day we flew to Beijing via Air China's early evening flight, got picked up by our tour provider in Beijing and dropped off at our hotel. On Day 3 we headed to Jade Factory, Ming Tombs, get an authentic Chinese lunch, climbed the Great Wall and visited a traditional silk shop. On the way back to the city, we cruised by the Olympic sites like The Bird's Nest and Water Cube. The following day, we visited the pearl factory, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, had lunch at a traditional family restaurant, experienced Traditional Chinese Medicine and visited Forbidden City, also called The Palace Museum. We opted to walk around the hotel block on Day 5 and get some rest because we walk 5kms each day on the average, our legs and feet complaining about our weights. Ha! By the sixth day, we were courageous enough to explore the gorgeous city on our own. We went to Beihai Park, Jingshan Park and had a loooong walk towards Wangfujing district. The customary Peking Duck was on our dinner menu that day and we had a terrific meal (as always. Thank you Beijing!). On our last day in the city, we finally got to visit Tiananmen Square which was closed the previous days due to their week-long National Day (and boy was it CRAZY!).
In the evening we boarded our flight back to Guangzhou, my basic Mandarin and charades skills in tow. Thankfully, we made it to my cousin's place on our own. We visited Chen Clan Academy the next day and literally shopped till we dropped. The city is a shopping haven with really unbelievable bargains. The following day, we celebrated hubby's birthday! First off, shopping for us and our families, then a romantic night cruise at Pearl River and a sumptuous late dinner (we literally had a feast!) to cap off the special day.
Early the next day, we headed back to Macau and checked in at our hotel. We later on visited the Grand Prix Museum and Wine Museum, Senado Square and St. Paul's Ruins, had delectable egg tarts and pork jerky, explored the city's lively night scene, casinos and Macau Tower, and got wowed by Venetian Macau. It was a very long day indeed and regretfully, our trip was coming to an end. We admired the beautiful nightscape by our window and slept very peacefully. We woke up early the next day, had breakfast and explored the hotel's pool and lounge area. We then packed our bags and headed to the airport to bid goodbye to Macau.
Have fun browsing photos below. Many happy travels!
TIP: Click on a photo to open the gallery for actual photo size.
Macau Highlights
Macau Grand Prix Museum
So is it worth a visit? YEAH, since we loved the movie Senna, and we love cars!
Guia Fort
Macau Night Scene
Macau Regency Hotel
Guangzhou Highlights
Chen Clan Academy and Folk Arts Museum
Pearl River Cruise
Beijing Highlights
The Streets and Traditional Shops of Beijing
Beihai Park and The White Pagoda
Jingshan Park
Ming Tombs
Summer Palace
Temple of Heaven
Wangfujing District
Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
Great Wall at Mutianyu
Beijing Sicily Hotel and Restaurant
Travel Tips to China
- Book tours in advance especially if you're visiting during national holidays. It can get quite crazy there!
- Learn basic Mandarin unless you are very good with charades!
- Have your hotel address written in Chinese characters and the attractions you will DIY so the taxi driver can take you there easily.
- Always check the weather to know what clothes to wear. Beijing temperature can suddenly drop, you don't want to freeze out there.
- If you're into social media, buy VPN before you go there. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and many others are blocked, including Gmail.
- Try to bring minimal stuff with you when exploring as you will be walking a LOT.
- It is safe to cycle around Beijing, as there are bike lanes everywhere and lots of bike rental shops.
- In Macau, take advantage of free shuttles provided by hotels and casinos. You will be able to save a lot on transportation.
- Take advantage of the unbelievable bargains in Guangzhou. I was able to buy an original Naturalizer sandals for CNY 100!
- Wear ultra comfortable shoes AT ALL TIMES. At the end of the day, your swollen feet will thank you for it.
If you intend to visit these cities, feel free to contact me for any questions you may have. If you've been to these places, please share your stories or tips in the comments section to help out fellow travelers.