Which International Airline Should I Choose?

There are several airlines to choose from when planning a trip to China.  You should do the research to check and see which airline fits your wants and needs.  Price is a factor but shouldn't always be first on your list.  Comfort and time of departure and arrival need to be considered also.  A Direct flight or flight that has a stop or plane change should be on your list.  A flight from Seattle to Beijing is listed with one airline very cheap.  I checked it out and it goes from Seattle to Chicago and then to Beijing.  Cheap but 22 hours of flying time and changing planes, going through an additional Security check etc. etc.  Is it worth the savings?   Maybe if time and comfort are not on your list.  I have represented Hainan Airlines from China as a wholesale tour operator since they arrived in Seattle several years ago. They fly from Seattle to Beijing in just 11 hours arriving in the late afternoon in time for dinner. They are owned by a corporation in China rather than the government.  Their service is tops with great food and an excellent Business class that rivals other airlines first class.  They fly the latest Boeing 787s. with seats that make into beds in Business class.   I have flown with them often and always appreciate their attention to details and comfort.  Hainan now has direct non-stop flights from Boston, Chicago, Seattle and now San Jose and a Seattle/Shanghai direct flights.  There are  connecting flights from many other cities at code share prices too.  For more information and costs please contact us by email:  interlak@eskimo.com   We can do your complete tour from home and back with our 25 years experience in China and Tibet.  Check out our web site at :  www.interlakechinatours.com   Our BBB rating of A+ is the best rating so you can always be sure you are in Good Hands.   My friends call me ChinaDave and I will be glad to help you with any plans or questions on travel to China.       Email:   interlak@eskimo.com

Yunnan Province a Must Visit

Yunnan province in south China is one of my favorite places to visit.  Just north of Viet Nam, Laos and Burma, Yunnan has two distinct climates.  In the North are mountains and in the south there are semi-tropical forests.  In the middle is Kunming known as the Spring City because of its altitude and cooler weather during the summer at 5,000 feet. In the north  is LiJiang, Dali, Zhongdian, the Leaping Tiger Gorge and other remote spots like Lugu Lake famous for the beautiful lake surrounded by mountains occupied by the Muoso people who seldom if ever marry.  Most people go to Kunming to see the Stone Forest which is about two hours by car and a wonderful site to see which is one of the most unusual in the world.  In the south the city of Jinghong in the Xishuangbanna area has the only airport or is two days by bus from Kunming.  This area has many minority peoples living here with their own language, dress and culture. You may visit several of these minority villages to see how they live and work.  One group the men retire after marrying and the women do all the work.  Another live in stilted houses with two entrances; one for the women and one for the men.  Learning the customs of each group is interesting and makes for good photography.  This area also has beautiful parks that were once the research areas for tropical plants before the revolution.  There is also the Wild Elephant Preserve in the jungle which you may visit not far from Jinghong.  A walk way above the canopy of the forest/jungle makes it easy to tour with a cable car to bring you back.
Tourists usually spend about 4 days in the southern part of Yunnan and about 4 days in the north.
For more information on touring China contact me at   email:  interlak@eskimo.com   My friends call me ChinaDave and I have travelled all over China for the past 26 years.

Visiting Shanghai

Most tours visit Shanghai but usually only for one day as an entrance or exit city to China.  I use to think of Shanghai only as a large big city like Hong Kong or New York.  However my opinion has changed in the last few years.  Yes it is large and very busy but also exciting.  The best museum in the country is located in Shanghai.  The Yu Garden area is #1 in China along with the oldest Tea House on the Crooked bridge leading into the Yu Garden.  The Tall  Pearl of the Orient T.V. tower has the greatest view over Shanghai at the top.  Often overlooked is the fantastic Museum in the base of the tower of the early 1900's designed like walking down an  old street in Shanghai during that period.  The Jade Buddha Temple, the old French Concession area, famous Shanghai Acrobats, Nanjing Road Mall, and a cruise on the river running through Shanghai are just a few of the sights worth seeing.  The MagLev train from Pudong Airport takes only 7 minutes to get to the city and at speeds of up to 285 mph.  The new fast trains also are located in Shanghai and can go to Beijing in less than 5 hours now leaving every half hour or less.   Exciting is one word I use to describe Shanghai but many other places to visit and see are also there besides the excellent food of the city.
For more information on Shanghai please feel free to contact me at  interlak@eskimo.com  My friends call me ChinaDave and I have a wealth of information accumulated over 25 years of travel all over China during my 50+ trips working with my Chinese associate partners.

Why Tour China?

I have been traveling China for over 25 years.  The first time I went with a friend who had business there in 1989.  We went to Beijing, Xian and Chengdu.  I saw a 3rd. World country at the time; but as a business person also saw a country posed for great growth.  Wanting to go back and watch this growth besides being interested in the culture, I started a small business selling Goose Down and Feathers from Chinese suppliers to our largest producer of feather products in the U.S. right here in my home town of Seattle.  That venture allowed me to visit some of the remote parts of rural China where people lived and worked the same way for centuries.  Some still do using water buffalo to pull the plows and hand rice processing equipment.  Over the years I watched the tremendous growth in the cities with  sometimes a 100 or more cranes being used while they constructed large buildings and apartment houses.  I have seen them go from our 1940's style trains to the ultra modern trains of today with speeds up to 200 mph.  The over 50+ variety of cultures through out China each with their own customs and dress adds to the experience of visiting this ancient culture.  Ancient artifacts, museums, temples and sights such as the  Forbidden City, Terra Cotta Warriors and of course the Great Wall plus so many others add to the fantastic sights of China.  I have visited areas where they had never seen people from the outside world, had no t.v., electricity,  or running water.  Some of these places still exist.  In order to continue going to China to explore the country, with the help of Chinese Associate partners I started Interlake China Tours, Inc. of  Seattle in 1992.  Since then I have made over 50+ trips to China working with local contacts helping them develop their tourism industry.  It has been extremely rewarding and I look forward to each and every trip still seeing sights that I have missed.  I have shared the sights of China & Tibet with over 2,500  people doing private customized tours for individuals or small groups with special interests.  My wife and I travel to other countries during the off season and enjoy many other cultures but China still remains my favorite with so much that is different from one area of the country to another.   I hope I can share some of China planned just for you and your own interests.  My web site is:  www.interlakechinatours.com   My friends call me ChinaDave and you can contract me direct at   email:  interlak@eskimo.com

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BEST DAY CRUISE IN CHINA - Li River

The Yangtze River cruise is the best known cruise in China which is a 4 day experience you will not forget.  However there is another river cruise that perhaps is not as well known.  It is a One day cruise down the Li River with some of the most spectacular scenery in China.  After a visit to Guilin with so many things to see, the cruise is one day down to the town of Yangshuo.  The scenery includes the hay stack like hills all along the river which in ancient times was actually the bottom of the ocean.  You will see farmers along the narrow river working their farms with water buffalo and fishermen fishing from their small bamboo rafts.   Once arriving in Yangshuo there are many things to do and sights worth seeing.  Hiking and Biking area available here as well as bamboo rafting.  Lots of great shopping too.  If you wish to have a cooking lesson there are full or half day cooking lessons available.  If that wasn't enough, there is one of the best shows in China each night on the river.  Over 900 local people are involved with animals, rafts, music and lights with the background of the hay stack like hills.  The Producer also did the Opening Ceremony for the Beijing Olympics so it is very professional and very worth seeing.   For more information on the Li River Cruise contact us at
Email:  interlak@eskimo.com   Our web site is  www.interlakechinatours.com   We are just starting our 26th year in doing Tours to China and Tibet.  Our Experience and BBB rating of A+ insures your security and great tour always being in Good Hands.

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Quality China Tours for 25 Years

We are going into our 26th year of doing Tours to China and Tibet.  Over 2,500 people have enjoyed travel to China with us from many countries all over the world.  We specialize in Custom Private Tours for Individuals or Groups that come to us with a special interest or needs.  My 25 years of travel throughout China and Tibet working with my Chinese associate partners and their many travel services has given me a great deal of insights into China.  I have watched and experienced China from an undeveloped country to a modern world state in just these 25 years.  There is still much of Old China present to enjoy along side modern China with it's fast trains and ultra modern airports and sky scrapers.  Remote villages following the old culture is still there to enjoy making China one of the most visited countries for tourists in the world.    The Yangtze River is one of the longest and most beautiful rivers in the world with cruise ships sailing between the tall cliffs and sights along the river.  Of course visiting the largest Dam in the world is also part of it.  This year to introduce the U.S. Market to the 5 Star luxury, Century Cruise Line, we are featuring a 50% Off price for all cruises booked by April 15th when combined with a 10+ day China tour.  Prices start at $398 per person.  After April 15th the price will be $795.  High season space  (April/May and Sept./Oct.) is limited at this time so bookings need to be made soon.  For more information contact us at interlak@eskimo.com    Century Cruise Line web site is:  www.centuryrivercruises.com  Click on the British flag for English.   I sincerely hope we can do a tour for you to your budget and interests.

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Suzhou City of Parks, Gardens and More

Suzhou a city just a short train ride from Shanghai is known for its Classic Gardens and Parks.  Over  80 Classic Gardens which date back hundreds of years is considered the #1 Garden City in China.  The Humble Administrator's Garden is #1 in China.  Others to see with limited time are the Lingering Garden,  Master of the Nets from the 12th century and the Lion's Grove Garden to name a few.  I do Garden Tours of China and of course Suzhou is in the itinerary for sure.  Many people go to see the well known sights of China but a definite stop should be Suzhou for a day or more.  I like to send people through the lake country visiting small old villages before arriving in Suzhou which gives people a view of rural life in China.  The Grand Canal passes through Suzhou and worth the time to take a short boat ride through the back neighborhoods of Suzhou not seen from the streets.  A great walking street is Pinjiang Lu Lane along the Canal with local houses, cafes, shops and of course Tea Houses. Tiger Hill Park is one of the famous  parks where you will see the 7 story tall Cloud Rock Pagoda built in the 10th.Century.  During the tourist season a show is put on in the park with over 100 participants in colorful dress.  Suzhou is also one of the centers for Silk with  27 factories with a history of over 4,000 years.  You may visit the #1 Silk Factory to see how silk is made as well as shopping for factory samples from all factories in one location..  Suzhou has one of the most fascinating museums in China with living attractions and art which is a must for museum lovers. 
Close to Shanghai, it is worth an extra day or two to visit Suzhou if you have a Free Day available on your Group Tour to China or if taking a Custom Private Tour, ask your Tour Operator to include Suzhou in your itinerary.  To end the day or evening one of my favorite Tea Houses is the QianTang Cha Ren with many old antiques, wonderful choices of tea and snacks.  For more information you may contact me at:   interlake@eskimo.com   26 Years of doing Tours of China!

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