It was such a long time ago that I last visited Shanghai, that I won’t write a full entry for the city. Only to say that its a must if visiting China – not only because it is often a transport hub you pass through, but as a destination on its own. It won’t be the classical China you were expecting – it will be far more than that as this city typifies the modern day China – brash, modern and full of energy. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Shanghai at times feels like New York City on steroids as it rapidly catches up on just about every metric you can think of
Obviously its always better to have more time, but I reckon you could blast the highlights of Shanghai in a day (leaving yourself with some appetite for seeing the rest Shanghai has to offer when you return). The things I really recommend focusing on are:
- The classical walk along The Bund to see the magnificent skyscrapers looking across the river
- Wandering through East Nanjing Road in amongst the neon signs and sheer commercialism of it all
- Having dinner and drinks in uber stylish and pretty French Concession
- Taking in the views from the observation deck of the Shanghai Tower (the world’s second tallest building) or Shanghai Word Financial Centre
- Eating some of the wonderful Shanghai dumplings filled with scrumptious soups
From Hohhot there are a series of standard tours that take you to a few of the places nearby area, but primarily to the Xilamuren grassland, where you can see local horse riding, and Resonant Sand Gorge of the Kubuqi Desert, where you can slide down the dune and generally play around in a full-on desert. All of this with a night staying in one of the traditional Mongolian Yurts
The whole experience is relatively fun as you do get to see some great countryside, but unfortunately most of these tours are very much catered for the domestic tourist market, which means large numbers of fellow tourists, often spaces concreted over to make way for the masses, manufactured “traditional horse riding shows”, and, of course, the serene-breaking megaphones.
I’d say give it a go if a bit tight on money and don’t mind the mass tourist nature, but otherwise see if you can get a tour company that takes you further afield so that you can escape the crowds and see some of the more traditional Mongolian culture rather than the Chinese branded version
Jaipur is part of India’s classical Golden Triangle route and represents the natural gateway into the gem that is the state of Rajasthan. For sure it is nice walking through the chaotic pink city with monkeys jumping everywhere, visiting the nearby Amber Fort and you’ll naturally pass through Jaipur as part of any visit to this part of India. But . . . I wouldn’t say it is a highlight and you shouldn’t prioritise it over the real Rajasthan highlights of Jodphur, Jaisalmer or Udaipur
One of the 7 Wonders of the World, said by its imperial creator to “make the sun and moon shed tears” and put so eloquently by poet Rabindranath Tagore “a tear drop on the edge of eternity” . . . big hype . . .
. . . the thing is, the Taj Mahal is one of those rare sights that does indeed match the build up. And this is despite it being such a simple experience – you find yourself staring at it, for hours, happily soaking up it’s perfect geometrical beauty. Cheesy indeed, but I surprised myself by just how much I enjoyed just staring at it. A must if visiting India
Top tip – you don’t really need tips for visiting the Taj as it’s very straightforward. But, one thing I would recommend is to try and have a tea, beer, breakfast, meal, whatever, within sight of the Taj. Doing so just offers a different perspective, and slightly different experience as you enjoy your food and drinks overlooking this world famous site, rather than being surrounded by the crowds all try to get a look at it
Just outside of Agra, which tends to be the highlight visit for most people visiting this part of India as they get to see the Taj Mahal, is the very underrated and magnificent fortified ancient city of Fatehphur Sikri. The sight, which was the former capital of the Mughal Empire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dominated nearly all of South Asia for almost 200 years before the arrival of the British, includes 3 palaces and a mosque all with gorgeous architecture and without the crowds of some of the main Indian sites
Give it a go for a day trip from Agra, or simply replace Jaipur with Fatehphur Sikri in your itinerary for the Golden Triangle. I actually recommend this along with 5 other changes in my travel entry for India’s Golden Triangle – getting the most out of it
The Golden Triangle is viewed as the classical India trip – fly into the nation’s capital of Delhi, then to the country’s most famous site of the Taj Mahal, dip your toe in the highlight state of Rajasthan in the Pink City of Jaipur, and then a short ride back to Delhi. All sites within around 200km / 125miles of each other, a very relaxed week-long itinerary or a rapid 4/5 days. It will certainly give you a feel of India . . . BUT . . . it’s only major downside is that it only really includes one highlight of India and that is the Taj Mahal. Delhi is a big dirty Indian city that I would struggle to put in a highlights reel of India and Jaipur, whilst nice to wander around the Pink City and visit the Amber Fort, is a far distant second to the outstanding highlights of the wonderful Rajasthan (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur in particular)
My suggestions to enjoy your week in this part of India:
- You will naturally fly into Delhi, but don’t spend too much time there. The Red Fort is worth checking out, but other than that it is a big polluted Indian city
- The Taj Mahal in Agra is a must and lives up to the hype. One of the 7 Wonders of the World and described as “a tear drop on the edge of eternity”, you will find yourself staring at it, for hours, happily soaking up its perfect geometrical beauty. Cheesy indeed, but I surprised myself by just how much I enjoyed just staring at it. See the individual review here – The Taj Mahal
- Fatehphur Sikri – before heading over to Rajasthan from Agra (or maybe just on the way), give yourself half a day to see the ghost city of Fatehphur Sikri, the magnificent ancient city that was the former capital of the Mughal Empire. See the individual review here – Seeing the abandoned former Mughal capital at Fatehphur Sikri
- Spend only a short time in Jaipur, or skip it altogether. Walking through the Pink City is nice and so is the nearby Amber Fort, but deprioritise behind Rajasthan’s real highlights. See the individual review here – The pink city of Jaipur
- Visit the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort and Blue City of Jodhpur – that view of the the bright white memorial of Jaswant Thada, with Mhrangarh Fort and the blue city of Jodhpur peering out in the background must be one of the most dramatic in all of India. Combined with the exotic vibe of the Rajasthan desert, this one of the unmissable highlights of India and is in a different league to Jaipur. See the individual review here – Viewing the Jodphur’s Blue City from the spectacular Mehrangarh Fort
- If you have the time, make sure to visit Jaisalmer and Udaipur – other than the Taj Mahal, they, along with Jodhpur, are the highlights of this part of India
That view of the the bright white memorial of Jaswant Thada, with Mehrangarh Fort and the blue city of Jodphur peering out in the background must be one of the most dramatic in all of India and evokes that immediate reaction of WHERE IS THAT???!!! Once you’ve put it on your must-see-list and actually made the trip to Jodphur, you won’t be disappointed. The stunning views along with that exotic vibe of the Rajasthan desert make this one of the unmissable highlights of India
Top tip #1 – you’ll naturally visit the fort for its beautiful internal architecture and amazing views, but few people make the relatively short (500m / 0.3mile) walk north to the Jaswant Thada memorial. Its far less busy and the views of the fort in the background are sublime
Top tip #2 – similarly, you’ll also naturally stay around the Old Blue City area Makrana Mohalla where most of the hotels and hostels are and the general hustle and bustle, but also make sure to wander around the Navchokiya area of the old town which has the same pleasant vibe, but not quite as busy. You can access it from the fort via walking through the gorgeous Rajput Garden and exiting at the Victory Gate
Top Tip #3 – be sure to book a place to stay with an accessible roof for views of the fort, especially in the evening. There’s something quite magical about looking over the brutal looking fortifications as the sounds of evening kick in and you can see the Old Town wind down in the streets below. The place we stayed at has long closed down, but the Pal Haveli had a wonderful rooftop restaurant which you can enjoy whether a guest or not
Travelling in Burma (Myanmar) is a bit like being in a parallel world – like the rest of the world went one direction and Burma just took the other turn on the highway. Whilst that may be starting to change a little bit as the country opens up more, you can be sure that there will be continued political swings that keep Burma as one of the countries firmly in the “unusual” bucket for travelers. This, plus its series of genuinely world class attractions, makes it a superb travel destination for a 2 week trip
Burma for most people is all about the 4 key highlights of Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake. All are definitely worth seeing and will form the core of any trip you make there. Bagan, with its world-renowned temples spread in their thousands across the plain, and Inle Lake, with its stunning mirror effect and serene villages on stilts, are arguably the highlights, with Mandalay and Yangon as interesting cities that you need to fly into, but well worth the visit. I’ve included them below in a 2 week itinerary that won’t be rushed whilst also making sure you get the most out of your time here
I’ve written below some further travel tips for travelling around Burma, but my 2 biggest tips are:
- #1 Is it safe? You will naturally have seen in the news Burma very often flaring up with the latest crisis and the story of the country is truly a sad one considering the repression in particular of the ethic minorities and continued belligerence of the military junta. But, from a tourist point of view, such changes have not in the slightest stopped the country as it opens up more and more to overseas visitors. Whilst it may sound like a country to avoid based on headlines, thousands more come to the country each year than the year before and flare ups occur only in the remote areas foreigners are not allowed in, and still with no tourists ever having come to harm because of the troubles. There are far more countries in the world with far more dangers that receive far more tourists on a regular basis
- #2 A feeling of real Burma. Consider wandering off the beaten track just a little to see the real country that has been surprisingly untouched by the tourism wave of the 4 main sites. One of the best adventures I’ve experienced was the 6 day trip down the Irrawaddy River by ferry in Northern Burma from Myitkyina (or you can start in Bhamo / Katha to reduce the time) to Mandalay. Breathtaking mountainous jungle vistas, the chance to see the real local villages along the mighty Irrawaddy River, and the old echoes of the former colonial past. A truly great travel experience and I’ve included the details in the travel entry – Exploring Northern Burma by train and ferry from Myitkyina, via Bhamo and Katha to Mandalay
Inle Lake is a super relaxed part of Burma where you fill your days either zipping around in the lake boats to the floating markets, gardens and temples, or simply laze around in this serene location watching the perfect mirrored effect on the water. A must if you’re visiting Burma, and I would recommend it as part of this
2 weeks itinerary for the highlights of BurmaI won’t go into too many tips as all you really want to do is get a place on the water and rent a boat for one or two days to head off and explore, but the two places I really enjoyed were the leaning pagodas of Inthein in the south west and the Jumping Cat Monastery for its sheer randomness
The golden temple itself, and the complex it forms part of, is impressive – gleaming marble paths, the exotic architecture of the surrounding buildings, and with the golden temple of 750kg gold sitting in the middle of a central lake. But it is the overall experience of being so openly welcomed and very much part of this most sacred pilgrimage for thousands of Sikhs as you wash, eat and move en masse through their holiest site that makes this such a unique and unmissable experience
It’s very simple to join in. Simply rock up any time, no entrance fee, just take off your shoes and socks, wash your feet and borrow a head scarf that they provide. Then follow the crowds – they even feed you!
Whilst there isn’t that much else to see in Amritsar, and the Golden Temple is very much the highlight in this part of India, the nearby border crossing with Pakistan offers a very unusual display of transborder pomp as the two sides send in their tallest, most curly moustached soldiers to goose step at each other as they slowly lower their flags before the border closes . . . yes, super random. Easy to get there – just get a taxi for the Attari-Wagah border and try to get their an hour before the start to get into the grandstand (yes, they have a grandstand). Ceremony starts 530pm except for 430pm in winter
