L-R: Chew Leng Soon, Tay Seok Hooi, Wong Lai Van, Christine Leong, Bernard Lee, Ching Neng Bin at the Lingyin Temple Park (18 winter days in China)
Day 1 (29.11.2011) AirAsia Kul/Hgh D7-306 1755/2225 hrs to Hangzhou
Our flight landed at XiaoShan International airport, Hangzhou at 10.10pm and took a taxi (RMB105) to Mingtown Hangzhou International Youth Hostel at 101-3 Nanshan Road. The room rate here cost RMB65 pp twin room on the West Lake. Took a walk and checked out the nearby In Lake hostel. Dormitory there cost RMB60 per person. We met Bernard’s Malaysian girlfriends (Christine Leong & Wong Lai Van) who traveled from Shanghai by train. They also stayed at the same hostel.
Temperature: 18°C (min) and 23°C (max)
Accommodation: Hangzhou International Youth Hostel at RMB65 pp twin room
Sunset view from AirAsia plane at 30,000 feet.
Checking in at Hangzhou International Youth Hostel.
Checking in at Hangzhou International Youth Hostel.
Not bad, our Hangzhou International Youth Hostel room has a sky-view window on the roof and side-window
Day 2 (30.11.2011) Hangzhou (walking around West Lake)
After breakfast (American- RMB30 pp) at the hostel café, we took Y2 bus (Y3 pp) to the Lingyin Temple Park. The self conducted tour around the Lingyin Temple Park took about 3 hours. We had tea at the Tea Pavilion, after which, we took K7 bus (RMB1 pp) to the Silk Shop. From the nearby bus stop, we then took K274 bus back to the last bus stop at Qinchun Road. From here we walked to The Grandma’s Restaurant (Wai Por Chia) at DongPo Road for dinner. On the way back we bought some bread for next day’s breakfast. It rained throughout the night.
Temperature: min:4C max:18C
Accommodation: Mingtown Hangzhou International Youth Hostel at RMB65 pp twin room
L-R: Chew Leng Soon, Tay Seok Hooi, Wong Lai Van, Christine Leong, Bernard Lee, Ching Neng Bin in front of Mingtown Hangzhou International Youth Hostel. 
American breakfast at the Mingtown Hangzhou International Youth Hostel restaurant.
We took this No.Y2 air-con bus for Y3 pp to Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
L-R: Chew Leng Soon, Tay Seok Hooi, Wong Lai Van, Christine Leong, Bernard Lee, Ching Neng Bin at the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
At the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
The famous West Lake is about 5.6 sq kilometers in Hangzhou.
Hangzhou City view from the West Lake. 
The best way to see things is by walking around West Lake in Hangzhou.
The main entrance to the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou located in the lush hills just west of West Lake as the surrounding area seems to have been turned into one large amusement park.
Christine Leong rubbed the tortoise head for blessing at Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Ching Neng Bin rubbed the tortoise head for blessing at Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
At Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Hangzhou’s Lingyin Scenic Area, with Lingyin Temple as its centerpiece, is said to be as old as 1,700 years. Legend has it that an Indian monk named Huili took a liking to the spot and founded a temple there. 
The Li Gong Stone Pagoda at the Feilai Peak or Lingjiu Peak in front of the Lingyin Temple.
Over 330 different stone statues built during the 10th to 14th centuries at Feilai Peak in Hangzhou.
The Feilai Peak, nearly 150m high, contains four caves and about 380
Buddhist rock carvings. The most famous carving is of a Laughing Buddha
from the year A.D.1000.
The most famous carving in Feilai Peak is of a Laughing Buddha
from the year A.D.1000.
Buddhist monks from Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou.
See the autumn leaves in Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Fayun Village inside the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
The entrance to Fayun Village inside the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Fayun Village formerly home to villagers who worked the surrounding tea fields, and now part of the Amanfayun hotel complex, complete with restored original village dwellings. A tea house here offers tea for sampling and for sale.
Fayun Village inside the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
See the autumn leaves in Fayun Village inside the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Fayun Village inside the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Fayun Village inside the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Fayun Village inside the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Fayun Village inside the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Fayun Village inside the Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Guxiang Meditation Courtyard at Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Guxiang Meditation Courtyard at Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Guxiang Meditation Courtyard at Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Guxiang Meditation Courtyard at Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
Bernard Lee and Wong Lai Van at Guxiang Meditation Courtyard, Lingyin Temple Park in Hangzhou.
The colorful autumn maple tree leaves along West Lake main road in Hangzhou.
The colorful autumn maple tree leaves along West Lake main road in Hangzhou.
The colorful autumn maple tree leaves along West Lake main road in Hangzhou.
Grandma's Restaurant (Wai Por Chia), at DongPo Road for dinner in Hangzhou.
Be prepared to queue and wait as Grandma's Restaurant (Wai Por Chia) is always crowded in Hangzhou.
Grandma's Restaurant delicious special hotpot herbal chicken and the traditional stew skin-on pork below.
So for those out there, don't miss Grandma's magic - it's worth the wait.
Accommodation: Mingtown Hangzhou International Youth Hostel at RMB65 pp twin room
Total expenses for day 1+2 is Y319 or RM159 per person
Day 01 (29.11.2011) AirAsia Kul - Hangzhou D7-306 17552225 hrs
Day 02 (30.11.2011) Hangzhou (West Lake walking)
Day 03 (01.12.2011) Hangzhou (West Lake cycling)
Day 04 (02.12.2011) Hangzhou by bus to Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake)
Day 05 (03.12.2011) Qiandao Lake - ferry - Shendu - bus - Tunxi (Huangshan City)
Day 06 (04.12.2011) Tunxi (Huangshan City) - day trip to Mt.Huangshan
Day 07 (05.12.2011) Tunxi (Huangshan City) - day trip to Hongcun & Xidi
Day 08 (06.12.2011) Tunxi (Huangshan City) - by train to Nanjing
Day 09 (07.12.2011) Nanjing
Day 10 (08.12.2011) Nanjing by train to Taian (Shandong)
Day 11 (09.12.2011) Taian (Shandong) - day trip to Qufu
Day 12 (10.12.2011) Taian (Shandong) - day trip to Mt. Taishan
Day 13 (11.12.2011) Taian by train to Shanghai
Day 14 (12.12.2011) Shanghai - day trip to Suzhou
Day 15 (13.12.2011) Shanghai - day trip to The Bund
Day 16 (14.12.2011) Shanghai - day trip to Zhujiajiao the ancient water village
Day 17 (15.12.2011) Shanghai - Tian Zi Fang, Yuyuan garden & shopping
Day 18 (16.12.2011) Shanghai by train to Hangzhou AirAsia D7-303 to K Lumpur 14101910 hrs
///Backpacking to Shanghai 18 winter days in China 29 Nov - 16 Dec 2011
| Nov. | Day | EXPENSES | ..RMBY | . . . .RM | . .Total | Per pax | |
| 29 | 1 | a. | Taxi - Hangzhou airport to Mingtown | 105.00 | 53 | ||
| b. | Room - Mingtown IYH (65 X 4) | 260.00 | 130 | ||||
| Y365 | Y91.25 | ||||||
| 30 | 2 | a. | B'fast - Mingtown hostel café | 110.00 | 55 | ||
| b. | Busfare to Lingyin temple | 12.00 | 6 | ||||
| c. | Entrance fees - Lingyin temple (45 X 4) | 180.00 | 90 | ||||
| d. | Tea tasting @ Lingyin temple (30 X 4) | 120.00 | 60 | ||||
| e. | Busfare to Silk factory | 4.00 | 2 | ||||
| f. | Busfare to Grandma's Restaurant | 4.00 | 2 | ||||
| g. | Dinner @ Grandma's Restaurant | 165.00 | 83 | ||||
| h. | Bread for tomorrow's b'fast | 57.00 | 29 | ||||
| i. | Room - Mingtown IYH (65 X 4) | 260.00 | 130 | Y912 | Y228 |
Hi Ching,
ReplyDeleteHappy CNY! Gong Xi Fa Chai!
Finally your 18 days travelogue to
JiangNan SouZhou, HangZhou, Shanghai Regions)is ready. Guess I'll spend my last few days of holiday break to read it in detail. Nice to have charming lass to keep you fellas company for the first few days. You have my envy. I was there at these major cities 6 yrs ago, so the lake boat ride and the statues carved into the rocky caves were so familiar. The difference was that I was following a group tour then-not so adventurous and interesting. I will read on.......
Regards,
Alan Kok
Hi Ching,
ReplyDeleteHope can join you after 'settlin' down all my 4 kids.
Take care.
Dear Mr Ching,
ReplyDeleteI have been receiving quite a few emails from you but I cant recall whether I know you. Anywhere I am thankful for your information on your adventures and I enjoy reading it. I am hoping whether is there any possibility to participate in your traveling.
My name is Chaw Meng, Hua Lian high school Taiping class 69, left Malaysian Air Force as pilot; retired from Malaysia airlines but recently went back to fly for firefly.
I did quite a bit of mountain tracking in UK when I did my training over there in the late 70'.
Dear Ching,
ReplyDeleteA very worthwhile late morning spent on the 9th day of CNY at home to go through your 18D exciting backpacking trip to Shanghai. Beautiful photos and must be another enjoyable trip for you all. Best wishes to you and your family for the New Dragon Year and may the new year brings lots of happiness, prosperity and good health to you all.
Cheers
Really envy and admire your regular & fruitful travel, Mr Ching!
ReplyDeleteYour budget travel is certainly very insightful to me. Regards and wishing you and your family a very Happy Chinese New Year!
Raymond
Thank you very much Mr. Ching Neng Bin for the your email on the adventurous Backpacking in Shanghai.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for sharing the beautiful pictures and write-up. "Beautiful young people are the accidents of nature, beautiful old people are the works of art". Ching, you are a beautiful piece of art!
ReplyDeleteMany have been to Hangzhou, me included; but we cannot claim to have seen as much; neither would the tour operator allow so much time and budget for the attractions featured in this travelogue.
ReplyDeleteBackpacking is definitely a more exciting and fun way to travel. However it is only for the fit and adventurous. Enjoyed your detailed accounts. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi Ching,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Hope that I will have the chance to join your trip in future.
Cheers,
JT
Wow...what a journey. Happy New Year to you and family.
ReplyDeleteRegards
Hock Seng.
Excellent Ching. Wish I was there.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your trip.
A belated Happy Chinese New Year.
Best wishes,Choon.
Happy New Year Ching. You are having great holidays. Hope to join you when I retire later.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
David Wan
Dear Ching,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your adventurous trip in China. Looks like you and your friends had a great time there. Beautiful pics taken. As always, thank you.
Best wishes in year 2012!
Thank you, Mr Ching for sharing. Interesting account. Have visited those provinces but of course way above yr fares & expenses. My hubby, Cheong & I are keen to visit Macau, onward to Guilin. Any chance that you will go that way & ready to include us, yr new acquaintances.?? BTW we are retirees in our sixties
ReplyDeleteHi Ching,
ReplyDeleteThere's no place on earth that you won't go. Then again the earth is still too large to cover, North and South Poles and the Amazon, South America and Africa etc., just to mention a few. China is so big that it keeps enticing travellers to come visit the massive land over and over again, only to venture to places that have not been covered.
You are doing well with all the local transport and traveling ... great .. admire you all able to move about so freely.... I missed the WEST LAKE last time, and hope to go next time again.
ReplyDeleteThanks for Sharing Bro Ching. Enjoy your trip and do share your experience. I hope I can also plan a holiday like you to China. Thanks & Best Rgds.
ReplyDeleteThanks Neng Bin for the report and lovely pics. Missed your organised trip and Shanghai again. Fong Har
ReplyDeleteDear Neng Bin,
ReplyDeleteYour travel sounds so interesting. I thought of going from 8-13 Feb to visit Shanghai and maybe take a day tour to Hangzhou and Suzhou. It's 0-5 degrees Celsius now. Is it very cold. I will be travelling with my two children - free and east.
Thank you for sharing your interesting Shanghai adventure. Ahhh ... the food looks scrumptious!!! Yummmy!!!
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Ching Neng Bin,
ReplyDeleteI already did, many times! A fantastic travelogue, beautifully documented. Keep travelling while the legs can still walk, and where the heart wanted to go when it still feels good. The world is a very big place.
I still have a few more fingers left on my hands to count down B4 RETIREMENT!. Then, I may be hitting the road, like you do, the good old ways, on a shoe string budget. Do keep in touch. May the force be with you always. Namaste.
Hi Ching,
ReplyDeleteI happened to come across your blog..... found it very exciting and informative. It is awesome and I really marvel that you and your travel "kaki" have gone through so many adventurous trips. I am retired and want to travel to see places -backpacking. I wonder if I and my husband could join in as new member for your next adventure expedition !!.
Would be grateful if you could accommodate and let me know your plan expeditions for year 2012.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Dear Neng Bin,
ReplyDeleteI went on the two week package tour to Chiangnan last September and don't see as much scenery as your group. There were more shopping than scenery. No time limit for shopping while in Nanjing, at one tourist site only hanged around for 15min followed by 3 hr of silk factory visit. Great photos too.
Hi Ching Neng Bin,
ReplyDeleteLooks like you are another well seasoned traveller. Your style of travels as depicted in your blog suits my style and pace (and of course my BUDGET) !!
I have at most another 10-15 years left of good health and steady walking legs to enjoy all these.....So need to do it before I go kaput and housebound!
Stay in touch as I shall be back in PJ next month for another round of cheap budget travels.....
Really enjoy your blog and travel log book.
Regards,
Soohu
A man of ordinary talent will always be ordinary, whether he travels or not; but a man of superior talent will go to pieces if he remains forever in the same place.
ReplyDeleteWow...good for you... now really an adventurer. If that's your passion ... go for it. Enjoy your life while u r still fit for it. Wishing you an adventurous, memorable and safe trip.
ReplyDeleteDear Ching,
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your travel blog. Looking forward to join you after my retirement. haha!
Regards
Chieng Yew Hoon
Kota Kinabalu
You're so cool! I don't believe I have read through a single thing like this before. So wonderful to find someone with some original thoughts on this topic. Seriously.. thanks for starting this up. This website is one thing that's needed on the web, someone with a bit of originality!
ReplyDelete