China, Yangtze River & Hong Kong--eastbound or westbound? and when?

My husband and I are seriously considering this tour for 2014. Those who have been on it--which did you choose (eastbound or westbound?) and why? Also, which month is better--April, May, September or October? What are the pros and cons? Which month did you choose, and why? Thanks for your expert advice!
Ruby and Edd

Comments

  • After some research, we went Eastbound and I'm glad we did. By the end of this trip we were exhausted! Beijing was a far more demanding experience than Hong Kong, so it was easier to start off in Beijing. Also, Shanghai is so charming that it's nice to have that as the final mainland city. Either way, though, it's a fabulous trip.
  • My husband & I were on the April 30 China, Hong Kong & Yantzee River trip and we LOVED it. We've been lucky enough to travel fairly extensively, and this was our 7th trip with Tauck, but we can honestly say that this was our most interesting & delightful trip so far. It was full of delightful surprises, some planned by Tauck, most just found in our day to day activities & interactions with others. We began worried about 40 pounds of luggage but we could have brought even less. We should have left the sports jacket and some more dressy tops at home. Everyone dressed smart casual for dinners & many wore the silk souvenir shirts & jackets they purchased on the trip. In country weight was no problem as luggage was checked in as a group, though we pushed the limit coming home with souvenirs!

    We arrived 2 days early in Hong Kong, had a very easy time sightseeing on our own & were well rested, & on China time, when the trip began (arriving at least one day early has made many of our trips more enjoyable). Even though the damp weather obscured some of the sights, the ferry ride across HK Harbor was still a great way to start the trip.

    Our super organized Tauck director (Annie Dowling), and knowledgeable local guides - especially Patrick in Hong Kong, Bob & Joy on the Yantzee River cruise, David & Fong in Beijing - helped us learn about & appreciate the country, people & culture.

    Our only disappointment was that a flash flood a day earlier caused us to have a partial boat ride on the LI river (we made a U turn half way down & returned to our point of embarkation) and thus miss an opportunity to see some of rural China. Perhaps a backup bus ride, or visit to a local country farm/village, could have been an alternative plan.

    By the time we arrived in Beijing the group had become very friendly which made the activities, especially during tai chi and on the Great Wall, even more enjoyable than they would have been at the beginning if the trip. And we had a beautiful clear day - so rare - on the wall! We found no disadvantage to going from Hong Kong to Beiging & actually preferred the 4 day boat ride on the Yantzee.
  • Hello Patpowell,

    I am so happy that you enjoyed your trip overall. I have forwarded your comments regarding the day of the flash floods to our tour management team. Your feedback is important to us.

    Best,
    Emily
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