Travel to China can sometimes be a stressful place to travel just by yourself or with a friend/spouse. So, what about with a group of, say, 10-15 people? After recently tour leading in Henan province, here are a few of my hints on how WildChina runs a successful group journey:

1. Keep the trip flexible: When you only have limited time to explore China, it is hard to predict how a large group will move, react to a certain activity, or feel after a long day of travel. Make a trip fulfilling, but not rigid. A journey that evolves with its travelers’ needs is the most successful.

With a group journey to China, explore place's like Guangxi's Longsheng rice terraces for a unique and comfortable experience for all.

2. Take the trip outdoors: China boasts incredible architecture, scenery, hiking, and other attractions and activities outside. With a group of travelers, focus on areas where each person can have a unique – and comfortable – experience.

3. Give people free time: With a group of people traveling together, there will inevitably be differences of opinion when it comes to which places to see, how much time to spend at a given destination, et cetera. To make the most of a group excursion, give people enough time to explore what interests them at certain intervals of the trip. You’ll keep travelers happy and interested when later group activities occur.

Have a Travel Tip question? Want more information? Contact us at info@wildchina.com.n

It seems that Beijing is not the only Chinese city whose rapidly-changing aesthetic and identity have visitors and residents alike thinking about its past and present.

Recently, a New York Times article, titled “In Shanghai, Preservation Takes Work,” explored Shanghai’s development in light of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, whose pavilions opened their doors to the public on May 1st.

A modern, European-style building on Shanghai's Wujiang Road (source: New York Times)

The article quotes both Anne Warr and Peter Hibbard, two WildChina experts on architecture and history (respectively). On Shanghai’s disappearing past, Warr notes that there is still an impressive amount of history to be seen, saying, “For a city which has developed as rapidly as Shanghai, the number of historic properties that have managed to survive is a miracle.” Hibbard comments on the remarkable restoration of the city’s Holy Trinity Cathedral, a famous 1800s-era monument built by the Bund.

We were also particularly interested in the section regarding Shanghai’s Jewish neighborhoods, as WildChina is offering a one-day Shanghai Expo Tour, titled “Shanghai’s Jewish History.” For more information, a complete listing of this and other one-day tours can be found on the WildChina website.