Joolsg
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
Have booked China and Hong Kong but India is pulling at my heart strings.... really can't decide if to move my holiday???..
BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Jools,

I've done China with JY (but not HK) and the Spirit of India and they are both excellent tours!  You would see so much on both of them so it would be hard to decide - I found China less of a culture shock and enjoyed the food there better - I would have loved to have seen HK but it wasn't on offer then.  My personal preference would be for China, but at the same time I'm glad I did see India.  If this is a possibility for you, I'd suggest you stick with China for next year and do India at a later date - both tours are very popular and should be around for a long time to come.  The Taj Mahal is undergoing renovations at the moment and there is scaffolding up, so you could benefit by waiting a year or two before going there!  Hope this helps!

All the best,

Bob

Dyuti
  • (Member)
(Member)
'Joolsg' wrote:

Have booked China and Hong Kong but India is pulling at my heart strings.... really can't decide if to move my holiday???..

Since you have already booked to go to China, why not go to India next time? 

I went to China last Christmas and enjoyed it. I am from India, been there over 25 times, so now I want to see the rest of the world. 

Dyuti

lesley07
(Member)
Hi Jools

I did a slightly different trip to China in 2010 and really enjoyed it. Have also done Spirit of India  and the Kerala tours and can recommend both of them. As Bob and Dyuti have said do the China tour and plan to visit India in the future!

Lesley

IanWight
(Member)
Hi Jools,

I am recently back from China & HK with TS and have previously done different parts of India with TS & others.

Much depends on your circumstances in terms of work/holiday allowance and budget but having already booked China then I would stick with this.

China is changing, you only need to read the press to see this, and there is a lot of building going on although this is generally confined to the cities and would not affect the main sites you would be going to see. As it changes then this could well impact on tourism with even more visitors than they have already. HK is also changing with a lot of building but this should again not affect sightseeing and if on offer then I do recommend the excursions to Lantau Island & to Macau.

India is, in a nice way, an assault on the senses and in view of the Taj being covered in scaffolding (it really does need to be seen without this!) then I would suggest Kerala as a first taste for your next trip as this would be a far gentler introduction to a wonderful country.

Many of us have been to both countries so if you have specific questions then someone will have the answer.

Ian

nixon
  • (Member)
(Member)
I stopped off in Hong Kong on route to New Zealand, and I agree with Ian don't miss out on Lantau Island..

Cindy

Mike21
(Member)
Absolutely endorse Bob’s comments above.  China was my first venture with JY in 2013 on an “in for a penny, in for a pound” basis, and crucially, also “while I can” [at my advanced age].  So wonderful I booked for India the next year.  I’ve always regarded the former as “the Best Holiday I’ve Ever Had” but India was a close-run thing which I always describe as “different”.

However, my main reason for adding to this thread that enquires after both those long-distance locations:  do consider Peru afterwards, as I did for the following year.  Even further I discovered than China but so worth it.  Fabulous in so many ways and, again, “different”.

Based upon three comments on this Board, I also travelled with their sister-company Travelsphere as they all commented that it was a slightly better itinerary and slightly cheaper.  There were still several singles on it.

LadySteve
(Member)
'Joolsg' wrote:

Have booked China and Hong Kong but India is pulling at my heart strings.... really can't decide if to move my holiday???..

Hi Joolsg

I am booked to go to China with HK, wanted to do this trip for about 4 years, I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

jayli
  • (Member)
(Member)
'IanWight' wrote:

Hi Jools,

I am recently back from China & HK with TS and have previously done different parts of India with TS & others.

Much depends on your circumstances in terms of work/holiday allowance and budget but having already booked China then I would stick with this.

China is changing, you only need to read the press to see this, and there is a lot of building going on although this is generally confined to the cities and would not affect the main sites you would be going to see. As it changes then this could well impact on tourism with even more visitors than they have already. HK is also changing with a lot of building but this should again not affect sightseeing and if on offer then I do recommend the excursions to Lantau Island & to Macau.

India is, in a nice way, an assault on the senses and in view of the Taj being covered in scaffolding (it really does need to be seen without this!) then I would suggest Kerala as a first taste for your next trip as this would be a far gentler introduction to a wonderful country.

Many of us have been to both countries so if you have specific questions then someone will have the answer.

Ian

Hello Jools

I was also in China & HKG with TS at the same time as Ian (but on a different tour) and can agree with everything he says.

India is fascinating - but, if it is still in place (it was there last February/March), then I would certainly defer a visit until the unsightly scaffolding is removed from the Taj Mahal.

China is also a wonderful place to visit, especially if you can include Hong Kong. I would agree that a visit to Lantau island is a "must" (the cable car ride is quite spectacular), and you should have tours of HKG Island by day and the island + harbour by night: the view from Victoria Peak both in daylight and at night has to be seen to be believed. If you have already booked China, then this is surely a no-brainer.

Jim