I decided to sum up the 7D5N itinerary and all the spending in Xi An in one post to make it easy for you to reference.
Why Xi An?
Because someone wants to go Hua Shan (華山) lohhhh...
HAHAHAH!
When I applied this slot of leave last year, we were still friend and never thought we will become couple one day. We had this conversation during our trip, if we were not couple, high chances we will become couple after this trip. HAHA!
We booked our flights and accommodation all from Tigerair Holidays! (Unfortunately, Tigerair has merged with Scoot on 25th July, operating under the Scoot brand. =(. So you will no longer see Tigerair Holidays or even get the great deals like us from Scoot.) We had this great deal when I accidentally saw the advertisement from Tigerair Holiday on my Facebook News feed in March.
We only planned and finalised our itinerary few days before our trip. We did a lot of research online, reviews, google maps and books. Make sure we enjoy every single day together.
It was a 7D5N trip. We arrived Xi An at 10 plus on Sunday night, departed Xi An on Friday 11 plus at night. Arrived Singapore on Saturday 5.30 am.
-4 JUN 2017-
We celebrated our 7th month together on this day.
Cactus Garden in Changi Airport Terminal 1, Transit area.
Sunflower Garden at Changi Airport is a must to visit!
It is located at Terminal 2, transiting area.
So excited for our first oversea trip together!
SIN- XIY Flight Time is 5 hours 30 mins.
We arrived Xi An at 10.30pm. By the time we cleared immigration, got on transport, reached hotel already 12.30am.
It was already late when we arrived Xi An. Only a few of public bus still in operation depending on the destination you are going. It will takes more than an hour to reach town. We compared the prices and time, we decided to take private transport at the airport concierge which costs us RMB 50 (per person), shared with a few of passengers and we were sent right opposite our hotel.
We stayed in Aurum International Hotel.( 4 stars hotel, one of the hotel selections from Tigerair Holidays). It is only 10-15 mins walk to Bell Tower, one of the main attractions of Xi An. However, it is quite far for us to Xi An train and train and bus terminal which is 1.5km away, a place we visited almost everyday. We have to walk about 30 mins to the bus terminal every morning because we were travelling out from Xi An everyday.
TIPS: So I would suggest you to stay in the hotels nearby the train station and bus terminal like Hotel Mercure (4 Stars Hotel). It is about 10-15 mins walk to the bus terminal.
Bus Terminal and Train station in Xi An at night.
Flight ticket + Accomodation for 2 pax.
Airline and company: Tigerair Holiday
Hotel: 4 stars Aurum International Hotel
Package price: SGD 1406.13 (including baggage allowance purchased *25kg)
Please note that there is no more Tiger Air operation in Asia except Australia. Tiger Air has merged with Scoot.
Transport from Xi An airport to Hotel: RMB 50 /SGD 10.30 per person.
Day 1. Zha Shui, Zha Shui Karst Cave.柞水 榨水溶洞
Link: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/2017/08/22/ZhaShuiKarstCave
Transport: Bus RMB 33.5/SGD 6.90 per pax (From Xi An)
Journey: 2 Hours
Entrance Fee: RMB 84 /SGD 17.30 (Student half price)
Transport Bus: RMB 32/ SGD 6.60 ( To Xi An)
Recommended visiting time : 1.30-2 hours
Bell Tower and Drum Tower, Xi An
Admission Fee:
Bell Tower only: RMB 35/ SGD 7.20
Drum Tower only: RMB 35/ SGD 7.20
Joint ticket of Bell and Drum Tower: RMB 50/ SGD 10.30
Note: Children under 1.4 m (4.6 ft) can enter for free when accompanied by an adult.
Opening Hours:
March 26-October 25: 08:30-21:00 (Ticket selling stops at 20:30.)
October 26-next March 25: 08:30-18:00 (Ticket selling stops at 17:30.)
How to get there?
Metro, Line 2 to Zhong Lou, Bell Tower.
Recommended visiting time: 1 Hour
Muslim Street 回民街
Admission: FREE
Food are cheap.
Right beside Drum Tower
Recommended visiting time: 1h 30 mins
Link: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/10-Places-to-visit-in-Xi-An
Day 2: Hua Shan. Mountain Hua 華山
Link: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/2017/09/12/MountainHua
Panorama of Hua Shan
Us on 長空棧道
Transport Bus: RMB 66.5 / SGD 13.70 (Return ticket per person)
Transport from bus drop of to tourist center: RMB 5/ SGD 1
Entrance fee to Hua Shan: RMB 180/ SGD 37.15
Bus from tourist center to cable car (West line): RMB 40 /SGD 8.30
Cable car to West Peak: RMB 140/ SGD28.90
Cable car from North Peak back to base of the mountain: RMB 80/ SGD 16.50
Transport from North Peak Cable Car station back to Tourist Center: RMB 20/ SGD 4
Transport for pick up from tourist center back to bus pick up and drop off point: RMB 5/ SGD 1
*Prices are counted as PER PERSON*
Total spending per person: RMB 536.50/ SGD 110.70
Students with valid student pass will get half price for most of the transport and entrance fee.
Total spending time: Whole day
Visit https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/2017/09/12/MountainHua to know more!
Day 3:Luo Yang, Henan 洛陽，河南
Link: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/Top-places-you-must-visit-in-LuoYang-Henan-China-270917
Long Men Grottoes 龍門石窟
Metro to Xi An North Train Station (Speed Train) : RMB 4/ SGD 0.80
Speed Train to Luo Yang Longmen: RMB 174.50/ SGD 36
Shared Cab from LongMen train station to LongMen Grottoes: RMB 10/ SGD 2.10
Entrance fee to LongMen Grottoes: RMB 100/ SGD 20.60
Li Jing Men 麗景門
Bus to Luo Yang Old Street: RMB 1/ SGD 0.20
Entrance Fee to Li Jing Men: RMB 35/ SGD 7.20
Bus from Luoyang Old Street back to Long Men Train station (Journey 1 hour) : RMB 1/ SGD 0.20
Speed train from Long Men back to Xi An North: RMB174.50/ SGD 36
Metro from Xi An north to bell tower: RMB 4 /SGD 0.80
*Prices are counted as PER PERSON*
Total spending PER PERSON: RMB 504/ SGD 103.90
Recommended spending time: Whole Day
Click on the link to know more about my trip in Luoyang:
https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/Top-places-you-must-visit-in-LuoYang-Henan-China-270917
Day 4: Lin Tong臨潼
Hua Qing Palace, Mountain Li, Terracotta Army. 華清宮， 驪山，兵馬俑
Link: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/2017/11/11/Top-3-places-to-visit-in-Lin-Tong-Xi-An
Hua Qing Palace 華清宮
Transport, Bus No 306 (From Xi An to Hua Qing Palace) : RMB 7/ SGD 1.45
Hua Qing Palace entrance fee : RMB150/ SGD 30.90
Terracotta Army, 兵馬俑
Transport from Terracotta Army back to Xi An: RMB 7/ SGD 1.45
*Prices are counted as PER PERSON*
Total spending PER PERSON: RMB 317/ SGD 65.30
Recommeded spending time at each attraction: 1.30-2 hours
Extra informations available on
https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/2017/11/11/Top-3-places-to-visit-in-Lin-Tong-Xi-An
Day 5. Xi An 西安
Xi An City Wall and Daming Palace 西安城門，大明宮遺址
Link: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/10-Places-to-visit-in-Xi-An
Xi An City Wall 西安城牆
Entrance fee for Xi An City Wall : RMB 54/ SGD 11.10
Bicycle rental fee: RMB 45/ SGD 9.30
Recommended spending time: 2h 30 mins
Da Ming Palace 大明宮遺址
Entrance Fee for Daming Palace: RMB 60/ SGD 12.36 (Certain area of the park is FREE admission)
Recommended spending time: 1.30-2 hours
Total Spending PER PERSON: RMB 159/ SGD 32.80
Link: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/10-Places-to-visit-in-Xi-An
Private transport from Xi An town to Xi An Airport: RMB 150/ SGD 30.90 per car.
It makes the total spending for per person for this 7D5N Xi An trip is roughly SGD 1200 with Flight + accommodation+ attractions entrance tickets.
Excluding the fees of travel insurance, food, groceries and gifts.
Which we think that is a very good deal! We can't save much because of the attractions entrance fees. But foods are cheap there!
My tips for you
Best season the visit Xi An.
During Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to October). March to October are the peak seasons in Xi An which all the attractions are charged with higher entrance fee.
We visited in start of June.
(July will be the hottest season)
It was raining heavily on the night we arrived and it continued rain for a few days. We asked the local if June is their raining season. They told us that because it was their exam season. China take exams very seriously since thousands years back.They will even create artificial rain to make it rain. So students don't have to bare with the hot and humid weather during exam. They believe that the cooling weather can make their students get a better result.
The places we visited were based on the weather of the week. Meaning we check the forecast few days and the day before we decide the state we are going to visit. We are quite proud with our planning because we only met rainy days when we were back in Xi An (the first night and the last day).
On the day we visited Hua Shan, it finally stopped raining after many days. The local said it has been raining for weeks. We were super lucky because it was raining on the night after we left.
But it was quite cold and windy in Hua Shan so make sure you pack well for your trip.
Money
Currency: China Renminbi
Bring more cash. Because you can't save from paying entrance fees. Every attractions you are visiting need entrance fee. All attractions only accept cash payment.
Bring your student pass if you have a valid student pass. They need to see the expiry dates on your student card.
You can enjoy half price at most of the attractions.
I cannot remember how much cash I brought for the trip. But it wasn't enough. I had to run to ATM machine to withdraw some cash. Your ATM card might not be accepted by some of the ATM Machines and the cash withdrawal rate is costly! I didn't know each withdrawal cost about SGD 10. I withdrawed twice, can you imagine my SGD 20 gone for nothing?
Transport
Make use of their public transport!
Xi An is very advance now! Yes! They even have MRT and Speed train link you to other parts of China.
Public bus cost you RMB1 at most RMB 2.20 within Xi An.
Bus services to other states from Bus Terminal and Train services from Xi An Train Station!
Visa
Citizen of Singapore, Brunei and Japan do not need to apply Visa to China if you are visiting less than 15 days. However I as a Malaysian have to apply Visa with confirmed flight documentaries and accommodations.
A lot of paper work to prepare. I will advise you to make online appoiment if you are applying in Singapore. It will save you a lot of time.
It is important fo you to get your China Visa before you depart as China do not have Visa on arrival.
More information you can visit https://www.visaforchina.org/SGP_EN/generalinformation/visaknowledge/258911.shtml
I hope my posts of ＃杰羚在西安 help you on your planning in Xi An.
All the links are here too!
Zha Shui: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/2017/08/22/ZhaShuiKarstCave
Hua Shan: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/2017/09/12/MountainHua
Luo Yang, Henan: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/Top-places-you-must-visit-in-LuoYang-Henan-China-270917
Lin Tong: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/2017/11/11/Top-3-places-to-visit-in-Lin-Tong-Xi-An
Xi An: https://www.samanthasammie.com/single-post/10-Places-to-visit-in-Xi-An
Do contact me if you have anymore questions
@
samantha1008@me.com!
Photos are taken by Panasonic GF9 and Iphone 7Plus
