This was published 6 years ago
Non-stop flights to China: Shanghai and four more great cities you can fly to direct
Stunning rice terraces in southeastern Yunnan province.
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Whether it's food, culture, history, scenery or adventure that sets your wheels in motion, China is packed with tantalising possibilities. Getting to China from Australia's east coast capital cities has never been easier thanks to the frequent non-stop and direct services of China Eastern Airlines. Combined with its extensive regional network, China Eastern Airlines offers more possibilities for exploring this colossus of a country than ever before.
Destination: Shanghai
Routes: Nonstop (daily) from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
Flight time: 10 hours 20 minutes to 10 hours 40 minutes
Highlights
Dazzling, fast and fashion-conscious, energetic Shanghai dishes up one surprise after another. The world's fastest train whisks you from Pudong International Airport into a futuristic city, yet Shanghai also has sophisticated tastes, with a dynamic arts scene, an architectural treasury along the Bund, some of China's best shopping, including tailor-made qipao, and a distinctive cuisine exemplified by xiaolongbao, mouth-pleasing wonton parcels lubricated with fragrant broth. Close at hand, Shanghai delivers such heart-stealing moments as the canals, classical gardens and villas of Suzhou and the Shanghu Lake Scenic Area, from where a gondolier will pole you through bamboo-lined waterways and into a crane sanctuary.
Insider tip
Sip Pu'er tea with Mr Shanxi Kuo among the antiques in his gorgeous Gu Yuan Teahouse.
Where to stay
The PuLi Hotel and Spa
Billing itself "an urban resort", the PuLi's DNA is pure Zen. Bamboo, reflecting ponds, candle-lit corridors and a pared-back aesthetic create an overwhelming sense of calm, complemented by brilliant service.
Grand Hyatt Shanghai
A soaring presence on the Shanghai skyline, this is one of the world's tallest hotels, built around an atrium that glows like a golden honeycomb. Ask for a west-facing room for dazzling views of the Bund and the futuristic cityscape.
Destination: Hangzhou
Routes: Nonstop from Sydney
Flight time: 10 hours 10 minutes
Highlights
Ringed by an amphitheatre of mountains, this handsome, leisurely city is the tea capital of China. Located at the southern end of the Grand Canal, which stretches north as far as Beijing, silks were once shipped from here to the bazaars of Damascus and Constantinople. Hangzhou is famous for its dreamy West Lake, where mist casts a soft-focus veil over willow-lined banks, pagodas and lotus ponds. Nearby Longjing Village is the home of Dragon Well Tea, grown on terraces on steep slopes for more than 1200 years and one of the most celebrated of China's teas.
Insider tip
Hu Qing Yu Tang Pharmacy is a fascinating museum of traditional medicine inside a historic Chinese apothecary.
Where to stay
InterContinental Hangzhou
A glowing, golden landmark on the city's skyline, this superb hotel overlooks the Qianjiang River and sits among landscaped gardens. The prime location is complemented by an outstanding array of dining options and a luxurious health club with an indoor pool.
Grand Metropark Hotel
Delivering a high-quality guest experience at a value-packed price, this statuesque hotel at the heart of the city comes with a full complement of dining options and leisure facilities.
Destination: Nanjing
Routes: Direct from Sydney
Flight time: 11 hours
Highlights
Nanjing's gateway position on the Yangtze has put it at the forefront of China's economic transformation but this is also one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China and the city is scattered with temples, palaces, imperial mausoleums and remnants of the great walls that once encircled it. A refined, relaxed city with broad, tree-lined boulevards and outdoor cafes set among lakes, forested parks and rivers, Nanjing has a taste for the finer things in life, best seen in the outstanding duck and vegetable dishes at the centre of the local Jiangsu cuisine.
Insider tip
Take a trip through the past with a boat ride along the timeless Qinhuai River.
Where to stay
Jinling Hotel
Located at the heart of the business district, the Jinling delivers warmth, smart service, stylish rooms and amenities at a bargain price. Ask for a room in the hotel's sparkling new addition, the Asia Pacific Tower.
InterContinental Nanjing
The aristocrat of the city's five-star elite, this soaring, luxury hotel comes with plush rooms and exceptional service in a prime location. The bars and restaurants on the 45th and 78th floors offer outstanding city views.
Destination: Wuhan
Routes: Direct from Sydney
Flight time: 11 hours 5 minutes
Highlights
Capital of Hubei Province, Wuhan is a sprawling city of lakes, bridges and islands on the Yangtze River, rich with memories from its long and illustrious history. The handsome colonial buildings along the city's Bund, Hubei Provincial Museum, Yellow Crane Tower, Changchun Temple and the villa on scenic East Lake that was a favourite of Chairman Mao Zedong give you plenty of reasons to linger. On the edge of Donghu Lake, Wuhan Botanical Garden consists of 70 hectares divided into 16 specialty gardens, a cool, green oasis close to the heart of the city.
Insider tip
Sample the taste sensations of Wuhan's street food in Hu Bu Xiang breakfast street, open all day despite the name.
Where to stay
Shangri-La Hotel, Wuhan
Located at the heart of the Hankou business district and within easy walking distance of Jianghan Lake Area, this superb hotel scores high marks with guests for its sumptuous suites, dining and leisure facilities. Rooms are spacious and decorated in a sophisticated, modern Chinese style with classical overtones.
Sheraton Grand Wuhan Hankou Hotel
Stylish and serene, this handsome hotel comes with a full array of leisure facilities and dreamy guest suites with gorgeous bathrooms. The indoor swimming pool is a standout.
Destination: Kunming
Routes: Sydney
Flight time: 10 hours 50 minutes
Highlights
Capital of Yunnan province, Kunming is known as 'the City of Eternal Spring' for its sparkling air and flowers that bloom all year long. Kunming is also the gateway to the mountainous province that is home to many of China's ethnic minorities whose cultures are expressed in distinct styles of architecture, cuisine and costume. High points include rugged peaks carved into terraces for fields of barley and maize, the deep gorges of the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween rivers and the city of Lijiang, where the shops and temples of the old city border a gushing stream. Hoisted high onto a plateau in the shadow of rhododendron-smothered mountains, the city of Shangri-La sits among Tibetan villages furnished with smoky temples and wildflower-sprigged alpine meadows with grazing yaks.
Insider tip
Every evening, the main square in the old town of Shangri-La is packed with local Tibetan khampa people who form a giant, slowly circling wheel, hundreds of people all wafting their hands in the air and dancing.
Where to stay
Banyan Tree Lijiang
Taking its cues from traditional Han architecture, each of the guest villas sits within its own walled courtyard garden, beautiful beyond words. Rooms are dressed in red and black with an imperial hint of gold and from the bed to the dressing room to the study/media room, everything is gorgeous, and gorgeously theatrical.
InterContinental Kunming
This sprawling lakeside retreat offers stunning views of the Dianchi Lake Scenic Area, one of the highlights of Kunming. The accommodation, dining, sports facilities and other amenities make this a perfect base from which to explore the Kunming region.
Australian travellers can make the most of China's 144-hour visa-free transit policy, which is carried out in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Direct flights are offered from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns and Auckland on China Eastern. View the flight schedule here. To fully explore the Yunnan province, join a 12-day tour with Nexus Holidays, which takes in Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La and Kunming. T&Cs apply.
This article is produced in association with China Eastern Airlines.
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