Ten days is enough to loop from Shanghai through Suzhou and Hangzhou to Huangshan, then on to Nanjing and back, if you accept one night of real rest after each long move. This plan keeps every transfer on the rail line and never asks you to repack more than five times.
If this is your second or third China trip, you may worry that East China is just Shanghai with extras. It is not, and the quieter middle of this loop is where it pays off.
Who is this route for?
It suits return visitors, culture and history lovers, and couples or friends who like walking and slow meals. You stay inside the 30-day limit for a Malaysian passport, which is visa-free per stay[1]. Confirm that on the official source before you fly.
It is less suited to toddlers or anyone who dislikes changing hotels. For them, read the shorter East China seven-day route first.
What does the loop look like?
- Nights 1 to 2: Shanghai
- Night 3: Suzhou
- Nights 4 to 5: Hangzhou
- Nights 6 to 7: Huangshan area
- Nights 8 to 9: Nanjing
- Day 10: rail back to Shanghai and fly home
Day by day
Day 1: land in Shanghai
Arrive, check in and keep the evening empty. Walk the Bund if you still have energy. Malaysia and China share the same clock, so nobody fights jet lag.
Day 2: Shanghai at walking speed
Spend the morning in the old streets and the afternoon around a shopping district of your choice. Eat dinner early. Tomorrow is a travel day.
Day 3: Suzhou
Take a morning train and visit one or two gardens rather than five. The Classical Gardens of Suzhou were inscribed by UNESCO in 1997[2]. Stay the night, because Suzhou is calmest after the day groups leave.
Day 4: on to Hangzhou
Move after breakfast. The fastest Shanghai Hongqiao to Hangzhou East trains take about 45 minutes[3], but your Suzhou leg and station transfers add up, so treat this as a half-day. Spend the evening beside West Lake.
Day 5: West Lake, slowly
West Lake was inscribed in 2011[4], and most areas around it have been free to enter since 2002[5]. Hire a bicycle or walk the causeways, and keep the afternoon free.
Day 6: Hangzhou to Huangshan
Hangzhou to Huangshan takes about 1.5 hours by high-speed rail[6]. Arrive by lunch, rest, and stay in town tonight if anyone is tired.
Day 7: the mountain
Huangshan was inscribed in 1990[7], and its highest peak, Lotus Peak, is 1,864 m[8]. Three cable cars serve the mountain[9], and entry uses a real-name time slot, so book through the official channels. Our Huangshan town or summit guide compares where to sleep.
Day 8: a long leg to Nanjing
Plan most of the day for this move and arrive in time for a quiet dinner. This is the longest leg, so schedule nothing else.
Day 9: Nanjing
Choose two sights and no more. The Nanjing add-on guide helps you decide which two.
Day 10: back to Shanghai
Take a morning train and give yourself margin. At major stations, arrive 30 to 40 minutes before departure for the bag check[10].
How long are the travel legs?
Only two legs have figures we can stand behind: Shanghai to Hangzhou and Hangzhou to Huangshan, quoted above. For Suzhou, Nanjing and the return, check 12306 or your agent for the exact train.
Your passport is needed to buy tickets and to pass the platform gates[11]. Tickets usually go on sale 15 days before departure[12], which matters if you travel in a school holiday.
Where should you stay?
Think in areas. Shanghai near a metro line, Suzhou near the old canal quarter, Hangzhou near West Lake, Huangshan in town, and Nanjing near a station. Keep luggage light, because rail rules cap bags at 20 kg for adults and 10 kg for children, though bags are rarely weighed[13].
How can you adapt it?
- Seniors: skip the climbing steps at Huangshan and ride the cable car.
- Children: drop Nanjing and add a second Hangzhou night.
- Muslim travellers: Xiaotaoyuan Mosque is at 52 Xiaotaoyuan Street, Huangpu District, within walking distance of Laoximen Station[14]. A Chinese halal label cannot be assumed to meet Malaysian recognition, because JAKIM removed the China Islamic Association from its list in February 2025[15].
- Wet months: Shanghai and Hangzhou carry a medium typhoon risk, mainly from flooding[16].
Weigh spring against autumn in our East China season guide.
What should you book ahead?
Book your flights, the Huangshan entry slot and the first night in each city. Save the Consulate General of Malaysia in Shanghai, +86 21 6090 0360[17].
Run your draft through the pace checker, price it with the budget planner and compare quotes line by line in the package comparator. The itineraries topic page lists the shorter versions.