April Zou - Our Best China Travel Consultant

Dear April

As a whole, all of us enjoyed the fantastic trip! Our feedback as follows:

1. Bree is a 5-star guide that can communicate well with us in English and Mandarin (for my friends). We could only vouch that she is a responsible guide eg. She led us all the way up to the Red Cloud summit despite unfavourable weather conditions on that day with strong winds and heavy fog because she was concerned for our safety as it was wet and foggy. We truly appreciate her kind effort to take good care of us from the start by greeting us at the train station in her Miao traditional outfit + headwear and having a neat appearance throughout the trip. Knowing upfront that we could not take too spicy food, showing us the best viewpoints to take good photo shots, helping us to take many nice group photos and arranging us to leave the hotel early for those days when big crowds are expected at the Avatar and Tianmen Mountains. We greatly appreciate that she walked the extra miles for our group of 7 that we are comfortable and safe throughout the entire trip.

2. There are two drivers swapping on certain days. There is flexibility that at one shopping night, the driver fetched us back to the hotel. The only point my friends brought up was that the comfortable vehicle that fetched us on the first 3 days was swapped to another vehicle (which is not so comfortable) especially on the long drive from Fenghuang to Wulingyuan.

3. We are happy with the overall program that is well spaced out to see most of the beautiful sights of all the attractions listed in the itinerary. We are glad that Bree helped us to arrange and purchase tickets to a night show at Wulingyuan which we enjoyed very much seated at the center seats area.

4. Last but not least, we are happy with China Discovery having April as our travel consultant who is very understanding and flexible to our changes to the itinerary, prompt response to our emails and making all the necessary arrangements of pickups at all the arrival points. With her flexibility to swap the itinerary, we get to capture the beautiful views of the main highlights especially at the Avatar Mountains and Huangshi Village on our last few days instead of visiting them on the first few days of the trip. April was observant to notice the birthday of one member from our group that falls during the tour dates. Greatly appreciate her personal touch to arrange a birthday cake, flower and party pack for our birthday lady friend. Thank you very much for an overall smooth holiday tour for us.

Everyone of us came back with beautiful memories and travel experiences of the majestic China!

Once again thank you very much for accommodating us to such a wonderful trip.

Best regards

Jessie Ng

Good Morning April,

WOW! I just wanted to say a big thank you for organising the Chendu part of our holiday. We have just got back and it was amazing. Our tour guide and driver were AMAZING. What a memory. I really appreciate all the work you did on our trip.

Thank you

Heather

Hello April!

We are in awe. Our China experience is an eye opener. We were made aware of the past & present culture, the history & the natural beauty of China. We are very happy we chose your company.

Firstly, I would like to thank you for your superb services in coordinating, suggesting & accommodating all our wishes & concerns. You responded in a very timely manner. You were very informative & reassuring.

In Shanghai, Sandra gave us an overview of Shanghai that made us realize how progressive this city is & what the future will be. Our driver & Sandra were literally glued to us to make sure we feel safe & taken cared of while we toured. Sandra took us all the way to the security gate.

Daniel Ye, our guide in Guilin- Yangshuo raised the standard higher. He should be cloned. A cheerful greeting welcomed us in our very late night arrival in the airport. He even called our hotel to make sure our room is ready. He gave us an overview of the tour program & what to expect in a timely manner. He gave us very important & pertinent information of what lies ahead ( making sure we understood the Impressions Sanjie Liu program ). It made us appreciate & understand more whatever was in front of us. He even made sure we felt & were treated like VIP’s. What a treat! He never left us alone while in his ward. He took us to our hotel, to all the places we were going to, to the train station & made sure we feel safe, taken cared of & everything is all right.

Mr. Moore the driver is equally efficient. A clean van, with water all the time, drop on & off point very exact & timely, he even makes sure we wear our seat belts.

Alina in Zhangjiajie was not like the other 2. Information was sparse. She was in the phone most of the time. Could be that she was calling regarding our affair but again info was sparse.

The driver also seemed to have other things to do. Wait time for him was longer. He took to the show, I made extra effort to make sure we would not get lost.

Vivian in Xi’an, was great. She is at par with Mr. Ye. Very knowledgeable, cheerful, took us to our hotel until we are settled. We did all the tours as indicated except for the trying of costume part. We were tired, it was raining & we were not really interested in trying them on. Our driver again was efficient, precise & timely.

Linda in Beijing was good too. Would have been better if she welcomed us & bade us goodbye at the airport but we understand that she lives far.

The program was excellent from day 1 till the end in Beijing. We learned a lot & the shows we watched were exquisite. Only in China! The museums, the sites, the Terra Cottas were unbelievable. The natural beauty, the rivers , the mountains… indescribable.

The train ride from Guilin to Zhangjiajie was not my favorite. Noisy, cramped space, overcrowded poor services. The train from Xian to Beijing was beyond our expectation. Linda took us to the business lounge & made sure the staff took us directly to our seats. Wide big seats with slippers, blankets & pillows. Unending supply of snacks & drinks & dinner was served. Upon getting of the train, our escort was by the train door & guided is thru the pandemonium of the Beijing station. Again we were taken safely to our hotel.

I hope I have somehow provided you with some feedback. I would not hesitate recommending you & your company to our friends & relatives. We might even come back.

Eloisa

Hi April,

We had a wonderful time in China. Big thanks to you for patiently hearing our requirements and drafting a perfect itinerary for us.

All guides were equally good but Lilly (Beijing) and David (Guilin) were exceptional. All of them explained the history and culture very well and helped us to explore the local cuisine. We loved it.

Drivers were really good at their job. Picked and dropped us promptly on time, safely drove us to all the destinations .

Here is our rating for the stay (5 being the highest)

• Novotel Xinqiao Beijing - 3.5

• Grand Mercure Xian Renmin Square - 4

• Guilin Bravo Hotel - 4.5

• New West Street International Hotel - 4

• Sunshine Hotel & Resort Zhangjiajie - 4.5

• SSAW Boutique Hotel Shanghai Bund - 3

A small suggestion, It could have been better if there was an option to upgrade the cruise in Guilin to 4 star cruise.

Thanks again for making our trip a memorable one. Looking forward to visiting China again through China Discovery.

Thanks,

Rose

Hi April,

I am still traveling and not back to Singapore. Regarding the cruise, my wife & I enjoyed very much. It was very well organized & the food spread was excellent. There are wines provided during meals and service was excellent. The embarkation process was smooth & I have to commend century victory staff for a job well done.

Thank you for helping me to book this cruise.

Regards,

Mr. Yak

Hi April,

My husband and I completed our most wonderful experience and memorable time on the Century Glory Cruise.

We wish to thank you very much for all the pre-cruise arrangements and prompt replies to all our enquiries.

Kind regards,

Tan

Hello April,

we had a very good trip in Guilin and Yangshuo!

Thanks for the perfect organisation! We had a very good time in Zhangjiajie with Abbi. We are on the train back to Guilin now and then to Hong Kong a long train day today.

Legein

Hi Dear April,

Thank you for following up with us. Crystal and I had a great time on the trip. The trips you helped plan and booked for us went really well as planned.

The tour guide David and Sally are both very friendly and knowledgeable about the tour sites. The Chongqing Metropolitan Hyatt hotel is at a very nice location, walking distance to the Hongya Cave. We enjoyed the great night view of the cave, river and Chongqing. Crystal even did customized photo shoots.

The cruise ship Century Oasis is very nice as well, including nice room, delicious food, spa, top deck and their staff are very friendly and attentive to the guests. The off shore attraction tours are well organized, and we joined the English group. Crystal is amazed at the Feng Yan San Guo Show, very much interested in the Chinese culture. We enjoyed the great views along the river, and got lucky in seeing the water discharge of the three Gorges Dan. Overall we had a wonderful tour and cruise! We really appreciate your great service, excellent communication and very attentive to our needs.

Annie

Hi April

We are glad to have chosen to Century Oasis. The ship is new, spacious and clean. Staff were friendly and provided excellent service.

Thank you for checking with us and I'm really pleased to have booked with Yangtze River Cruises and for your prompt service.

Regards

Heong

Hi April,

Absolutely fantastic, can’t fault. On board food was awesome and me being vegetarian they even made me special meals each day. Staff were wonderful. I also had laundry done, no issues and very good price. Bar was well stocked and well priced. I also got a foot massage and my daughters hair washed and blow dried also value for money.

Concierge did only once on check in to offer an upgraded package for food and cabin. Then never asked again which was perfect.

Porters hired by ship in Chongqing tried to charge me 100rmb for their service but the English speaking concierge told them off very sternly.

Shore excisions included were awesome. I only did 1 optional which was the show on the second night which was absolutely amazing, it felt like I was in the show.

Only complaint is the ships announcements came into cabin speakers.

Dane

Dear April,

Thanks for your mail.

I was flying back and hence, was not able to check my mail or reply .

The tour was really good. In a single day, it was good to cover many places and get a feel for Shanghai. I have really positive feedback about the tour guide 'May.' Really appreciate her knowledge on the areas and also helping me to buy souvenirs.

All together the trip was memorable.

Thanks a lot for organizing.

Will be getting inc contact next time travelling with family.

Regards,

Plato

Hi,

the trip was amazing. China is really something different that I imagined, of course in a positive way. Places that we have visited were really worth seeing. In general I have nothing to complain about. Hotels were really comfortable. The food was very good. Transportation between cities was also comfortable, especially the trains. Of course the amount of transfers was large and every second day we had to unpack and pack again but it was inevitable according to the amount of places we have visited. (to me it was not necessary to sleep in Yangshuo, we could easily return to Guilin the same day to avoid sleeping in different hotels for just one night). Guides were also very helpful and gave us a lot of information. Special thanks to Jenny from Xi'an. I think she was the best of all guides and had a lot of patience to answer all of my questions. Please find attached some of our photos (I believe You want the pictures with us-tourists on it not the one with just the landscapes) Thanks a lot. If You have any further questions do not hesitate to contact me.

Mazurek

Greetings April,

Ryan and I had a wonderful trip to Yunnan.

Please find attached a summary or our trip and feedback for you.

Many thanks and we hope we will be able to do another trip with you.

Feedback for China Discovery Tours – Yunnan travels

Overall: April, this was wonderful trip. You and your team of guides were outstanding in scheduling each day’s activities. Ryan and I were extremely impressed by the local cultural sights, and how they highlighted the unique aspects of the various minority People’s cultures, languages, and history.

Train(s): Ryan treated us to a business class reservation for the train from HK to Kunming. The food and service were outstanding as was the train ride itself. The train from Kunming to Dali as also very satisfactory and of course all the stops were on time. Colin was especially helpful in navigating our check in and in finding some additional security checkpoints.

Drivers: Very safe and knowledgeable drivers who added insight about local customs, especially our Bai driver for Dali and Lijiang.

Guides: All our guides were excellent. Colin was very knowledgeable about Kunming and the Stone Forest although it seemed like a long drive to and from there. The restaurant for the local Duck was interesting, although we could have used more help from their staff in ordering our lunch to items we may have liked better. Other Highlights included visiting the Kunming Museum (not far from our hotel) on our first / free day there. This museum presents an excellent history and display of the “Flying Tigers” which should be of great interest to Americans – as most do not know much about the USA and China’s alliance during WWII.

Sally who is a native of the Dali area brought her personal experiences, understanding of the many minority people, and family knowledge about the region to every aspect of our tour there. Making the Flower Cakes was real highlight. Their staff and quality of the cake making was excellent.

Alice was especially knowledgeable about the Lijiang area, also being a native of that region. Walking the streets of old city Lijiang we had so many great experiences. Other highlights included Mufu Palace, various tea ceremonies, and the Indigo Dye shop, plus of course the Leaping Tiger Gorge.

Hotels: Hampton Inn, Guandu Hilton, Kunming – was very satisfactory, breakfast buffet was very good as was their coffee. I especially liked watching the hotel’s robot bring our neighbor’s their room service.

Dali, Ancient City Courtyard Lirenhua Resort Hotel: This was a very interesting design and old-style hotel that was conveniently located in Dali, not far from Xizhou Ancient Town and the Three Pagodas. Breakfast was good but not as good as our other hotels. Also, the breakfast room was very crowded with so many tour buses, and so many eating at the same time.

Lijiang Ancient City, DuoFu Resort hotel: room quality and breakfast were excellent, although they need a much better coffee machine, which was not able to handle the demand by the many young visitors who like coffee.

Re: money and payment, we were able to use the AliPay, although not the Tour Card. There were a few places that could accept the US credit cards and our Rmb cash as well.

April, we also want to thank you for being so responsive, to our emails, and in helping us make the many decisions about our Yunnan trip itinerary.

- Bob

Dear April,

We are home after the trip of a lifetime and whilst Kathy as the lead will send in the feedback form, I just wanted to say a BIG Thank You to you personally, and of course your team, for organising and arranging our tour which went seamlessly, and exactly to the plan you put together.

The tour guides were brilliant as were the drivers, and you were always available with prompt responses when needed.

We will certainly be recommending China Discovery to our friends, and are already thinking about our next trip to China.

谢谢

Graham and Judith

Hi April,

1. Yes, April is very helpful and answers our enquiries promptly.

The tour arrangements are able to be tailored to our interests.

Yes, we definitely will recommend your services.

April, assigned drivers and tour guides are friendly, helpful and accommodating. Even on the last day, Adam was there to ensure a smooth departure back home. We can perceive that China's discovery is committed to ensuring customer satisfaction. Tim, despite being a younger guide with less experience, made commendable efforts to ensure our tour was satisfying. He is good at taking nice photos for us. Jessica was an exceptional tour guide, her knowledge and enthusiasm truly enhanced our experience. Henry ensured our Shanghai tour was fulfilling for the day.

Hee

Hi April,

I loved everything about the tour and everyone that helped me along the way.

Here's some comments and photos:

China Discovery provided exceptional service in customizing our trip to Guilin, Yangshuo, and Longsheng in late February 2024. April, my travel consultant, was responsive, helpful, and friendly, addressing all my questions and needs promptly. Our tour guide, Steven, was not only friendly but also adaptable to our needs and the unexpected weather conditions (there was a cold front during our trip) without the need for me to ask. His food recommendations for our meals at every restaurant were superb and we got to taste not only the local specialty but also what the restaurant is known for. Last but not least, Mr. Young, our driver, ensured our safety with his steady driving.

Cheers!

Wendy

Hello April,

thanx a lot again for the organisation of our trip. Everything worked out perfectly and we enyoyed it very much. The boat trip was amazing and guide Oskar did a great job, so did the driver.

The weather could have been better, but thats not your job to do!

The hotel in Guilin was great, hotel in Yangshuo not.... breakfastroom was really shabby and food not good.

some pictures showing the trip....

Alexander

Hi April,

This is our feedback of the trip.

Beautiful and memorable trip to Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang with tour arrangement by April Zou from China Discovery!

We just returned from our family trip to Hunan. Our tour arrangement by April Zou from China Discovery was absolutely wonderful. It all went smoothly and safely. April was really professional and she communicated promptly and was always available and meticulous with the details. The schedule was all followed through very smoothly with no disruptions. She even helped in liaising to help my son locate his lost bag from the rail station lost and found. The tour guide David Niebai (nickname “Nearby”)and driver Xiaoluo for our Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang tour were really very experienced and professional. David was very knowledgeable and very helpful and made our tour a comfortable and comprehensive one. His recommendations on the scenic spots as well as food were great. We had a beautiful experience seeing different sights and sceneries, trying new adventures and tasting interesting and delicious food. The driver was attentive and careful in driving and very experienced. Both tour guide and driver were non-smoking as well as the car which was rather new and smoke-free which exactly met our request. Everything was in good timing and to add to that, thank God, the weather was great and since it is not peak season, there were no crowds. Really thankful for this joy-filled memorable trip with China Discovery.

Joanna

Hello April,

Thanks for planning this wonderful trip for us and fulfilled our request on mainly hiking and outdoor activities.

We are very pleased with our guide Ah Ji for being so caring, helpful, patient and put in extra mile to bring us to the beautiful places and nice restaurants for the delicious local delights. He responded with good knowledge on our enquiry on tour matters.

The driver is a very patient and he ensure the guests safety is his top priority. He always helped guest to carry up the luggage to his car.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Alec