Overview
8-day Mandarin-guided spring flower tour of Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang by coach. Marketed as no shopping stops. Built around canola, cherry, peach and wisteria blossom plus water towns and gardens.
Days
8
7 nights
Fare
$1,348.00
per pax, twin/triple
Deposit
$500.00
per pax
Compulsory tour
RMB 600
per adult, on top
Anchor risk: you are at the early edge of the bloom
CTC's own windows: Qianduo canola around Qingming (5 Apr 2027); Wuxi cherry late March to early April. This trip runs 20–27 Mar. Expect partial bloom. Warm-winter years run earlier. Fallback for canola is Lizhong Water Forest Park (bamboo rafting). Check bloom reports on Xiaohongshu the week before.
Flight direction changes the itinerary
Brochure is written Singapore → Shanghai. Yours is Singapore → Nanjing → Singapore, so CTC's reverse sequence applies. The brochure gives only the city order for this direction. Stop-to-day allocation on the next tab is provisional until CTC sends the final itinerary.
Flights · Scoot
| Date | Flight | Route | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 20 Mar | TR180 | SIN → NKG (Nanjing Lukou) | 10:35 / 15:45 |
| Sat 27 Mar | TR181 | NKG → SIN | 17:00 / 22:35 |
No meals on board. 1 × 20 kg checked bag included. Airport tax waived. Flights and dates subject to change. Min 10 pax to go.
Where you sleep
7 nights across 6 cities
Nanjing (D1) · Wuxi (D2) · Taizhou (D3) · Shanghai (D4) · Hangzhou (D5) · Holiday Inn Deqing Xinshi Ancient Town (D6) · Nanjing (D7). All other hotels "local 5-star" per CTC. Names TBC. Six hotel changes in 7 nights: repack discipline matters.
Trade-offs
Gain: ~$169/day including flights, six cities, flower-timed route, no shopping stops, no planning load.
Cost: long coach days (Taizhou → Shanghai alone is several hours), fixed pace, group photo stops, compulsory add-on, own dinners unplanned.
Cost: long coach days (Taizhou → Shanghai alone is several hours), fixed pace, group photo stops, compulsory add-on, own dinners unplanned.
Day-by-day
Provisional. City order and meal codes are CTC's Singapore–Nanjing–Singapore sequence. Stops are CTC's list, placed by geography. B/L/D = breakfast / lunch / dinner provided.
01
Singapore → Nanjing
10:35
TR180 SIN → NKG
Lands 15:45. Eat before boarding or buy on board: no meals included. Assembly time from CTC, typically ~3 h before departure.
Evening
Transfer to Nanjing hotel · dinner provided
Early night. Day 2 is packed.
02
Nanjing → Yangzhou → Wuxi
Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone
Buddhist complex holding the Buddha's parietal bone relic. Cherry blossom possible late March. Tram is part of the compulsory RMB600 tour.
Xuanwu Lake
Former imperial garden lake of the Six Dynasties. Easy walk.
Yangzhou · Slender West Lake
Garden lakescape: cherry, peach, wisteria if open. Huaiyang lunch (Shiweitian, per brochure). Hanfu experience and handmade lacquer fan workshop are CTC's special arrangements.
Wuxi · Huishan Ancient Town
Ming-era old town at the foot of Huishan.
03
Wuxi → Taizhou
Yuantouzhu (Turtle Head Isle)
"No.1 scenery of Lake Tai", one of the three great cherry-blossom sites. Bloom is late March to early April, so you are early. Nanchang Street (Wuxi) is in the compulsory tour.
Taizhou · Old Street + Fengcheng River cruise
Arrive Taizhou. Cruise is in the compulsory tour. Dinner on your own.
04
Taizhou → Shanghai
Qianduo canola flower sea, Xinghua · boat ride
Floating-field canola landscape ("Qianduo"). Weather-dependent. If bloom is over, replaced by Lizhong Water Forest Park incl. bamboo rafting. Biggest bloom gamble of the trip.
Long coach leg to Shanghai
Sleep or pre-download offline maps. Dinner likely the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant (Fisherman's Song, Zhanjiang, or similar): slot TBC.
05
Shanghai → Hangzhou
Shanghai · Guyi Garden, City God Temple, the Bund, Nanjing Road
Guyi Garden: Ming-era garden, one of five classic gardens. Bund for the Huangpu skyline; Huangpu River cruise is in the compulsory tour. Nanjing Road is a pedestrian street.
Hangzhou · West Lake cruise, Chenghuang Pavilion, Qinghe Street
UNESCO West Lake by boat. Pavilion for the lake view. Qinghe Street is the Ming–Qing alley district.
06
Hangzhou → Deqing
Yunqi Bamboo-Lined Path · Longjing Tea Plantation
Bamboo path ranks first of the "New Ten Scenes of West Lake". Pick tea at a farmer's house. Early-season Longjing is just starting: best buy of the trip, priced high.
Deqing · Xinshi Ancient Town · Holiday Inn Deqing
1,700-year-old water town, 50+ bridges. Hanfu experience and DIY lacquer fan workshop (CTC special arrangements). Overnight inside the town.
07
Deqing → Nanjing
Coach to Nanjing · Laomendong historic district
Ming–Qing street food and old buildings. Dinner on your own: Nanjing duck, duck-blood vermicelli soup, tangbao.
08
Nanjing → Singapore
Free and easy
Breakfast only. Lunch own. Ask the guide for the airport transfer time; aim to be at Nanjing Lukou by 14:00 (3 h before 17:00). Free-morning ideas: Nanjing Museum (reservation usually required), Confucius Temple area.
17:00
TR181 NKG → SIN
Lands 22:35. No meals on board: eat at the airport. Spend leftover RMB there.
Pack & prep
Lead items first. Everything below sized for 8 days, six hotel changes, coach luggage handling.
Weather · late March
Highs
~13–18°C
typical
Lows
~4–9°C
mornings, evenings
Rain
Frequent
light spring drizzle
How to read this
Climate norms from general knowledge, not a forecast. Spread across Nanjing, Shanghai and Hangzhou is small; lake and mountain stops feel colder. Check a forecast 7 days out. Pack for 4–18°C and damp.
Documents & money
• Passport, valid ≥6 months (common airline/immigration rule, confirm with Scoot). Photo copy on phone.
• China digital arrival card: fill online before the flight (NIA website, NIA 12367 app, or WeChat/Alipay mini-program). Free. Paper or on-site QR is the fallback.
• Visa: Singapore–China mutual 30-day visa exemption in force since 9 Feb 2024. Re-verify on the NIA/ICA sites before flying.
• Travel insurance: excluded from the fare. Buy before the deposit is non-refundable. Confirm cover for group tours and medical evacuation.
• Booking confirmation and Scoot e-ticket, offline copy.
• China digital arrival card: fill online before the flight (NIA website, NIA 12367 app, or WeChat/Alipay mini-program). Free. Paper or on-site QR is the fallback.
• Visa: Singapore–China mutual 30-day visa exemption in force since 9 Feb 2024. Re-verify on the NIA/ICA sites before flying.
• Travel insurance: excluded from the fare. Buy before the deposit is non-refundable. Confirm cover for group tours and medical evacuation.
• Booking confirmation and Scoot e-ticket, offline copy.
Pack
Clothes: layers (thermal or merino base, fleece, light down or windbreaker), waterproof shell, 1 light scarf, 1 smart-casual set. Hanfu day: wear shoes that suit it.
Footwear: broken-in, water-resistant walking shoes. Ancient towns and gardens mean wet cobbles and long walks. Hotel slippers usually supplied.
Rain: compact umbrella, plus pack rain cover. Water-town boat rides are open decks.
Pollen/allergy: antihistamine, eye drops, mask. Canola and blossom season.
Meds: personal meds in carry-on with original packaging. Plasters, blister cover, loperamide, oral rehydration, paracetamol.
Electronics: Type G → China needs an adapter (sockets usually take Type A/C/I at 220 V). Multi-USB charger, 1 spare cable, camera card.
Toilet kit: tissue packs and hand sanitiser. Public toilets often lack paper.
Bags: 20 kg checked is the cap. Leave 3–4 kg spare for tea and gifts. A foldable daypack for tour days.
Footwear: broken-in, water-resistant walking shoes. Ancient towns and gardens mean wet cobbles and long walks. Hotel slippers usually supplied.
Rain: compact umbrella, plus pack rain cover. Water-town boat rides are open decks.
Pollen/allergy: antihistamine, eye drops, mask. Canola and blossom season.
Meds: personal meds in carry-on with original packaging. Plasters, blister cover, loperamide, oral rehydration, paracetamol.
Electronics: Type G → China needs an adapter (sockets usually take Type A/C/I at 220 V). Multi-USB charger, 1 spare cable, camera card.
Toilet kit: tissue packs and hand sanitiser. Public toilets often lack paper.
Bags: 20 kg checked is the cap. Leave 3–4 kg spare for tea and gifts. A foldable daypack for tour days.
Flight rules · Scoot
Power banks
Per Scoot's April 2026 advisory: max 2 per passenger, ≤100 Wh without approval. Cabin bag only, not in the overhead bin, and no use or charging in flight. Never in checked bags. Re-read the advisory before flying.
No meals on board
TR180 departs 10:35 and TR181 lands 22:35. Eat before boarding or pre-order a Scoot meal. Buy snacks and a refillable bottle after security.
Apps to download now
| App | Why |
|---|---|
| Alipay | Primary payment. Link a foreign Visa/Mastercard directly (or use the prepaid TourCard fallback). Set up and verify at home. |
| Backup payment, guide group chat, mini-programs for ticket reservations. | |
| Amap (高德) | Maps with English mode. Google Maps is unreliable in China. |
| DiDi | Taxis on free evenings. English interface, accepts foreign cards. |
| Baidu Translate / Pleco | Camera translation, offline dictionary. Google Translate is blocked. |
| Trip.com | Attraction tickets, fallback bookings. |
| NIA 12367 | Digital arrival card. |
| Xiaohongshu (RED) | Live bloom reports for Qianduo, Yuantouzhu, West Lake. |
| Scoot | E-ticket, check-in, power-bank advisory. |
Connectivity: Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and Gmail are blocked on local SIMs. Use a roaming plan or home-routed eSIM (Singtel/StarHub roaming, or an eSIM that routes via Singapore) to keep them working. Install and test before leaving. Download offline Amap maps for Nanjing, Wuxi, Shanghai and Hangzhou.
What to look out for
Tea-house and "art student" scam
Friendly strangers on the Bund and Nanjing Road inviting you to a tea ceremony or gallery, then a large bill. Decline.
Compulsory RMB600 add-on
Fengcheng River cruise (Taizhou), Nanchang Street (Wuxi), Niushou tram (Nanjing), Huangpu River cruise (Shanghai). Brochure lists "per adult". Ask CTC whether payment is in SGD or RMB, and whether any can be pre-paid.
Itinerary can reorder
Sequence and stop order are subject to change and weather. Bloom stops can be swapped. If something is key to you, ask the guide on Day 1.
Group etiquette
Punctuality is policed by the group. Keep a hotel name card, the guide's WeChat and your passport copy. Don't photograph military sites or police. Cross roads with care: e-bikes are silent and don't always yield.
Air and crowds
Sun 21 Mar and Sat 20/27 Mar are weekends, so expect heavier crowds at Niushou and Slender West Lake. West Lake on Wed 24 Mar is the better day. Mask for hay-fever or poor-AQI days.
What to see
Must-do · in the itinerary
Qianduo canola flower sea, Taizhou
The signature shot: yellow floating fields cut by canals, seen from a boat. Weather and bloom-dependent. Best light early morning.
West Lake cruise + Chenghuang Pavilion
UNESCO-listed. Pavilion gives the elevated lake view. Aim for a weekday and a clear late afternoon.
Yuantouzhu cherry blossoms, Wuxi
One of the "three great cherry-blossom sites". Early in the window on this trip, so treat as upside.
Xinshi Ancient Town, Deqing
Overnight inside the town: best chance to see it after the day-trippers leave. Evening and early-morning walk is free.
Yunqi Bamboo Path + Longjing plantation
Quiet, green, and photographs well even in drizzle.
The Bund + Nanjing Road at night
Go after dark for the skyline. Wear a layer; river wind is cold.
Niushou Mountain + Xuanwu Lake, Nanjing
Buddhist complex and lakeside walk. Crowd-heavy on Sunday.
Guyi Garden, Shanghai
Ming-era garden, peonies and willows. Short, calm break from the coach.
Free time · your call
Fri 26 Mar evening in Laomendong, Sat 27 Mar morning in Nanjing (Nanjing Museum with reservation, Confucius Temple area). Keep a short list in WeChat favourites.
Eat & buy
Meals CTC lists
• Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand restaurant: Fisherman's Song, Zhanjiang, or similar
• Seafood and barbecue buffet
• Zunxianlou charcoal-grilled chicken
• Shiweitian Huaiyang cuisine
Slot per day TBC. Allergies and dietary needs: tell CTC before departure.
• Seafood and barbecue buffet
• Zunxianlou charcoal-grilled chicken
• Shiweitian Huaiyang cuisine
Slot per day TBC. Allergies and dietary needs: tell CTC before departure.
Eat on your own · by city
| City | Try |
|---|---|
| Nanjing | Salted duck, duck-blood vermicelli soup, tangbao (soup dumplings), Laomendong snacks |
| Yangzhou | Huaiyang cuisine: lion's-head meatballs, Yangzhou fried rice |
| Wuxi | Sweet braised spare ribs, xiaolongbao |
| Taizhou | Jingjiang crab-roe soup buns (if available) |
| Shanghai | Shengjian bao, xiaolongbao, red-braised pork |
| Hangzhou | Dongpo pork, West Lake vinegar fish, Longjing shrimp |
| Season | Spring bamboo shoots, shepherd's purse and toon shoots, qingtuan (green rice dumplings) near Qingming |
Stomach and water
Drink bottled or boiled water. Street food at Laomendong is fine if hot and busy. Carry oral rehydration.
Buy
| Item | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Longjing tea | Hangzhou plantation | Early-season tea is premium. Buy small tins, taste first. Brochure promises no shopping stops, but the tea-farm stop may sell. |
| Silk, scarves, umbrellas | Hangzhou | Check labels; quality varies widely. |
| Lacquer fan | Yangzhou / Deqing | You make one in the workshop: that's the souvenir. |
| Nanjing Yunjin brocade | Nanjing | Small items (bookmarks, wallets). Authentic pieces are expensive. |
| Huishan clay figurines | Wuxi | Light, giftable. |
| White Rabbit sweets, snacks | Shanghai | Cheap family gifts. |
Bringing food home
Singapore restricts meat and fresh produce. Don't carry salted duck or pork. Commercially sealed tea and biscuits are fine. Cigarettes have no duty-free allowance into Singapore.
Budget & cash
| Item | SGD |
|---|---|
| Tour fare (twin/triple, airport tax waived) | $1,348.00 |
| Compulsory tour RMB 600 (at ~5.29 RMB/SGD) | $113.42 |
| Own meals: 2 dinners + 1 lunch + airport (est RMB 400) | $75.61 |
| Tips to guide and driver | TBC |
| Travel insurance | TBC |
| Gifts, tea, spending money (est RMB 500) | $94.52 |
| Known + estimated (excl. tips, insurance) | $1,631.55 |
Rate basis: ~5.29 RMB per SGD (mid-Sep 2026 reading). Re-check on the day you change. Single supplement, if any, not stated by CTC. Deposit of $500.00 per pax is part of the fare, not extra.
Cash to change
Bring
RMB 1,500
~SGD 283.55
Core
RMB 600
compulsory tour
Buffer
RMB 900
tips, own meals, vendors
• Change in Singapore before the flight: licensed moneychangers (Raffles Place Arcade, Mustafa) typically beat airport rates. Ask for small notes (RMB 10/20/50/100).
• Mostly cashless: Alipay covers shops, taxis, most restaurants. Cash is for the compulsory tour, tips, and small vendors.
• Card: keep one Visa/Mastercard on Alipay; carry a second as backup. ATMs at big banks (BOC, ICBC) work with foreign cards for fee.
• Don't carry large unspent RMB home: spend at the airport or convert back once.
• Mostly cashless: Alipay covers shops, taxis, most restaurants. Cash is for the compulsory tour, tips, and small vendors.
• Card: keep one Visa/Mastercard on Alipay; carry a second as backup. ATMs at big banks (BOC, ICBC) work with foreign cards for fee.
• Don't carry large unspent RMB home: spend at the airport or convert back once.
Booking list
Still to do
• Pay $500.00 deposit per pax to CTC Travel; confirm group has met the 10-pax minimum
• Ask CTC for: final itinerary for the NKG–NKG sequence, hotel names, assembly time, tipping amount, compulsory-tour payment method
• Buy travel insurance
• Passport validity check (≥6 months)
• Alipay set up and card linked; WeChat set up
• eSIM or roaming plan; offline Amap maps
• Change RMB 1,500
• Fill China digital arrival card before flight
• Pre-order Scoot meals or plan food
• Re-check bloom reports and weather 7 days out
• Ask CTC for: final itinerary for the NKG–NKG sequence, hotel names, assembly time, tipping amount, compulsory-tour payment method
• Buy travel insurance
• Passport validity check (≥6 months)
• Alipay set up and card linked; WeChat set up
• eSIM or roaming plan; offline Amap maps
• Change RMB 1,500
• Fill China digital arrival card before flight
• Pre-order Scoot meals or plan food
• Re-check bloom reports and weather 7 days out
Contact
CTC Travel (Commonwealth Travel Service Corporation Pte Ltd) · salessupport@ctc.com.sg · hotline 6535 0001. Tour code CSHSF. Subject to CTC terms and conditions.