- Home
- Real trip budgets
- Chen's Hong Kong trip: 5 days in Shanghai, Hangzhou & Wuxi
Chen's Hong Kong trip: 5 days in Shanghai, Hangzhou & Wuxi
A 5-day backpacker trip through Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuxi, budgeted at $950 (≈ $190/day).
real-trip-budgets2026-10-18
At a glance
- Traveler
- Chen
- Nationality
- Hong Kong
- Travel style
- backpacker
- Month of travel
- June 2026
- Total cost
- $950
- Per day
- $190
- Days
- 5
Visa note
HK SAR passport holders get 30-day visa-free entry to mainland China with Exit-Entry Permit.
Paying your way
Octopus card for Shenzhen-HK cross-border. Alipay throughout mainland.
Highlights
- Hong Kong → Shanghai (high-speed train via Shenzhen, 8 hours)
- West Lake at summer
- Wuxi's Taihu lake and Liyuan Garden
Cost breakdown
| Flights | $150 |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | $350 |
| Meals | $250 |
| Transit | $100 |
| Attractions | $70 |
| Misc | $30 |
Day by day
Day 1 — Shanghai
≈ $190- Arrived Shanghai Hongqiao (HSR from HK West Kowloon)
- The Bund evening
Day 2 — Shanghai
≈ $190- Yu Garden (morning)
- French Concession afternoon
Day 3 — Hangzhou
≈ $190- HSR Shanghai → Hangzhou (45 min)
- West Lake full day
Day 4 — Wuxi
≈ $190- HSR Hangzhou → Wuxi (1 hour)
- Taihu Lake and Liyuan Garden (afternoon)
Day 5 — Shanghai
≈ $190- Nanjing Road morning walk
- HSR Wuxi → Shanghai (1 hour)
- Departed Shanghai Pudong