Travellers' Letters

Amazingly 85% of our travellers spend their valuable time to write to us after their holiday to tell us how much they have enjoyed their trip. When commenting the level of service received, 98% choose excellent or good, based on travel consultant, guide, driver, hotel, meals and itineraries. We would like to thank you all for letting us share your magical holiday experience, as there is nothing more rewarding to us than this.

The Far East is fascinating, yet mysterious for most of our travellers. Therefore we spend the time to provide guidance and support to unravel the mysteries of these amazing countries.

View details below...

2008

Dear Magical China & Japan,

I thought I would drop you a line following our recent return from China.

We booked the holiday with Diamond Bridge, as it was a part of the world we had never been to before and thought we would never go again. However, we had such a good time in both Japan & particularly China that we may well return one day.

The group arrangements in Japan were great although the tours were pretty hectic and we would probably have been wise to have had a lazy day in the middle. We were a little more apprehensive about the China part. However, the arrangements were superb we were met at the exit gate in Xian by Ana and a driver and for the next three days were escorted to and from our hotel, and on various tours throughout the area. The same applied for the three days in Guilin from the time we were collected at the airport by Irene and a driver until we dropped off for the flight back to Hong Kong (where we were again met and escorted to our hotel.) During the week we were in China we really enjoyed virtually all the varied meals we ate. Ana & Irene (and the drivers) were lovely we had such great fun with them and they were very very helpful. As an example we told Irene that we had been told to take the night river cruise in Guilin. Instead of merely telling us where to pick up the trip she and the driver returned to the hotel in the evening to take us there and back and she then took us to a local restaurant before catching a bus at 9 p.m. for her hour long ride home.

This visit has changed for ever all our poor conceptions of Japan & China and its people and we would have no hesitation in recommending your company for any of our friends thinking of doing a similar trip. Thank you Ling for all your help. Mr & Mrs L & B Goldsmith, Kent (Private group tour in Japan, private tour in China)

I got back from China on Sunday and would like to thank you for the wonderful time I had there. I cannot praise enough the planning and co ordination of the trip. Whereever I arrived a guide was waiting for me and on every departure they did not just see me to the airport but helped me get my luggage checked in and waited until I was through the security checks and on my way to the plane. The guides and drivers were all so helpful and charming.

I had been a little nervous of travelling on my own but I was very happy with the small group I was with. I had not realised I would be a lone traveller from the cruise onward but I was treated with such friendliness and kindness by your team and the people of China that I had a wonderful holiday. The cruise was out of this world. The hotels were all first rate, the trips were interesting and informative. Every day I thought ' this must be the highlight of the trip' but each new day brought another fabulous experience, from walking on the Great Wall, to stroking a panda and walking in the gardens of Suzhou. I had wanted to see a Chinese Opera and your guide in Chengdu arranged a ticket to the Shu Feng Ya Yun opera house/ tea garden which was wonderful. I was really impressed with the pride and knowledge which each guide and driver had of their area.

China is a fascinating country. I shall be saving up for another trip. Thank you very much, the holiday has exceeded all my expectations. p.s. Also the suit that I had made in Wuhan at the silk tailors arrived yesterday. If you could pass on my thanks to Lucy in Wuhan for arranging the visit I should be most grateful. Ms P Rusch, Bradford (19 day Grand China with Yangtze Cruise and HK add on)

We just want to say a big thank you. Everything went without a hitch all the planning and organising went perfectly on schedule, the Chinese guides were all helpful and cheerful all the time which put us at ease. We are elderly my husband 74 me a little younger, but apart from puffing a lot we managed top keep up with younger people in our group. We found the food good and they were aware of our western eating habits. I did find the toilets a bit difficult if one cannot use them properly but there were :happy toilets as the guide would tell us, meaning toilets we are used to. I would defiantly go again and have already recommended your tours to my friends. Thank you once again for changing our itinery at our request at short notice. Mr & Mrs Griffiths from Kent (15 day China Highlight with Yangtze Cruise)

We have just returned from our 14 Day Magical China tour, and it really was a holiday of a lifetime. I had my concerns about booking with an internet company I had not heard of before, but I needn't have had any worries. The holiday ran like clockwork, with someone there to meet us at each destination and transfer and check us into the hotel. The local tour guides even checked us in at the airports and waved us off! With such a small group (6 people in total) the holiday was relaxed and flexible, and I felt sorry for people with other tour operators that were being led round by their guides along with 30-odd other people! We saw and did so much in 2 weeks, and because each guide was local to the area (the guides were all wonderful!) we got a real feel for each place and learnt a lot about the history and culture. We were very pleased to be able to spend a night in Yangshou after the Li River cruise, where most other tour companies drive back to Guilin straight away.

It was a bit disappointing to realise that we were being given Chinese food as they think Westerners would like it, as opposed to real local dishes, but we made it clear that we hadn't come all this way to eat Western food and thanks to our guides in Xi'an (Ryan), Guilin (Alice) and Shanghai (Anna) we began to go to restaurants where we could sample the local specialities.

The Magical China Tour was more than I had dreamt it would be, and gave us wonderful memories of China! Thank you for such an amazing trip. Miss J Saunders & Mr J Letley, Surrey (14 day Magical China)

I returned from Beijing and the Olympic Games last week, spent a week in London and returned to my home yesterday. I wished to say 'thank you' for arranging such a marvellous experience. The games were exciting, Beijing ever more impressive (I was last there eight years ago and the city must have been rebuilt three times since then!!), and the people very friendly and helpful.

Thank you again for all you hard work - it was worth it! Regards, Mr A Prosser, Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancs

The Holiday was truly Magical, nothing stands out because everything was better than expected. All the Hotels and service were excellent, the Ryokan was something we were not looking forward to as we thought we would make a huge cultural mistake, but we were made to feel at home and welcome. All the connections worked to perfection, Japanese Trains are on time and make our Trains look dirty and old. We had a lovely time with our Nephew.

If you ever go to Japan and feel you need a break from the City and normal Tourist haunts, Shikoku is a real surprise. The train journey crosses one of the most Magnificent Bridges, over the Inland Sea, plus the ride down to Gomen goes through a magnificent River valley. I think the most impressive part of Japan is the Service you receive. Go into a Seven Eleven convenience Store at 9pm on a back street and you are made to feel welcome and important, so different to here. The People are reserved, but if they feel that you need help they will willingly offer it. We both agree it was A Holiday of a lifetime, Thank you for the work you put in to make so special. Mr & Mrs A Ireland, Cornwall (9 day Japan Highlight)

The holiday was fantastic. We all enjoyed ourselves and found the country most interesting .The arrangements you made for us were first class and we were looked after very well at all times. Mr & Mrs K Allen, Lytham (15 day Grand Japan)

2007

We have just returned from a very enjoyable and interesting visit to Japan. This was made even more pleasant and relaxing because of the excellent arrangements made by you. We had a good welcome at the airport and were handed the appropriate vouchers for use during the stay. Whenever transport was due messages of confirmation were left at the hotels and it always arrived at the stated time providing a stress free stay for us. Thank you very much, Magical Japan. Kind regards, Mr & Mrs Pannell, Fakenham Norfolk (10 Days Magical Japan)

Just a short note to say that we all enjoyed our Magical China holiday. It was very well organised with good hotels, excellent guides and travel arrangements. My wife and I will defninitely consider returning to China again in the next two years, possibly to include an Yangtse river cruise and trip to Japan so will most likely call you again in the near future. So thank you for your assistance. Regards, Mr & Mrs Inseal, Epsom, Surrey (14 day Magical China with Hong Kong add on)

Hello, A somewhat belated thank you for a fantastic holiday. Your organisation worked like clockwork, only one flight out of seven delayed for 1 hour, not your fault obviously!! All the guides were excellent, especially Jack, who was with us in Beijing, Xian and Wuhan. We discovered he had once been China’s ambassador in Zimbabwe, so you should be able to track him down. The last minute changes we made; upgrading on the Yangtze, and adding in the trip to the Panda Centre were well worthwhile, thank you for getting them arranged at short notice. If you would like us to give you anything to put on the website, we would be pleased to help. Mr & Mrs A Catt, Bartley Hampshire (15 days China Encounter with Yangtze River 5 star Cruise and Chengdu Panda tour add on)

We have just returned from our holiday booked through Magical China "China Encounter with Yangtze River Cruise & Chengdu Panda Centre", and thought we would drop you a line to say how impressed we were with the holiday. We both had a fantastic time and all the arrangements ie hotels, transfers, itinerary were all very good. Special note regarding the guides who were very helpful, knowledgeable and spoke good english. Thanks for a very enjoyable holiday. Regards, Miss R Rogers & Mrs C Muir, Exeter (15 days China Encounter with Yangtze River 5 star Cruise and Chengdu Panda tour add on)

Dear All at Magical Japan, I am writing to let you know that our holiday to Japan was all that we were hoping for and more. We had a wonderful time and everything went beautifully to plan. The Japanese people were very friendly and helpful and the country is so beautiful - I really fell in love with Takayama in particular and our hotel there was superb. Our private tour guide was wonderful - she did a brilliant job and really helped to make our time in Japan special. On our last day we thought we would complete our experience - so we hired a kimono to walk around the shop in. I am attaching a photograph of myself (the one on the right) and my sister-in-law in our kimomos. I hope you like it because we didn't stop laughing whilst we were wearing them. Thank you for arranging a wonderful holiday for us. Kind regards, Mrs A Hodson, Walsall W Midlands (11 day Classic Japan tour)

Hi, just back fron China and Japan, really excellent holiday, superb guides, everything went so smoothly we were amazed by your forward planning. Thanks. Mrs M Preston, Chorley Lancs (19 day Magical China & Japan)

Hi, just wanted to say 'thanks' for arranging my trip last week - I had a spectacular time and everything went according to plan (apart from the weather on the odd occasion, but I guess I can't hold you responsible for that!). I still can't get over the punctuality and politeness of everyone - and the bullet train really colours your view of trains in the UK! I may well be in touch to arrange a trip to China later in the year! thanks again for your help and advice. J Hall, Norwich (9 day Essential Japan tour)

Just to let you know I have had a wonderful time in Japan - I have met so many people from all different countries and done so much! It's all a bit of a blur at the moment and I am trying to get my photos sorted out. Received some from South Korea and Germany yesterday!! The Japanese people were extremely kind, friendly, polite and helpful while I was out there and I have a lot of happy memories from my 10-day tour. Thanks for everything. S Taylor, Gerrards Cross Bucks (10 day Magical Japan tour)

Got back from our Japan trip yesterday. We had a brilliant time. Many thanks for all your hard work in making sure things went so smoothly. P Edwards & J Dawson, Alderley Edge Cheshire (10 day Magical Japan tour)

Just had to drop you a line to say how brilliant our Magical China holiday has been. Everything was so professional, we could not believe that booking a holiday on the internet could produce such an amazing holiday. The guides were all so good, especially Andy in Beijing and Li in Guilin. We have had the most wonderful experience of our lives, and the sights and sounds of China will stay with us always. Thank you so much for everything. Kind regards, Mr & Mrs Sturgess, Somerset (14 day Magical China)

We have recently returned from our holiday - China Encounter with Yangtse Cruise - and would like to tell you how much we enjoyed it. We had a WONDERFUL time. The arrangements went like clockwork - the very efficient and helpful guides met us wherever we went and gave us a great time. The hotels were excellent, the itinerary really good - we did so much in the short time we were in China (two weeks) but it was all at an enjoyable, leisurely pace and was thoroughly enjoyable. ALL the guides were excellent, but Ven in Zian and particularly Joe in Beijing deserve special mention. Joe was so helpful and ensured we were happy with what we were doing, he was especially helpful on our arrival (first time in China) and also on our departure when we arrived at Beijing airport at midnight, and had to be back there at 8 a.m. I cannot speak too highly of him. Thank you for arranging this fantastic holiday - your arrangements could not be faulted. We really did have a magical time! Mr & Mrs H Bowler, Gawsworth CHES (16 day China Encounter with Yangtze Cruise)

I wanted to say a big THANK YOU for our great holiday in China. It all went perfectly smoothly and we enjoyed every bit. The guides were excellent, as was the itinerary. Many thanks again. J Hosken, Esher Surrey (14 day Maigcal China tour)

You have very friendly and helpful tour guides, the drivers are also excellent! It is a shame about the smog, but overall a very good holiday! We would definitely recommend Magical China. A Peet & L Benn, Chester (14 day China & Japan Highlight)

My wife and I applaud you for the wonderful trip to China we have just completed. All your plans fell into place exactly on time and we were not let down at any stage by anything going wrong. However, may I presume to offer advice. I am in my 70s, it would be advisable to make a very clear warning to all would be holiday makers that there is much climbing and older people should consider their fitness and agility to cope with such pressures. Mr & Mrs R Hudson, Market Rasen (10 day China Highlight)

Magical China spoke to Mr Hudson regarding his comments, and received a 2nd letter from the travellers:

A word or two of appreciation for all your effort and planning that went into organising our eventful and exciting trip to China recently. The arrangements went like clockwork. Travel plans were superb, the tour guides in each of the cities we visited were very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable and went to a lot of trouble to ensure our enjoyment of everything on offer; and the meals given to us were well thought out and delightful to our English palate. If I have any slight adverse comment to make at all, it would be that we were taking on too much site seeing and this made it difficult to embrace and enjoy all that we were being shown and told about. Overall, my wife and I give full marks for an excellent visit to this wonderful country, with so much history, culture and colourful interest. Thank you for your help in organising this trip. Your sincerely, Mr & Mrs R Hudson, Market Rasen

Magical China thanks our customer's for his comments. We have acted in amending our Travel Essential Information to highlight that the Great Wall requires a certain degree of fitness to climb. It is however, worth mentioning that our tours are designed to be at a leisurely pace when compare with some other tour operators.

A thoroughly enjoyable holiday - thanks! Mr & Mrs J Peters, Northants (14 day China & Japan Highlight)

Chengdu area has scenery and sites which are diverse and amazing. Your guide represented the area very well! D Nicholls & A Scott, Hertfordshire (China to Tibet via Mt Ermei)

Really enjoyed the trip. I found Tibet the most fascinating place. I was very surprised and saddened that Beijing and Chengdu are so un Chinese in their architecture that one could have been almost anywhere in the developed world. I really enjoyed the whole experience. Thank you. J Whyms, Dronfield (China to Tibet via Mt Ermei)

2006

Dear Magical China,

Sorry it has taken me so long to contact you, but I just want to say how much we enjoyed our holiday in China. The organisation was excellent and the trip was very well planned. The guides were reliable and helpful and their local knowledge made places come alive. We enjoyed all the different food we had and particularly welcomed the opportunities to mix with local people. We hope to return to see more of China in the future. Thank you. S Ridgway and V Besag, Newcastle upon Tyner (19 days Grand China with Yangtze River Cruise)

This is just to let you know that we had a wonderful holiday and everything went very smoothly. Thank you very much. We will certainly recommend Magical China to any of our friends looking for a holiday in China. All of the local guides were excellent and looked after us very well. Best regards, Mr & Mrs J Chishick, Reading (19 days Grand China with Yangtze River Cruise)

We returned from our 10 day tour of China last week and I wanted to thank you for organising a very memorable holiday. The experience was tremendous and very interesting. We enjoyed Beijing, Xian and Shanghai for all their different reasons. The guides were really helpful and very good company and it was particularly nice being in a small group. Hopeful we will be able to return again to China at a future date to explore more of the country. Many thanks, P and H Brack, Liverpool (10 days China Highlight)

The "Magical China Holiday" booked for 13th August was a wonderful experience - well organised, excellent guides and some fantastic tours. Once again, many thanks for your help over the past few months - it was greatly appreciated. Mr & Mrs Clarke, Flintshire (14 days Magical China)

We really enjoyed our trip to China. Magical China’s arrangements, for flights and pick-ups, worked perfectly. The tour guides in Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu and Shanghai were excellent. Not only were they informative, but also they made sure we saw the main sites in the cities we were visiting. Great effort was made to cater for our food requirements, particularly in Beijing and XI’an. Thank you for the time and effort you put into making our visit so successful. Regard, S Ruben, Hertfordshire (16 days China & Tibet)

We have recently returned from our visit to China and would like to thank you for all the excellent organisation. We were obviously lucky in that the rest of the tour group didn't materialise so we had our own private guides, but everything went off very well and they were very reliable and helpful. Perhaps you would pass on our thanks to them in China. Yours sincerely Dr Miller family, Surrey

Just a few lines to let you know we had a really fantastic holiday in China. Everything went very smoothly. We saw the most amazing sights and the arranged meals were brilliant and in some wonderful restaurants. Our hotels were good and we we lucky enough to be upgraded in Xian! Many thanks for your help and efficient arrangements. M Whittaker & P Rogers, Barry

Dear Magical Japan,

Just a quick message to thank you for organizing the 10 day Japan holiday that we won, the trip ran well from start to finish due to your organization which gave us a stress free break. Thank you very much. I & R Simpson, London (Japan Highlight with Golf tour)

Thank you very much for arranging this wonderful holiday for us. We are having a great time. Yours sincerely, Mr & Mrs Rao, Manchester (Magical Japan tour)

We're recently back from the Japan tour you organised for us, May 15-20. From our point of view the tour was well designed,well organised and well supported by the local staff. The guides were instructive without being overbearing and only the weather could have been improved upon. Tokyo was grey and damp, Kyoto sunshine and Hakonen in between with sun and showers. Thank you for making our trip a success and we would be happy to travel with your company again. Kind regards, Mr & Mrs Passey and J Butterfield, Southport (Ultimate Japan tour)

2005

We have safely returned from what was truly a Magical holiday and one which we thoroughly enjoyed,our only regret we did not have more time available to visit more places. All plans went smoothly and all hotels really good. Our guides were Beijing---Lilly Xian-----Ryan Guilin---Steven Shanghai-Jennifer They were all good and went out of their way to organise things that we wanted to do and see over and above the itinerary,our drivers were also helpful. Jennifer did tell us about the Maglev high speed airport train in Shanghai which we used and really enjoyed this. It might be worth putting this as a part of the itinerary Again thanks for all your help and hope these comments are useful to you. Hope you also had a good holiday,we would be happy to have you use our comments and if any potential customers want to check you out as a tour company please feel free to get them to email us. We would have no hesitation in using you again and have mentioned you to several people who are thinking about going to China,which as far as we are concerned has to be a must Happy Christmas and New Year. T Baker, Somerset

Hope you are well; As you can see I am back from China and a married man. I will send you the details of my wedding and photos etc later. Are you likely to be at Destinations 05 (if there is one) next year. If so would you like to meet my wife and I.

Hope to see hear from you soon. Regards, N. Gould, Surrey

Just to let you know everything is fine and having a brilliant time. Thank you for all your hard work.

Regards, M. Gibbins, Water Looville, Hants

Many thanks for our recent trip to China. We thoroughly enjoyed our time. You organised things superbly, all the guides were excellent, very informative as well. The food and hotels were also very good. We especially liked the experience on the Yangtze and in Yichang, the warriors were awesome and the scenery in Guillin was lovely. We met Mark in Chonching and had a good chat with him. We had a wonderful time and I will definitely recommend you to my friends. Thanks for everything. Regards. J. McDonald, Edinburgh

Both the tour guide and driver did everything they could to make our stay as enjoyable as possible.The guides was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and made the journey a lot of fun. The drivers was excellent making us feel very safe and comfortable. We would definitely recommend Magical China to our friends. Best regards, C. Kidman, Surrey

Thought I would drop you a line to let you know that we have returned from our holiday and that it was absolutely great. We were very pleased with the hotels that we stayed in and the places that we visited. H Gower, Kent

I know it's been sometime since we got back, but a quick thanks for the holiday in china. It was fascinating and we both really enjoyed it. It just seems so long ago now. Thanks for you time and help (and the veggie food was good to). We think the highlights for us were The Forbidden City and the Terracotta Warriors, though just the experience of China as a whole was great. We were quite pleased that the itinerary gave time to relax, as we then had energy to go out most nights. Loved Hong Kong, very easy to get around and we even managed a day on the beach. G Ansell, West Sussex

We are back from a really wonderful tour of China. It was a magical experience. Thank you for all you did. Best wishes P Jones, Harborough

Can I just say thankyou for arranging my tour in china. I had a very interesting time, the guides were fantastic, if you could pass on my compliments to them that would be great. I have quite a few photos to trawl through now and a lot of good memories. Once again thankyou for arranging the itinerary. Kind Regards N Price, Middlesex

2004

Well, we're back, and I just wanted to thank you for all your help in arranging the holiday. We had a wonderful time, saw so many interesting things and learnt lots about China and its people. The children really enjoyed it. If I ever hear of anyone else wishing to visit China, I shall certainly recommend your services. Thanks once again for such a marvellous, well-organised and efficient experience.

Kind regards, K. Radford, Essex

I cannot believe that my trip of a life time is over but wanted to tell you how much Mark and I enjoyed it. Thank you for your help in the planning stage and in China where we had the most charming Tour Guides. We met some charming people and visited beautiful and interesting places. Thank you again, I will most certainly recommend Magical China Tours!

Very Best Wishes, J. Taffler, Rutland

Well, we are home and nearly at the end of our first week back at work. I just want to thank you really. Pure and simply thank you! The trip was absolutely amazing. I love China as a country, and will most definitely be re visiting! And will most certainly be coming back to you for my visit! John, who arranged most of our trip out there, was one of the most charming guys I have ever met. Mum wanted to bring him home!! I'm sure we will keep in touch with John and Yvonne our guides. And we will always have tremendous memories of such a stunning country. Thank you once again for your really personal service. Take care.

Xie Xie M. Taffler, Rutland

I wanted to say thank you for making our holiday so wonderful the whole experience was amazing. I would be grateful if you could also pass on our thanks to Simon. We had a fantastic time and would particular like to thank the guides that showed us round. Scarlet in Beijing was fantastic and we would be grateful if you could find out her address or email address so that we could send her a thank you card, Peter was also wonderful in Shanghai and would be grateful if you could do the same. We look forward to travelling again to China with yourselves and we will certainly be passing on your details to our friends. We would also be grateful if you could keep us informed as and when you decide if you will be running trips to China during the Olympics as we would be interested in going.

Once again many thanks. R. Morton, London

I am writing to do two things. First to thank you for organising the holiday for me. On the whole the weather was good except the day we went to the Great Wall where it rained. Also a thank you for the help with the last minute changes. I hope you like the photos, one of me with Lily my guide and one with me and my girlfriend. The second thing is I am going back to China in October. I wonder if you could at a later date book an internal flight and hotels. Let me know what information about the flight etc you will require.

Thank You. N. Gould, Surrey