How We Were Short Changed On Moon Hill

Posted by : foongpc | Thursday, September 17, 2009 | Published in

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After seeing the amazing Big Banyan Tree in Yangshuo, we moved on to our next destination which was Moon Hill.

It was not very far away from the Big Banyan Tree, but surprisingly we did not stop there. Instead, as our tour bus approached Moon Hill, the tour guide just pointed and we craned our necks to look up to where she pointed.

I did not take any photos as it's difficult to take decent photos on a moving bus. So here are two nice photos I found online.


Photo courtesy of China Odyssey Tours

Does that hole in the hill look like a moon? That's why it's called Moon Hill!


Photo courtesy of China Odyssey Tours

The moon acts as a natural viewfinder up close. Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to view it from up close. That's because the tour bus did not even stop there for us to take some photos! This is one of the five places we were supposed to visit according to the tour's itinerary. So what the heck is this? Just passing by like "Touch and Go"?

In fact, it was worse - we did not even get to touch the Moon Hill! It was more like "Look and Go". I think "SmartTAG" is more like it! Haha!

I guess time was limited and the tour guide saw it fit to skip Moon Hill and proceed to the next destination. Well, that may be convenient to her but I felt kind of cheated. This is undoubtedly another good reason not to pay the tour company!

Luckily, we managed to see another "moon" later in the next destination. This moon was actually inside a cave!

Photobucket

Well, I shall blog about that in my next post, so stay tuned!

FIRST COMMENTER

(96) Comments

  1. Mariuca said...

    Hahahahahah aiyooooo screamyx oso so slow tonight, almost heart attack la chopping!!

    September 17, 2009 at 1:38 AM
  2. Mariuca said...

    He he more complaints on ur tour company, the more I know, the more I think that perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea to not pay them! Dis one oso they conveniently removed from ur agenda. :(

    September 17, 2009 at 1:41 AM
  3. Mariuca said...

    The hole does look like a moon from a distant, thanks for sharing the pics Foong. ;)

    September 17, 2009 at 1:41 AM
  4. Mariuca said...

    And most importantly, yeeeehaaaaa I got the chop, thanks for the buzz2 hehehe! :):):)

    September 17, 2009 at 1:42 AM
  5. annant said...

    from afar, it does look like a moon :D

    no chop :(

    September 17, 2009 at 3:36 AM
  6. Jean said...

    double moon! haha. one transparent and the other in green. and again. green! lol

    September 17, 2009 at 4:10 AM
  7. Borneo Falcon said...

    I never like joining tour (it's always look and go concept). I rather explore places on my own

    September 17, 2009 at 8:03 AM
  8. Anonymous

    That's terrible waste not being able to walk up to the Moon Hill. I hate tour companies doing all this "view from afar" kind of thing. They should have included a walking tour to the Moon Hill.

    September 17, 2009 at 8:20 AM
  9. manglish said...

    waaa china really got some amazing landscape....and its people even more amazing hahahha.....:)

    September 17, 2009 at 8:37 AM
  10. ~Elaine Tam~ said...

    Wow! Nice scenery leh~

    The hole...Amazing~ :) Nice one~

    September 17, 2009 at 8:37 AM
  11. eiling lim said...

    Tour guides are usually more interested to take you guys shopping as they earn more commission for doing that.

    September 17, 2009 at 8:56 AM
  12. wenn said...

    something new..

    September 17, 2009 at 8:59 AM
  13. Tekkaus said...

    Good morning Foong! :)Our next destination is Moon Hill? Ouh...you guys only...pass by and did not stop? :p

    September 17, 2009 at 9:02 AM
  14. Tekkaus said...

    It looks like a moon? Hmm...well the first picture looks more like a moon but certainly not the second one. I guess that's why they called it Moon Hill?

    September 17, 2009 at 9:03 AM
  15. Superman said...

    Those tour companies just want to grab money fast and let you see from far so only and you can blame them later as you already see the place or thing. Nice tactic.
    The Moon Hill really nice woh! Maybe should call it Moon Gate. Hehe. More like a gate to me.

    September 17, 2009 at 9:05 AM
  16. Tekkaus said...

    Touch and Go? What Tour Company is that? I think you should not pay them even a single penny for their lousy service. How come they did not fulfill what they advertise? So lame! :(

    September 17, 2009 at 9:06 AM
  17. Tekkaus said...

    Gosh! I felt cheated too. LOL :D If I were you I'm going straight to the company as ask for refunds...blah! blah! blah! LOL :D Hopefully you will reveal the name of the tour company so that we won't get cheated anymore. :(

    September 17, 2009 at 9:08 AM
  18. Tekkaus said...

    Well! I can't wait to read about your next post bro. New Moon aye? :p

    September 17, 2009 at 9:08 AM
  19. Willie a.k.a Reptoz said...

    Very interesting.

    September 17, 2009 at 9:49 AM
  20. Che-Cheh said...

    Is there a route to climb up the Moon Hill? If there's none, then maybe this is for 'smartag' viewing only lo. Hahaha

    September 17, 2009 at 10:25 AM
  21. fufu said...

    wow... another moon?? how many moons does guangxi have actually??

    September 17, 2009 at 10:42 AM
  22. iamthewitch said...

    Cute analogy of Look and Go (smarttag) Haha..

    September 17, 2009 at 11:04 AM
  23. khengsiong said...

    I doubt there is access road to the Moon Hill. But maybe the tour bus should stop for a few minutes...

    September 17, 2009 at 12:20 PM
  24. Donna said...

    eh.. no need go travel myself already..
    hahahaha.. read your blog can liao.. =p

    September 17, 2009 at 1:57 PM
  25. HappySurfer said...

    Foong, that's an interesting cave though I can't seem to figure out what's that green patch. Looking forward to the subsequent post to know what it is. Hurry up...

    Btw, sounds like you and your friends/group were taken for a ride on this one, literally. Oops! Did you all protest or demand for a great discount? Cracked your knuckles, stomped on the ground and all that stuff?! Kidding.. LOL!

    September 17, 2009 at 2:14 PM
  26. eastcoastlife said...

    aiyohhh.... just pass by? That looks like a great place to explore and take pictures.

    September 17, 2009 at 2:49 PM
  27. eastcoastlife said...

    So sayang!

    So did the tour guide bring you to factories or duty-free shops to make purchases? That seem to have ample time.

    September 17, 2009 at 2:51 PM
  28. eastcoastlife said...

    One thing I don't like about joining such tours is that they always try to squeeze in shopping.

    September 17, 2009 at 2:53 PM
  29. eastcoastlife said...

    They hurry us when we are at a destination, giving us only 30 mins or less to take pictures but can spend 2 hours in a duty-free shop. :(

    September 17, 2009 at 2:53 PM
  30. doc said...

    well, you know what to do when the tour ends & the tips are due.

    September 17, 2009 at 5:49 PM
  31. lina said...

    Is that all you write? I feel cheated by you! LOL

    September 17, 2009 at 7:26 PM
  32. lina said...

    So they put Moon Hill in the itinerary even though they in fact just passed through. Happen to me in HK.

    September 17, 2009 at 7:27 PM
  33. Mariuca said...

    Hi Foong! Come join me for a chance to win £100.00 woo hoo! :)

    http://www.mymariuca.com/2009/09/who-wants-to-win-10000.html

    September 17, 2009 at 8:52 PM
  34. Mariuca said...

    hahahahahah so happy la see my meow blog here FINALLY!! Thanks so much! :):):)

    September 17, 2009 at 8:55 PM
  35. BURA

    Actually, every mountain, hill and tree anywhere in the world do resemble something from a certain angle if we want to "commercialise" it that way, right or not Foong?

    If you drive up just before Gopeng towards Ipoh, one of the limestone hills does look like a lion and it has been there for donkey years.Do you know that, Foong?

    September 17, 2009 at 9:59 PM
  36. Merryn said...

    foong, ur FC thingy is making ppl having heart attack nie.. ppl rush rush rush rush.. aiyo.

    me leh? nvr got that luck.. once oni! boo hoo hoo..

    September 17, 2009 at 11:11 PM
  37. foongpc said...

    mariuca, streamyx slow again? Lucky you still managed to be FC! Haha!

    You agree with me not to pay them right? They don't deserve getting paid! : )

    September 17, 2009 at 11:31 PM
  38. foongpc said...

    annant, yes it does indeed! Want to chop? Try again next time! : )

    September 17, 2009 at 11:32 PM
  39. foongpc said...

    SJ, actually both are transparent! : )

    September 17, 2009 at 11:33 PM
  40. foongpc said...

    borneo falcon, me too : )

    September 17, 2009 at 11:33 PM
  41. foongpc said...

    mei teng, so you agree we should not pay them? : )

    September 17, 2009 at 11:34 PM
  42. foongpc said...

    manglish, yes amazing landscape and amazing people. LOL!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:35 PM
  43. foongpc said...

    elaine tam, yeah it's nice, but too bad I could not take any photos of it!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:35 PM
  44. foongpc said...

    eiling, you can say that again! All they care is their commission!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:36 PM
  45. foongpc said...

    wenn, what is new to you - the Moon Hill or the tour guide skipping the Moon Hill?

    September 17, 2009 at 11:37 PM
  46. foongpc said...

    tekkaus, exactly...we passed by and did not stop! So you also agree we should not pay them eh? Looks like I'm getting more support this time unlike previous posts when I'm advised not to act funny while in a foreign country! LOL!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:40 PM
  47. foongpc said...

    superman, moon gate? Sounds like some sci-fi movie. haha!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:41 PM
  48. foongpc said...

    willie, which part?

    September 17, 2009 at 11:42 PM
  49. foongpc said...

    che-cheh, not sure, but according to info from the Internet, you can walk up there! Maybe it'll take too long so the tour guide decided not to let us go there.

    September 17, 2009 at 11:43 PM
  50. foongpc said...

    fufu, actually one only. The one in the sky. LOL!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:44 PM
  51. foongpc said...

    iamthewitch, haha! : )

    September 17, 2009 at 11:44 PM
  52. foongpc said...

    khengsiong, yes there is access road but you need to walk. Yes, the tour bus should have at least stopped for 10 minutes to let us take some photos!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:46 PM
  53. foongpc said...

    dolly, oh no! Traveling there and experiencing it first hand is very different from just reading my blog!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:47 PM
  54. foongpc said...

    happysurfer, actually, it's just a hole on the wall of the cave and it sort of resembled the moon! Haha!

    None of us protested, but we think no need to protest, just don't pay up! LOL!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:49 PM
  55. foongpc said...

    eastcoastlife, yalah, so sayang. Yes, of course they brought us to a shop and of course we didn't buy anything! Even if I see something I want to buy, I would not buy it there! Haha!

    I guess all tour companies are like that, they will bring you shopping. So always try not to follow tour. It's best to go on your own and I'm so glad we went to most places in Guilin on our own!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:53 PM
  56. foongpc said...

    doc, what tips? No tips and no paying! : )

    September 17, 2009 at 11:54 PM
  57. foongpc said...

    lina, haha! Eh, you are in Japan already right? So free go online? Access online from your hotel room?

    Happened to you in HK? I guess a lot of the tour companies are like that!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:56 PM
  58. foongpc said...

    mariuca, got contest? OK, will have a look at it! Regarding your meow diaries, you are welcome! : )

    September 17, 2009 at 11:57 PM
  59. foongpc said...

    bura, I have seen so many different hill and rock formation in Guilin that resemble all kinds of animals, I am getting a bit tired of it all!

    September 17, 2009 at 11:59 PM
  60. foongpc said...

    merryn, lucky you didn't suffer heart attack! Haha! Once only? Never mind, try again! I'm sure you'll get to be FC again one day! : )

    September 18, 2009 at 12:01 AM
  61. lina said...

    @foong,
    free internet mah.. But then again, not good lah.. go t headache from office now that they I am contactable. :(

    September 18, 2009 at 4:19 AM
  62. Ayie said...

    our china tour before was also a bit like that, the tour guide brought us to those shops and not to r=the tour spots.

    Lack of time coz they were delayed must be their reason but still people will pay for the tour so it better be complete!

    September 18, 2009 at 4:22 AM
  63. Gabriel said...

    yea. it did look like moon!

    September 18, 2009 at 4:30 AM
  64. A Common Singaporean said...

    hahaha, at least u get to see a moon, tho a small one.

    I love your earlier Banyan Tree post.
    The tree is majestic!

    September 18, 2009 at 10:41 AM
  65. Unseen India Tours said...

    Beautiful shots !! I loved the second last shot !! Simply great..Unseen Rajasthan

    September 18, 2009 at 2:33 PM
  66. Alexander said...

    HELLOOOOOOOOO! :D
    A drop by here I'm doing :DD

    September 18, 2009 at 4:49 PM
  67. jam said...

    Is there another moon inside a cave? How come I never got to notice? I wonder are you traveling alongside me, haha!

    September 18, 2009 at 6:55 PM
  68. HappySurfer said...

    Oh? So that's a hole looking out to the sky? Interesting. Thanks.

    September 18, 2009 at 10:42 PM
  69. Pete said...

    The arch formation on the rock sure look like a moon. That place look quite remote, might take days to reach on foof leh!

    September 18, 2009 at 10:53 PM
  70. Bengbeng said...

    the last pic arouses my curiosity. waiting for more info. i liked the banyan tree post lots... perhaps the most among this series. temples etc we have the same genre in M'sia.

    September 19, 2009 at 7:30 AM
  71. chris federick said...

    can't wait 4 more updates :)

    September 19, 2009 at 10:08 AM
  72. Cherry said...

    what a waste not to be able to photograph the moon hill yourself. :(

    i've added you in my blog list, i thought i've already done so. no wonder i didn't get to see this post. thanks for sharing the photos. at least we were able to see what you have 'seen'. :)

    September 19, 2009 at 3:23 PM
  73. Faisal Admar said...

    moon hill looks beautiful. poor you didn't manage to see it up close and take a proper picture. maybe next time? :)

    i can't see any moon in that cave. where is the moon?

    September 19, 2009 at 4:29 PM
  74. Shingo T said...

    The moon is huge!

    September 19, 2009 at 7:43 PM
  75. LifeRamblings said...

    too bad you missed the chance to touch the MoonHill. how pathetic. :(

    September 19, 2009 at 8:35 PM
  76. LifeRamblings said...

    now that's one of the reasons i prefer to travel independently as it helps to plan and organize a trip to my own requirements.

    September 19, 2009 at 8:35 PM
  77. LifeRamblings said...

    the hole in the hill of the first pic does look like a moon to me.

    September 19, 2009 at 8:39 PM
  78. foongpc said...

    lina, shouldn't have let your office know that you have internet connection! Actually, I prefer not to go online during holidays! And also not answering any calls! Holidays are meant to be holidays! Free from stress and unwanted interruptions! : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:10 PM
  79. foongpc said...

    ayie, that's why better not follow any tour if we can help it! : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:11 PM
  80. foongpc said...

    gabriel, it did, didn't it? : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:11 PM
  81. foongpc said...

    a common singaporean, yeah I like the Banyan Tree too! : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:12 PM
  82. foongpc said...

    unseen rajasthan, thanks! But the second last photo is not taken by me, it's from the internet! : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:13 PM
  83. foongpc said...

    senghoo, thanks for dropping by! : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:13 PM
  84. foongpc said...

    jam, you didn't notice the moon? Well, maybe we are looking at different things, which is good cos you can cover those things which I didn't cover, in your blog : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:15 PM
  85. foongpc said...

    happysurfer, I'm not sure if that's the sky you see. I think it's more like another ceiling of the cave! : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:16 PM
  86. foongpc said...

    pete, not really, you can reach there in less than an hour : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:17 PM
  87. foongpc said...

    bengbeng, I like the Banyan Tree too cos you can't find such a tree in Malaysia : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:18 PM
  88. foongpc said...

    chris@dotagaki, updates coming up soon! : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:19 PM
  89. foongpc said...

    cher, yeah, I feel cheated actually! Thanks for adding me in your blog list! : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:20 PM
  90. foongpc said...

    faisal, that hole is the moon although it doesn't really look like a moon yes? Don't know why they call it a moon! : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:21 PM
  91. foongpc said...

    shingo T, haha yes : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:21 PM
  92. foongpc said...

    life ramblings, yes better to travel on your own. But certain places you need to use the tour groups for more convenience and cost savings. It does look like the moon on the first picture, doesn't it? : )

    September 20, 2009 at 2:24 PM
  93. Ken Wooi said...

    moon? where? haha.. =P

    kenwooi.com

    September 21, 2009 at 1:33 PM
  94. bluedreamer27 said...

    hii foong hehe i though i left a comment here hehe

    September 22, 2009 at 10:31 AM
  95. foongpc said...

    kenwooi, look up in the sky! : )

    September 23, 2009 at 11:54 PM
  96. foongpc said...

    bluedreamer27, I guess you didn't! : )

    September 23, 2009 at 11:54 PM