17 Day Best Of China & Hong Kong Luxury Holiday
Ni hao! 你好 Welcome to Beijing, the capital city of China. On arrival, our private driver will transfer you to your hotel. Checking into your accommodation and you will have the rest of the day to relax, or if desire and time permits, you will be taken to explore the 798 Art District, a former industrial area that has been transformed to a neighborhood with shops and galleries with works by both established and budding artists. Overnight in Beijing.
Preferred: The Fairmont Beijing
After your heaty breakfast at hotel you will begin your day with a visit to the Tia’anmen Square, the symbol of new China and the largest city square in the world where the ancient imperial palaces with 500 years history have been best-preserved and well-kept. You will get inside to watch close-up the impressive Hidden Halls to understand deeply of the history. Stop over at a local restaurant to sample your luch with the famous Peking Duck. Watch the exquisite cutting skills of the chef, taste crispy duck skin, and learn how to eat it in the correct way. After lunch, you’ll be chauffeured around traditional hutongs in a pedicab, or rickshaw. Hutongs are narrow alleys with stone shophouses and courtyard mansions, best explored at a leisurely rickshaw pace. Finish with a calligraphy lesson, taking time to appreciate the meditative qualities of this ancient art. Return to your hotel and you will stay in Beijing tonight.
Preferred: The Fairmont Beijing
Breakfast at your hotel. A sightseeing tour in China would not be complete without a trip to the Great Wall and today we will head North of Beijing to visit the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, one of the less crowded and best preserved sections of the over 10,000-mile-long wall. You have the opportunity to hike along this amazing UNESCO-designated monument with your private tour guide. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant at the foot of the Great Wall before heading back to Beijing. After lunch, we will visit the Temple of Heaven, a sacrificial altar built in the Ming Dynasty. This UNESCO World Heritage site features the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests – a three-gabled wooden building constructed without nails. You may arrive early to see the locals practicing martial arts and doing other activities that you may never see in your country. An option to visit the Summer Palace and enjoy sunset views over Kunming Lake. Overnight in Beijing.
Preferred: The Fairmont Beijing
Breakfast at your hotel and you will be transferred to the airport or train station to take a flight/hi-speed train ride to Xi’An, home to several historic landmarks and the last city on the Silk Road. Upon arrival you will see the Muslim Quarter with its teeming markets and 14th-century Great Mosque; a blend of classic Chinese temple architecture and central Asian embellishments make it one of the most fascinating sites in Xian. Finish your day with a dumpling-making demonstration followed by dinner at a local restaurant. Return to your hotel. Overnight in Xi’An.
Preferred: Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Xi’an.
Breakfast at hotel and today you will be accompanied by an experienced tour guide to explore the excavation site of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, built by the first Emperor of China in the third century BC, another UNESCO-listed site. After touring the mausoleum, head back to Xian, where you can ride a bicycle around the city walls, more than 50 feet wide in places. Enjoy lunch before heading to the impressive Shaanxi Museum and the towering Wild Goose Pagoda. Return to your hotel, with time to relax. Overnight in Xi’An.
Preferred: Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Xi’an.
Preferred: Shangri-La Guilin
Breakfast at hotel. Begin the day by boarding a bamboo raft for a cruise along the Li River. Observe the quiet, rural life along the river with towering limestone pinnacles providing a dramatic backdrop. Watch as the locals ply the river, transiting between homes, markets and picturesque rice paddies. Next, stroll Yangshuo’s West Street, with its blend of medieval and modern architecture. Visit Bilian Peak, which offers panoramic views of the Li River and the Silver Cave. Next, visit Moon Hill, a famous limestone rock formation with a large moon-shaped hole in the middle. Return to your hotel. Overnight in Guilin.
Preferred: Shangri-La Guilin
Breakfast at hotel and you will begin today with an excursion to Ping An in Longsheng, just around 3 hour drive from Guilin. Check in to your accommodation – the charming Li An Lodge. Relax for a while and then meet with your guide who will take you to Dazhai Village and describe the meaning of the great ribbons of terraces that span for miles. Return to your hotel and spend a relaxing day in the city and experience a local Chinese massage or have a health check by a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. Overnight in Ping An.
Preferred: Li An Lodge
This morning take in the beauty of the Ping’an Terraces before heading to the Guilin airport in time for your 2-hour flight to Hangzhou. Met by a local tour guide and driver on arrival and you will be taken to check in to your accommodation. Hangzhou is also famous for the magnificent West Lake, a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site and some famous Buddhist temples. Overnight in Hangzhou.
Preferred: Banyan Tree Hangzhou
Breakfast at hotel and today you’ll enjoy a private boat cruising around the charming West Lake and tour of the some of the lake’s famous Ten Scenes, known for their remarkable beauty. With a guide, you’ll also visit a selection of Buddhist Temples, including Lingyin Temple, where Buddhist monks still live and pray; the sanctuary is also home to one of the largest indoor Buddha statues in the world. Return to your hotel. Evening is free. Overnight in Hangzhou.
Preferred: Banyan Tree Hangzhou
Enjoy a hearty breakfast at your hotel before take a 2-hour high-speed train heading to Suzhou’s Historic Gardens. Dating back to 770 BC, the Classical Gardens of Suzhou were mostly built by scholars, and feature key design features such as pavilions, pagodas, hills and rivers. After wandering these tranquil grounds, you’ll be immersed further in Chinese history with a trip to Suzhou Museum, housing ancient art, craft, calligraphy and more, in a complex designed by legendary architect I. M. Pei, which is a work of art in itself. Overnight in Suzhou.
Preferred: Shangri-La Hotel Suzhou
Breakfast at hotel and today you will continue your journey south with a one-hour drive to Shanghai, located on China’s central coast, is the country’s biggest city and a global financial hub, and begin with a historic tour of the city’s Art Deco architecture. Met by a local tour guide on arrival and you will be taken to hotel in the city centre. Checking in to your accommodation and relax for a while. Later, set off on a guided walking tour of the Bund, the famous waterfront area where magnificent views of the skyline await. Proceed to your hotel and check in to your accommodation. At leisure. Overnight in Shanghai.
Preferred: The Peninsula Shanghai
Breakfast at hotel and today is spent with an interesting day tour to see the best of Shanghai. You will visit the 16th-century Yu Garden, with its picturesque pavilions and streams, and stroll in Old Town. After lunch at a local restaurant, explore the French Concession Area, popular for its cafés, tree-lined avenues and Tudor houses. Next you’ll pay a visit to Shanghai Museum where you will see a rare collection of Chinese art and antiquities, spanning more than 5,000 years. Tonight, attend a performance by acrobats, experiencing thrilling feats of strength and extraordinary athleticism from your seats. Return to hotel. Overnight in Shanghai.
Preferred: The Peninsula Shanghai
Preferred: The Peninsula Hong Kong
Breakfast at hotel. No trip to Hong Kong would be complete without a visit to the Giant Buddha which sits serenely atop Ngong Ping plateau amid the spectacular mountain scenery of Lantau Island. Visitors can climb more than 200 steps to reach the platform where the Buddha is seated. Next is the ancient Tai O fishing village, a rare example of a Chinese stilt-house community and home to the Tanka people, a community of fisherfolk who have built their homes on stilts above the tidal flats for generations. You will have the opportunity to learn how to make fish nets, salty egg yolk or sweet bean porridge in a local house and if lucky you may also hear their real life stories.
Preferred: The Peninsula Hong Kong
After your hearty breakfast at your hotel and let our local guides show you how a modern city mingles with ago old Eastern traditions. Stroll through the landmark buildings on Hong Kong Island, take a traditional tram ride, and walk through residential neighbourhoods, temples and shops. During the tour, your tour guide will take your to visit a market where you will savour Cantonese cuisine while learning about the lifestyle, history and culture of the people living in Asia’s World City. From tiny noodle joints and street-stall snacks, Hong Kong’s local eats will take you off the beaten path and into the heart of the city one bit at a time. Next, take a tram to the Peak for spectacular views before journeying south to Stanley market and Aberdeen Harbour. This tour is the perfect introduction to the highlights of Hong Kong! Return to your hotel and free at leisure for your whole evening. Overnight in Hong Kong.
Preferred: The Peninsula Hong Kong