A Tea Journey to Chinese Coastal Cities--Oolong tea & Green tea
A 13-day itinerary to know Chinese tea culture covering the famous Oolong Tea and Green Tea. Besides, you will also have a chance to experience the charm of contemporary China by exploring Hong Kong and Shanghai, while relax your mind at the scenic Xiamen and Hangzhou.
Trip Highlights
- Atop Victoria Peak to admire Hong Kong skyline
- Enjoy peaceful time on Gulang Island
- Discover rare Dahongpao tea at Wuyishan
- Cruise the West Lake to relax your mind
Customizable Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Hong Kong arrival
Your China adventure begins the moment you arrive. After going through the customs, meet your friendly guide who is waiting with your name sign. Your will be transferred to the hotel in a comfortable vehicle with experienced driver. Upon arrival at the hotel, guide will help and offer you a worry-free check in.
- Hotels: Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, Harbour Grand Kowloon
Day 2 Half day Hong Kong tour
Modernisation and scenic beauty of Hong Kong proves an irresistible temptation to worldwide travellers. Ascend the Victoria Peak with tram to get an impressive view of city area. An 8 to 20 minutes waiting time is needed to take the tram during peak season. Descend and wander along the Repulse Bay. Today’s journey ends with a special experience in the area where fishermen live – Aberdeen, a world-famous travel spot for its fishing-village culture and seafood. A 15 minute sampan ride is included. Stanley Market is another option if you are not interested in Aberdeen. At the end of the tour, you will be escorted back to your hotel. Lunch is not included. Your guide is happy to offer good suggestions according to your taste. Feel free to ask. Afternoon is at your own leisure to discover this miraculous city.
- Meals: Breakfast,
Day 3 Half day personal exploration
Have the morning yours to explore Hong Kong on your own. Guide and driver will take you to the train station in the afternoon for your train to Xiamen. Upon arrival, meet your Xiamen guide and head to your hotel in city area.
- Meals: Breakfast,
- Hotels: Shangri-La Xiamen hotel, Pan Pacific Xiamen, Hyatt Regency Xiamen Wuyuanwan
Day 4 Gulangyu Island, Hulishan Fortress,South Putuo Temple,Island Ring Road
Today, you will travel to the laidback Gulangyu Island. Round way ferry is arranged. A 10 to 20 minutes waiting time is required during the peak season. Take a relaxing stroll along the winding paths to enjoy the exotic buildings. A visit to Shuzhuang Garden and Piano Museum is included. Hai Tian Tang Gou Mansion was built by Philippine Chinese Huang Xiuliang and Huang Nianyi between 1920 and 1930. The mansion is a complex of five villas in symmetrical styles laid out on both sides of the Middle Villa, which is the complex’ central axis. Nanyin music and puppet show is available here. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant on the island.
After lunch, drive to Hulishan Fortress. The existing Krupp Cannon was recorded by the Guinness Book of the Records as the world’s oldest and largest coastal artillery of the 19th century. Visit South Putuo Temple that was built in the Tang dynasty. It is located at the foot of Wulao Peak and is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in southern Fujian and even in China. After visiting the Island Ring Road, drive back to your hotel.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
Day 5 One day tea culture tour
Dahongpao oolong tea (mostly harvest from late April to mid-May)
Baimudan white tea (harvest in April)
After breakfast, meet your guide and driver who wait at the hotel to transfer you to the train station for your train to Wuyishan. Your guide in Wuyishan will greet you with a warm smile at the train station. He or she will take you to a local restaurant for lunch to store energy for afternoon session. Wuyishan produces top Oolong tea. During the tea tour, you will be able to walk into endless sea of tea bushes, pick the tea leaves on your own and learn from the workers about the Oolong tea culture. If you are interested to know Baimudan white tea, a visit to tea plantation nearby in Jianyang district (1 hour drive) can be arranged based on your needs. Check in at your hotel after the session.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
- Hotels: CD Resort,Wuyi Mountain, Dahongpao Resort Wuyishan
Day 6 Dahongpao Tea Plantation, Tianxin Yongle Temple,Shuilian Cave
Today, visit the highlights of Wuyishan including Dahongpao Tea Plantation and the scenic area. Discover the rare Dahongpao tea trees. Tianxin Yongle Temple is a Buddhist temple deep in the Wuyi Mountains, which was once a glorious temple during the Ming and Qing dynasties. After lunch, you will head over to visit Shuilian Cave, which is the biggest cave at Wuyishan. It was named after two springs running down from the top of Ruiquan Rock Peak, making it like a splendid curtain of water. Go back to the hotel after the visit.
Optional evening activity: Impression Da Hong Pao
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
Day 7 Tianyou Peak, Nine Bend River bamboo rafting, Wuyi Palace
After breakfast, start your adventure to Tianyou Peak, the most perfect combination of mountain and water, nature and culture in Wuyi Mountain. Embark on the bamboo raft to flow down along the Nine Bend River. The enchanting nature is presented to you. Please note that a raft will sail only when there are 6 people. If you have less than 6 group members, you may need to wait and share with other travellers. Or you can charter the raft with an extra fee. After the bamboo rafting tour, keep up to visit Wuyi Palace, a place where emperors worshipped the Wuyi gods. It was one of the six most famous Taoist temples in the country during the Song Dynasty.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
Day 8 Half day personal exploration
After 2.5 hours’ bullet train, you will reach Hangzhou and be transported to the downtown hotel by your Hangzhou guide and driver. Afternoon is free at your own leisure. You may take a rest after the mountain tour or choose to explore outside. Your guide is glad to offer you some suggestions.
- Meals: Breakfast,
- Hotels: Banyan Tree Hangzhou, Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake, Grand Hyatt Hangzhou
Day 9 China National Tea Museum, West Lake with cruise
West Lake Dragon Well green tea (harvest from early April –early August)
Today, your tea tour continues. Meet a local tea farmer, step into the dense tea plantation to pick the tea leaves with him or her. Learn local tea culture and how to brew dragon well green tea from the farmer. What awaits you is the China National Tea Museum, where you can learn the comprehensive knowledge of Chinese tea culture and history. For you lunch, you may try some dishes that use tea as an ingredient. Ask your guide for suggestion. In the afternoon, a relaxing West Lake tour with cruise is arranged. No matter which season you come, the scenic area has something different to offer. Be transferred back to the hotel after the tour.
Optional evening activity: Enduring Memories of Hangzhou
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
Day 10 Peak Flown From Afar, Lingyin Temple, Leifeng Pagoda
After a delicious breakfast, explore Lingyin Temple and Peak Flown From Afar. Peak Flown From Afar faces the slopes of Lingyin Temple and has more than 340 Buddhist grotto statues. Lingyin Temple has a history of more than 1,600 years. Drive to Leifeng Pagoda. The original one collapsed in 1924 and was rebuilt later. The newly built Leifeng Pagoda is China's first colorful bronze carved pagoda. After lunch nearby, you will be taken to the train station for your train to Shanghai. Meet your guide and driver before driving to your hotel in Shanghai.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
- Hotels: Four Seasons Hotel Pudong Shanghai, Hotel Indigo Shanghai on The Bund, Grand Hyatt Shanghai
Day 11 Fuxing Park, Shanghai City God Temple,Yuyuan Garden,Shanghai Financial Center, The Bund
Take a morning visit to Fuxing Park, where provides you a chance to know about the seniors’ life. Head over to Shanghai City God Temple, an important Taoist temple in Shanghai. After explore Shanghai City God Temple, move into Yuyuan Garden, where the art of Chinese traditional garden design is shown to you. Take a rest and savour a cup of tea at an Old Shanghai Tea House. To get a bird eye-view of Shanghai City, we will visit Shanghai Financial Center after lunch. Standing on the observation decks, it seems the whole Shanghai is on your foot. The Bund is one of the best-known landmarks that cannot be missed in Shanghai. Tour ends with a relaxing stroll along the Bund. The various types of well-preserved buildings on the Bund are described as an "Exhibition of World Architecture".
Optional evening activity: Era Time, Shangcheng Acrobatic Show, Huangpu River night Cruise
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
Day 12 One day personal exploration
We’ll leave today for you to rest before your flight or explore the city on your own. Shanghai is a big and modern city with convenient transportations, making it easy to explore on your own. Guide will provide you some good suggestions as well.
- Meals: Breakfast,
Day 13 Shanghai departure
Today, your guide and driver will pick you up at the appointed time to transfer you to the airport for your flight home or to next destination. Guide will help with check in and won’t leave till you finished the security check. Have a safe flight.
- Meals: Breakfast,
Price Includes
- In-country transportationas noted in the itinerary.
- Admission fees and activity expenses as noted in the itinerary.
- Luxury or boutique hotels centrally located.
- Meals in local restaurants as noted in the itinerary with complimentary drinking water.
- Your own English-speaking guide service.
- Your own chauffeur and vehicle service.
Price Excludes
- International transportation.
- Chinese tourist visa. (which enquired for most foreign passport holders)
- Travel and medical insurance.
- Meals, snacks, alcohol, etc. apart from those included in the itinerary.
- Excess baggage charges.
- Personal expenses.
- Sights, excursions and activities not included in the itinerary.
- Gratuities to guide and driver.
ANY QUESTIONS?
This tour is tailor-made and we can tailor to meet your reqeusts. Your personal travel consultant will contact you within 24 working hours!
GREAT FAMILY CHINA TOUR
JULY 2024 We wanted to thank Grace at China Culture tour for organizing a great tour of China. We enjoyed our Beijing - Xian-Chengdu -Guilin -Yangshuo - Shanghai trip. Our local guides Bruce in Beijing, Susan in Xian, Jane in Chengdu, Mike in Guilin and Mary in Shanghai took care of us…read more details »
Teng Han L from SINGAPORE
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