China
Guangzhou, FoShan, Hailing Island, Kaiping
Day 1: Welcome to Guangzhou, one of China’s largest and most influential cities. After your arrival in this provincial capital, check in to your hotel and get some of Guangzhou’s wonderful cuisine—arguably the best in China. During your time in Guangzhou, consider the Guangzhou Restaurant, an old favorite that we have been visiting for more than 30 years. All the food in this nostalgic place is deliciously prepared, but make sure to have dim sum at least once. Some of our favorites include spring rolls, turnip cakes, Ha Gau, Siu Mai, Cha Siu Bau, and Siu Long Bau. Be sure to try to get a seat with a view of the beautiful atrium garden.
Day 1: Welcome to Guangzhou, one of China’s largest and most influential cities. After your arrival in this provincial capital, check in to your hotel and get some of Guangzhou’s wonderful cuisine—arguably the best in China. During your time in Guangzhou, consider the Guangzhou Restaurant, an old favorite that we have been visiting for more than 30 years. All the food in this nostalgic place is deliciously prepared, but make sure to have dim sum at least once. Some of our favorites include spring rolls, turnip cakes, Ha Gau, Siu Mai, Cha Siu Bau, and Siu Long Bau. Be sure to try to get a seat with a view of the beautiful atrium garden.
Day 2: Start your first full day off right with some good dim sum or by visiting a local bakery. Guangzhou has many small bakeries, so try a few and find a favorite. Some of our most loved baked goods include pineapple buns, cocktail buns, egg custard tarts, Portuguese (cream custard) tarts, coconut tarts, and fruit tarts. After stuffing your face with delicious treats, walk some of it off at Shamian Island, the spot where foreign dignitaries established themselves in the 19th Century. There aren’t any major sights here, but it is a pleasant walk through the prettiest part of the old town. From here, take a taxi, bus, or Guangzhou’s clean and efficient subway to the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall. One of the top sights in the city, this combination temple and school was built in the 19th Century by Chen family members throughout the province. The large complex is built in the southern Chinese style of its day with many fine artistic renderings. For dinner, try another of Guangzhou’s fine eateries like Panxi Restaurant. While the prices are higher here, you will not be disappointed as the food is beautifully prepared with an inventive flair. Next to the restaurant, there is a convenient shopping area for souvenirs that offers a nice after-dinner stroll along the river.
Day 3: After breakfast, make your way to Yuexiu Park where we will spend the day touring the nearby sights. Start your tour by seeing the statue of the Five Rams, an icon of the city. Nearby, a 600-year-old watchtower stands guard over the Guangzhou City Museum, which contains worthwhile exhibits depicting the long history of the city. While we’ve seen a lot already today, we saved the best for last. A short walk from the park is the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, a tomb of a Han Dynasty ruler which was discovered only in 1983. This modern museum holds priceless burial objects including the highlight, a king’s jade burial suit. If you still have some time left in the day, consider a visit to one of Guangzhou’s nearby Buddhist temples. The ancient Temple of Six Banyan Trees is very popular and is a very worthwhile visit for its symmetrical, eye-pleasing pagoda. After a busy day seeing some fantastic sights, treat yourself to more great Cantonese cuisine. You might consider one of the city’s newcomers, a very popular restaurant called YuDian.
Day 4: After another breakfast of delightful Cantonese treats, take your preferred transportation method to the New Guangdong Museum in the gleaming part of the new town section of Guangzhou. Nestled among the modern skyscrapers of this part of the city, sits this excellent (and free) museum. While the design of the museum is modern, the treasures inside are classic. The museum’s exhibits include exquisite wood carvings and finely crafted porcelain. Next to the museum is the ultramodern Guangzhou Opera House. If you're interested, consider a tour or just admire the curvaceous building from the outside. If you have time left in your day, consider one of the sights above you may have missed or take a walk through more of the new town before dinner.
Day 5: Today, take a short day trip outside of the city but still within the metro area to the city of FoShan, which can be reached via the subway system. Your first stop in FoShan is the famous Zumiao Temple, which celebrates both Taoist and Confucian beliefs as well as native martial arts masters Wong Fei Hung and Ip Man. There are also dance and Kung Fu performances. From Zumiao, nearby Liang Garden makes a nice stop to experience a southern Chinese classical style garden replete with koi ponds and arboreal delights. After some lunch, take a short taxi or bus ride to the Nanfeng Ancient Kiln Artists’ Village, a famous area where for hundreds of years Ming Dynasty porcelain was produced in the two “dragon” kilns. The giant elongated kilns snaking up the hillside are fun to poke your head into, and there are also master craftsman who provide free demonstrations around the village. Take your time here to stroll through the workshops to observe the crafts and artists. After a great daytrip, make your way back to Guangzhou for another delicious dinner.
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Day 6: Today, you’ll need to check out of your hotel because you’re going to a beach resort on Hailing Island. It will, however, take a little time and effort to get there. While you could hire a car, it is far cheaper to take a bus to the city of Zhapo on Hailing Island (over 4 hours with a connection). From Zhapo, you can take a short taxi ride to the island’s truly first class resort area. There are several resorts to choose from on the island, but we enjoyed our time at the striking Crowne Plaza. If you are visiting in the summer, you’ll likely be sharing the resort with hordes of locals from around the province, but if you come in mid-fall, you will probably feel like you own the place. The beach is just through the well-manicured grounds of the resort and is worth a walk for the fresh ocean breezes, but the surf here is rough and the silt-laden water is not very clear. The real highlight of the region, besides the gorgeous views of the sea and verdant hills, is the Maritime Silk Road Museum of Guangdong. It may seem like a long trip just to visit a museum with a long name, but this is not any museum. Enclosed within the museum is an 800-year-old ship full of Song Dynasty merchandise that sank offshore not far from the museum. The ship was transported as a whole to its resting spot within a glass enclosure in the center of the museum, where the entire ship and the current archaeological work is visible to museum visitors. The museum also has great exhibits about the ship, its cargo, and the Maritime Silk Road, along which Chinese ships plowed the ocean selling their wares through Southeast Asia, India, and even Africa. After a long (but exciting) day, sink your teeth into some of the wonderful seafood available on the island at your resort or back in Zhapo.
Day 7: It is going to be hard to tear yourself away from the gorgeous resort, but another full day awaits. After a good breakfast at the resort, pack your bags for a day of sightseeing along the journey back to Guangzhou. The Guangzhou Province has just one UNESCO World Heritage site, but it happens to be along the route back to Guangzhou near the city of Kaiping. You can get to Kaiping by bus, but to save time, it may make more sense to hire a private driver for the day. The UNESCO site is called the Kaiping Diaolou and Villages. Diaolou are towers that were built by wealthy families in the area as watchtowers and as protection from bandits. Some of the towers are quite opulent for the times they were built, often using Western architectural styles and could be best described as defensive mansions. The money to build such palaces often came from Chinese who had gone overseas to make money in the 19th Century. Many diaolou have already collapsed or were taken down, but a few clusters have been preserved and restored in the Kaiping area. A combination ticket to all the sites is available at the Zili or Li Garden sites. If you have the time, visit both of the aforementioned sites as well as the nearby village of Majianglong, which has a lived-in-village feel that is lacking at the other sites. Food is available in the villages, but you could also pack a lunch. After your tour, make your way to Kaiping for the bus ride back to Guangzhou and a well-deserved night sleep.
Day 8: Our tour of Guangzhou and this fascinating region is at an end. If you have time, you might also consider taking a few days to visit glitzy Hong Kong and Macao, which are well-connected to Guangzhou. But for now, Guangzhou’s charm, history, and culinary delights are part of you and are begging to be shared with others.
Beijing, Great Wall
Day 1: Arrive in China’s great capital and drop off your luggage at your hotel before exploring the ancient streets. You’re sure to find your way to the Hutongs—more traditional Chinese houses on narrow roads that are filled with character and offer you a taste of Chinese culture. When you’ve finished wandering through these neighborhoods, return to your hotel for the night. Day 2: Get ready for a day filled with some of Beijing’s most famous sites beginning with Tiananmen Square. The name means Gate of Heavenly Peace, but it seems as though this square has been anything but peaceful throughout the ages. In the square, you’ll find the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. People come from all around the world to get a glimpse at the preserved body of the former dictator of China. Then follow the giant portrait of Mao Zedong to the entrance to the Forbidden City, which became the imperial palace during the Ming Dynasty and is truly a sight to behold. The palace is extensive with numerous buildings and rooms built for an emperor. Afterwards, climb up Jing Shan, near the exit of the Forbidden City, for some breathtaking views of the palace and the rest of Beijing. Take a moment to rest and take in the scene before heading down and getting dinner (maybe some famous Peking Duck) and retiring for the night. Day 3: Make sure to bring great walking shoes to walk up the Great Wall. It’s a bit of a drive—70km to the closest point from Beijing—so plan to leave early in order to beat the crowds and midday heat. If you book a tour to the Great Wall, a visit to the Ming Tombs will probably be included. The arrival is announced by the twelve sets of stone animals that line the road up to the tombs where 13 of the 16 Ming Emperors are buried. Day 4: Spend the morning touring the exquisite Temple of Heaven where ancient emperors performed sacred ceremonial rites every year. At the circular Echo Wall, one person can stand on one side and whisper into the wall, and a person on the other side of the circle can hear what is being whispered. Afterwards, make your way to Beihai Park—known for its artificial hills, pavilions, and temples. It is one of the best examples of a classical Chinese garden. Day 5: On your last day, tour the Summer Palace. This immense park surrounds Kunming Lake and contains magnificent Qing dynasty architecture. You’ll see from its beautiful design that it has long been a garden for royalty. The Summer Palace is a great way to end your trip before heading home. |