9 Days South China Tour for Seniors

Welcome to Hangzhou! Upon arrival, you will be met by your local guide and driver, and then transferred to the hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may explore the nearby areas if you want. Or just have a relaxing time after a long flight.

Meal: No

Altitude: 19m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Hangzhou

The journey today will begin from the West Lake, a fabulous place for photography because of its natural beauty. Suggest you rent a bicycle or take a boat to enjoy the beautiful views of lake and surrounding mountains. Then go to view fish at flower pond, hang out for 30 minutes or 1 hour to see the sight of brightly colorful fish swimming around and listen the brisk melody of chirpy birdsong. Then pay a visit to the Leifeng Pagoda, which is one of the Ten Views of the West Lake, and become famous because of “White Snake” legend. Later visit Liuhe Pagoda which is located at the foot of Yuelun Hill facing the Qiantangjiang River. You will have an impressive experience in taking in the ancient Chinese architecture.

Meal: B

Altitude: 19m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Hangzhou

Start a fresh day by visiting the famous Hangzhou Song Dynasty Town. Give me a day, give you a thousand years! Hangzhou Song Dynasty Town is a scenic spot that crosses ancient and modern times and subverts imagination. Twenty theaters and hundreds of performances can’t be finished in one day. There is always one that suits you.

Then, head to the LingYin Temple, where you can pray for best luck and have a spiritual trip. It is adjacent to the West Lake and the earliest Buddhist temple in China and one of the ten ancient temples in China, with many exquisite cultural relics of various dynasties. Here, you can also admire the great art treasures and masterpieces, and the fantastic scenery around the temple.

Afterwards, we will take a high speed train to visit the beautiful city – Suzhou.

Meal: B

Altitude: 5m

Traffic: Car, High Speed Train

Hotel: In Suzhou

In the early morning, we first head up to the amazing Lingering Garden, which was built in the year of 1593 Ming Dynasty , the garden was selected to be one of the first batch of places enjoying the status of the key cultural and historical relic site under state-level protection. It has been known as one of the “Four Famous Classic Gardens”, and was included in UNESCO’s the World Cultural Heritage List in 1997. The year 2010 witnessed the garden added to the list of national 5A-level scenic areas.

Then, move to Pan Gate Ancient City Wall, one of the eight gates of the capital of Wu Kingdom. As a landmark of the ancient city of Suzhou, Pan Gate is the only existing ancient parallel city gate for both land and water in China. The final stop is Tiger Hill. According to the Historical Records, the King of Wu Helu was buried on the hill, called then “the Hill Emerging from the Sea”. The legend goes that three days after his burial a white tiger appeared squatting on the hill.The Yunyan Temple Pagoda and the Sword Pool are well-known features of the hill.

Meal: B

Altitude: 5m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Suzhou

In the morning, firstly drive to visit the Qili Shantang, which is located in the northwest of the ancient city of Suzhou, and was a bustling place in ancient Suzhou, just like Wangfujing in Beijing and Pudong in Shanghai today. In addition, It was built by Bai Juyi, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty, when he was appointed governor of Suzhou. It has a history of more than 1100 years. Meanwhile, it was once one of the most developed commercial and cultural neighborhoods in China during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, known as “the first ancient street in China”, “the epitome of Old Suzhou and the window of Wu culture”. The Shantang street is full of artistic atmosphere and it is a perfect place for taking some nice photos. You can also find a tea house tp have a cup of Chinese tea as well as enjoy a Pingtan to feel the traditional culture of old Suzhou. 

After spending a wonderful time by visiting the Qili Shantang, head to the airport to catch the flight for the Guangzhou. After arriving in the Guangzhou, have a good rest in your hotel.

Meal: B

Altitude: 11m

Traffic: Car, Plane

Hotel: In Guangzhou

In the morning, you will enjoy a tour to Shamian Island and the Beijing Road Pedestrian Street. Shamian Island is a historical area that serves as a tranquil reminder of the colonial period. Stroll along the quiet pedestrian avenues flanked by trees to learn some historical stories of those old buildings. Later, take a food exploration at Beijing Road. Lively, crowded and fast-paced, Beijing Road is a busy commercial street in central Guangzhou. It has been the city’s main thoroughfare throughout much of its history. In this car-free area there are many shops to explore, including designer boutiques, jewelers, bookstores, supermarkets and stores that sell locally produced goods such as embroidery, sculptures and herbal teas. Heritage sites of this city can be found here covering by glasses.

Then, pay a visit to the Shishi Sacred Heart Cathedral, which is the grandest and most distinctive cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Guangzhou, one of the grandest existing twin spire Gothic buildings in the country, is the largest stone structure Catholic building in Southeast Asia. Designed by French designers and built by Chinese artisans. It is one of the four all-stone Gothic church buildings in the world, comparable to the world-famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. There are 10 huge stone columns on the left and right sides of the church, and the sharp rising arch design makes the whole church feel ascending. The middle of the roof is high and the two sides are low, showing an undulating situation, rendering a solemn religious atmosphere.

Next, go to enjoy the incredible night scenery of Canton Tower. The main body of Guangzhou Tower is 454 meters high, the antenna mast is 146 meters high, and the total height is 600 meters. It is a national AAAA level tourist attraction. You can have a panoramic view of the Guangzhou city from the top of the incredible tower, and take some fantastic shots. If you like, you can try some entertainment items such as Ferris Wheel and Spiderman Walkway, etc.

Meal: B

Altitude: 11m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Guangzhou

In the morning, meet your guide at hotel, we’ll drive from Guangzhou to Foshan. It is a vital part of Guangdong province, and known for its long history, martial arts, lion dance, etc. First, we’ll go to visit the holy Foshan Ancestral Temple, which is one of the must-visit destination in Foshan. At the same time, it attracts tons of visitors every year because of its well-preserved ancient construction complex and its abundant folk culture. Besides, the temple was first built in the Song Dynasty, in the Yuanfeng Era (1078-1085). There are various folk culture activities such as Lion Dance, Cantonese Opera, Foshan Martial Art Performance, etc. 

The second stop is Liang Garden, which was built in 1796. The Garden is a traditional private garden belonging to Liang’s family. The builders are uncles and nephews of the family. Here you can see pagodas, sculptures, lakes with fine gardens of trees and flowers.

In the afternoon, we’ll take a high speed train from Foshan to Xiamen for overnight stay.

Meal: B

Altitude: 63m

Traffic: Car, High Speed Train

Hotel: In Xiamen

Xiamen is a magical city that attracts tons of visitors from home and abroad every year. After having breakfast, head to visit the World Heritage Site – Gulangyu Island, which is facing Xiamen Island across the sea, the Sunlight Rock is the highest point. With the development of Xiamen, Gulangyu Island has become a comprehensive island scenic cultural tourism area integrating sightseeing, vacation, tourism, shopping, leisure and entertainment, etc. Shuzhuang Garden, Sunlight Rock, and Haoyue Garden are some popular scenic spots. In addition, there are many old buildings with different styles, which are suitable for taking a walk, staring into space, and enjoying life quietly.

Then, go to the famous Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street, which is the oldest commercial street in Xiamen, and people often come here to buy gifts, souvenirs, etc. Besides, there will be exhibitions and sales activities every holiday. The buildings here are all shop-houses, with pink and milky white as the main colors, with a strong South Asian flavor. The colorful night scene and the dazzling array of Fujian and Taiwan snacks are also a major feature of Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street. You can spend time here as much as you want and take some nice shots as well as try some delicious local food and snacks.

Meal: B

Altitude: 63m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Xiamen

After breakfast, your driver and local guide will take you to the airport or railway station for your next trip or home. Tour ends. 

Meal: B

Altitude: 63m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: No