How to visit Xiamen in the best way?
This 3 days tour is the most classic itinerary for your discovery of Xiamen’s city highlights with the best combo of Fujian Tulou World Cultural Heritage! In the 3 days, you’ll have one full day arriving in Xiamen in no hurry and discover this city on your own pace. You’ll first have a fantastic extensional discovery of Fujian Tulou to marvel at the “Four Dishes and a Soup” cluster scenery amongst rice terraces mountain, “King of Tulou’ and more well-known amazing earthen buildings scattered at lovely rural villages. For another full day, our guide will take you to explore Xiamen and tell you some interesting stories, so you’ll not only have a classic stroll at Gulangyu Island to admire those UNESCO World Heritage architectures left by various countries over 100 years ago, but also savor Xiamen’s island landscape at the colorful scenic Huandao Road and have a close look at the delicate traditional temple buildings with garden designs in peace. The rest time is free for departure off beautiful Xiamen!
Day 1 Xiamen Arrival
Airport / railway station pick up
Welcome to Xiamen, the Garden City on the Sea! Your local guide and driver will meet you at the arrival hall of Xiamen airport or railway stations and then escort you to your hotel at Xiamen downtown and help you with the check-in. The rest of today is on your own to explore this beautiful city.
Arrival Ideals: Xiamen has frequent daily flights from Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Xian, Kunming, etc. Besides, you can take a bullet train from Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Guilin, Fuzhou, Huangshan, and so on.
Evening Idea: take a leisure walk at Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street where you’ll appreciate lots of beautiful old arcade buildings in Chinese, Western and South Asian styles and also some local popular food for a good try!
Welcome to Xiamen
Day 2 Xiamen - Nanjing Tulou - Yongding Tulou- Xiamen (B, L)
Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, Yuchang Building, Taxia Village, Chengqi Building
After breakfast, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotels and then escort you to see the earthen buildings (Tulou) in Nanjing County with a 3-hour scenic drive. Nanjing Tulou is a key part of Fujian Tulou that are the traditional dwelling houses of Chinese Hakka people with round, square or rectangular appearance for living in family groups and have been listed as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2008.
First, walk up to the viewing platform to have a bird’s eye view of the must-see Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster from the best angle, which is the most famous earthen building cluster known as “Four Dishes and a Soup” with 3 round, 1 oval and 1 rectangular well preserved earthen building looking really like a set of meal on the natural tablecloth of the lush mountain an graceful rice terraces surrounding.
Next, go to discover Yuchang Building that was built during 1308-1338. It is the present oldest Tulou and the largest and highest round Tulou with highest floor height in Nanjing region. Also, it is famous as “Zigzag Building” because it looks about to totter with a maximum inclination of 15 degrees due to weather beats and earthquakes, however, it stands quite still till nowadays. Walk into this Tulou and closely look at the zigzag wooden pillars which have well supported such huge building for over 600 years.
Then, visit Taxia Village. With an “S” shaped stream floating across the entire village, two earthen buildings located just right on the two curves, and multiple big and small Tulou built along the banks, this village is reputed as a “Water Town of Taichi” with rich Tulou flavor. You will not miss Yude Building known as “Apron Building”, Deyuan Hall with outstanding sculptures of birds, beasts and flowers and also the 24 Hakka stone flagpoles beside the semilunar pond.
Then, drive to Gaobei Tulou Cluster in Yongding to explore Chengqi Building, which has been constructed for around half a century and is now more than 300 years old. Being the largest round Tulou with most circles in Yongding, it is reputed as the “King of Tulou” and has been printed on the national stamps in China in 1986. Walk in the huge earthen building with a diameter of 72 meters to admire its amazing design of 4 circles and 4 floors with circle in circle, which was in accordance to Bagua and reaches the highest level of Tulou construction.
After the visiting, your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel in Xiamen. Have a good sleep!
Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster
Yuchanglou (Zigzag Building)
Taxia Village
Chengqilou Interior Design
Day 3 Xiamen & Xiamen Departure (B, L)
Huandao Road, Nanputuo Temple, Gulangyu Island
Good morning! Your guide and driver will meet you at your hotels and then take you to have a classic discovery of the refreshing Xiamen City.
First, head to Huandao Road, which is the main track of Xiamen International Marathon belting Xiamen Island. This beautiful “golden coastal line” built along the sea is praised as “Five Colors Road’ with the blue sea, golden beaches, green grassland, red track and gray highway! Take a relaxing scenic walk on the wooden plank paths to savor the pleasant seascape and palm grove, walk by various interesting sculptures, enjoy sunshine at a quiet soft beach, inhale the little salty sea breeze and feel the strong ideal island charm of Xiamen City. (Optional Activity: If you want to bike along Huangdao Road to discover more beautiful places scattered along, please tell your guide, which needs extra charge.)
Next, go to visit Nanputuo Temple (South Putuo Temple) of more than 1,000 years old. Enter the temple to admire a grand cluster of Buddhist halls with flying eaves and yellow tiles standing layer by layer under century-old trees and against the emerald mountain and pray in front of the holy Buddhas. Meanwhile, immerse into the peaceful atmosphere with locals taking a break around the large lotus pond, traditional Chinese pavilions, corridors, etc.. Later, walk about 20 minutes up to Wulao Peak to have a terrific bird’s eye view of the beautiful Xiamen University, Xiamen Port and the nearby islets on the blue sea!
Then, take a 20-minutes’ ferry to Gulangyu Island from Xiamen downtown. It is the No.1 attraction in Xiamen and also a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage with dozens of precious historical architectures built by people from the UK, Italy, France, Spain, Japan, etc. during the Second Opium War, thus, this little island of 1.88 s.q.m wide is regarded as “International Architecture Museum” with relic sites of 13 embassies from 18th-19th centuries. Roam along the old alleys to appreciate those left sites of churches, mansions, villas, banks and museums telling the historical stories of Gulangyu. Walk up to the most famous Sunlight Rock and catch the wonderful panorama of the large group of red and pink Western styled architectures with dotted emerald trees. Then, go to discover the must-see Shuzhuang Garden that is the classic model of traditional Chinese garden on the sea. Take a leisure stroll amongst the twisty corridors, ancient halls with flying eaves and blue tiles, delicate pavilions, poetic gardens and ponds, etc. facing the shimmering sea and feel its traditional Chinese literal beauty contrasting to the western charm surrounding. Step into the outstanding Piano Museum which boasts an awesome collection of nearly 100 precious old pianos from all over the world for your worthy musical inspiration. Enjoy your architectural savory and then take the ferry back to Xiamen downtown.
After the tour, your guide and driver will escort you the airport/railway station to catch the flight or train to your next destination. Tour ends!
South Putuo Temple Buddhist Architecture
Xiamen University View from Wulao Peak
Sightseeing from Sunlight Rock
Shuzhuang Garden
1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in 4-star hotel and traveling with our private tour in low seasons.
2. This price is subject to change according your traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2023.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1=RMB 6.85. The final quote is based on current exchange rate. It may change according to the currency fluctuation, while the RMB quotation will be remained the same.
Hi Wonder,
We are safely back in Guangzhou. Wonderful experience. All the planned events were highlights and the little extra side trips were a plus. Thank you for all your careful planning.
Hi Leo,
This is a very short customised arrangement during which the China border is not fully opened yet.
China Discovery charges a premium though, but it delivered without fail.
The VOA is very new to even the custom officers who were on duty when I cleared the immigration check at Shenzhen as well as the HK side. I must say that the agent did his professional service by always on the call to allow on-site changes of my arrival time because immigration clearance was so unpredictable. I can be assured that someone is just outside the arrival hall to pick me up and, I could tell the immigration officer that my local contact person is just waiting outside to pick me once I am cleared with this new procedure.
It is always safer to have a local contact to guide you and make arrangements for your local transfer when language ( Cantonese instead of Mandarin) is a problem in China .
Thx for the service . Thx to Matt too.
Rgds
Rita,
thank you for your arrangement. The tour and logistics were really good. We are very happy and look forward to the next trip in China with your company.
Dear Jack,
I have tried to leave the following review with tripadvisor several times now but somehow it is not accepted, I do not know why.
"Just back from our 9-day trip to Yunnan, long planned and waited for. It was our second time with China Discovery Tours. Once again they tailored the tour according to our ideas and interests - and succeeded in surprising us! Thanks to the local guides we learned a lot about history, traditions and customs, and, of course, food. We always felt in safe hands and the organization was just perfect with enough on spot flexibility. Big thanks to Jack who figured it all out so well and to the next time with China Discovery! Johannes (GER) & Elizabeth (GRC)"
Thanks again for an excellent trip, best regards, Johannes&Elizabeth
Hi Jack!
It's was great, we loved it! Our tour guide Frank was very kind, informative, and funny :) We loved how easy it was and how much we got to see in a day, I will definitely recommend to our friends!
We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years
"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.
Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.
Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!
After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.
Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.
We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.
Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.
Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.
Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!
Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!
Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.
Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!
In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!
The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.
If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.
Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.
We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.
The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.
There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.
All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!
Welcome to Xiamen
Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster
Yuchanglou (Zigzag Building)
Taxia Village
Chengqilou Interior Design
South Putuo Temple Buddhist Architecture
Xiamen University View from Wulao Peak
Sightseeing from Sunlight Rock
Shuzhuang Garden
Our private Xiamen tour package ensures the highest standards for our guests with greater flexibility, better comfort and personalized service so you can experience Xiamen the way you have always dreamt of it to be. You can decide how your time should be spent and the pace in which your tour is conducted, while we can help maximize every minute of your journey to let you enjoy your Xiamen vacation to the absolute fullest. Before the tour, you will enjoy an efficient one-on-one travel consulting service provided one of our knowledgeable Xiamen experts who will give reliable suggestions and propose ideal tour package for you. During the tour, you will have your very own personal guide, with a private vehicle and chauffeur, exclusively serving for your party - nobody else. So please do not hesitate to explore Xiamen with our private tour now!
Xiamen applies to the 144-Hour Transit Visa Exemption. Visitor from 53 foreign countries who hold valid travel document & connecting flights to a third country/region can enter Xiamen from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Xiamen Wutong Ferry Terminal, and Xiamen International Cruise Center, and stay in Xiamen up to 144 hours (6 days) without a Chinese Visa. However, since this policy does not apply to visiting to Fujian Tulou, Mount Wuyi and Xiapu near Xiamen, we advise you to apply for a China Tourist Visa (L Visa) before coming to China so that you can travel in a more secure and flexible way. China Discovery can provide you the invitation letter so that you can obtain the visa with bigger chance while least time.
Xiamen belongs to the subtropical monsoon climate zone with mild and pleasant weather all year around. With an annual average temperature around 21, Xiamen is suitable to visit any time of a year, especially spring and autumn. Winter is also a popular season to spend a warm holiday in Xiamen. However, typhoon usually occur in summer from July to September.
What to wear in spring? Light sweater, long sleeves and pants; What to wear in summer? Shorts, shirts, skirts and hats; What to wear in autumn? T-shirts, thin sweaters, long pants and light jackets or coats; What to wear in winter? Warm sweaters, jeans and thin overcoats. Sunblock and rain gear are recommended anytime.
Xiamen has some international flights from Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Amsterdam, Bangkok, etc. and frequent daily flights with major domestic cities such as Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Kunming, Lijiang, etc. Besides, it serves bullet trains with Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Huangshan, Fuzhou, etc. Within 6 hours.
Xiamen offers plenty of accommodations from luxury 5-star hotels to budget inns and boutique hotels. Siming District is most popular for travelers. Xiamen Lundu Port and the surrounding is best to take Gulangyu ferries and travel around Zhongshan Road; Zengcuoao and Huandao Road is good to find boutique hotels and enjoy sea landscape; Yundang Lake area is the best place for abundant luxury hotel choices including many international brands; Xiamen University surrounding is best to stay closer to top attractions on Xiamen Island.
Xiamen city area including Gulangyu Island is suitable to explore in brief 1-2 days, while there are lots of surrounding places worthy to discover, such as Fujian Tulou, Mount Wuyi, etc. If time allows, you can enrich your trip with extensions to the above places, with each place needing about 2 days to explore. Besides, Fuzhou and Quanzhou near Xiamen are also popular to seek Fujian culture and history. You can tell us to customize a tour to visit all places to want to go!
Xiamen / Nanjing Tulou / Yongding Tulou / Xiamen / Wuyishan
Xiamen / Nanjing Tulou / Yongding Tulou / Xiamen
Xiamen / Nanjing Tulou / Xiamen
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“Very good experience”
“WONDERFUL 25 DAYS IN CHINA - PRIVATE TOUR”
“Awesome China tour from northeast to southwest”
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