HAINAN ISLAND TO SHANGHAI CRUISE AND TOUR PACKAGES

Enjoy the day relaxing at your 5 star hotel or explore Hainan Island at leisure or you can take the opportunity to join an optional half day city tour of Haikou including a famous Hainan chicken dinner (not included).

Optional tour add-on

The first stop is Wugong Temple, an ancient architectural complex of temples and surrounding buildings. Next, visit Qilou Old Street, one of the most famous historic Chinese streets. With origins dating back around 2,000 years to ancient Greece, the arcade architecture was introduced to Haikou in the 1820s. It features a stylish fusion of European and Asian architecture, as well as Indian and Arabic influences. It’s certainly the most impressive example of arcade architecture in all of China. The last stop is Hainan Museum where you will get to see cultural relics and learn about the history of Hainan and minority nationalities. End the day with a famous Hainan Chicken dinner with a local beer.

Begin your exploration of Beijing at Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City. As the largest city square in the world, Tiananmen Square is the first “must-see” tourist attraction for Chinese and foreign visitors. The Forbidden City, actually a “nick-name” for the Imperial Palace, was the political center of China for almost 600 years, during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Then, visit a Pearl Factory to learn more about Chinese fresh pearl. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure or join an optional Hutong Rickshaw tour.

Optional tour add-on

The Hutong Rickshaw tour includes a rickshaw ride and lunch with a local family. The narrow alleyways lined by courtyard residences will give you an insider’s look into the lives of local families.

Launch into an exciting experience with a visit to China’s historic symbol – the Great Wall, a monumental feat of ancient Chinese engineering. Once you set foot on the wall, you'll have a new sense of appreciation for one of the longest, oldest and most labour-intensive projects in mankind’s history.

Optional tour add-on

In the evening, you can choose to watch the Golden Mask Dynasty show, a large-scale Chinese musical drama playing at the OCT Theatre in Beijing Happy Valley. An original Chinese play produced by Chinese playwrights, directors and designers, the play features Chinese dances, acrobatics, costumes, and lighting and acoustics. It is an ancient fairytale legend about a beautiful Golden Mask Queen, her love story that ensues with the Blue Mask King and her self-sacrifice for the well-being of the dynasty.

Take a visit to Beijing Zoo, home to around 450 different species and has a population of some 5,000 animals, but it is most famous for its diverse collection of giant pandas. Then make a stop at “Tongrentang” to learn more about traditional Chinese medicine before transferring to Beijing Railway Station for a high speed rail journey to Suzhou (approx 4.5 hours).

Suzhou, which dates back to 514 BC, is sometimes called the "Venice of the East". In Suzhou, you'll visit the famous Lingering Garden which is renowned as a classical Chinese garden and it is recognised with other classical Suzhou gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. China is known for its silk, so of course a visit to the Silk Spinning Factory is in order. Then you will take a 2 hour coach ride from Suzhou to Hangzhou, where the 2016 G20 Summit was held in September 2016.

You'll start an amazing day with a small boat ride on the West Lake another UNESCO World Heritage Site, which reveals the ethereal beauty of Hangzhou's willow draped islands. Hangzhou is considered the tea capital of China, so a visit to the city just isn’t complete without a trip to a local tea house. Make a special visit to the Tea House at Meijiawu Tea Village located at the hinterland of West Lake Park which is considered one of the most important Longjing tea productions in China. Enjoy the natural environment and beautiful village scenery while learning more about their special tea culture and how to appreciate the sophisticated taste and aroma of Longjing tea. At the Tea House, learn how to make the Longjing Tea including tea leaves picking, frying and tasting.

Later, you will take a 2 hour coach ride from Hangzhou to Shanghai to visit the famous Bund. The Bund is a five-block riverfront promenade with many of Shanghai's banks and trading houses. Shanghai is divided by the Huang Pu River into eastern and western sections. Modern mega high rises are seen on the eastern side while traditional European style architecture may be seen on the western side.

Optional tour add-on

In the evening, you can choose to watch a superb and thrilling Chinese Acrobatic show "ERA: The Intersection of Time".

Take a step back in time at the Shanghai Museum with more than 120,000 art objects on show. You'll then be free to enjoy some leisure time in the afternoon or join an optional half-day tour of Shanghai.

Optional tour add-on