Fujian Cultural and Scenic Tour
5-Day Xiamen, Tulou and Wuyi Mountain Tour
Take time out for a rich five-day cultural and scenic tour in Fujian. You will see two World Heritage sites - Tianluokeng tulou cluster (Hakka Earthen Building) and Wuyishan Mountain. Enjoy beautiful Gulangyu Island, see the tulou, one of China's communal residence treasures, discover the mysterious and interesting ancient Fujian culture and the Danxia Landform of Wuyishan (Mount Wuyi), and float down Jiuqu Stream (Nine Twists River).
Highlights
- See the Tulou World Cultural Heritage site.
- Visit beautiful Gulangyu Island and Xiamen.
- Have a sea food lunch.
- Hike on Wuyi Mountain, the World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, to learn ancient Fujian culture, and see Danxia Landform around Wuyi Mountains.
- Float down the Nine Twisted River (Jiuqu Stream).
98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+
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Great tours!
I had an amazing two trips on the Great Wall and the Forbidden City with the guide Ivy during my stay in China. She was very helpful and answered all of our questions with an enthusiastic approach. I have nothing to say but to highly recommend the trips they offer on the Great Wall hiking/camping and also the in-depth Forbidden City tour! Thank you Ivy and China Highlights. more
May 2023,
Serhat Altay
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Amazing First Time to Beijing with China Highlights
Tom, my private tour guide was there when I landed and accompanied me all the way through to sending me off at the airport after check-in at the end of my trip. Zhao the driver, who also did all the driving during my trip, was calm, confident and knowledgeable in taking us around. Both Tom and Zhao were punctual too. The Great Wall of China Hike I wanted to do started in a very remote, unrestored part of the wall. This would not had been possible without Tom problem solving many issues we had on the way up and I could not have done this on my own a a foreigner. It was well worth the effort and probably the highlight of my trip.The remainder of the tour around Tiananmen Square, Forbidden Kingdom and The Temple of Heaven was paired with a detailed commentary by Tom of which I learnt a lot. more
May 2023,
Munsie
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Beijing - city of surprises
A fantastic guide was waiting for us - Jack, who told all the stories with passion and commitment. He also fulfilled those wishes that were not in the plan. I highly recommend visiting Beijing with this guide. more
May 2023,
Joanna i Piotr Kuzebscy
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Liu Yuan was a superb guide and a lot…
Liu Yuan was a superb guide and a lot of fun to spend time with during my first visit to Beijing. It was a wonderful intensive three days. more
May 2023,
Pam S.
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Great weather and a good trip out with Lily!
Many thanks to my guide Lily for customising the trip to make it as efficient and enjoyable as possible. She arranged to start an hour earlier to beat the crowd and I got to enjoy the Great Wall before the crowd streamed in and while the weather was cool. I requested to switch the next attraction to visit from Temple of Heaven to Ming Tomb and she not only accommodated the prompt request, but made all the necessary arrangements even before the trip coordinator managed to reply! Kudos! Our driver was jovial and friendly, always on top of traffic conditions and took detours to beat slow moving traffic. Hassle free day and I wouldn’t have been able to cover the two attractions so easily and comfortably without them! more
May 2023,
Meibao
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This was our first time traveling to Beijing
This was our first time traveling to China, so we really wanted to experience some of the major historical sights of Beijing together with a tour guide. Our itinerary was very carefully planned out according to our interests and tailored to our needs. First, we went camping on the Great Wall and hiked from Jiankou to Mutianyu, and the next day we got an in-depth tour of the Forbidden City as well as a tour of the Temple of Heaven and a taiji experience in the gardens. Our tour guide, Ivy, was truly wonderful in preparing and organizing our personalized itinerary. She is very friendly and knowledgeable, and she was always able and willing to answer all of our questions. Ivy provided us with a truly amazing first visit to China and I would warmly recommend China Highlights for everyone who wishes to travel to China and I would especially recommend Ivy as a tour guide for your trips! more
May 2023,
Annalina Wheeler
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Tom is the BEST tour guide EVER!
Just had the most AMAZING tour with Tom. He was beyond knowledgeable, so generous with his time and made me feel so at ease which was super important as I am travelling by myself. Thank you Tom for the best day-you have totally made my China trip a fabulous experience, one I will never forget! more
May 2023,
SHARRYN HINCHLIFFFE
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Superb service and wonderful time in Beijing
Superb service from Jack who were with us for 4 wonderful days in Beijing. Jack was clearly knowledgeable about the history and able to deliver insight information to us about places. He was also kind and accommodating to my mother who has bad knees. Both China Highlights and Jack were flexible about the itinerary to ensure that we enjoy the best of Beijing. We'll definitely use China Highlights' services again for our next trip to China. more
May 2023,
Chani
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Amazing Trip
First time booking a trip with China Highlights and was fortunate to have Sunny as my private tour guide. We went to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall, then arrived and walked around Gubei Water Town, and then visited the Simatai portion of the Great Wall at night. Was a very enjoyable trip as we were able to see a night time drone show in the sky, ride a private boat through the canals of the Gubei Water Town, and eat a delicious lunch at a local restaurant along the way. Sunny is super knowledgeable when it comes to the history of the Great Wall and took the time to explain various interesting facts and stories which made the trip very meaningful. The driver we had was also a very nice man who was always on time and eager to help. Was an unforgettable experience and would highly recommend Sunny and China Highlights :) more
May 2023,
Allen C
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Tour to the great wall from the airport
My guide Tom was ver kind and knowlegable, he explained everything to me about the great wall and even went out of his way to help me the next day at Bejings downtown! amazing service!!! thank you so much Tom! more
May 2023,
Fer Villasefior
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Great tour, fantastic guide!
This tour was fantastic! I loved hearing about the history of the Forbidden City and admiring the views at the Great Wall. William was a fantastic tour guide. We were a group of families with several young children, and he was very accommodating and flexible with timing and arrangements. I totally recommend this tour and William as a guide! more
May 2023,
Ryan Corless
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Four excellent sightseeing days in Beijing
We had wonderful four days in Beijing. The entire trip was tailored exactly to our wishes. From experiencing local food, to exploring the major sites of the city up to hiking the great wall of China. Additionally, we had two amazing guides Ina and Fan taking care of all the tickets and coordination required. Also, they could not only tell us everything about the sights we visited and give us an insight to local customs and traditions, but they did so in perfect German. The chauffeur service from Mr Chang was also excellent, getting us from A to B without any hazzle. The past couple of days were one of the most carefree trips we have had so far. more
May 2023,
Katha
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Great tour from William
Great tour organized by China highlights, our tour guide was William - his knowledge was impressive, his English was great and he was always on time. We did the four day tour including the wall and forbidden city - would definitely recommend to anyone looking for an English tour guide. more
Apr 2023,
Lawrence
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Beijing 2 day private tour
The tour itself was great, private driver to and from, my guide Ivy was great English speaking guide. She was very knowledgeable and passionate about her country. Was a great time exploring the Great Wall of china and then my second day did a city tour (forbidden city, hutong tour, summer palace). Felt extremely safe, and was confident having an English guide. Thank you china highlights. (Provide them what you want and they’ll make it happen). Prices are reasonable as I looked at a few places but for private tour, my own schedule, and confidence of getting around safely you can’t go wrong. more
Apr 2023,
Mark
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Very enjoyable
Everything was to the vest standard, the history all very well explained by the Tour Guide in Beijing, Ivy. Really enjoyed it, and appreciated the time. more
Apr 2023,
Jonathan
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Amazing Beijing Experience
I had an amazing time in Beijing and glad Tom was my tour guide. He went above and beyond and I’m truly grateful. Tom did all that he could to ensure my stay in Beijing for two days was pleasant and thanks to him, I say that it was. The driver was also nice and courteous, I called him Jon. The company is blessed to have a good tour guide like Tom on their team so if you are planning to come down to Beijing, make sure you ask for Tom. Thank you Christy and Kimmy for replying all my emails with questions that I had. more
Apr 2023,
Pedro V
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Great experience
We had a great experience with China Highlights and Roger was highly efficient and helpful planning our itinerary exactly how we needed. more
Apr 2023,
Brenda Sarmanho
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Excellent service and tour guide!!
Excellent service and communication from the travel agent Roger Li and amazing tour and experience of Great Wall of China from our tour guide Amber. Highly recommended! more
Apr 2023,
Evangelos Athanasopoulos
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Maggie was such a tremendous help for…
Maggie was such a tremendous help for our recent Beijing trip. Very prompt and helpful in helping us plan and adjust/amend to our requests. more
Apr 2023,
Hi
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HK-Beijing-Wuhan-Guilin-HK
We travelled first to Beijing for a few days before moving on to Wuhan for the wedding and then for a few days in Guilin along with my son and daughter in law. It was a great trip and all went smothly with the help of the guides we had along the way. William in Beijing and Jenny in Guilin were excellent. Chas in HK was also very helpful in getting us to the right place and the right time to fly home. more
Apr 2023,
Alan Harris
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Suggested Itinerary
Your knowledgeable guide and driver will meet you outside of the airport or railway station. They will transfer you directly to the hotel in Xiamen. You can have a rest in the hotel or explore on your own. Ask your private guide for tips.
Acommadation
Stay overnight in Xiamen
Days Hotel & Suites Mingfa Xiamen (4-star)
Pan Pacific Xiamen (5-star)
You will spend a whole day discovering Xiamen — the most leisurely city in China — and Gulangyu Island.
Your Xiamen discovery will start with a visit of South Putuo Temple, first built in the Tang Dynasty (618—907). It is famous for its collection of Buddhist cultural relics, such as a Burmese jade carving of the Buddha, and some important Buddhist texts. Climbing up Wulao Peak, you can enjoy a bird's eye-view of Xiamen University and Xiamen Port.
Have a sea food lunch near the Gulangyu Island.
Then you will head to Gulangyu Island. On your way to Gulangyu Island, you will stop off to visit Hulishan Fortress, with architecture mainly integrating the styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and built in 1891. Hulishan Fortress is famous for having both the biggest and smallest cannons in the world. There are many ancient military structures and weapons, such as the emplacement, the barracks, the castle, the trench, double-edged swords, and firelocks.
You will take a 10-minute ferry to the island. Have a leisurely stroll around Gulangyu Island to appreciate old consulates, churches and other European-style buildings, which were built by colonists in the early 20th century. Browse the boutiques to pick up an interesting souvenir, such as a hand-drawn map or a handicraft. You will visit two attractions on the island: Sunlight Rock Park and Shuzhuang Garden and take electromobiles.
Good to know:
- If you want to spend the night on Gulangyu, you can notice your travel advisor.
- During the high season, you may have to wait 10 to 20 minutes to board a ferry.
Acommadation
Days Hotel & Suites Mingfa Xiamen (4-star)
Pan Pacific Xiamen (5-star)
After breakfast in Xiamen, you will be transferred to the Tinluokeng tulou in Nanjing County, which takes about three hours. Lunch in Tianluokeng.
Located in Shangban Village, Shuyang Town, Tianluokeng Tulou, composed primarily of four round and one rectangular earthen buildings, is one of the most magnificent and well-preserved Hakka castles. The village is also listed as one of the 'Famous Historic Cultural Villages in China' for its special culture and architecture.
Then, you will head west towards Taxia Village which is a distinctive Hakka village located in the valley of Nanjing County. It was built in 1426 during the Ming Dynasty by the Zhang family, and many famous overseas Chinese people can trace their history to this village. It is listed as one of the 15 most beautiful villages in China.
Hakka people were from the central plain area of China, where is the cradle of Chinese civilization. They value family unity, so Hakka people build their big tulou houses for the whole family living together. They also value Ba Gua which is the most holy culture symbol in ancient China, so Hakka people build tulou based on the complex Ba Gua which guides them in choosing where to build tulou and many other aspects. Ba Gua also affects all Chinese people today on policy, culture, architecture, phylosophy and so on.
After your Tulou clusters discovery, you will be transferred back to Xiamen in order to prepare for the next tour to Wuyi Mountain.
Good to Know: From April to November, you may pick tea in a local tea plantation and may take them home with you. You may also taste the red tea that has already been prepared by the local farmers.
Acommadation
Days Hotel & Suites Mingfa Xiamen (4-star)
Pan Pacific Xiamen (5-star)
Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the railway station in Xiamen. It takes about 3 hours to get to Wuyishan City by high speed train. From Wuyishan Bei Railway Station to Wuyishan Scenic Area takes about 20 minutes' drive. Ticket price is included. Lunch in Wuyishan.
The scenery around Wuyi Mountain is surprisingly amazing and spectacular. On the first day in Wuyishan, you will visit Tianyou Peak and learn Taoist culture. Wuyishan is an important Taoist resort. Taoism is a Chinese religion which has influenced China for over 1,800 years.
Wuyi Mountain is also the home to Da Hung Pao which is one of Top Ten Famous Tea in China. This high-quality oolong tea enjoys a high reputation, so many visitors to Wuyi Mountain will buy some.
Accommadation
Stay overnight in Wuyishan Scenic Area: Wuyi Mountain Saecy Hotel (4-star)
Wuyi Mountain Yeohwa Resort (5-star) (It is the best hotel on Wuyishan directly facing Tianyou Peak.)
Transportation from Xiamen to Wuyishan
High Speed Train (second class seat) (4-star)
High Speed Train (first class seat) (5-star)
After breakfast, you will take a boat cruise down Jiuqu Stream to view the elegant scenery, consisting of towering mountains, verdant plants, blue skies, and clear water. The Danxia landform by the river is a highlight of Mount Wuyi. Due to many painters and poets having visited Mount Wuyi throughout history for inspiration, there are many inscriptions on Mount Wuyi.
You can see some hanging coffins which enjoys a history of over 3,000 thousand years. Wuyishan hanging coffins are the oldest hanging coffin in China. How they hang on the cliff is still a mystery. Hanging coffin is a representative of ancient Fujian culture.
Song Ancient Street and Wuyi Palace is near the terminal of Jiuqu Stream.
After lunch you will be transferred to Xiamei Ancient Village, which will take you back in time to the Ming (1368–1644) and the Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. Most of the buildings are very well preserved and feature brick, wood, and stone sculptures, and the village is part of the Wuyi World Cultural Heritage site. You will take a walk there.
Your guide will confirm your return trip and escort you to the airport on time. You will be accompanied to find the correct check-in desk and your guide will make sure everything goes smoothly before saying goodbye.
Trip Notes
2. Customize Your Tour
This tour is very flexible. You can make any changes to the itinerary according to your requirements and interests.
You can choose to take flight after 18:00 from Xiamen to Wuyishan on the third day after visiting Chengqilou. The flight takes about 1 hour. And stay overnight in Wuyishan Scenic Area. In this case, you will have more time to visit Wuyi Mountain the next day.
We are happy to arrange your hotels on Gulangyu Island or in the tulou if you want to stay overnight in those places. Stay overnight in original tulou, you can feel the simple Hakka atmosphere and hospitality of Hakka people. The condition of original tulou accommadation is limited and we can also arrange you star-rated hotel about 20 minute's drive from tulou.
We can also just arrange hotels and flights for you if you have your own plan.
If you want to see a sunrise or sunset, just tell your trip advisor.
3. Recommended Extension Tour
If you are a fan of China's mountains or are fond of ancient villages and natural scenery, a 3-Day Essence of Huangshan Tour is recommended. It only takes about 80 minutes to travel from Wuyishan to Huangshan. You will hike on the Yellow Mountains to see the sunrise, and walk around Hong Village and Tunxi Old Street to see the Hui-style architecture.
4. Options to Enrich the Tour
Chengqilou
Located in Gaobei Village, about five kilometers from the Hongkeng Tulou, Chengqilou is the largest earthen building. It is almost 300 years old and is comprised of four concentric circular buildings. This Tulou has 400 rooms altogether and used to house 80 families, totaling more than 600 people in its prosperous days. The locals call Chengqilou the "Tulou King".
Hongkeng Tulou
In Hongkeng Village, you will see 100 round and square earthen buildings, scattered by the streams and near the mountains. They look like emerging mushrooms or flying saucers, and caused an interesting misconception during the Cold War (1947–1991): Western countries believed that these buildings were China's nuclear missile silos.
Stroll through the village and see the unique, well-kept tulou. Experience the local people's lifestyle and unfold the reasons why the Hakka people built their apartment buildings in this fortress style.
Chuxi Tulou
The Chuxi Tulou in Chuxi Village consist of five round buildings and many square buildings. Three massive round buildings and one square building are situated near the river and are hidden among the deep mountains and lush vegetation like treasure waiting to be discovered. A visit to the local primary school during the school day is also possible.
Yunshuiyao Ancient Village
The old name was Changhai and it is a beautiful village with old houses and 1,000-year-old banyan trees. See the most relaxed lifestyle of the local people and the beautiful scenery. Yunshuiyao Ancient Village was used as the location for a famous Chinese movie called "Yunshuiyao". There are two beautiful earthen buildings in the village. One is called Hegui, which is the tallest earthen building in the Nanjing area; the other one is called Huaiyuan, a round earthen building.
Tour Price
Price includes:
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.