Selected China Tour with Golf

Welcome to Hong Kong, the Special Administrative Region of China. When you get off your plane, your tour guide will be waiting for you at the arrival hall and holding your name sign so that you can find him easily. Then you will be transferred to the hotel we have arranged for you to have a good rest before we start our Hong Kong tour 2022. Hong Kong, located in southern China, has more than 260 islands including Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and New Territories, with a land area of 1,106.66 square kilometers and the water area of 1,648.69 square kilometers. There are 7.47 million permanent residents in Hong Kong, which made it the most densely populated region in the world.  

As with New York and London, Hong Kong is a highly prosperous free port and cosmopolis. It is also the third-largest financial center in the world. Hong Kong is also a place where the Chinese culture and western culture are integrated. The people here come from different backgrounds including southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe, and most of them can speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin, so you can talk to the local people without communication difficulties.

Today, we will visit the famous Victoria Peak by taking the Peak Tram. It is the highest point of Hong Kong, with a total height of 554 meters, and also the best place to overlook the scenery of Victoria Harbor. The Peak Tower on the Victoria Peak is the terminal of the tram route and also a place for sightseeing, entertainment and shopping. Standing at the Peak Tower, you will enjoy an enchanting view of the city from the most privileged location in Hong Kong.

Next, we will go to the Stanley Market where you can buy different kinds of goods, such as traditional handicrafts, paintings, porcelains, clothes, and some snacks. You can pick up some trinkets or bring some souvenirs for your family and friends. If you’re tired of wandering, you can find a street bar or restaurant to sit down and enjoy the view while having a beer.

After leaving the Stanley Market, we will head to Aberdeen Fishing Village, which is the first place on Hong Kong Island to be developed. It is still inhabited by hundreds of boat families and retains the characteristics of a traditional fishing village. After years of development, Aberdeen Bay has now become a famous tourist pier in Hong Kong. There are many boats moored in the bay such as seafood boats serving food and drink, old Chinese sailing boats, water taxis, sightseeing yachts and speedboats. In addition, there is a famous floating restaurant where you can taste delicious seafood while enjoying the sea view.

Leaving the Aberdeen Fishing Village, your tour guide will bring you to the hotel. Today, your trip is going to come to an end. Have a good rest then, and tomorrow we will explore new places in Hong Kong.

Victoria Peak

Aberdeen Fishing Village

This morning we will drive west for about 40 minutes to visit Lantau Island, which is about 35 kilometers away from Tsim Sha Tsui. Lantau Island is the largest island in Hong Kong, with a total area of 147 kilometers, almost twice the size of Hong Kong Island. This island has more hills and less flat land, and the main peak here is the second-highest mountain in Hong Kong with an altitude of 935 meters. Today we will go up the mountain by taking the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, which consists of two types of cabins, the standard cabin and crystal cabin. We have already arranged for you the standard cabin. For a little more excitement, you can contact us in advance that you want to try the crystal cabin, which is transparent at the bottom of the cabin. The 25-minute cable car ride is like being in mid-air, and you’ll experience a “flying” view and have the blue sea and lush mountains of Lantau Island right under your feet!

When we arrive at the top of the mountain, we will firstly visit Polin Monastery, which is ranked first among four monasteries in Hong Kong. Built in 1924, this monastery today has majestic buildings, including Sakyamuni Hall, Guanyin Hall, and more than 40 rooms for retreat and meditation. The quaint main hall is glorious with its vermilion door and green tiles, and overshadowed by tall trees, bringing you a sense of purity and peace of mind.

There is the world’s largest Big Bronze Buddha sitting opposite Polin Monastery. Combined religious art and cutting-edge technology, the Buddha statue was designed and produced by the Chinese Ministry of Aerospace Science and Technology and took ten years to complete. The total height of the Buddha is nearly 34 meters, with the Buddha’s head veneered in gold and the Buddha’s body welded by more than 200 pieces of bronze. The Buddha sits on a giant lotus seat with a three-story base, in which there is an exhibition hall. Inside the hall, there is a large bell with Buddha statues and scriptures carved on it. The bell is computer-controlled and is struck every seven minutes for a total of 108 times to “relieve 108 kinds of worries” of people.

Lantau Island

Polin Monastery

Today, we will leave Hong Kong and fly to Sanya, a city of Hainan province in China. After you finish your packing, your tour guide will bring you to the airport to take a flight to Sanya. Upon your arrival, your guide waiting at Sanya airport will bring you to the local hotel to have a good rest. Located in the southernmost tip of Hainan Island, Sanya has a total land area of 1,921 square kilometers and a total sea area of 3,226 square kilometers. It is an international tourist city with tropical seaside scenery, also known as “Hawaii of the East”. Visiting Sanya in 2022, you will not only enjoy the sunshine, beach, blue sea, flowers and trees but also can taste the special snacks here. I believe you will have a fulfilling vacation here.

This morning, we will drive northeast for about 1 hour to visit the Yanoda Rainforest, about 38 kilometers away from the city center. Yanoda originally means one two three in Hainan dialect, but now means welcome. Whenever you come here to visit, you will hear a “Yanoda” greeting from the staff, and you can also respond to them with Yanoda. The tropical rainforest is lush and shady, with a comfortable climate and fresh air, which made this place a unique and huge “natural oxygen bar.” The average annual temperature here is 24 degrees. Pacing in the rainforest, you can feel a sense of refreshing coolness. There are primary and secondary forests that grow in the Yanoda rainforest valley. There are more than 1400 kinds of trees, more than 140 kinds of southern herbs, more than 80 kinds of tropical ornamental flowers, and dozens of tropical fruits here, making Yanoda full of unparalleled tropical style. When you climb the Sky Watching Tree and walk on the Rainforest Skywalk with the suspension bridge, you can enjoy the wonders of the sea, the forest, the sea of clouds, and the mountains, which make you feel relaxed and happy, and you can feel the unspeakable grandeur of the world.

Next, we will go to the Luhuitou Scenic Area, also known as the Luhuitou Park, which is located in the Luhuitou Peninsula at the southwest end of Sanya. With a total area of 828,800 square meters, Luhuitou Scenic Area has five peaks, and the highest is 181 meters in height. This Park, surrounded by the sea on three sides, is the commanding point for climbing up to watch the sea view and watch the sunrise and sunset. It is also the best place to overlook the panoramic view of Sanya.

Luhuitou Park is famous for the sculpture of a deer at the top of the hill. In Chinese, Luhuitou means a deer turns around, and there is a beautiful and touching legend of love about this sculpture. In ancient times, a young hunter, armed with a bow and arrow, chased a deer from the Wuzhi Mountains in the hinterland of Hainan Island to the shores of the South China Sea. When he chased under the cliff, there was a vast ocean, and the deer had no way to go. While the young hunter was opening his bow and shooting an arrow, he suddenly saw a flash of fire and smoke, and the deer turned around and became a beautiful girl. The two fell in love and then became a loving couple. Therefore, this mountain was named Luhuitou (a deer turns around). The city of Sanya is also known as Deer City.

After leaving the Luhuitou Scenic Area, we will head to the First Market, the largest seafood market in Sanya, where you can taste fresh and authentic seafood. The First Market is famous for its cheap and fresh seafood, so it’s very worth trying it here. You can choose fresh seafood by yourself, and then tell the shopper how you want to cook. There are various kinds of seafood here, some of which are not even officially named. In addition, the First Market is not just a place for seafood, but also a supermarket for local people. Except for fresh seafood, you can also find dried seafood, fruits, vegetables, side dishes and spices here. In the evening, it would become a night market. You can not only buy handicrafts displaying on the roadsides but also can taste a lot of Hainan special snacks, such as Hainan rice noodles and coconut dessert.

Yanoda Rainforest

Luhuitou Scenic Area

Today, we will come to Wuzhizhou Island, which is usually called the Chinese Maldives. Covering an area of 1.48 square kilometers, it is a small island with freshwater resources and rich vegetation. There are more than 2,000 kinds of plants on the island, with tall trees and luxuriant shrubs. It is also one of the few islands in the world with many reefs or pebbles. The water around the island is clear and transparent, and the visibility of the water is up to 27 meters. Corals of different shapes and sizes, together with horse mackerel, grouper, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, prawns, luminous snails and colorful tropical fish make a magical underwater world.

Wuzhizhou Island has another name, the “Island of Love” or “Lovers’ Island” because there is a beautiful legend about love. A long time ago, when a young man was fishing at sea, he suddenly encountered wind and waves that overturned the boat and floated him to a deserted island. On the island, he lived by hunting. One day, when he went to the beach to fish, he suddenly found a beautiful girl collecting shellfish here. The girl took the initiative to chat with him. It turned out that she was the daughter of the Dragon King, and she ran to the shore to play. The two fell in love with each other, and they agreed to meet here every day. As the days passed, the two lived together. They hunted together during the day and strolled along the beach at night. A year later, the girl missed her parents, so she decided to go back home to tell the Dragon King about their relationship, and they promised to reunite three days later in the place where they first met. Three days passed, and the girl still did not return. The young man was anxious, standing on the beach every day shouting her name.

It turned out that after the girl went back, she told the Dragon King what had happened to her and the young man. The Dragon King was furious and ordered her to be locked up, and she was not allowed to go to the earthly world again. The girl missed the young man day and night and finally ran out one day while the guards were not paying attention. The Dragon King quickly found out and was chasing after her. When the couple was about to embrace each other, the furious Dragon King shouted, and used magic to turn them into two big rocks. Thousands of years have passed, and the two big rocks are still standing there, quietly looking at each other, close at hand but far away. To commemorate the couple, people called this place “Lovers’ Island.” Nowadays, it has become a good place for young couples to have a date.

There are also many small attractions to see on the island, such as the Sun Viewing Rock, which is located at the southeast cliff of Wuzhizhou Island. Standing on the rock and overlooking the whole island by the sea, you can have a full view of the vast South China Sea. Below the cliff, there are many exotic rocks. In the morning, when the scarlet sun rising slowly from the sea, the harmony of the sea and sky will make a great picture. If you want to watch the sunrise, you can ask your tour guide for the sunrise time.

Wuzhizhou Island

Sun Viewing Rock

After two days of travel, as you must be feeling a bit tired, we will take a rest today. On the last day in Sanya, you can arrange your time freely, and we strongly recommend you to go to the beach to have sun tanning and enjoy the warm sunshine. After breakfast, you can go back to your room to take a short break and prepare your stuff, such as your swimsuit, towel, straw hat, mineral water, and sunglasses. If you have not prepared these things in advance, you may rent them at the hotel or near the beach. And then, you can lie down on the beach and enjoy the sun. Be careful not to go tanning within an hour before and after the meal in case of having indigestion. I believe that you must feel refreshed after the joyful sun tanning.

This morning, we have no plans, so you can stay in the hotel and get plenty of sleep or go out to enjoy the fresh air before we say goodbye to Sanya and head to Haikou. Next, your tour guide will drive you to the airport to take the estimated train C7444 12:15/14:09. Only two hours later, you will arrive in Haikou, the capital of Hainan Province. Although it is not as famous and bustling as Sanya, the romance of this place is no less than Sanya. The long beach borders the endless Qiongzhou Strait, where sailboats are frequently visited. The wet sea breeze, the fragrance of flowers, and the songs of birds all add to the charm of this city. Sitting in a thriving old tea shop, you will find some street vendors picking hawking, and goods they sell are almost local specialty fruits, such as mangosteen, passion fruit, and wax apple, or something that you may never even heard. If you come to Haikou, you must try the tropical fruits here.

Upon your arrival, your local guide will pick you up at the airport and then take you to the hotel we have arranged for you. This afternoon, you will arrange your time freely. Have a good rest today, and tomorrow we will take you to play golf.

This morning, we will drive southward for about 1 hour and 50 minutes to Hainan BoAo Golf & Country Club, 120 kilometers away from the central area of Haikou. Located at the estuary of three rivers, Hainan BoAo Golf & Country Club has been called “one of the most distinctive courses in China”. It is the first in China and the only island-style links course in Asia. On the 18-hole, par-72, 7019-yard fairways, the first nine holes go around the island surrounded by the sea and rivers, integrating sea view and distant mountains. The last nine holes go through the island where the sand pools, strange rocks, coconut reeds add beauty to each other.

This golf club also has wild pineapple bushes all over the island and the Scottish Links-style course, making a charmingly idyllic scenery. The unique feature of the course is the water transportation between the golf course and the hotel. Browsing the scenery of the Wanquan River by speedboat or canoe will make you much more enjoyable and delighted. After you finish your golf-playing, you can have a rest on the beach near the course where you can enjoy the unparalleled picturesque scenery.

Hainan BoAo Golf & Country Club

Hainan BoAo Golf & Country Club

Today, we are going to leave Haikou and fly to Beijing. After breakfast, your tour guide will bring you to the airport to take the estimated flight HU7281 13:00/16:40. After you arrive in Beijing, your local guide will be waiting for you at the airport with your name sign, and then you will be transferred to the local hotel to have a good rest.

Visiting Beijing in 2022, we will first go to Tian’anmen Square, which is located at the center of Beijing. With an area of 440,000 square kilometers, Tian’anmen Square can hold 1 million people for grand gatherings. For example, the founding ceremony of the People’s Republic of China was held here in 1949. The National Flag Pole, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao, and the Zhengyang Gate Tower stand along the central axis of Beijing from north to south in the square. It is not only the site of numerous major political and historical events but also a witness to China’s rise from decline.

Next, we will go to the Forbidden City (closed each Monday), which is a royal palace of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1636-1913) Dynasties of China, located in the central axis of Beijing. Covering an area of about 720,000 square meters, the Forbidden City in Beijing is centered around three major halls, with more than seventy palaces of different sizes and over nine thousand houses. It is the largest and best-preserved wooden structure building complex. In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, one of the three major halls, you will see a pair of large bronze lions, known as China’s sacred animal, symbolizing the Awakened Lion of the East - China. The two bronze lions in front of the gate are fierce and majestic and have guarded the hall for hundreds of years. The male lion on the left, with a full curly mane on his head and a bell hanging from his neck, stares forward with two eyes. His right foot treads on a ball that represents the earth, symbolizing the supremacy of imperial power and unification of the world. The female lion on the right has her head slightly downward, with a young lion at her feet, symbolizing that there will be lots of children. For thousands of years, the bronze lion has been a symbol of good fortune and peace in Chinese culture. It is majestic, noble and elegant, and has been worshipped by emperors and generals as a treasure to protect the country and show the power and dignity of its owner.

After lunch, we will head to the Temple of Heaven, which is a place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties worshiped the heaven and prayed for bountiful harvests. Covering an area of 2,730,000 square meters, the Temple of Heaven consists of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Circular Mound Altar, and both of them are on the north-south axis, separated by a wall. At the Temple of Heaven, one of the famous attractions is the Three-Tone Stone, which is located on the road in front of the Imperial Vault of Heaven. From the north, the first three slabs are called Three-Tone Stone. When standing on the first slab and shouting, you can only hear one echo; when you stand on the second slab, you can hear two echoes; when you stand on the third slab, you can hear three consecutive echoes. It is why these three slabs got the name.

Nowadays, there are no sacrificial ceremonies to be held here anymore. Many residents often come here to meet their friends, play chess, or practice Tai Chi.

After leaving the Temple of Heaven, we will go to the Summer Palace, an imperial garden of China during the Qing Dynasty. With an area of 3.009 square kilometers, it is a large landscape garden based on Kunming Lake and Wanshou Mountain, modeled after the West Lake in southern China. It is one of the best-preserved royal palace gardens in the world. Between the southern foot of Wanshou Mountain and the northern shore of Kunming Lake, there is a 728-meter-long promenade, which is said to have been built by Qianlong for his mother. Qianlong’s mother often visited the garden to enjoy the scenery, so to allow her to enjoy the Kunming Lake on rainy and snowy days, Qianlong designed and built the Long Corridor on the junction of Wanshou Mountain and Kunming Lake. Each beam of the promenade is painted colorful paintings, and there are over 14,000 paintings in total, all of which are in vivid colors. Most of the colorful paintings are about landscapes, flower and bird pictures, and episodes from the Four Great Classical Chinese Novels. The painters have condensed thousands of years of Chinese history and culture into the Long Corridor.

Temple of Heaven

Summer Palace

Today, we will drive northwest for about 1 hour to visit Chang Tomb of the Ming Tombs, about 55 kilometers away from the center of Beijing. Built in the seventh year of the Yongle reign (1409), Chang Tomb is a royal mausoleum for Zhu Di, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and his wife. With a total area of 120,000 square meters, the Chang Tomb is the largest and the oldest tomb of the Ming Tombs. The most famous Ling’en Palace in the Chang Tomb is modeled after the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. The entire palace is built by precious golden nanmu. There are 60 nanmu giant pillars supported the palace, and the tallest pillars are 12.58 meters high, with a diameter of more than 1 meter. This kind of wood (golden nanmu) is hard, not easily rotten, and has an aromatic smell that repels insects, making it precious.

After lunch, we will drive northwest for about 41 minutes to Badaling Great Wall, about 36 kilometers away from the Chang Tomb. Badaling Great Wall is an essential part of the well-known Great Wall of China and an outpost of Juyong Pass. In addition, there are five iron cannons, which were one of the advanced weapons of ancient artillery at that time, displayed at the entrance of the Badaling Pass. The largest of them is 2.85 meters long, with a caliber of 105 mm and a range of more than 1,000 meters, making the cannon very powerful. There are also four small cannons and hundreds of cannonballs, all of which are Ming Dynasty products. It shows that China had a complete and advanced defense system at that time.

Chang Tomb

Badaling Great Wall

Today, your China tour is coming to an end. Say goodbye to China. Your guide will take you to the airport and help you board your flight. It is a pleasure to meet you in China, and I hope you had a great time. Welcome to China again! 

Editor: Fan Lin

Proofreader: Summer Hou