China Culinary Tour
Overview
Chinese dishes are famous worldwide with diverse cuisine culture in different regions; make it a popular destination for food lovers. On this culinary trip, you can take splendid food culture in Beijing, then head to Xian to make & eat dumplings, and stroll through the tranquil water town and bustling Shanghai, shop in local wet market of Yangshuo and cooking some dishes, your breakfast in local restaurant in Guangzhou to experience local tea and dim sum and your last stop at Gourmet Paradise - Hong Kong to try the renowned dim sum.
Duration: 16 days & 15 nights
Destinations: Beijing - Xi'an - Shanghai - Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin - Guangzhou - Hong Kong
Starting Point: Beijing
Ending Point: Hong Kong
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After breakfast at hotel, visit Temple of Heaven, a public park for locals to do morning exercise and practice Tai Ji, it is actually an important scared religious site, where Ming and Qing Dynasty kings used to worship gods from heaven and pray for harvest and the nation’s stability. The temple is an architectural masterpiece with beautiful color and unique modeling.
Have Peking Noodle with Soybean Paste for lunch at Old Beijing Zhajiangmian DaWang - a local restaurant listed at Michelin Guide Beijing.
Afterwards, go to the Tiananmen Square, located at the heart of Beijing, is the world's largest city center square. Followed with a visit of Forbidden City, officially as the Imperial Palace Museum, was constructed between 1406 and 1420 by the Ming emperor Zhu Di and witnessed the enthronement of 14 Ming and 10 Qing emperors over the following 505 years. Then at night, special and crisp Peking roasted duck dinner at Huajia Yiyuan or Beijing Da Dong is offered.
Kind Reminder：
- The Forbidden City closes on each Monday, your tour consultant will helps you to adjust the tour itinerary if it happens to be Monday.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Beijing Kung Fu Show: A rare chance to watch the real Shaolin Kung Fu. The performers are the best and have mastered the difficult moves.
- Beijing Opera Show: It is one of the most famous traditional Chinese opera. The artists wear heavy make-up and act out the legends and romance with their unique style of singing and dance.
Meal: B, L, D
This morning, make a visit for Mutianyu Great Wall by round-way cable car. Mutianyu, meaning 'Admire Fields Valley', is the longest fully-restored Great Wall section open to tourists and about 2.5 hours' drive from downtown Beijing. Fulfill your dream of getting in the Great Wall, the greatest military defensive project in ancient China. Then venture into the old town of Beijing, zigzagging through the hutong alleys by tuktuk to discover Beijing's origin, history and real life. It is in these gray-tiled long lanes that local families play, buy goods, gossip, and connect. For foodies, it is more importantly that you can taste many flavors of Beijing – the authentic local foods and street snacks, just like the real Beijingers.
Kind Reminder：
- Round-trip cable car ride is included at the Great Wall. If you would like to descend by toboggan, please tell your tour guide in advance.
Meal: B, L, D
Visit the Summer Palace in the morning. The Chinese call it Yihe Yuan, and the landscaped gardens, temples, and pavilions were designed to achieve harmony with nature. It was listed on the World Heritage List by the UNESCO in 1998. After palace visit, take a fast train to Xian. Be met and transfer to Muslim Quarter for a walk and get close to the real life style of the local people, observe interesting gastronomic scenes and discover a lot of street snacks in Xian, such as cold noodles with sesame, beef and mutton bread in the soup, spicy soup with meat ball, Chinese Hamburg (marinated meat in baked bun)… Feel Hungry? Start eating!
Meal: B, L
Begin the day with a visit of Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum - one of the top attractions in China, because of its historical significance, sheer size and uniqueness. It is a memorable experience to face to face with thousands of life-size “2000-year-old sliders” and get to know their stories. Lunch will be prepared at a local restaurant to taste Shaanxi cuisine. Later today, admire Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the iconic landmark of the city for the last millennium and a great site on the ancient Silk Road. Afterwards, you will go to a local family’s home to have a special learning course of making Chinese dumpling, which is also an outstanding snack in Xian. Enjoy a homemade dinner including the dumpling you make.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Tang Dynasty Singing and Dancing Show - A wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance. This is also a good way know more about the ancient Tang dynasty and some more history and art of that period.
Meal: B, L, D
Visit Old City Wall of Xian -- the most intact ancient Chinese wall in existence. It encircles and protects the ancient part of Xian City, and also uncovers the city’s modern side. The best way to appreciate the grandness of the City Wall is by biking around. If weather permits, a bike ride is available and recommended. Then transfer to take a mid-day flight to Shanghai. Be met and transfer to visit the Bund and Nanjing Road. These two are the must-see sights in brilliant Shanghai. The Bund is for modern and historical architecture seeing while Nanjing Road is for one-stop shopping experience. Dinner at a typical restaurant (e.g. Laokele Shanghai Food), famous for the local cuisine of Shanghai (Benbang cuisine). Taste the classic dishes, such as five-flavored chicken leg, fried hairy crab, Shredded pork in soybean soup…
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- The Acrobatics Show at night- It is not to be missed in Shanghai. Acrobatics is one of the oldest performing arts in China. Here you will see the amazing feats of balance and skill.
Meal: B, D
Half day tour to a nearby water town of Shanghai - Zhujiajiao to see the traditional life of Yangtze Delta--unique old bridges across bubbling streams, small rivers shaded by willow trees, and houses with courtyards. This little town is the best-preserved among the four ancient towns in Shanghai. Then go back to downtown area and visit Yu Garden. It was inaugurated in the Ming dynasty and has a total area of 20,000 square meters with an exquisite layout and beautiful scenery. Later, have a brisk stroll through Yuyuan Market – an old part of Shanghai - also known as the food paradise of the city, where the old streets are lined with restaurants and street food stalls. So it is dinner time now, taste delicious and refined Shanghai dim sum (e.g. Chinese Pudding, layer cake, fried pan bun) at Lvbolang Restaurant near Yu Garden, where hosted the former US president Bill Clinton’s family in 1998.
Meal: B, L, D
Free at leisure in the morning, until pick up service and transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Guilin, one of the most beautiful places in China where more gourmet foods, a cookery lesson at the countryside and some exciting activities are waiting for you. Make a visit to the Reed Flute Cave, a magical underground palace located on the hallway of a hill. The cave is filled with a large number of stalactites, stalagmites and rock formations in weird and wonderful shapes. After the sight-seeing, dine at a famous local restaurant (e.g. Chunji Roast Goose, The Mcfound or rooftop restaurant of Jolie Vue Boutique Hotel where you can obtain a view of Elephant Trunk Hill).
Meal: B, D
Take a leisurely Li River cruise, taking in amazingly beautiful karst kills along the banks. Disembark at the beautiful small town famous for its Karst landscape--Yangshuo. At Yangshuo, you can have a free afternoon for your own exploration. The ideal way is wander around and go to tourist spots like Moon Hill, Big Banyan and so on. At night, the West Street is a must-go where shows lively nightlife and street foods with both Chinese and western style.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Impression Liusanjie Show – An open-air live show beside Li River of Yangshuo, it introduces the beautiful scenery of Li River, the colorful culture of the ethnic groups in Guangxi and the brave imagination of the excellent artists in China.
Wake up in the idyllic Yangshuo with fresh air. After over a week of eating in the cities, exercise your body and refresh your mind at the countryside. Start your day by biking along the off-the-beaten-track country road (or taking a private vehicle) to see the stunning scenery, rice paddies, water buffalo and local farmer's life at pristine villages. Then it is your option to take a 1-hour bamboo rafting down Yulong River. Have lunch at a local restaurant to feast on local food there, such as beer fish, Li River shrimp, stuffed tofu, stuffed field snail, stuffed eggplant, bamboo-tube-cooked rice, etc...
In the afternoon, discover a local traditional market accompanied your guide and even the local chef. Shop some ingredients, from a wide spectrum of food materials, for cooking. Then at a beautiful village, you will learn from the chef to cook some popular Chinese dishes in Yangshuo, which are ought to be your dinner today.
Meal: B, L, D
Drive back to Guilin, and have a walk around the Central Lake Park where there are man-made architecture, ancient sights and natural lakes of perfect combination. After lunch, you transfer to take an afternoon high speed train to the fast-developing city Guangzhou, reputed as the food capital of China. Be met and transfer to hotel. Dine at a typical Cantonese restaurant. Not only eat crisp roast goose and some main dishes, but also some local desserts such as Shuang Pi Nai.
Meal: B, L, D
Like a local Cantonese, enjoy breakfast at a popular restaurant (e.g. Tao Heung Restaurant) for morning tea and dim sum, followed by a visit to Family Chan Temple--the largest, best preserved, and best decorated ancient architecture existing in Guangdong province. Have a taste of Guangzhou style ice dessert at Shunji Ice Bar, highly recommended by locals. Then walk around Qing Ping Market that has over 2000 stall along 1-km-long Qingping Lu and Ti Yun Lu in the north of Shamian Island. And visit the aged houses at Xiguan old city quarters. Take high speed train to Hong Kong in late afternoon.
Meal: B, L
Busy tour day begins with the Aberdeen Fishing Village, the largest town on Hong Kong Island outside the main urban area. Then go to Victoria Peak, a tram ride to give you the best angle to capture exceptional video footage while you are moving to the 373 meters hill top. At noon, lead you to Kingdom Restaurant to have Dim Sum lunch. After shopping at the typical Stanley Market, go to Repulse Bay which has clean water and big white sand beach for relaxation.
Meal: B, L
Hong Kong is an important stop for your food tour of China. Today, accompanied by your local guide, who is like a walking map, you will take hours strolling through the famous avenues and old town of Hong Kong to eat, snack and drink. Discover the small independently-owned street cafes, exotic open-air markets, century-old food stalls and local eateries for famous Hong Kong delicacies such as egg tart, wonton noodles, Hong Kong French toast, etc. Apart from sampling the munchies, you’ll have the chance to learn the local way of preparing the drinks and foods.
Today is free for your own exploration of the Gourmet Paradise of Asia. Hong Kong's cuisine is renowned for its exotic fusion of Eastern and Western flavors along with a wide variety of culinary delights. Its cultural blend, proximity to mainland China and reputation for quality have made Hong Kong the world's undisputed Gourmet Paradise.
Meal: B
Enjoy your last minute sightseeing and eating in Hong Kong. Transfer to the airport and fly to your next destination. Your 16 days China foodie tour ends.
Meal: B
End of Easy Tour China Service.
