5 Days Xiamen & Hakka Tulou Leisure & Luxury Tour with Tulou Retreat

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 (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 visiting, Your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel in Xiamen. Have a good rest!

• Huandao Road
• Nanputuo Temple Panorama
• Xiamen University View from Wulao Peak
• Gulangyu Island
• Sightseeing from Sunlight Rock

Day 3 Xiamen - Nanjing Tulou (B, L, D)

Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, Yuchang Building, Taxia Village, Hakka Activity at Tsingpu Tulou Retreat

After breakfast, your guide and driver will meet at your hotels and then escort you to see the earthen buildings (Tulou) in Nanjing County with a 3-hour scenic drive. Fujian Tulou 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. And Nanjing Tulou is a key part of Fujian Tulou heritage site and keeps the famous and more primitive earthen building to discovery.

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.

After that, walk to Tsingpu Tulou Retreat to enjoy featured Hakka activity arranged according to the Tsingpu’s schedule. (Usually there are cooking class, Tulou model painting, Hakka orange tea making, Hakka liquor making, glutinous rice cake making, bamboo weaving, colored drawing on ceramics, etc. in the afternoon, which lasts for about 1.5-3 hours based on the different activities.) Learn some Hakka culture during the fun time there!

Enjoy your dinner and accommodate at Tsingpu Tulou Retreat. It is a luxury boutique hotel refurbished from 5 century-old Tulou covering 3,700 s.q.m. and joined as a member of the international Design Hotels alliance. This retreat has 22 two bedroom suites and is finely designed with green killas and warm solid wood in classic Chinese antique charm and modern luxury. All rooms with cozy linens and advanced equipment give you the best holiday mood at the real Tulou village. Also, public courtyard, exhibition space, yoga hall, children’s playground, abundant well displayed artworks, etc. are all nice for vacation releasing and aesthetic pleasure. (The hotel rates differ by room types and date. Please let us know which type of room you'd like to stay so that we can book in advance as the rooms sell out very quickly especially during peak season)

• Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster
• Yuchanglou (Zigzag Building)
• Taxia Village
• Tsingpu Tulou Retreat Courtyard
• Cosy Advanced Room of Tsingpu Tulou Retreat
• Making Hakka Orange Tea at Tsingpu Tulou Retreat

Day 4 Nanjing Tulou (B, L, D)

Hegui Building, Huaiyuan Building, Hekeng Tulou Cluster

After breakfast today, your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel and then drive about 0.5 hour to visit Hegui Building and Huaiyuan Building at Yunshuiyao Scenic Area, both outstanding Tulou have been recorded into UNESCO’s World Heritage List!

Hegui Building built from 1732 and with 5 floors is the tallest square earthen building listed by UNESCO. It is also praised as a “Noah’s Ark on Marshland”, since it was constructed on a 3,000 meters wide marshland, however, stands still after over 200 years. Do not forget to stamp the cobblestone patio to feel its interesting vibration!

Huaiyuan Building is the best preserved and most delicate round earthen building with one circle within another. Marvel at its most conspicuous hall where to see three classrooms for the cultural education of descendants, antique carvings and designs with scholar vibes and a hanging plaque with three characters of “Si Shi Shi (斯是室)” indicating the owner’s pursuit of contributing to the country through learning!

Then, drive to Hekeng Tulou Cluster to walk up to the peak of Lion Hill and catch the amazing panorama of Hekeng Tulou Cluster. With the unique layout, the 14 circular and square earthen buildings look like two “Big Dipper” lying at the special galaxy of surrounding emerald mountains, hovering mists, pieces of farming fields and clear floating stream, which is really a wonderful miracle of nature and human efforts.

After the visiting, you will be escorted back to Tsingpu Tulou Retreat. Enjoy your dinner and have a good rest!

• Heguilou Built on Marshland
• Huaiyuanlou
• Hekeng Tulou Cluster Full View

Day 5 Nanjing Tulou - Yongding Tulou - Xiamen Departure (B, L)

Hongkeng Tulou Cluster, Chuxi Tulou Cluster, Flights or Trains off Xiamen

After breakfast today, you will be escorted to Hongkeng Tulou Cluster and visit Zhencheng Building from 1912 that is praised as “Prince of Tulou” and famous for its splendid design and exquisite interiors according to China’s traditional culture of Bagua. Have a close look at its most conspicuous hall, which is two floors high and has 4 circular granite columns in western features, making the Tulou with Chinese Hakka exterior and special western interior decoration. And walk to see Kuiju Building from 1834. This special palatial square Tulou constructed for 5 years is unique among all Fujian Tulou and looks like the style of Potala Palace from afar. Walk around to appreciate its diverse fancy carvings, paintings, sculptures and more awesome artistic colorful decoration on every corner.<

Then, drive to Chuxi Tulou Cluster that is reputed as “most beautiful Tulou cluster in China” an also the most concentrate, ancient, complete and famous Tulou cluster. Walk by the stream to visit Jiqing Building. Constructed in 1419, this Tulou is the oldest and most special circular construction in Yongding, with 72 stairs separating the building into 72 independent units. Walk upstairs to the museum to look at those old object for living and entertainment for Hakka people in the past and displays of their history, culture and art. Then, take a short hike on the north mountain and have a full view of Chuxi Tulou Cluster. Immerse into the fabulous traditional Hakka rural landscape with the most eye-catching three circular and one square Tulou, the youngest Tulou with distinct white wall and other tens of various round, square, rectangular, oval, octagonal shaped Tulou scattered on the lush rice terraces slop mountain. (Optional experience: in Autumn season, you can choose to catch the rare chance to pick up local fruits and even try the primitive farm work.)

After the tour, transfer back to Xiamen. And your guide and driver will escort you to the airport/railway station to catch the flight or train to your next destination. Tour ends!

• Zhenchenglou (Prince of Tulou)
• Chuxi Tulou Cluster
• Jiqinglou Interior