World Heritage Minnan | Xiamen Gulangyu + Fujian Nanjing Tulou 2-Day World Heritage Tour

Hello, welcome to Xiamen, a famous coastal city in Fujian Province, China, known for "embracing mountains and sea and blending East and West." Our driver will meet you at the airport/railway station exit and take you to our carefully selected Xiamen hotel for check-in and rest. After a short rest, we will take you to the pier to board a 20-minute ferry to Gulangyu Island. Gulangyu Island is one of the most beautiful islands in Xiamen, Fujian. In 2017, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List as a "Historic International Settlement," and it is one of the most unmissable destinations for travel in Fujian. The island has 931 surviving historic buildings in a blend of Chinese and Western styles, covering Gothic churches, Baroque consulates, and Minnan red-brick traditional houses, and is known as a "World Architecture Expo." In addition, the island has the highest per capita piano ownership rate in China, as well as China's first piano museum and the world's largest organ museum. It has also produced many musicians renowned at home and abroad, and is known as the "Island of Music" and the "Island of Pianos." Moreover, motor vehicles are prohibited across the island, adding to its tranquil atmosphere. You can stroll leisurely and enjoy the picturesque island scenery, fully savoring the elegant charm of the "Garden on the Sea." For today's visit to Gulangyu Island, two different route options are provided: 1) Leisure and entertainment journey: take you to fully enjoy the island scenery, with a customized route according to your travel preferences and pace; 2) Cultural, historical, and architectural journey: take you to visit old buildings of strikingly different styles and learn the historical stories behind them. Gulangyu Option 1: Leisure and Entertainment Journey If you want to spend a leisurely holiday on Gulangyu Island and follow your heart, you can tell the guide your travel preferences, and they will recommend suitable ways and routes for exploring Gulangyu. If you prefer a quieter atmosphere with fewer people, you can stroll along Bishan Road and admire century-old buildings shaded by green trees and distinctive Chinese-Western blended scenery; you can also go to Moonlight Rock and overlook the island's red rooftops and the Xiamen city skyline; or simply step into an old villa and enjoy a cup of fragrant coffee, savoring a peaceful moment. If you are interested in museums, we recommend the Gulangyu Piano Museum, Organ Museum, China Record Museum, Palace Museum Gulangyu Gallery of Foreign Artifacts, and International Calligraphy and Seal Cutting Art Museum. If you love natural scenery, we recommend Sunlight Rock, Dadeji Seaside Bathing Beach, and Shuzhuang Garden. If you want to be immersed in music, we recommend the Gulangyu Concert Hall and the Pipe Organ Art Center to listen to a melodious performance. If you are keen on specialty foods, we recommend Longtou Road and Fujian Road to taste delicious Minnan cuisine. Notes 1. You can visit Gulangyu on foot or by sightseeing bus (50 yuan per person). 2. Most outdoor attractions on Gulangyu are free, but some attractions or buildings may require an additional fee for entry. Gulangyu Option 2: Cultural, Historical, and Architectural Journey If you want to explore Gulangyu's history and architecture in depth, this cultural, historical, and architectural route is the best choice, taking you to enjoy the diverse elegance of "World Architecture" and the refined scenery of the "Garden on the Sea." Route attractions: Sanqiutian Pier (one of Gulangyu's earliest piers) -> Boat House (the only villa on Gulangyu designed in the shape of a steamship, and a rare ship-shaped villa worldwide) -> Bagua Lou (China's only and the world's largest organ museum; the building blends ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Islamic, and Minnan styles, and is called the "Little White House of Gulangyu" because of its red dome and grand appearance, making it the most eye-catching landmark on Gulangyu) -> Yang Family Garden (one of Gulangyu's ten famous villa complexes, praised as the "Versailles of Gulangyu") -> Fanpo Lou (built by Philippine overseas Chinese Xu Jingquan; the building blends Rococo style with Minnan craftsmanship and is brightly colored) -> Trinity Church (Gulangyu's earliest and largest Christian chapel, with a rare Greek cross symmetrical design) -> Golden Melon Tower (also known as Huang Cimin Villa, one of Gulangyu's ten famous villas and one of its most representative historic building complexes, known for its Byzantine-style "golden melon" dome and Chinese-Western design) -> Dafu Di (one of the earliest surviving residential buildings on Gulangyu, a typical traditional Minnan red-brick house) -> Siluo Dacuo (a representative building of traditional Minnan red-brick houses and the oldest surviving residential complex on Gulangyu) -> Chu Family Garden (one of the relatively well-preserved overseas Chinese villas on Gulangyu) -> Huang Family Garden (the largest and most luxurious private residence on Gulangyu, praised as "China's No. 1 Villa," where many national political figures have stayed) -> Shuzhuang Garden (praised as the "No. 1 Mansion on the Sea," with a rare design of hiding the sea and supplementing the mountain, and its piano museum houses many piano treasures) -> Haitiantang Gou (one of Gulangyu's ten famous villas, a model of Chinese roofs over Western architecture, where you can watch Nanyin performances) -> Huang Rongyuan Hall (Gulangyu's most romantic and exquisite villa, and China's first national-level record museum) -> Catholic Church (Gulangyu's most beautiful church and Xiamen's only surviving Gothic church) -> return to the pier. After the tour ends, return to the Xiamen hotel to rest.

This morning, you will depart from Xiamen and drive about 150 kilometers (about 2.5 hours) to visit the Nanjing Tulou. There are more than 15,000 surviving tulou in Nanjing. They are a typical representative of Fujian Hakka tulou and a treasure of Chinese residential architecture, known as "the world's unique mountain village dwellings." Among them, the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, the Hekeng Tulou Cluster, Huaiyuan Lou, and Hegui Lou were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008. Upon arrival, first visit the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster. First built in 1662, it is the settlement of the Huang family of Hakka and is famous for its unique layout resembling "four dishes and one soup." It is the most recognizable landscape of Fujian Tulou, consisting of 1 square building (Buyun Lou), 3 round buildings (Hechang Lou, Zhenchang Lou, Ruiyun Lou), and 1 oval building (Wenchang Lou). These five tulou follow the layout of mutual generation among the Five Elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) and are praised as a "wonder of world architecture" and an "outstanding representative of Chinese feng shui architecture." Recommended visiting route: Upper Viewing Platform (overlook the full "four dishes and one soup" panorama, resembling "plum blossoms blooming" or "a flying saucer landing") → Buyun Lou (meaning "rising in the world," where you can overlook scenes of Hakka family life) → Hechang Lou/Zhenchang Lou/Ruiyun Lou (you can photograph the same courtyard perspective as in the film Big Fish & Begonia) → Wenchang Lou (the only oval tulou in Nanjing, meaning "flourishing literary fortune," where you can photograph the beautiful blend of tulou and terraced fields) → Lower Viewing Platform (look up at the tulou cluster and terraced fields, resembling the "Potala Palace") Lunch will feature delicious Hakka cuisine, allowing you to experience the local Hakka way of life. If you are interested, you can also try mellow Hakka rice wine. After lunch, head to Xiaban (Xiaban) Village, threaded by streams and surrounded by terraced fields. Twelve ancient tulou are scattered along both banks of the stream. Among them, Yuchang Lou is the tulou we will focus on visiting. Built in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties (about 1308-1368), Yuchang Lou is one of the oldest surviving circular tulou in China and is known as the "Father of Fujian Tulou." It is also famous for the wonder of being "leaning east and slanting west," with the pillars on the 3rd and 4th floors tilting 15° clockwise and those on the 5th floor tilting counterclockwise. After more than 700 years of wind and rain, it remains stable and is called the "First Wonder Building of China." You can stroll through and observe the architectural wonder of "leaning east and slanting west," take a close look at the daily life of the Hakka people in the tulou, or chat with the Hakka residents of the tulou to learn more fascinating tulou stories and unique folk culture. In addition, remember to taste a cup of oolong tea brewed by the locals — it is very sweet and refreshing. Afterwards, head to the ancient Hakka village of Taxia Village. Taxia Village is distributed in an "S" shape along the stream, with two circular tulou (Yude Lou and Shunchang Lou) on either side of the stream, resembling a taiji pattern, hence the name "Taiji Water Village." In addition, thanks to its beautiful mountains and waters, excellent air and spring water, and the healthy lifestyle of the villagers, it is also known as the "Longevity Village." Moreover, 11 concrete bridges and some tulou in the village were funded and built by overseas Chinese, giving it a strong overseas Chinese hometown character. You can stroll and admire the picturesque ancient village scenery and the tulou buildings of various shapes. Among them, Yude Lou (Weiqun Lou) and Deyuan Hall Zhang Family Ancestral Hall (China's most complete group of 24 stone dragon flagpoles) are worth careful appreciation. If there is still time, you can also visit the Hekeng Tulou Cluster. The Hekeng Tulou Cluster is one of the most densely concentrated World Cultural Heritage sites among Fujian Tulou, famous for its unique "Big Dipper" layout and the architectural wonder of interlaced square and round tulou. Among them, Chaoshui Lou (built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, the oldest square tulou) and Yuxing Lou (a modern circular tulou) are highly representative and well worth seeing. In addition, you can climb the Lion Mountain viewing platform to overlook the full "Big Dipper" panorama and take the most outstanding travel photos. It is worth noting that the Hekeng Tulou Cluster is also the inspiration and prototype filming location for Mulan's hometown in Disney's live-action film Mulan. If you are interested, you can check in at the same scenes from the movie. Notes 1. To visit the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, you can choose to walk or take the sightseeing bus. 2. Hekeng Tulou Cluster: after getting off at the entrance, you need to walk about 15 minutes to reach the main tulou buildings. After the tour, this wonderful and unforgettable 2-day Xiamen, Fujian journey will come to an end. Our driver will take you to the airport/train station for your next destination.