Fujian Highlights Tour | Xiamen City + Fujian Nanjing Tulou + Yongding Tulou + Gulangyu Exciting 4-Day Tour

Hello, welcome to Xiamen, a famous coastal city in Fujian Province, China, known for "embracing mountains and sea, blending East and West." Our driver will meet you at the airport/train station exit and take you to our carefully selected hotel in Xiamen for check-in and rest. After a short rest, you can stroll along Zhongshan Road, Xiamen's most representative century-old street, and experience the rich old Xiamen charm. Zhongshan Road is China's only commercial pedestrian street that directly leads to the sea. The street retains a large number of complete Nanyang arcade buildings and historical relics, known as the "living fossil of modern Xiamen history." Here, you can immersively admire the ancient Nanyang architecture, taste authentic specialty snacks, and watch wonderful intangible cultural heritage performances such as Nanyin and puppet shows. Alternatively, you can walk into the alleys near Zhongshan Road to explore local life in Xiamen and taste Minnan-style foods such as satay noodles and oyster omelets. Seafood is a highlight of Xiamen cuisine. You can visit the nearby Eighth Seafood Market, see uncommon seafood varieties, and taste local seafood. (PS: If you decide to dine at the Eighth Market, be sure to negotiate prices before purchasing seafood to avoid any misunderstandings.) Finally, you can leisurely drive along the Island Ring Road, known as one of "China's most beautiful coastlines," and enjoy the picturesque sea highway scenery. Along the way, you can take in the subtropical coastal scenery of "blue sea and golden sand reflecting the red road, palm flower seas accompanying sculptures." If you want to fully enjoy the charming island scenery, you can stop and slowly appreciate places such as Yefengzhai (one of Xiamen's iconic seaside attractions, with a distant view of Kinmen Island), Baicheng Beach (in the evening, you can photograph the Twin Towers and the orange sea in the same frame), Huangcuo Beach (Xiamen's best sunrise viewing spot), and Zengcuoan (China's most artistic fishing village). After the tour, you will return to the 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 vernacular 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 clan of Hakka people and is famous for its unique layout resembling "four dishes and one soup." It is the most recognizable landscape of Fujian tulou, consisting of one square building (Buyun Lou), three circular buildings (Hechang Lou, Zhenchang Lou, Ruiyun Lou), and one oval building (Wenchang Lou). These five tulou follow the layout of the mutual generation of 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, like "plum blossoms blooming" or "a flying saucer landing") → Buyun Lou (symbolizing "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 view as in the film Big Fish & Begonia) → Wenchang Lou (Nanjing's only oval tulou, symbolizing "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 interested, you can also try mellow Hakka rice wine. After lunch, head to Xiaban Village, where streams flow through and terraced fields surround it. Twelve ancient tulou are scattered along both banks of the stream. Among them, Yuchang Lou is the key tulou we will visit. Built in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties (about 1308–1368), Yuchang Lou is one of China's oldest surviving circular tulou and is honored as the "father of Fujian tulou." It is also known for the wonder of being "leaning east and west," because the pillars on the 3rd and 4th floors tilt 15° clockwise while the 5th floor tilts counterclockwise. After more than 700 years of wind and rain, it remains stable and is called "China's No. 1 wondrous building." You can stroll through and observe this architectural marvel of "leaning east and west," take a close look at the daily life of the Hakka people in the tulou, or chat with the Hakka residents 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. Afterward, head to the ancient Hakka village of Taxia Village. Taxia Village is distributed along the stream in an "S" shape, 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, its beautiful mountains and waters, high-quality air and spring water, and the villagers' healthy lifestyle have earned it the reputation of a "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 enjoy the picturesque ancient village scenery and the varied tulou architecture. Among them, Yude Lou (Weiqun Lou) and Deyuantang Zhang Clan Ancestral Hall (China's most complete group of 24 stone dragon flagpoles) are worth careful appreciation. Overnight stay in Taxia Village. Notes 1. When visiting the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, you can choose to hike or take a 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. 3. If you go to Taxia Village in autumn, you can see Hakka people drying persimmons outside the tulou, and the whole village is filled with the sweet scent of persimmons. 4. If you are interested in oolong tea, you can contact our customer service in advance, and they can take you to a local tea garden near Taxia Village to experience tea picking. 5. The Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster and Chuxi Tulou Cluster are both great places to view terraced fields and take beautiful photos. 6. In autumn, you can take this rare opportunity to pick local fresh fruit and even try some farm work.

This morning, you will depart from the Nanjing Tulou and drive about 10 kilometers (about 20 minutes) to the Yongding Tulou. There are over 23,000 surviving Hakka tulou in Yongding, far exceeding those in Nanjing in both scale and number, ranking first in Fujian. They are the largest and oldest tulou cluster in China and even the world, praised as the "Hometown of Tulou" and "Pearl of Oriental Architecture," and were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008 as the main part of Fujian Tulou. In addition, you will have the chance to explore filming locations of the popular Chinese film "Big Fish & Begonia," such as Chun's home, Chengqi Lou. In the morning, first visit the Gaobei Tulou Cluster, known as the "Tulou King Scenic Area." This is the settlement of the Jiang clan since the Yuan dynasty, one of the most representative tulou clusters in Yongding, Fujian, and a living museum of Hakka culture and architectural aesthetics. Among them, Chengqi Lou (first built during the Chongzhen period of the Ming dynasty, taking 81 years to complete, 73 meters in diameter, containing 400 rooms, known as the "Tulou King," once featured on a Chinese residential architecture stamp, and the prototype of the "Divine Enclosure" in "Big Fish & Begonia"), Wuyun Lou (built during the Yongle period of the Ming dynasty, the oldest surviving tulou of the Jiang clan, and known as the "Unfalling Building" because its wall leans 1.5 meters yet has stood for a century), Shize Lou (a square tulou with the typical Hakka clan layout of "one gate, two wells, three halls, four staircases"), and Qiaofu Lou (its ancestral hall is a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles, named "Doctor Building" because the family produced 11 PhDs) are the essence of the Gaobei Tulou Cluster and worth careful appreciation. Excellent photography spots in the Gaobei Tulou Cluster 1. The "square and round one-line sky" wonder formed by the square Shize Lou and the circular Chengqi Lou 2. The panoramic view beside the rice fields outside Chengqi Lou, with even better atmosphere in the early morning or evening 3. The doorway of Shize Lou framing Chengqi Lou, for shooting the geometric aesthetic of "a circle within a square" 4. The lantern night view of Qiaofu Lou, very suitable for shooting warm-toned light and shadow. In the afternoon, drive to the Chuxi Tulou Cluster, the most pristine and most Hakka-cultured tulou cluster in Yongding, Fujian. Backed by mountains and facing water, surrounded by terraced fields and with streams flowing through, it is known as "China's most beautiful tulou cluster," with different charms in all four seasons. In March and April, you can enjoy golden rapeseed flower fields and charming spring tulou scenery; in September and October, you can enjoy the intoxicating autumn harvest scenery. Among them, Jiqing Lou (built in 1419, one of the oldest surviving circular buildings in Yongding, built entirely without a single iron nail using pure wooden mortise-and-tenon structure, with a unique design of 72 staircases), Shanqing Lou (donated by overseas Chinese in 1979, its white exterior walls stand out uniquely among the tulou cluster, and it is a rare single-ring circular tulou with no interior structures), Gengqing Lou (built in 1849, only 33 meters in diameter and 3 stories high, with three rammed-earth partition walls as a major feature), and Shengqing Lou (a square tulou composed of two square tulou, inner and outer) are the most representative tulou buildings of the Chuxi Tulou Cluster, allowing you to enjoy the tulou landscape of "three circular and one square." In addition, you can climb the viewing platform to overlook the full view of the circular, rectangular, square, and hexagonal tulou cluster surrounded by terraced fields. Morning mist or sunset is the best time for photography, and the scenery is best in autumn when the rice waves turn golden. After the tour, you will return to your Xiamen hotel to rest.

Early this morning, you can visit Nanputuo Temple, known as the "Buddhist holy site of southern Fujian," and enjoy its peaceful atmosphere before the crowds arrive. Nanputuo Temple was first built in the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, more than a thousand years ago. It is one of Fujian's most famous temples, the birthplace of the Minnan Buddhist Academy, and one of China's four great Guanyin pilgrimage sites. Influenced by the culture of the overseas Chinese hometowns of southern Fujian, it is highly favored in Southeast Asia. There is even a folk blessing legend that "visiting Nanputuo for one year spares you three years of suffering," and incense burns brightly all year round. You can stroll and admire the tranquil temple scenery and check in at magnificent and exquisite Buddhist buildings such as the Great Compassion Hall (a model of southern Fujian Buddhist architectural art, especially renowned for its red bricks, glazed tiles, and octagonal triple eaves) and the Sutra Library (which houses a Ming Wanli-era blood-written Lotus Sutra). If interested, you can also try Nanputuo Temple's vegetarian meal or taste traditionally made vegetarian cakes. After visiting Nanputuo Temple, you will be taken to the port pier to take a 20-minute ferry to Gulangyu. Gulangyu 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 must-visit destinations in Fujian. The island preserves 931 historic buildings combining Chinese and Western styles, covering Gothic churches, Baroque consulates, and traditional southern Fujian red-brick houses, and is known as a "World Architecture Expo." The island also has China's highest per capita piano ownership rate, China's first piano museum and the world's largest organ museum, and has produced many internationally renowned musicians, earning it the titles "Island of Music" and "Island of Pianos." In addition, motor vehicles are prohibited across the island, adding to its tranquility. 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, two different route options are provided: ① Leisure and entertainment journey: enjoy the island scenery to the fullest, with a customized itinerary based on your travel preferences and pace; ② Cultural, historical, and architectural journey: visit old buildings of strikingly different styles and learn the historical stories behind them. Gulangyu Optional Route ①: Leisure and Entertainment Journey If you want to spend a leisurely holiday on Gulangyu and follow your heart, you can tell the guide your travel preferences, and they will recommend suitable ways and routes to explore 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 scenery; you can also go to Moonlight Rock to overlook the island's red rooftops and Xiamen's city skyline; or simply step into an old villa and enjoy a cup of rich coffee in a peaceful moment. If you are interested in museums, recommended places include the Gulangyu Piano Museum, Organ Museum, China Record Museum, Palace Museum Gulangyu Gallery of Foreign Artifacts, and the International Calligraphy and Seal Carving Art Museum. If you love natural scenery, recommended places include Sunlight Rock, Dadeji Seaside Bathing Beach, and Shuzhuang Garden. If you want to be immersed in music, recommended places include the Gulangyu Concert Hall and the Pipe Organ Art Center to listen to a melodious performance. If you are keen on specialty foods, recommended places include Longtou Road and Fujian Road to taste delicious southern Fujian cuisine. Notes 1. You can explore 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 Optional Route 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, allowing you to fully enjoy the diverse charm of "World Architecture" and the elegant scenery of the "Garden on the Sea." Attractions along the way: 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 Tower (China's only and the world's largest organ museum; the architecture blends ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Islamic, and southern Fujian styles, and because of its red dome and grand appearance it is called the "Little White House of Gulangyu," making it the island's most striking landmark) → Yang Family Garden (one of Gulangyu's ten famous villa complexes, known as the "Versailles of Gulangyu") → Fanpo Tower (built by Philippine overseas Chinese Xu Jingquan; the architecture blends Rococo style with southern Fujian 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 great villas and one of its most representative historic building complexes, famous for its Byzantine-style "golden melon" dome and Chinese-Western design) → Dafudi (one of the earliest surviving residential buildings on Gulangyu, a typical traditional southern Fujian red-brick house) → Siluo Dacuo (a representative building of traditional southern Fujian red-brick houses and the oldest surviving residential building complex on Gulangyu) → Chu Family Garden (one of the more completely preserved overseas Chinese villas on Gulangyu) → Huang Family Garden (the largest and most luxuriously built private residence on Gulangyu, known as "China's Number One Villa," where many national dignitaries have stayed) → Shuzhuang Garden (known as the "Number One Seaside Mansion," with a rare design that hides the sea and supplements the mountain, and whose piano museum houses many piano treasures) → Haitiantang Gou (one of Gulangyu's ten great 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, this wonderful and unforgettable 4-day Fujian Tulou and Xiamen Gulangyu trip will come to an end. Our driver will take you back to your Xiamen hotel or to the airport/train station for your next destination.