Tag: daytrip

day trip – dapeng april 22

Despite the capricious weather this past week, our southern China sun will be returning, and when it does, it will be high time to get ourselves to the seaside.

Shenzhen is bookended in history, with Dapeng Ancient Fortress holding down the eastern extremity. Dapeng Ancient Fortress is a fortified village that dates back to the Ming dynasty, predating the urbanization of Shenzhen, and was in charge of controlling pirates off the coast of China. Today it still retains many narrow alleys to walk, with people living a quiet life in the village and shops selling traditional foods and gifts.

Jiaochangwei is another former military village, still situated directly on the seaside. Now it takes the form of a young Chinese surf town, with many colorful hostels and restaurants for a weekend beach getaway.

 

Delve into local history while digging your toes into the sand in Dapeng and Jiaochangwei.

Sunday April 22
Adults: 180RMB
Kids 1.2-1.5m: 165RMB

SWIC or ABNet members receive a discount of 20RMB off each 

includes round trip private shuttle, entrance tickets, and guided tour by Greta. Lunch additional.

Departure: 8:30am
Return: 6:00pm

Private shuttle picks up from Shekou (for other pick ups contact me). Journey to Dapeng about 1.5 hours.

Minimum 10

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Dapeng in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

day trip – guangzhou april 26

Trace Guangzhou’s history in the footprints of a few blocks of the city’s core. Our neighbor has been a diverse metropolis for centuries and has played an interesting part in China’s history. On this day tour, we’ll discover some of beautiful and important sites in Guangzhou.

First we’ll visit one of the enduring symbols of Guangzhou, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Sun Yat-sen, popularly known as Sun Zhongshan, was the first president of the Republic of China after the Xinhai revolution overthrew the imperial Qing dynasty. Sun Yat-sen was a native of the Pearl River Delta, and it was from Guangzhou that he initiated some of the first movements in overthrowing the Qing government. The memorial here was built soon after his death in 1925.

After our walk of the grounds and look inside the exhibit halls about Sun Yat-sen’s life, we’ll have lunch together in old Guangzhou. (Cost additional – just split the bill with the group) Lunch will be either dim sum or an authentic Cantonese restaurant.

After lunch, we’ll visit the Guangxiao temple in central Guangzhou, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Guangzhou, as the site dates back to 230AD. Grand halls and green courtyards are decorated with fresh flower offerings, and left and right of the main halls are two iron pagodas, the oldest of their kind in China. 

 

 

Next we’ll make our way to Chen Clan Academy, an ornate complex built in the Qing dynasty. You can see the educational, social, and religious purposes the academy served, as well as learn about the traditional building techniques used and other ancient handcrafts preserved by Cantonese artists.

In the center of this modern city, you can discover some of the beautiful and fascinating history of Guangdong and the Chinese nation.

Adults: 315RMB
Kids 1.2-1.5m: 225RMB

SWIC or ABNet members receive a discount of 15RMB off each 

includes round trip private shuttle, entrance tickets, and guided tour by Greta. Lunch additional.

Thursday April 26
Departure: 7:30am
Return: 6:00pm

Private shuttle picks up from Shekou (for other pick ups contact me). Journey to Guangzhou about 2 hours.

Minimum 7

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Guangzhou in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

day trip – foshan may 3

Come on a day trip to see Foshan, the colorful hometown of Cantonese traditions! Enjoy a day out in the spring weather, while you learn about kung fu, lion dancing, ancient ceramics and traditional culture.

Foshan city is part of the Pearl River Delta and the third largest city in Guangdong, with distinctive Cantonese cultural traditions and rich history. Its name means “Buddha mountain.”

On this day trip, first we will visit the Nanfeng Ancient Kiln. Here you can see a ceramics kiln that has been in continuous operation since the Ming dynasty, for over 500 years. There are also many charming sculptural alleyways and shops to find a wonderful ceramic souvenir.

From here, we’ll head to lunch in Lingnan Tiandi, a historic district developed with many restaurants and quaint cafes. Cost of lunch is on your own. I will recommend a few restaurants to choose from, and provide a suggested menu to order from. I will recommend that groups of 3-5 dine together, rather than our entire group together for efficiency at the restaurants.

After lunch, we will explore the Ancestral Temple (祖庙 zu miao), which has been a central part of Foshan people’s religion for centuries. In this well preserved temple, you can also learn about Ip Man and Wang Fei Hong, two major kung fu masters from Foshan. The elements of Cantonese opera are demonstrated at the temple’s own traditional stage, so you can hear the orchestra or singer practicing (few performances each day at select times.) And don’t miss the heart of the Ancestral Temple, the ornate halls of Beidi, the northern emperor god, to whom locals pray to watch over Foshan.

Price: 315RMB per adult, 225RMB for kids between 1.2-1.5m (15RMB off for Shenzhen ABNet or SWIC member), kids under 1.2m get an additional discount – contact me.

Thursday May 3
Depart 7:30AM, return Shenzhen 6:00PM

includes round trip private shuttle, entrance tickets, including kung fu and lion dance show, and tour

Minimum 7

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Foshan in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

daytrip – shuilian waterfall april 15

 

Announcing an easy day out with your family, to a mountain park covered in waterfalls and fresh green nature!

We’ll be traveling to Shuilian Mountain Park in nearby Dongguan. Dongguan actually has the greatest number of parks of any city in China, even more than Shenzhen. Shuilian is a beautiful park located less than 1.5 hours drive from Shekou, making for a convenient day out with your family!

We’ll have a leisurely departure at 9:00am from Shekou. The main feature of the park is a lake fed by a grand waterfall. After arriving at the park, we’ll take a modest hike part way up the mountain past waterfalls and taking in views of the lake below. Note: This is hiking up steps, first some stone steps and then an uphill boardwalk. However the climb we are doing is not very high (about 150m – half a Nanshan mountain) and not to the top of the mountain, so we can go at an easy pace. At the top of our hike, we’ll sit and eat our picnic lunch next to a pool fed by the waterfall. You may feel as if we’re in a fairy world amongst the streams and shady groves of trees. After lunch we’ll visit the park’s ancient temple, a small stone sanctuary dating back to the Song dynasty. After viewing the temple, we’ll have some free time for exploring more of the mountain or taking a boat out on the lake. There is also a butterfly garden (extra charge) and other paths you can explore on your own. We’ll arrive back in Shekou at 5:30pm.

 

 

Adults: 220RMB
Kids 1.2-1.5m: 180RMB

SWIC or ABNet members receive a discount of 15RMB off each 

includes round trip private shuttle, entrance to the park and ancient temple, and guided tour by Greta. Please bring a packed lunch, water, and any snacks you will want for the bus ride. Boat ride or any other fees not included.

Sunday April 15

Departure: 9:00am
Return: 5:30pm

Private shuttle picks up from Shekou (for other pick ups contact me). Journey to Shuilian about 1.5hours.

Minimum 10, maximum 14

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Shuilian in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

day trip – huizhou a lake and a beach april 5

Discover history and fun in the sun in Shenzhen’s neighbor to our east, Huizhou!

You might think of Huizhou as an incidental suburb of Shenzhen, but actually it has an abundance of natural beauty and even quite a bit of history! In one day away from Shenzhen, you can wander amongst a classical Chinese garden, and sun yourself on the sands of a wide open beach!

First, we’ll visit Huizhou’s West Lake, a sister to Hangzhou’s famous West Lake. This really is a cultural landscape, with islands and bridges with poetic names and scenes that recall Su Dongpo’s quiet verses. Greta will give a short tour here, and then let you have enough free time to wander on your own.

After our time unwinding at West Lake, we’ll head south to the coast to Silver Beach. This is a newly developed area with an expansive beach, hotels, and restaurants. Take your time to stroll the sands, wade in the water, or just soak up the sea air and sun’s rays. Our default plan will be to return to Shenzhen by 6:30pm. (If the group desires, we could stay for sunset and dinner in one of Silver Beach’s seafood restaurants, returning to Shenzhen after dinner. Let me know your preference when booking.)

 

Thursday April 5
7:45 departure, 6:30 return

Price: 245RMB for Adults, 170RMB Kids 1.2m-1.5m, Free for Kids under 1.2m
20RMB off for SWIC or ABNet members.

Includes round trip transportation and tour. Lunch, boat, snacks, other fees are shared or on your own.

Bring your passport (not needed for booking, but just a good idea to always have it when you are outside of Shenzhen)

Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Pack water bottles and snacks for the 2 hour bus ride.

And mosquito repellent! and sunscreen.

Minimum 10, maximum 14

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Huizhou in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

day trip – foshan april 7

Come on a day trip to see Foshan, the colorful hometown of Cantonese traditions! Enjoy a day out in the spring weather, while you learn about kung fu, lion dancing, ancient ceramics and traditional culture.

Foshan city is part of the Pearl River Delta and the third largest city in Guangdong, with distinctive Cantonese cultural traditions and rich history. Its name means “Buddha mountain.”

On this day trip, first we will visit the Nanfeng Ancient Kiln. Here you can see a ceramics kiln that has been in continuous operation since the Ming dynasty, for over 500 years. There are also many charming sculptural alleyways and shops to find a wonderful ceramic souvenir.

From here, we’ll head to lunch in Lingnan Tiandi, a historic district developed with many restaurants and quaint cafes. Cost of lunch is on your own. I will recommend a few restaurants to choose from, and provide a suggested menu to order from. I will recommend that groups of 3-5 dine together, rather than our entire group together for efficiency at the restaurants.

After lunch, we will explore the Ancestral Temple (祖庙 zu miao), which has been a central part of Foshan people’s religion for centuries. In this well preserved temple, you can also learn about Ip Man and Wang Fei Hong, two major kung fu masters from Foshan. The elements of Cantonese opera are demonstrated at the temple’s own traditional stage, so you can hear the orchestra or singer practicing (few performances each day at select times.) And don’t miss the heart of the Ancestral Temple, the ornate halls of Beidi, the northern emperor god, to whom locals pray to watch over Foshan.

Price: 280RMB per adult, 190RMB for kids between 1.2-1.5m (20RMB off for Shenzhen ABNet or SWIC member), kids under 1.2m get an additional discount – contact me.

Saturday April 7
Depart 7:30AM, return Shenzhen 6:00PM

includes round trip private shuttle, entrance tickets, including kung fu and lion dance show, and tour

Minimum 10, maximum 14

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Foshan in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

one day tour in ancient guangzhou – march 22

Before the high speed train station and Canton tower, before the tea houses and embassies of Shamian, Guangzhou was already an important and diverse capital. On this day tour, we’ll discover some of the most ancient sites in Guangzhou.

First we’ll discover the traces of the Nanyue Kingdom from two thousand years ago. After the fall of the Qin dynasty, an independent kingdom Nanyue (南越) ruled this part of southern China, and in fact parts of present day Vietnam. We’ll tour the museum of the tomb of the second ruler of the kingdom at the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King.

We’ll have lunch together (cost additional – just split the bill with the group) at a classic restaurant on one of Guangzhou’s oldest streets.

After lunch, we’ll visit the Guangxiao temple in central Guangzhou, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Guangzhou, as the site dates back to 230AD. Grand halls and green courtyards are decorated with fresh flower offerings, and left and right of the main halls are two iron pagodas, the oldest of their kind in China. 

Not far from these ancient places we’ll find the footprints of a Song dynasty market on Beijing Street. Find the foundations of ancient gates and towers, and then enjoy some free time on this still thriving shopping street.

Adults: 315RMB
Kids 1.2-1.5m: 235RMB

SWIC or ABNet members receive a discount of 15RMB off each 

includes round trip private shuttle, entrance tickets, and guided tour by Greta. Lunch additional.

Departure: 7:30am
Return: 6:00pm

Private shuttle picks up from Shekou (for other pick ups contact me). Journey to Guangzhou about 2 hours.

Minimum 8, maximum 14

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Guangzhou in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)