小桥流水人家 To make your home by a small bridge and flowing water.
These words describe the idyllic scenery of Chinese villages, which people come from across continents to see, often seeking out the tourist canal towns around Shanghai. But we have such a quaint village right in our backyard around the Pearl River Delta. The irrigated towns and paddies of Guangzhou and Foshan are a prime but overlooked place to find a classic scene of Chinese life.
On this day trip, we’ll head to the outer villages of Shunde district, part of Foshan just to the west of Guangzhou.
In the water town of Fengjian, you can wander the shaded streets of this village, catching glimpses of the local people’s relaxed life. Fishermen repair a net, two neighbors play chess along the river banks.
Shunde is also home to some of the most famous dishes of Cantonese cuisine, especially the popular desserts double skinned milk and ginger milk. We can taste these plus other snacks and sweets while lounging near the flowing river.
You can also take your family for a paddle in a traditional wooden boat in a loop around the canals. (Price not included in tour: small boat 150 per boat/up to 5 people, large boat 250 per boat/up to 10 people, pay directly to boatmen on the day)
This is the original Watertown group tour from Shenzhen. Come with China Tea Leaves to see some things that you can only see with us, and enjoy our relaxed, small group experience.
Price: 330RMB per adult, 235RMB 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.
Sunday, October 27 Depart 8:00AM, return Shenzhen 6:00PM
Default pickup in Shekou. Contact me if you are outside of Shekou for other pickup options.
includes round trip private shuttle, access to two water towns, lunch and Cantonese dessert, and tour
Minimum 8
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Watertown in your introduction. 加我微信的时候，请备注Trips或Watertown；如果没有，我可能不加你。
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
Our neighbor across the Pearl River Delta, Macau, has an outsized reputation as the “Las Vegas of the East,” and a quick European mini-holiday. But beyond the glittering lights and tourist-flooded streets, you will discover another side of Macau. Ornate temples wafting with incense, traditional bakeries, craftsman’s studios, and chapels and shrines with curious history can be found if you take the time to explore the winding alleys.
On this insider tour of Macau, we’ll see a relic of a Christian saint, a secret garden inside a public library, the most beautiful black-and-white mosaic street in Macau, and a temple dedicated to the snake goddess held to be creator of the Chinese universe. In the afternoon we’ll stop by a cozy wine bar for a glass of Portuguese wine.
Price: 625RMB for adults, 520 for kids age 6 and up includes round trip round trip ferry to Macau, transportation in Macau, tour, and glass of wine for adults Ferry to Macau about 1 hour.
Minimum group size 5 to keep this price
I will guide the group to restaurants in Macau, cost of lunch on your own.
Monday, October 7 8:00am Ferry from Shekou Ferry Terminal 9:00am Arrive Macau Walking tour, lunch, wine bar stop 18:30 Ferry from Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal 19:30 Return to Shekou
Please let me know if you would like to board a later ferry and I will check availability for you.
Note: You will need original passport for this trip, and enough entries on your visa to come back into China.
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Macau in your introduction.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
Are you dreaming of a land of blue skies, colorful clouds, people living a quiet traditional life? A place where you can stretch your legs, climb green mountains, wade amongst wildflowers, and discover temples, new friends and always a bit of adventure? Sounds like a fairy tale, some kind of Shangri-La, you say?
You would be right. And you can find your own paradise in the northwest corner of Yunnan province.
Come with Greta Bilek, author of China Tea Leaves travel guides and explorer of China, on your dream trip to Yunnan province.
Yunnan province is located in southwestern China, tucked between Tibet, Sichuan and Guangxi provinces, Myanmar, and Vietnam, and is one of the most diverse provinces in China, with dozens of ethnic minorities; flowers, mushrooms and other wildlife; and dramatic landscapes with the weather of eternal spring.
We’ll be visiting the Shaxi valley; Shuhe and Baisha, outside of Lijiang; Shangri-La; and the Tiger Leaping Gorge.
We will fly from Shenzhen direct to Lijiang (丽江 elev. 7900ft/2400m). There we will be picked up by private shuttle to head to Shaxi (沙溪 elev. 6890ft/2100m), a pristine valley with a well preserved Bai minority village and world class historical sites. The Bai people are a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group, known throughout Yunnan for their intricately carved architecture and fine cooking with local ingredients. Shaxi was an important trading post on the ancient Tea Horse Road, which connected Tibet to southern Yunnan and beyond, for centuries of trade of horses (from Tibet) and tea (from southern Yunnan).
Our hotel for two nights will be located right inside a temple/theatre that served entertainment for the gods of the Bai people. We will visit the market area, with its temple and theatre complex, recognized by UNESCO for its articulate restoration. On our full day in Shaxi, we will journey into the rolling hills to find a secluded temple and the fascinating sculptural grotto of Shizhongshan.
On our last day in Shaxi we’ll be able to catch the action at the Sideng market, frequented by villagers who come down from the hills for their weekly supplies.
From Shaxi we will head back to Shuhe (束河 elev. 7900ft/2400m) near Lijiang, another town located on the ancient Tea Horse Road. On the day of our arrival, we will stroll the colorful streets of Shuhe, in the view of the imposing Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Shuhe and Lijiang were stops on the old Tea Horse Road, which connected Tibet to southern Yunnan and beyond, for centuries of trade of horses (from Tibet) and tea (from southern Yunnan). This area is the home of the Naxi minority, with their own writing system and religion.
We’ll visit Baisha (白沙 elev. 8170ft/2490m), the capital of the region’s former Naxi kingdom, and today a small village that still holds its authentic, traditional feeling. We can chat with locals, taste local street food, and hunt antiques and fabrics in the shops of the old town.
After unwinding in Shuhe, we will head north towards to Shangri-La (香格里拉 elev. 10,370ft/3160m), the center of the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan province. You will really feel like we’re in Tibetan country, even though we won’t have crossed the border. Ladies in traditional pink headwear do their shopping and older folks grasp their prayer beads throughout the streets. We will visit a lively market, the old town of Dukezong, the largest prayer wheel in the world, and the Songzanlin monastery, which is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan.
If your holiday schedule allows, what better way to finish off your time in Yunnan than with a stunning 2-day hike in the Tiger Leaping Gorge? (虎跳峡 elev. 6230-8690-6890ft/1900-2650-2100m). This is one of the most renowned hikes in the world, following a deep gorge along the Jinsha River, which becomes the Yangtze River as it flows from here through Sichuan province. Every view is breathtaking, gazing up at snow mountains so close you think you could reach out and touch them.
After one tough day of hiking, we will stay overnight in a guesthouse on the trail, and wake up to silent mountains looking on outside our window. We will continue hiking through farming enclaves, waterfalls and vistas to reach our shuttle back to Lijiang.
Our final night will be spent in Shuhe, before your departure flight back from Lijiang to Shenzhen.
After days dreaming in the heights amongst a rainbow of wildflowers and prayer flags, you will return to Shenzhen with a vision of paradise in your mind’s eye and a burning desire to come back to Yunnan province.
October 2: Arrive Lijiang, transfer to Shaxi October 3: Shaxi Shibaoshan temple and hiking, stay Shaxi October 4: Transfer to Shuhe, stay Shuhe October 5: Visit Baisha, Tibetan temple hike October 6: Transfer to Shangri-La, visit old town and monastery, stay Shangri-La October 7: End, arrange your flight out from Lijiang or Shangri-La
Optional: October 8: Transfer to Tiger Leaping Gorge, day one of hiking, stay TLG October 9: Day two of Tiger Leaping Gorge, return to Shuhe October 10: Flight out from Lijiang
Golden Week only October 2-7: 4680RMB Extended with Tiger Leaping Gorge October 2-10: 5890RMB Hotels (double occupancy), Private Ground Transportation, Entrance Tickets, Meals, Travel Insurance, and guide by Greta
(Note: Much of this trip is at high elevation – 7900ft/2400m and higher. Travelers will feel the effects of the elevation, but can usually adjust to normal activity level within 1-2 days. The Tiger Leaping Gorge hike has some steep inclines and is at high elevation. Hiking at this elevation is tough and incurs a real risk of altitude sickness. There are donkeys available on the trail for those who feel uncomfortable, for an additional fee.The trail is in good condition, and no special prior hiking experience is necessary. But this hike is best suited for those in good physical shape. Please notify us of any health conditions when booking. China Tea Leaves is not responsible for any injuries or accidents sustained during the trip.)
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Yunnan in your introduction.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
小桥流水人家 To make your home by a small bridge and flowing water.
These words describe the idyllic scenery of Chinese villages, which people come from across continents to see, often seeking out the tourist canal towns around Shanghai. But we have such a quaint village right in our backyard around the Pearl River Delta. The irrigated towns and paddies of Guangzhou and Foshan are a prime but overlooked place to find a classic scene of Chinese life.
On this day trip, we’ll head to the outer villages of Shunde district, part of Foshan just to the west of Guangzhou.
In the water town of Fengjian, you can wander the shaded streets of this village, catching glimpses of the local people’s relaxed life. Fishermen repair a net, two neighbors play chess along the river banks.
Shunde is also home to some of the most famous dishes of Cantonese cuisine, especially the popular desserts double skinned milk and ginger milk. We can taste these plus other snacks and sweets while lounging near the flowing river.
You can also take your family for a paddle in a traditional wooden boat in a loop around the canals. (Price not included in tour: small boat 150 per boat/up to 5 people, large boat 250 per boat/up to 10 people, pay directly to boatmen on the day)
A lovely traditional place to escape just for a day away from the city.
Price: 330RMB per adult, 235RMB 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, September 28 Depart 8:00AM, return Shenzhen 6:00PM
Default pickup in Shekou. Contact me if you are outside of Shekou for other pickup options.
includes round trip private shuttle, access to two water towns, lunch and Cantonese dessert, and tour
Minimum 8
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Watertown in your introduction. 加我微信的时候，请备注Trips或Watertown；如果没有，我可能不加你。
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
Our neighbor across the Pearl River Delta, Macau, has an outsized reputation as the “Las Vegas of the East,” and a quick European mini-holiday. But beyond the glittering lights and tourist-flooded streets, you will discover another side of Macau. Ornate temples wafting with incense, traditional bakeries, craftsman’s studios, and chapels and shrines with curious history can be found if you take the time to explore the winding alleys.
On this insider tour of Macau, we’ll see a relic of a Christian saint, a secret garden inside a public library, the most beautiful black-and-white mosaic street in Macau, and a temple dedicated to the snake goddess held to be creator of the Chinese universe. In the afternoon we’ll stop by a cozy wine bar for a glass of Portuguese wine.
Price: 625RMB for adults, 520 for kids age 6 and up includes round trip round trip ferry to Macau, transportation in Macau, tour, and glass of wine for adults Ferry to Macau about 1 hour.
Minimum group size 5 to keep this price
I will guide the group to restaurants in Macau, cost of lunch on your own.
Saturday, September 7 8:45am Ferry from Shekou Ferry Terminal 9:45am Arrive Macau Walking tour, lunch, wine bar stop 18:15 Ferry from Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal 19:15 Return to Shekou
Please let me know if you would like to board a later ferry and I will check availability for you.
Note: You will need original passport for this trip, and enough entries on your visa to come back into China.
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Macau in your introduction.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
This is a tour of the classic sights of our Pearl River neighbor, Guangzhou!
Guangzhou, or Canton as it was formerly known in the west, is home to proud local traditions, some of the most respected dining establishments in China, and a unique meeting of east and west in Chinese history.
On this tour we will visit the 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. After this Lingnan cultural primer, we head on to another Guangzhou institution, dim sum. In Guangzhou you can easily and happily eat all day and everywhere, and dim sum seems to be invented to suit the Cantonese people’s yen for all-day feasting. We’ll eat in a famous tea house in the old Liwan district of Guangzhou, one listed in the newest Michelin guide in China, Guanghzhou.
From there we’ll stretch our legs and see some of the historic arcaded shop house streets of Liwan district. Many museums and time-honored shops line the streets.
Next we’ll see another side of Guangzhou on Shamian Island, set up in the 19th century as a foreign “concession,” or place set apart for foreign embassies, banks, and diplomats’ homes. The stately arcades and leafy avenues today are a popular place to pose for wedding photos, or just to have a cup of coffee.
After tooling around the historic corners of Guangzhou, we’ll enjoy another classic Cantonese dinner before heading back to Shenzhen. Wumizhou is a special kind of congee hotpot, especially good with various seafoods cooked right in the congee, and washed down with Zhujiang beer. After seeing a few sides of Guangzhou, we’ll have a greater appreciation for its unique heritage and modern charms.
Price: 475RMB per adult, 380RMB per child 1.2-1.5m. Ask me for small kid’s price and partner discounts for ABNet or SWIC members.
includes round trip private shuttle, entrance tickets, dim sum lunch, and Cantonese dinner
Private shuttle picks up from Shekou (Futian also available – contact us). 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 Guanghzou in your introduction.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
Our neighbor across the Pearl River Delta, Macau, has an outsized reputation as the “Las Vegas of the East,” and a quick European mini-holiday. But beyond the glittering lights and tourist-flooded streets, you will discover another side of Macau. Ornate temples wafting with incense, traditional bakeries, craftsman’s studios, and chapels and shrines with curious history can be found if you take the time to explore the winding alleys.
On this insider tour of Macau, we’ll see a relic of a Christian saint, a secret garden inside a public library, the most beautiful black-and-white mosaic street in Macau, and a temple dedicated to the snake goddess held to be creator of the Chinese universe. In the afternoon we’ll stop by a cozy wine bar for a glass of Portuguese wine.
Price: 550RMB for adults, 280 for kids 525RMB discounted partner price – available for ABNet members or SWIC members includes round trip round trip ferry to Macau, tour, and glass of wine for adults Ferry to Macau about 1 hour. Minimum 5.
I will guide the group to restaurants in Macau, cost of lunch on your own.
Thursday, August 22 8:45am Ferry from Shekou Ferry Terminal 9:45am Arrive Macau Walking tour, lunch, wine bar stop Free time in Macau 16:15 Ferry from Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal (if you prefer a later ferry so you can stay on in Macau, let me know at time of booking) ~17:15 Return to Shekou
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Macau in your introduction.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
Arcaded sidewalks, storefronts steaming with goodies, courtyards lined in jewel toned stained glass. Take an early spring stroll through historic Shunde for a day of gastronomic and visual delights.
Shunde (顺德) district of Foshan city is a wonderland of the culinary kind, and is known by Chinese as the hometown of the best chefs of Cantonese cuisine, typically the highest regarded cuisine throughout China. Our destination will be the winding streets of Daliang, Shunde, not far from the medieval looking canals, where you’ll find pastel colonial buildings and decaying sign boards of tried and true restaurants. On this day trip we will sample some of Shunde’s classic eats, such as steamed cake, rice noodles, claypot rice, and Shunde’s famous milk desserts shuang pi nai and ginger milk. There is a phrase circulated by foodies, 食在广东，厨出凤城 (shi zai guangdong, chu chu feng cheng), that is, eating in Guangdong, your chef has come from the Phoenix City, a nickname of Shunde’s central Daliang district. Down the tidy alleys of Daliang, we’ll be seeking out some time-honored shops, such as “Remember” Milk, makers of shuang pi nai, China’s panna cotta, and niu ru, handmade milk discs that can be cooked into many dishes at home.
A must-see in Shunde is the nearby Qinghui Garden (清晖园), known as one of the four best Lingnan style gardens. Various courtyards unfold, revealing unexpected views and materials, such as stained glass, ceramic tile, wrought iron, gilded wooden pavilions and more. Wandering this Qing dynasty complex makes for a lovely afternoon, and ranks as one of the most beautiful spots I have seen in all of Guangdong province. It is worth taking the time to discover all the gems of each corner, a potted garden of bonsai, a tower lined in stained glass, a waterfall, a lucky koi pond, and on and on.
Come enjoy a day out learning more about the culture of southern China and feasting on Shunde’s offerings.
Price: 385RMB per adult, 220RMB for kids between 1.2-1.5m (345/200 for Shenzhen ABNet or SWIC member), kids under 1.2m get an additional discount – contact me. Minimum 8
Saturday, August 17 Depart 8:00AM, return Shenzhen 6:00PM
includes round trip private shuttle, entrance tickets to Qinghui Garden, food throughout the day, and tour
Note: We will be sampling local foods in small reputable restaurants. Adventurous omnivores or flexible eaters will be happiest on this tour. I’m a pescatarian myself, so I can guide eaters around some restrictions but we will be trying some dishes that you probably haven’t had a chance to try in Shenzhen.
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Shunde in your introduction. 加我微信的时候，清备注Trips或Shunde；如果没有，我可能不加你。
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
Our neighbor across the Pearl River Delta, Macau, has an outsized reputation as the “Las Vegas of the East,” and a quick European mini-holiday. But beyond the glittering lights and tourist-flooded streets, you will discover another side of Macau. Ornate temples wafting with incense, traditional bakeries, craftsman’s studios, and chapels and shrines with curious history can be found if you take the time to explore the winding alleys.
On this insider tour of Macau, we’ll see a relic of a Christian saint, a secret garden inside a public library, the most beautiful black-and-white mosaic street in Macau, and a temple dedicated to the snake goddess held to be creator of the Chinese universe. In the afternoon we’ll stop by a cozy wine bar for a glass of Portuguese wine. After the end of the tour, you can stay on in Macau to enjoy its nightlife and fine dining.
Price: 550RMB for adults, 280 for kids 525RMB discounted partner price – available for ABNet members or SWIC members includes round trip round trip ferry to Macau, tour, and glass of wine for adults Ferry to Macau about 1 hour.
I will guide the group to restaurants in Macau, cost of lunch on your own.
Thursday, July 18 8:45am Ferry from Shekou Ferry Terminal 9:45am Arrive Macau Walking tour, lunch, wine bar stop Free time in Macau 16:15 Ferry from Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal (if you prefer a later ferry so you can stay on in Macau, let me know at time of booking) ~17:15 Return to Shekou
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Macau in your introduction.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
Our neighbor across the Pearl River Delta, Macau, has an outsized reputation as the “Las Vegas of the East,” and a quick European mini-holiday. But beyond the glittering lights and tourist-flooded streets, you will discover another side of Macau. Ornate temples wafting with incense, traditional bakeries, craftsman’s studios, and chapels and shrines with curious history can be found if you take the time to explore the winding alleys.
On this insider tour of Macau, we’ll see a relic of a Christian saint, a secret garden inside a public library, the most beautiful black-and-white mosaic street in Macau, and a temple dedicated to the snake goddess held to be creator of the Chinese universe. In the afternoon we’ll stop by a cozy wine bar for a glass of Portuguese wine. After the end of the tour, you can stay on in Macau to enjoy its nightlife and fine dining.
Price: 625RMB for adults, 520 for kids age 6 and up includes round trip round trip ferry to Macau, transportation in Macau, tour, and glass of wine for adults Ferry to Macau about 1 hour.
Minimum group size 4 to keep this price
I will guide the group to restaurants in Macau, cost of lunch on your own.
Saturday, June 29 8:00am Ferry from Shekou Ferry Terminal 9:00am Arrive Macau Walking tour, lunch, wine bar stop 18:15 Ferry from Macau Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal 19:15 Return to Shekou
Please let me know if you would like to board a later ferry and I will check availability for you.
Note: You will need original passport for this trip, and enough entries on your visa to come back into China.
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Macau in your introduction.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
