This trip is a variation on our classic Foshan trip, to discover the natural side of this classic Guangdong city and delve more into the center of Shiwan ceramics.
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.” Our first stop will be Xiqiao mountain, an important sacred mountain in the Lingnan area.
The distinctive green hills of Xiqiao were formed by volcanic activity in ancient Foshan, and its freshness presides over this southwest side of Foshan. The Baofeng Temple here has a history of 600 years, and its site today is where the monumental figure of Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy, was built in 1998. The 77 meter tall statue is one of the tallest figures of Guanyin in the world.
After visiting the temple, we will enjoy a lunch in a vegetarian restaurant at the rear of the temple.
After lunch, 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. The remainder of our time of the day will be free for you to explore the many charming sculptural alleyways and shops to find a wonderful ceramic souvenir.
Monday, January 13 Depart 7:30AM, return Shenzhen approximately 6:00PM
2 Pick ups by private bus will be arranged around Shenzhen, to be convenient to public transportation, for example Chegongmiao metro and Sea World metro.
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)
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.
On this trip, you will experience: – A guided tour of the village, with information about the history of the watertown and the families that lived there – Lunch with introduction to some Shunde dishes – Free time for shopping and riding the traditional boats – Experience a second, non-touristy village
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.
Thursday, November 21 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)
Discover something different in Shenzhen when we visit the Gankeng Hakka Village, one of the original ten villages predating modern Shenzhen. The Hakka people migrated over the centuries from central China into Guangdong and Fujian provinces and play an important part in the culture of coastal Guangdong. This village was founded in the early Qing dynasty.
On our visit we can see the old village and sample Hakka rice wine and street snacks. Lanterns and red wish ribbons stream the streets around the old well, a central part of the original village. A new museum complex has rotating exhibits of classical Chinese artwork and artifacts. In recent years the area is being developed by OCT as a rural village experience with architecture from other provinces in China like Guizhou, Anhui, and Guangxi. A must in Gankeng village is a hearty Hakka lunch with dishes like squirrel fish, Hakka niang tofu, and clay baked chicken. Not many know that such a traditional place like this exists within our modern city.
Monday, November 11 Approx. 8:30 – 16:00
Price: Adult: 225RMB, Child: 130RMB Includes Private transportation, Lunch, entrance ticket to Phoenix Valley museum, and tour by Greta
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Gankeng in your introduction.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
Take a day out to experience the Pearl River and Hong Kong, from the cutting edge to the traditional, a snapshot of China in one seaside adventure.
One of the main features of this trip will be to cross the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. This mega structure is 55 kilometers in total length, crossing the Pearl River Delta at its wide mouth of the South China Sea and connecting the two special administrative regions of China by a land link for the first time in history. The HZM Bridge is now the longest sea crossing in the world, made up of three cable-stayed bridges, four artificial islands, and a 4.8 km undersea tunnel. This is one of the greatest engineering feats of our time, and it is right in our backyard!
We will start our sea adventure by taking the ferry from Shekou Port to Zhuhai. Then, we will make our way to the crossing point to board the shuttle that will cross the mega bridge, whisking us to Hong Kong in just 40 minutes. The massive structures built for this project will leave you in awe, and as you buckle in to cross the bay, you know you are on a space age adventure. After viewing the bridge from a distance on the ferry earlier in the day, enjoy the quick and smooth ride across the stunning bridge over the delta’s turquoise waters.
After we arrive in Tung Chung Hong Kong, we will journey on to Tai O, the quintessential fishing village of Hong Kong. Scarcely a kilometer away from the modern marvel of the HZM Bridge lies this quiet port, where life in many corners has not changed for centuries. Fishermen untangle their nets, felines wait to steal some of the day’s catch, houses teeter on stilts over the inlet’s waters. We’ll have time to enjoy the ambience of the quiet village. Plenty of local foods are available to sample, from sweet doughnuts to local fish and XO paste. We will also take a short cruise to get a closer look at the stilt houses and venture out into the bay in search of the famous pink dolphins of this side of Hong Kong.
As the sun lowers, you are free to stay on in Tai O or Tung Chung for dinner or shopping. I can help book a return ferry or train back to Hong Kong (return fare not included; small booking fee if I book). (The high speed train from Kowloon to Futian is another of China’s modern wonders!) This package as quoted below will get you back to Tung Chung. Contact me for more information about getting back to Shenzhen.
Date: Tuesday July 9, leave Shenzhen 8:30 AM, finish at Tung Chung Hong Kong approximately 6-7:00 PM
Price: 458RMB per adult, 328RMB per child (1.2-1.5m) under 1.2m ask me. SWIC or ABNet receive a discounted price of 428RMB per adult, 308RMB per child. Maximum 12, minimum 6 people.
Includes ferry to Zhuhai, cross bridge shuttle, local transportation links in Zhuhai and Hong Kong, Tai O dolphin cruise, tour.
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Tai O in your introduction.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
Come with China Tea Leaves to Kaiping (开平), for a one day getaway to a place with stunning architecture and pleasant villages, not far from Shenzhen. Kaiping is part of the five counties known as the top hometown of overseas Chinese. One in ten people with Chinese heritage living overseas have roots from this region.
It is also the hometown of diaolou (碉楼), a unique building type that acted as a fortress, watchtower, and clan house. Whereas palace and courtyard architecture throughout China expands out as it grows, the diaolou goes up. Thousands of diaolou are sprinkled throughout Kaiping’s districts, often rising seven, eight, or nine stories from low-lying villages. Those that emigrated sent back money they earned abroad, and sometimes brought back Western designs and furnishings adding to the distinction of their diaolou. This building phenomenon put Kaiping on the map as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, and makes it a must-see in Guangdong province today.
This is a special offer for the first time with China Tea Leaves, to see these UNESCO recognized sites in just a one day trip from Shenzhen. Our private shuttle will take us from Shenzhen to Kaiping, taking about two and a half to three hours.
First we’ll visit the Zili village (自力村). Several diaolou are set amongst the rice paddies, including two maintaining their original furnishings. Go inside and climb to the top for classic views of your surroundings. From Zili village, we will head to Li Garden (立园). Along the way we’ll see village life, women farming the rice paddies, and other diaolou dotting the greenway. Li Yuan is a masterpiece of Qing dynasty design, but it also incorporates western and middle eastern elements into its myriad gardens.
After a picnic lunch, we’ll continue through the rice fields, which with all the watchtowers and arcades might be starting to look like someplace between King’s Landing and Winterfell. First we’ll visit Jinjiangli (锦江里) village and its fine diaolou cluster. Their turrets, arches and colorful frescoes will make you feel like you’ve been transported to medieval Italy. From here, we’ll move on to Majianglong (马降龙) Village, which is known as the most beautiful village in diaolou country. Towers peek out like Roman villas from primordial forests, and from the roof your view dances across the tops of swaying bamboo branches. We’ll make a stop by Chikan (赤坎) town, whose many western buildings have been used as movie sets for historic Chinese films. We will drive back in the evening after an enchanting day in the castles of Kaiping.
Without traveling far from Shenzhen, you can see a world of architecture and revive yourself in the slower-paced villages of Guangdong province.
Saturday, March 30: approximately 7:00 am to 10:00 pm
Price: Adult: 545RMB, 515RMB SWIC or ABNet member. Child 1.2-1.5m: 295RMB, 275RMB SWIC or ABNet member.
Price includes: Private shuttle from Shenzhen and around Kaiping, entrance tickets, and full service guide by Greta of China Tea Leaves. Does not include lunch. Dining options are very limited around the villages, so please pack a picnic lunch.
Minimum 8 people, 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 Kaiping 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)
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.
Please note this is a weekday trip, especially for those with flexible work schedules, visiting family and friends. Tuesday, March 12 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)
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)
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, February 23 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.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
祝你猪年快乐，珠三角好玩！ New Year, new trip, new ways to explore our Pearl River Delta home!
On Friday February 8, during the Chinese New Year holiday, come with us to experience the Pearl River and Hong Kong, from the cutting edge to the traditional, a snapshot of China in one seaside adventure.
One of the main features of this trip will be to cross the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. This mega structure is 55 kilometers in total length, crossing the Pearl River Delta at its wide mouth of the South China Sea and connecting the two special administrative regions of China by a land link for the first time in history. The HZM Bridge is now the longest sea crossing in the world, made up of three cable-stayed bridges, four artificial islands, and a 4.8 km undersea tunnel. This is one of the greatest engineering feats of our time, and it is right in our backyard!
We will start our sea adventure by taking the ferry from Shekou Port to Zhuhai. Then, we will make our way to the crossing point to board the shuttle that will cross the mega bridge, whisking us to Hong Kong in just 40 minutes. The massive structures built for this project will leave you in awe, and as you buckle in to cross the bay, you know you are on a space age adventure. After viewing the bridge from a distance on the ferry earlier in the day, enjoy the quick and smooth ride across the stunning bridge over the delta’s turquoise waters.
After we arrive in Tung Chung Hong Kong, we will journey on to Tai O, the quintessential fishing village of Hong Kong. Scarcely a kilometer away from the modern marvel of the HZM Bridge lies this quiet port, where life in many corners has not changed for centuries. Fishermen untangle their nets, felines wait to steal some of the day’s catch, houses teeter on stilts over the inlet’s waters. We’ll have time to enjoy the ambience of the quiet village, perhaps a bit more raucous than usual as villagers welcome in the new year. Plenty of local foods are available to sample, from sweet doughnuts to local fish and XO paste. We will also take a short cruise to get a closer look at the stilt houses and venture out into the bay in search of the famous pink dolphins of this side of Hong Kong.
As the sun lowers, you are free to stay on in Tai O or Tung Chung for dinner or shopping. I can help book a return ferry or train back to Hong Kong (return fare not included; small booking fee if I book). (The high speed train from Kowloon to Futian is another of China’s modern wonders!) This package as quoted below will get you back to Tung Chung. Contact me for more information about getting back to Shenzhen.
Date: Friday February 8, leave Shenzhen 8:30 AM, finish at Tung Chung Hong Kong approximately 5:00-6:00 PM
Price: 458RMB per adult, 328RMB per child (1.2-1.5m) under 1.2m ask me. SWIC or ABNet receive a discounted price of 428RMB per adult, 308RMB per child. Maximum 12, minimum 6 people.
Because of the popularity of this route, I will be exploring adding dates before the end of the public CNY holiday. Contact me for more information.
Includes ferry to Zhuhai, cross bridge shuttle, local transportation links in Zhuhai and Hong Kong, Tai O dolphin cruise, tour.
How to Book:
Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)
If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Tai O 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)
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.
Sunday, January 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.
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 shady 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 along the length of the river. (Price not included in tour: small boat 150 per boat/up to 5 people, large boat 250 per boat/up to 10 people)
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, January 12
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 one Cantonese dessert per person, 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.
or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)
