Xiamen 2-Day Private Tour without Hotel Accommodation

Tour Highlights
• Ride the ferry to the beautiful, traffic-free island of Gulangyu
• Wander on Gulangyu Island, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site
• Visit the 19th-century Huli Mountain Fort, a clifftop ensemble of battlements and towers
• See the antique cannons pointing out to sea, including the massive Krupp Cannon
• Admire the South Putuo Temple, the most famous Buddhist temple in South Fujian
• Visit Xiamen Museum to know the history & culture of Xiamen, Fujian Province as well as Taiwan
• Discover the World Heritage Site Fujian Tulou and its Hakka Culture
• Admire Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, nicknamed Four Dishes and One Soup Tulou Cluster
• Visit Yuchang Tulou, one of the oldest and tallest Tulou in China
• Wander through Taxia Village, a typical Chinese Hakka village
• Experienced English speaking tour guide
• Overland transfers with private chauffeur and in-transport refreshments

Tour Itinerary at a Glance
• Day 1 Hotel Pick-up, Gulangyu Island, Huli Mountain Fort, South Putuo Temple, Xiamen Museum, Hotel Drop-off
• Day 2 Hotel Pick-up, Nanjing Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, Yuchang Building, Taxia Village, Hotel Drop-off

About This Tour
• Departure: Daily departing from Xiamen
• Pick-up Time: Between 07:00 and 10:00, choose a departure time most suitable for you.
• Pick-up & Drop-off Place: Your accommodation in Xiamen
• Advice on Meals: Lunch is not included in this tour, please have a big breakfast and pack snacks just in case you get a bit peckish during sightseeing. If you want to try authentic local food for lunch, please feel free to inform your guide who is always ready to help.

Tailor This Tour to Meet Your Needs and Requirements
• If you want to modify this itinerary, please feel free to contact GoGrandChina by WhatsApp (+86-18309280878), Wechat (+86-18309280878) or email (info@GrandChinaTravel.com), we will create a tailor-made tour package for you.

Price Remarks
• Prices are not valid during China's Official Holidays (such as National Day & Chinese New Year Festival etc.).

Price Inclusions
• Professional English language speaking private tour guide
• Air-conditioned vehicle with private experienced driver
• All admission tickets to sightseeing places
• All government taxes

Price Exclusions
• Hotel accommodation.
• Your personal expenses.
• Meals are excluded allowing you flexibility on menu.
• Travel insurance is not included. Please purchase before your trip to provide for any unforeseen circumstances.
• Gratuities to guide & driver. They are customary and would be of great encouragement and reward for quality service.

Additional Info
• Xiamen Museum is closed on Monday tours.
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking.
• Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
• The itinerary is subject to change due to traffic conditions or bad weather.
• The itinerary is flexible; changes can be made upon written request from travelers.
• IMPORTANT: It is required by the government regulations that travelers must provide their name, gender, nationality, passport number and date of birth to their tour operator upon booking a tour. Failure to do so could result in being denied access or admittance to sites and attractions during sightseeing. When you book this tour, please complete all required fields at checkout. Please bring your passport with you on the tour.

Cancellation Policy
• You may cancel your tour and receive a full refund up to 24 hours prior to the date of your tour.
• Cancellation within 24 hours or after the tour begins is non-refundable.
• Cancellation request will be confirmed in 2-5 business days, you will receive your refund within 14 working days.

Why Travelers Have to Choose GoGrandChina Private Tours?
• Choose your most suitable departure time, whether you are an early bird or you prefer sleeping in.
• GoGrandChina private tours are more flexible, allowing you to adjust everything on your trip to your wishes.
• GoGrandChina tour guides will be at your service to make sure you get the most from each destination. They are there for you and are responsible for making your journey special – and your needs always come first.
• GoGrandChina offers comfortable and luxury vehicles with a private & experienced driver who’s always by your side and ready to take you to your next destination.
• No shopping stops & factory visits, no chance of getting ripped off.
• No hidden costs, rest assured that there are no nasty surprises.

Know Before You Go
• Xiamen Museum is closed on Monday tours.
• Keep your passport on you constantly. It might be needed to buy entrance tickets.
• Add us on WeChat (+86-18309280878) or WhatsApp (+86-18309280878) to reach GGC service staff at anytime.
• Pick-up time, guide's name & contact information will be confirmed by WhatsApp, WeChat or email.
• Your guide will hold GoGrandChina welcome sign with your name, waiting at the appointed meeting place.
• Meals are not included; please feel free to ask your guide for recommendations.
• Please note that if you book accommodation on Airbnb, you may not be picked up and dropped off at the door.
• We provide up to 20 minutes of waiting. If you don’t show up and cannot be contacted, this tour will be cancelled and you will receive no refund.

Day 1 Hotel Pick-up, Gulangyu Island, Huli Mountain Fort, South Putuo Temple, Xiamen Museum, Hotel Drop-off

Hotel Pick-up & Transfer to Gulangyu Island
Your private guide will be holding GoGrandChina pick-up sign and waiting for you in your hotel lobby (or other appointed meeting place) at the appointed time. You will be transferred to the ferry terminal by a comfortable air-conditioned private vehicle, then take a 10-minute ferry to Gulangyu Island.

Visit Gulangyu Island
Just off Xiamen’s coast, Gulangyu Island is about 2 square kilometers (0.77 square miles) in area and renowned for its beaches, winding lanes and rich architecture. Gulangyu had constituted an international settlement in the early 20th century. The consulates, churches, hospitals, schools, police stations, etc. built by foreign communities explain the predominantly Victorian-era style architecture that can still be seen throughout Gulangyu Island. As a place of residence for Westerners during Xiamen's colonial past, Gulangyu is famous for its architecture and for hosting China's only piano museum, giving it the nickname of "Piano Island" or "The Town of Pianos" or "The Island of Music" . Head up to Sunlight Rock for panoramic views over the island and Xiamen. Elsewhere on the island, you can take a stroll around Shuzhuang Garden with its bamboo forest, caves and sea-view slopes, and Piano Museum which has exhibits on the history and culture of pianos, including a collection of over 100 models from across the world.

Visit Huli Mountain Fort
Huli Mountain Fort was constructed during the Qing Dynasty between 1894 and 1896 and was used to protect China against attacks from the Japanese, both in 1900 and 1937. Perched on Xiamen Island’s south coast, Huli Mountain Fort has a strategic position overlooking the Taiwan Strait. While it offers sweeping views across the port, the main draw for most visitors is the collection of over 50 iron cannons dating to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Among them is the Krupp Cannon — the oldest and largest 19th-century breech-loading cannon in the world at 13 m (43 ft) long, with a firing range of over 1.5 km (1 mile). The world's smallest cannon is also displayed in the onsite museum.

Visit South Putuo Temple
Situated on the southeast coast of Xiamen Island, at the foot of the Wulao Peaks mountain range, South Putuo Temple has been a Buddhist temple site for more than a millennia. The temple buildings that stand today were mostly constructed in 1684 and feature traditional Qing architecture. Strolling around its extensive grounds, you’ll come across terraces, pools and pagodas, with views out over the sea. The temple comprises three main halls set around an attractive courtyard where the Bodhisattva Guanyin was mainly worshipped.

Visit Xiamen Museum
Xiamen museum has a collection of around 20,000 objects from around the city of Xiamen, Fujian and Taiwan Provinces, as well as other areas across China. Ancient ceramics, paintings, jade ornaments, calligraphy, stone sculptures and historic weapons are displayed across several exhibitions focusing on Chinese history and culture. As well as the permanent displays, including Exhibition on Xiamen History, Masterpieces of the Museum and The Folk Exhibition from Fujian and Taiwan Province, you can browse temporary exhibitions that are changed regularly.

Transfer Back to Your Hotel
After visiting Xiamen Museum, your guide and driver will transfer you back to your hotel.

Day 2 Hotel Pick-up, Nanjing Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, Yuchang Building, Taxia Village, Hotel Drop-off

Hotel Pick-up & Transfer to Nanjing Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster
Your private guide will be holding GoGrandChina pick-up sign and waiting for you in your hotel lobby (or other appointed meeting place) at the appointed time. You will be transferred to Nanjing Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster by a comfortable air-conditioned private vehicle (3 hours)

Explore Nanjing Tianluokeng Tulou cluster
Tianluokeng is home to a cluster of five tulous, four circular Tulou arranged around a square tulou, creating an architectural harmony that blends in with the surrounding landscape. Its unusual appearance has earned it the name “four dishes and one soup”, as it resembles the layout for an average family dinner in China. The square tulou in the centre is known as “Buyun Building” or “Reaching the Clouds Building” and is the oldest of the cluster, having been built in 1796. It is three storeys high, each storey has 26 rooms, four sets of stairs, and a go around corridor in front of the rooms at each level. The Buyun building was burnt down by bandits in 1936, rebuilt in 1953 according to the original plan. The Hechang Building was built not long thereafter. It is a three-storey-high round earth building. The circular three-storey-high Zhenyang Building followed was built in 1930. In 1936 Ruiyun Building was constructed and the last of the cluster, Wenchang Building, was completed in 1966. Despite being a large tourist attraction, these five Tulous still retain an incredibly rustic feel. You’ll commonly see locals drying tea, rice and vegetables and curing meats in the sun.

Discover Yuchang Building
Surrounded by a tiny village and rice paddies, Yuchang Building is one of the oldest known Tulou in China. It was constructed in 1308 during the Yuan dynasty by the Liu family clan and remains remarkably preserved from that date. At five-stories high, Yuchang Building is also one of the tallest Tulou in China. Yuchang Building has been nicknamed the “zigzag building”, because the vertical wooden post structure is not straight and perpendicular, but zigzags left and right. It was built that way due to an error measuring the building materials. The outer ring of Yuchang Building is 36 meters in diameter and boasts five storeys, with 50 rooms on each floor, 270 in total. Each of the 25 kitchens on the ground floor at the back half of the circle has a private water well beside its stove. This is the only tulou in all Fujian with such convenient water supply.

Wander through Taxia Village
The ancient Hakka village of Taxia, tucked away in the lush green mountains, is one of the oldest and most spectacular villages in China. The village is split by a river, which flows through the heart of the village and is lined by over 20 traditional Tulou. The village was established in 1426 by the Zhang family but most of the remaining buildings were constructed during the 18th century, with the oldest, Fuxing Building, having been built in 1631. Stilted wooden houses are also littered along the riverbanks of Taxia and add to the idyllic pastoral scenery. The village’s main attraction is the Zhang Family’s Ancestral Hall, which is located near a pond and flanked by 20 stone flagpoles. This shrine to the Zhang’s ancestors was built over 400 years ago and is one of the most well-preserved of its kind in China. There are more than 300 households currently living at Taxia Village.

Transfer Back to Your Hotel
After visiting Taxia Village, your guide and driver will transfer you back to your hotel (3 hours).