Gulangyu and Tulou Discovery

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival in Xiamen, Visit Gulangyu

  Welcome to Xiamen! Your local guide will await you at the airport with a board having your name. Be met and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

  After a short break, start your journey with Gulangyu, a car-free island across the sea from Xiamen (arrive by a 10-minute ferry boat). Boasting the reputation of A Garden in the Sea, Architecture Museum, and the Island of Piano, this small island will greet you with stunning scenery, historical buildings in various styles, and pianos from different times and different countries. Don't miss the sites of Shuzhuang Garden, the Piano Museum, and the bustling Longtou Road Commercial Street while on the island.

  • Xiamen

• Day 2: Xiamen - Nanjing County, Unique and Traditional Dwellings

  Tulou is a kind of family compound created by Hakka, a branch of the Han people who moved from the central plains in north China to the south to escape the war. Out of safety concerns, defense function was extremely strengthened in such buildings. In war-torn eras, this construction method quickly spread around all parts of Fujian and became a part of the life of people.

  Today, a 3-hour land journey will take you to Nanjing County for a depth exploration of Tulou groups. The first stop will be the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, with four round buildings circling a square one. The next is the Yuchang Building, the oldest one of its kind. Though many of its pillars are tilted, the maximum inclination at 15°, it has been standing there intactly for over 700 years. The last in today's tour is Taxia Village, a typical Hakka village with all sizes and shapes of Tulous nestling along streams or mountains and antique stone bridges dotting here and there.

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  • Nanjing

• Day 3: Nanjing County - Yunshuiyao Ancient Town - Xiamen, Departure

  This morning, pay a visit to Yunshuiyao, a pretty little village with century-old banyan trees and some well-preserved Tulou groups. Walk along its cobbled path to feel its tranquil and peaceful ambiance and then step into some buildings to learn about the inner structure of these Hakka buildings. Hegui Building will tell a story about how the Hakka people built the building on the swamp more than 200 years ago. Huaiyuan Building will show you the exquisite craftsmanship of this two-ring structure. Nearby Huaiyuan Building is Tulou Light, a small museum for those loving to learn the history of Yunshuiyao.

  After the tour, return to Xiamen for your departure flight.

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