China Tour -- Destinations

Repulse Bay

Repulse Bay, located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, is the most spectacular bay in the region. Its name comes from a 19th century battle in which the British army repulsed attacking pirates. Today, Repulse Bay is a luxurious residential area for dining, relaxation, and aquatic activities.

The beach stretches long with clear azure blue water gently lapping the seashore. Its sand is golden and soft. With water temperatures ranging from 16 C (60.8F) to 26 C (80.6F) year round, it is a mecca for locals and visitors alike to escape the heat.

Swimming is obviously popular and the bay is outfitted for safety with shark prevention nets and floating platforms. During the summer, lifeguards are on duty.

Aberdeen Fishing Village

On one of the southern tips of Hong Kong Island, Aberdeen is the largest satellite town with a population of about sixty thousand. It was a pirates' den two centuries ago and later turned into a simple fishing village. In recent years, with local high-rise building developments, Aberdeen has modernized, and become a vibrant waterfront resort for people from metropolitan Hong Kong.

Despite modernization, traditional fishing life still prevails. Hundreds of junks and sampans, old-fashioned boats, serve as floating homes for thousands of people. They crowd in the narrow harbor, dramatically juxtaposed against a modern high-rise building that spreads up the nearby hillsides. If you were lucky, warm-hearted fisherman would invite you onto their dwellings, from where you can glimpse the life of the boat-people. If no invitation is forthcoming, you can always take a sampan ride yourself. Do place caution and safety first. You should take rides only with licensed operators.

Stanley Market

Home to Stanley Market - famous for the wide variety of relatively inexpensive goods such as Chinese souvenirs, rattan products, handicrafts and designer labels - Stanley offers more than just shopping. It also boasts a relaxing beach, a plethora of waterfront restaurants and bars, and the 18th century Tin Hau Temple. Stanley Prison, which is still in use today, is also historically important, as this is where Hong Kong civilians were held during the Second World War.

Nov 2, 2007 C Tour

Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak is a mountain in Hong Kong. It is also referred to as "The Peak" locally, and Mount Austin. The mountain is located in the western half of Hong Kong Island. With an altitude of 552 m, it is the highest mountain on the island, although far from the highest in the territory, which is Tai Mo Shan.

The actual summit of Victoria Peak is occupied by a radio telecommunications facility and is closed to the public. However the surrounding area comprises a mixture of publicly accessible parkland, and high value residential land, which is this area normally referred to by the name "The Peak". The Peak offers spectacular views over central Hong Kong, the Harbour and surrounding islands, and is a major tourist attraction.

Guangzhou Tours

Chen Clan Academy

The Chen Clan Academy, locally known as the Chen's Ancestral Hall, was built on funds jointly raised by the Chen families in 72 counties of Guangdong Province in the 20th year of Guangxu Reign of the Qing Dynasty (1894). The ancestral hall covers a total area of 13,200 square meters. Its main structure, 5-bay-wide and 3-row-deep in square shape with a floorspace of 6,400 square meters, is an artistic complex comprising 19 big and small buildings. The buildings are interspaced by courtyards but connected with verandas, thus forming a magnificent complex structure with grand halls and tasteful gardens which not only embodies the traditional style of Chinese ancient structures, but also possesses the distinctive features of the buildings in the south of China.

The Chen's Ancestral Hall makes a comprehensive expression of the exquisite folk arts and crafts of the local province. All its buildings were decorated inside and outside with wood carvings, brick carvings, stone carvings, ceramic sculptures, line sculptures, iron castings and paintings. These artistic decorations are varied in style and life-like modeling, all of super workmanship. They cover a wide range of subjects, including Chinese legends and historical stories of "The Seven Scholars in the Bamboo Grove," "The Heroes Gather in Mt. Liang for the Rightful Cause" and "Presenting the Brocade Robe as a Gift"; rare birds and lucky animals, auspicious flowers and plants, ornamental patterns symbolic of fortune and happiness such as "The Five Bats Gather to Greet Longevity," "The Three Goats Bring in Prosperity" and "The Phoenix Faces the Sun," local scenes of "The Egith Sights of the Goat City" and "Joyfully Singing after Catching Fish for Home at Dusk'; natural scenery of hills and waters in southern China; and Guangdong's fruits of pineapple, papaya, litchi and carambola.

In 1959, Mr. Guo Moruo highly appreciated the artistic decorations after his visit here and composed the verse: Nature's engineering may be replaced by human creations, Man-made objects here appear nicer than natural ones; The human world is created in a way like this: A visit here surpasses my learning from books in ten years.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen¡'s Memorial Hall

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, a key historical relic protected by Guangdong Province, is a memorial building built with the funds raised by the Guangzhou people and overseas Chinese in memory of Sun Yat-sen, the great revolutionary forerunner. Located in the original site of the then Sun Yat-sen's Presidential Office, it was designed by Mr. Lu Yanzhi, the great architect of the country. Construction work started in 1929 and finished in 1931.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is a gorgeous octagonal structure, with solemn and magnificent looks, and strong national features. The designer smartly applied the structural theory of architectural mechanics and adopted the mixed structure of reinforced concrete. The construction space with the span of up to 71 meters is pillarless, much to its grandeur. The memorial hall and the courtyard cover a land area of six hectares. The principal building occupies an area of 12,000 sq. meters, and 47 meters high. The stage measures 15 meters at the front and 20 meters in depth, together with 3,238 seats. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is the most symbolized building of Guangzhou, and a key venue for the city's large-scale meetings and performances as well.

Yuexiu Park

It lies on Mountain Yue Xiu and other six little mountains. The park has five man-made lakes. There are a great many beautiful views and historical relics in the park. It is a large comprehensive park with a long history in Guangzhou. From the records of the history book that the communication between Baiyue (tribe from south of Qinlin Mountain) and Chu (people from Center China) began at 826B.C., the 8th year of King Zhouyi. A lot of Chu moved to Guangzhou at that time and built a small town. Later, more and more Baiyue came to the place and got on well with Chu. Chu made a great many constructions and the scale of the town became bigger. Later it looked like a city and people called it Chuting ("pavilion of Chu"). This is the oldest name of Guangzhou.

Today, there is a stone tablet beside the Zhongshan Monument on Yue Xiu Mountain. The tablet says "here was the ancient city Chuting".

Besides the beautiful views, some other important scenic spots have attracted many tourists. The Five Rams Statue, the River View Pagoda of Ming Dynasty, the Tomb of King Nanyue of Eastern Han, the Cannons of Ch'ing Dynasty.

Qingping Market

Qingping Market has over 2,000 stalls along 1km of Qingping Lu and Ti Yun Lu just north of Shamian Island. It is the largest street market in Guangzhou and over 60,000 people shop here every day. The most infamous section of Qingping is the meat market where live chickens, rabbits, cats, dogs, anteaters, turtles and all sorts of animals are sold, and often slaughtered on the spot to provide fresh meat. Definitely not for the faint hearted. The Chinese medicine section is interesting and less disturbing, perhaps as the by-products of endangered species are not so instantly recognizable. Behind the packed crowds and stalls there are also some jade and antique stalls and the antique shops along nearby Daihe Lu are also worth a visit.

Various bronze statues are scattered around the island which depict life as it was during earlier periods on the island, as well as from more recent times. For example, one statute entitled "A gentleman, a lady and a darn woman" shows a Western couple watching a Chinese woman darning cloth. Another depicts the changing appearances and stature of Chinese women, with a woman from colonial times in traditional clothing, a slightly taller woman from the early or mid 20th century wearing a cheongsam, and a relatively tall and slender young Chinese woman wearing shorts and talking on a mobile phone.

Ersha Island

Tianhe shopping Mall

Pearl River Cruise

Evening cruise on the Pearl River is one of the tourist highlights in the southern city of Guangzhou, and the beauty of the Pearl River can be compared with that of Hong Kong's Victorian Harbor. The section of the river starting from the White Goose Pool to Guangzhou Bridge in the east and Baihedong in the south is the one for the Pearl River evening cruise, as the scenery of the Pearl River in this section is so fascinating, with jade-green water and beautiful lights, that it seems the long Pearl River is inlaid with seven-colored pearls, which forms a colorful rainbow of the Pearl River.

On the way, one can appreciate such beautiful scenes of Guangzhou as ¡®Night Moon over the Goose Pool', ¡®Misty Rain over the Twin Bridge', ¡®Red Heart of the Pearl River', ¡®Autumn Moon over the Pearl River', ¡®Clear Waves on the Pearl River', etc. What is more, detailed introductions to the 30-odd historical and cultural sites are given via speakers so to enable you to taste to your heart's content the local conditions and customs of the south. The whole cruise takes around two hours.

Six Banyan Trees Temple

Having a long history of about 1,400 years, the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees is one of the four best Buddhist temples in Guangzhou and located on the Liurong Road (meaning the Six Banyan Trees Road). It has a rich collection of cultural-relics and is renowned both at home and abroad.

Originally built in 537, the temple has been rebuilt several times, and the name has also been changed several times from Changshou Temple (meaning Longevity Temple) to Jinghui Temple and finally the current name. It is a name given by the great litterateur Su Dongpo in the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279). It is said that he visited the temple while returning to the north. During the visit, he found six banyan trees there particularly striking. The vitality of the trees put him in a good mood and cheered him up. When the abbot of the temple invited him to suggest a name, Su Dongpo wrote down its present name. Finally, the temple changed its former name (Jinghui Temple) to the name Temple of the Six Banyan Trees. A pagoda in the temple is known variously as Six Banyan Pagoda or Flowery Pagoda.

After entering by the mountain gate, the Tianwang Hall is the first hall you will see. The Laughing Buddha is there with smile all over his face to welcome visitors. Behind it is the Weituo Hall. According to legend, Weituo was a general who recaptured the Buddhist relics which had been stolen. He keeps a straight face, looking very serious and frightful, in distinct contrast with the Laughing Buddha.

The architecture that catches the visitors' eyes most is the Six Banyan Pagoda. It is a pagoda where Buddhist relics are placed. Its roofs curve upwards and look like dark red flower petals. The tip of the pagoda is like stamens, while the whole construction looks like a huge stigma high in the air. Therefore, people like to call it the Flowery Pagoda. The pagoda not only has a nice appearance, but also provides visitors a good place to overlook enchanting scenery around.

To the west of the Six Banyan Pagoda is Daxiong Baodian Hall - the main hall of the temple. The three biggest copper Buddhist statues placed there are among the biggest and most ancient Buddhist statues in Guangdong. The middle one is Sakyamuni, to the left, the Amitabha and to the right, the Apothecary Buddha. They stand for present, past and future.

Located on Jiefang Bei Road, Guangzhou, the Western Han Dynasty Nanyue King Mausoleum Museum is the oldest and largest Han tomb with the most funerary objects in Lingnan (South of the Nanling Mountain) Area. As one of the 80 famous museums in the world, the museum covers 14,000 square meters (150, 699.6 square feet) with 10 exhibition halls.

The owner of the tomb is the second king, Zhao Mfei of Nanyue State of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-24 A.D.). Hidden 20 meters (65.6 feet) underground, the tomb is made up of 750 huge stones with colorful murals. The over 1,000 pieces of cultural relics, bronze ware and terra cotta ware in particular, feature the Yue Culture of south China(Nanyue Culture). Represented also are traces of central Chinese culture, the Chu culture of south China, the Bashu culture of southwest China, the Hun culture from the northern grassland, and even foreign cultures.

Highlighting the mausoleum is a silk-jade garment made up of 2,291 pieces of jade. Though jade garments with pieces connected by gold, silver, or copper are not uncommon, this garment with jade pieces connected by silk is the only one of its kind in the world. Nor are historical records available to verify other jade garments connected by silk thread. In addition, the style of buttons down the front is unique among unearthed jade garments. This silk-sewn-jade garment shows the early development of jade garments as well as development of the Nanyue culture.

In addition, three sets of bronze serial bells, thirty-six bronze vessels, thirty-six bronze mirrors, and three gold seals give visitors a glimpse of the ancient Nanyue Culture. The oldest and largest folding screen used in China is also here, as are two of the world's oldest bronze patterns for textile stamping.

This park commemorates the unsuccessful uprising of the Chinese Revolutionary League led by Dr Sun Yat-sen on 27 April 1911. It is also where the remains of 72 martyrs were buried after the uprising. In 1912, the Guangdong government built a mausoleum at the site, which was renamed Huanghuagang Park in 1935.

Guangzhou Zoo

Nov 9, 2007

Foshan Ancestral Temple

Foshan Ancestral Temple is located on Zumiao Road. It is a Daoist temple and was first built in the Song dynasty (960-1279AD) during the reign of emperor Yuan Feng (1078-1085). The temple is dedicated to Beidi, the Northern God, who is said to have power over the waters of Guangdong.

Kaiping Diaolou

There exist 1,833 Diaolous in Kaiping's 16 townships. The most typical Diaolous are mostly seen in Tangkou, Baihe, Xiangang and Chikan Township in the central plain. Not many can be found in the hilly areas. The five nominated places listed for application for world cultural heritage are located in these four townships. They demonstrate the earliest and most representative Diaolous, especially the Diaolous built in their most booming time. They are the typical Diaolous that combine the Chinese and Western styles and indicate the relationship with the villages. One can see the various types of Diaolous and their different functions, which show their high value. All in all, these Diaolous are all major historical and cultural sites to be protected at the national level.

The Kaiping Diaolou mainly served the purposes of defence and dwelling. Kaiping Diaolou is divided into three types: Night Watchtowers, Communal Towers and Dwelling Towers. The Night Watchtowers were built for joint defence among villages. They were mostly built at the entrance of the villages, on the hill or beside the river outside the village. They functioned to give alarm. The Communal Towers were built in the rear part with the funds raised by all villagers or many households. Each family had one room to hide themselves in case of bandits' attack. Such towers were built in a sealed and simple way for the purpose of defence. Solely rich families built the dwelling towers at the back of the village. Such towers well combine the two purposes. High, spacious and nice-looking as well as convenient for living, they are usually the symbols of a village.