China Bike Tour from Hong Kong

Welcome to Hong Kong! Our guide will meet you at the airport and then we will drive you to the hotel.

Hong Kong is a place where the eastern culture meets the western culture. It is also known as the  “Pearl of the Orient” and “Shopping Paradise”. Located in southern China, the three main regions of Hong Kong are Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and New Territories. The total land area of Hong Kong is over 1,100 square kilometers. With a population of over seven million, Hong Kong has one of the highest population densities in the world. The main terrain of Hong Kong is mountains, and the Tai Mo Shan is the highest peak in Hong Kong, with an elevation of about 958 meters. Hong Kong is a mild and humid oceanic monsoon climate and the average temperature is 23.3 degrees Celsius.

After breakfast, we will visit Victoria Peak. It is the highest peak on Hong Kong Island, with an elevation of 554 meters. As a landmark in Hong Kong, Victoria Peak attracts tons of visitors from all over the world each year. Located in the west of Hong Kong Island, It is in a superb position overlooking the scenery of Hong Kong. Victoria Peak is also called Flag-raising Mountain. It is said that during the Qing Dynasty (1936-1912), there was a famous pirate named Cheung Po Tsai. He was active along the coastal area of Guangdong, a southern coastal province of China. His followers were over 50,000 and his fleet had 600 ships. After his team occupied Hong Kong Island, they set up camps at the foot of the mountain. and then, they found the top of the mountain has a great view, so they took it as a lookout place. When they see ships passing through the sea, they will raise the flag, then people down the mountain will be deployed to sack those ships. That is why Victoria Peak gets its another name, Flag-raising Mountain.

To get to the top, we will take the Peak Tram which provides a good view over the harbor and skyscrapers of Hong Kong. The spot you can not miss on the peak is the Peak Tower, which is the most obvious building. In the shape of a bowl, Peak Tower offers many kinds of services, like sightseeing and shopping. Ascending to the Sky Terrace 428 observation deck, you will see all scenery around.    

After lunch, we will have an exciting bike tour from Sha Tin to Tai Mei Tuk. The distance is 22 kilometers, about 2.5 hours. Covering approximately 69 square kilometers, Sha Tin District is located in the east of New Territories. There are wide bike paths and all types of bicycles for rent, so you can enjoy the fun of biking with your friends or family. We will start from Shing Mun River. It is a famous river running through Sha Tin. There are many buildings on either side of the river, some are residential, some are commercial. There are also several bridges across the Shing Mun River, which is convenient for residents on both sides. People can enjoy not only bicycling and jogging on the bridge but also rowing on the river.

When you ride to the Hong Kong Science Park, you will be attracted by the Charles K. Kao Auditorium. It is shaped as a giant golden egg. The overall design and architectural style of the science park are futuristic and dynamic. It also provides a clean and comfortable environment. Although we will not visit inside, we can still have a short stay and take some pictures. Our next stop is Pak Shek Kok Promenade. It is 2 kilometers long. You can enjoy the scenery of the Tolo Harbour. In the past, there were abundant pearls. You can also overlook the Ma On Shan and Pat Sin Leng. They sit north of the Tolo Harbour. Pat Sin Leng is a mountain range, about 1 kilometer long. The name “Pat Sin Leng” means “Ridge of the Eight Immortals”. Because there are eight peaks with each named after an immoral. In Chinese mythology, the eight immortals are very famous. For example, the peak Hsien Ku Fung is named after the immortal He Xiangu. She often travels around the south to contain the disaster of plague. As long as people need help, they can just pray to Heaven, and He Xiangu will come to them like timely rain.

Following the promenade, we will arrive at Tai Po Waterfront Park. It is the largest park in Hong Kong, covering an area of 0.22 square kilometers. There are 1.2-kilometer promenade, 600-seat amphitheatre, and spiral lookout tower. The lookout tower is about 32 meters high and offers a panoramic view over Tolo Harbour. Riding about 8 kilometers from the Tai Po Waterfront Park, we will get to the last stop, Tai Mei Tuk. It is close to the Plover Cove Reservoir and there are beautiful scenery. In Cantonese language, Tai Mei Tuk means “the very end”. For many visitors, it is a popular place for barbecues and cycling. Then our Hong Kong Bike Tour will end at this place. You are free for the rest of the day, and you can choose to stroll around in Tai Po. 

Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak

This morning, we will escort you to the train station, and you will take the estimated train G408 12:05/15:25 to Guilin. The local guide will pick you up at the Guilin train station and then drive you to the hotel.

Covering an area of 2.78 square kilometers, Guilin is located in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It has abundant resources of trees and the forest cover is up to 71 percent. The climate of Guilin is mild, neither too hot nor too cold. It also has abundant rainfall. The population of Guilin is over 5 million including about 730,000 people of minority, such as the Miao people and the Zhuang people. Guilin is also a gathering area of key universities of Guangxi. At present, there are 12 universities including Guangxi Normal University and the Guilin University of Technology.    

After breakfast, we will drive southeast to the Mopanshan Pier. It takes about 40 minutes (23 kilometers) to get there. Then we will get on board and enjoy our Li River Cruise. Li River is 164 kilometers long, and what we will visit today is one of the most beautiful sections. You do not have to worry about the bad weather. Because you can always see the nice scenery, rain or shine. On sunny days, there are beautiful reflections of the lush peaks in the water. On rainy days, the light mist like a veil covers the river and mountains.

We will travel 64 kilometers and spend four wonderful hours on the cruise ship (lunch included). Along the way, there are many amazing spots, such as the Wangfu Rock, Crown Cave, and Yellow Cloth Shoal. Sitting on Wangfu Mountain, Wangfu Rock can always attract many visitors’ attention. Wangfu Rock literally means the stone is gazing at the husband. According to the legend, there was a family of three sailing a boat to the shoal, then their boat went aground and could not move. What they could eat was a hod of rice (hod is a kind of wooden container with a volume of 18 pints). Soon they ran out of food supplies. The husband had to find food on the mountain, but unfortunately, he did not come back anymore. The wife was very anxious and decided to search for him. The faithful wife carried her child and climbed the mountain every day. One day, they were caught in a strong wind and heavy rain on the mountain. Suddenly, they disappeared. Instead, a rock appeared at where they stand. It is said that God was moved by her spirit, so he turned her into a stone to accompany her husband forever.

We will get off the ship at Yangshuo, and then we will have a Yangshuo Bike Tour across the Ten Miles Gallery. Extending from the Yangshuo town area to Moon Hill, Ten Miles Gallery got its name because of the beautiful scenery along the way which are just like paintings. On both sides of the road, there is typical karst landform. For many visitors, it is a perfect cycling route. There are many observation decks, and pavilions are also available for tourists to have a rest. The whole bike tour is free and you can take pictures as much as you want. But spots along the way are extra, if you want to visit, you need to pay for the tickets. I would like to list some paid spots, then you can choose based on your preference.

Through the North Gate of the Ten Miles Gallery, the first spot is the Ancient Totem Path. According to the official introduction, all the items and actions on display are the reproduction of Guilin ancestors’ life about 7,000 years ago. When you walk into the Ancient Totem Path, people will dip a branch in yellow liquid and then draw a pattern on your face, which means you are their distinguished guest. When they do the original dance, they will touch you friendly, which means you are popular.

When you see a giant butterfly on the hillside, you are at the Butterfly Spring Park. The area of this butterfly-shaped sculpture is approximately 280 square meters. It belongs to the species of Monarch Butterflies and its whole body is colorful. In the park, there are peculiar mountain, beautiful lake, secluded cave, and rural scenery. This place is also the biggest ornamental garden of live butterflies. Tens of thousands of butterflies live in harmony with people, at present, there are as many as thousands of kinds.

Moon Hill is at the end of the Ten Miles Gallery. On the side of the road, there is a towering peak. You can easily find there is a round cave on the top like a moon hanging in the air, that is Moon Hill. In the cave, there are many stalactites, some are like Chang’e (a female character in Chinese myth), some like the rabbit. Therefore, local people say the Moon Hill is the Moon Palace in Chinese mythology. It is said that Chang’e was a mortal. One day, she stole an elixir. When she swallowed it, her body was gradually off the ground and then flew to the sky. After hearing about it, the Jade Emperor was very angry, he decided to punished her and made her live in the Moon Palace. Although Chang’e became immoral, she would never come out of the palace, and lived a lonely life with only a rabbit accompanying her. After the bike tour, we will drive to Guilin.

Li river

Li river

After breakfast, we will escort you to the airport, and you will take the estimated flight GS7684 12:10/14:05 to Xi’an. When you get to Xi’an airport, you will see the local guide, he or she will drive you to the hotel.

In the morning, we will drive northeast about 40 kilometers to the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum. It will take us about 50 minutes. In 1974, the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses were discovered and excavated by several local farmers, but most of them were damaged to various extents. Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are a kind of sacrificial object. More than 2,000 years ago, they were built to guard the tomb of Emperor Qin, the first emperor in Chinese history. His real name is Ying Zheng, who became the king of the Qin State at the age of 13. He is a man of ambition and cruelness, during his rule, he had many achievements. For example, he standardized the writing and built the Great Wall. He hoped he can continue his rule after death, so he built the massive underground mausoleum.

After lunch, we will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of the landmarks in Xi’an. Built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a sacred building for Buddhists. At present, it is still well-preserved. Big Wild Goose Pagoda consists of three parts, the base, the body, and the top. The body of the tower has seven floors. On the second floor, there is a bronze statue of Sakyamuni. It is said that it is the treasure of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and visitors are all rushing to worship him every year. On the ceiling of the seventh floor, there is a sunk panel with a large lotus pattern in the center. On the lotus, there are 14 petals, and on each petal, there is a character. You can read them in a raw, then it will be a poem. If you read in a different order, it will have a different meaning.

Then, we will visit the Great Mosque, covering an area of 13,000 square meters. It was built in the Tang Dynasty and repaired by the later generations. As one of the four major Islamic mosques in China, the Great Mosque is divided into four courtyards. In the first courtyard, there is a wooden arch in the center built in the 17th century. It has primitive cornices and glazed tiles above, which are very spectacular. Many famous Chinese calligraphers’ original works are preserved in the second courtyard. Their writing is elegant and powerful. If you are a fan of Chinese calligraphy, you can not miss this place. In the third courtyard, there is an octagonal building with three floors. The muezzin will stand on the building and call people to worship which is a tradition. In the fourth courtyard, there is a hall with an area of 1,300 square meters which can accommodate over 1,000 people.      

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum

This morning, we will enjoy our Xi’an Bike Tour on the old City Wall. Located in the center of Xi’an, Old City Wall is 12 meters high and the top is about 12 meters wide. It is shaped as a rectangle, about 13.7 kilometers in circumference. To cover the whole distance, many visitors will rent bicycles, because it will only take two to three hours, then you can enjoy all the scenery along the City Wall. When you are cycling on the wall, you will be like the birds flying in the sky with no obstacles and enjoying the wide view. On one side of the City Wall, there are Chinese ancient buildings. They are covered with gray tiles and the walls are painted white. On the other side, there are modern skyscrapers with bright colors. Along the way, you will pass four gates, Changle Gate, Anding Gate, Yongning Gate, and Anyuan Gate. Outside different gates, there are different scenes. For example, you will see some museums and schools outside the Yongning Gate, while outside the Anding Gate, there are many famous snacks of the Hui people, who have lived here since the Ming Dynasty.

After the Xi’an Bike Tour, we will escort you to the train station, and you will take the estimated train G574 14:10/19:58 to Beijing. When you get there, the local guide will pick you up at the train station, and then drive you to the hotel.

City Wall

City Wall

After breakfast, we will visit Tian’anmen Square. It is located at the center of Beijing and covering an area of about 440,000 square meters with 500 meters wide and 880 meters long. There are many buildings on the square, such as the Tian’anmen Tower and the National Museum of China. In front of the Tian’anmen Tower, there are two ornamental columns with the pattern of the dragon carved on the surface. They are the unique feature of Tian’anmen Square, and are about 9 meters high. On the top of each column, there is a stone lion. It sits with the back to the Tian’anmen Tower and looks at the sky. People call it Wangjungui, which literally means the yearning for your return. This is the way the ancient people told the emperor that he should handle more national affairs in the palace rather than always play outside.

Then, we will take a stroll in the Forbidden City (closed each Monday). The construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406 and was established in 1420. It covers an area of 720,000 square meters, and there are over 70 palaces in different sizes. The Forbidden City is divided into two parts, the Outer Court and Inner Court. The Outer Court mainly consists of three halls, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. They are collectively called Three Great Halls symbolizing the supreme authority of the emperor. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the biggest and greatest among them. It was used for the coronation, imperial marriage ceremonies, and so on. At that time, thousands of people will shout, “long live the emperor”, hundreds of instruments will be played. The Hall of Central Harmony is a place where the emperor will rest before the important ceremonies and accepting the warship. In the Hall of Preserving Harmony, the emperor will give a banquet or hold the imperial examination.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Temple of Heaven. During the Ming and Qing Dynasty, the emperors would worship the heaven and pray for a good harvest in this place. It covers an area of 2.73 square kilometers. There are many buildings in the Temple of Heaven. As one of the main buildings, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a magnificent circular building with completely wooden structure. The roof of the hall are supported by pillars and architraves without beams, the heavy and horizontal timber. In 1889, it was burned down due to a fire caused by lightning. Although the guards were struggling to put out the fire, they still could not save the building because it is too high. Fortunately, a group of photographers who came to China in the 19th century, left us the precious pictures of the hall before the fire. And lasting for seven years, the reconstruction of the hall basically maintains its original style.

After that, we will have a Beijing Bike Tour on the Wangfujing Street. Located at the Dongcheng District of Beijing, Wangfujing Street is 1818 meters long. It has a long history of hundreds of years. Since the Ming Dynasty, the early business practices have appeared on this street. As the busiest and largest shopping street, Wangfujing Street offers all sorts of products and you can get everything you need. For many visitors, one thing on their “to-do” list is having a taste of the Beijing Roast Duck. On Wangfujing street, there are authentic and delicious Beijing Roast Duck in Quanjude Restaurant, a time-honored brand in China. They choose the highest-quality ducks to feed and process. When roasting the duck, they use the wood of fruit to fuel the fire, so the duck has an unique fragrance. When the skin of the duck turns golden brown, it will be served. The skillful chef will slice it into thin pieces with both skin and meat for each, which tastes so great.   

Tian’anmen Square

Tiananmen Square

This morning, we will see the Summer Palace. As an imperial garden during the Ming and Qing Dynasty, it is composed of two main elements, the Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. Through the gate of Summer Palace, bypass the hall, we will arrive at the famous promenade, about over 700 meters long. On the cross-sills of the promenade, there are many charming colorful paintings. In these paintings, there are peonies, lotus, and many scenery in the garden. Besides, there are also many pictures depicting some interesting stories. It is said that the mother of the Qianlong Emperor (the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty) often took a walk on the promenade. To avoid being bored, Qianlong Emperor ordered some painter to draw those pictures for his mother.  

After lunch, we will drive northwest to the Badaling Great Wall, it will take about 1.5 hours (about 70 kilometers). It was built in 1505 and the construction lasted for over eighty years. It was built of neat and huge stones. Some stones are 2 meters long and weigh about hundreds of kilograms. In ancient times, there was no crane. The working people had to carry those stones with numerous hands and shoulders. It is said that there was a man named Fan Xiliang whose wife was named Meng Jiangnu. On their wedding night, millions of people were forcibly taken away to build the Great Wall and Fan xiliang was included. Mouth by mouth, Meng jiangnu waited for his husband but had heard nothing of him. Then she decided to look for him. Going through hardships, she came to the Great Wall. It turned out that his husband had died and been buried under the Great Wall. The heartbreaking cries of Meng jiangnu filled the air. Eventually, her cries let the Great Wall collapse and she became a stone.      

Badaling Great Wall

Summer Palace

Today, the 10-day China bike tour will come to an end. Our guide will escort you to the airport according to your flight. Hope you have a nice trip. We are looking forward to your next tour to China.

Author: Zhao Yalin