Wonderful Theme Park Family Cheap Tour

Your wonderful tour begins with your arrival in Shanghai. Your private guide will wait at the airport and drive you to the hotel. After a good rest, you only need to follow your guide and have a great tour in the remaining days. With our professional guidance and warm service, you will enjoy an excellent trip with lower costs.

Known as a Chinese metropolis, Shanghai with a population of 24.87 million covers 6340.5 square kilometers, which is nine times the size of Singapore. It combines modern style with traditional elements, attracting many visitors. For example, you can see the modern Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the ancient Peace Hotel.

After breakfast, you will start your tour in Shanghai by visiting Jade Buddha Temple. It is a famous Buddhist temple constructed in 1882. It covers more than 7,000 square meters with over 200 rooms holding Buddhist statues and Buddhist classics. Because of this, the Jade Buddha Temple is listed as one of the major temples in the Han areas of China. Among the statues, two Jade Buddha statues are famous around the world. One is a sitting Buddha of 1.95 meters tall in the Jade Buddha Chamber, the other is a smaller reclining one with a height of 0.96 meters in the Reclining Buddha Hall. I believe you will be surprised at the smile and gestures of these two famous Buddhas. The Jade Buddha Temple has also attracted many famous foreign visitors, including the wife of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the former President of the United States, and the wife of the President of Brazil.

Next, you will visit Yu Garden (closed each Monday). Built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it is a classical private landscaped garden owned by the high-ranking official Pan Yunduan and his family. Sansui Hall is a major architecture of Yu Garden, which used to be a hall for the officials in the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912) to meet guests and hold celebrations. In front of the hall is a stone with four Chinese characters written by the then Chairman Jiang Zemin to celebrate the 440th anniversary of this garden. Another beautiful place is Wanhua Chamber which was called Huashen Pavilion (Goddess of Flowers Pavilion) initially. There is a sad and beautiful love story about it. Yujuan was a beautiful and caring girl who loved to plant some flowers in her spare time. While looking after the flowers, she met and gradually fell in love with a gardener named Tiansheng. Unfortunately, Tiansheng died of illness. A few days later, Yujuan also died of sorrow. On the following day, people saw the souls of Yujuan and Tiansheng appearing in the sky with colorful clouds. Yujuan flew to the top of the pavilion, throwing petals like a Goddess of Flowers. All the people were amazed at the scene and they named the pavilion Huashen Pavilion. This name had not changed until 1843 when the pavilion was rebuilt after Opium War I (1840-1842).

After visiting Yu Garden, you will go to Shanghai Old Street to experience an old Shanghai of 100 years ago. There are many time-honored brands and stores where you can buy some souvenirs for your family and friends, for example, paper cuttings, silk articles, and folding fans. I believe they will love these gifts with Chinese characteristics.

In the afternoon, your private guide will lead you to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, one of the landmarks of Shanghai. One of the most famous facilities in the tower is the revolving restaurant located in the middle sphere reaching a height of 267 meters. It is so large that it can accommodate 1,500 people to enjoy a buffet at the same time. In addition, what is worth mentioning is that there are three places where visitors can overlook the scenery below: the 351-meter-high Space Capsule, the 263-meter-high Sightseeing Galleria, and the 259-meter-high Transparent Observatory. Different from other travel agencies that usually take their visitors to Shanghai Tower with higher costs, we choose the Oriental Pearl TV Tower to show you the same view and warm service with lower costs.

After that, we will appreciate the Bund, Shanghai’s most famous attraction. It is a 1.5 kilometer-long waterfront stretching along the Huangpu River. Watching the sunset is a popular activity on the Bund. The best place we recommend is the Waibaidu Bridge. When the sun is going down, the bridge will be immersed in golden light, which creates an atmosphere of romance. Because of this, the bridge is also highly favored by young couples. And it is also an opportunity to take perfect photos to leave a happy memory with your family.

Then, we will go to Nanjing Road. Stretching 5,500 meters, it is home to many brand stores that can meet different consumption needs. On the western side, there are many luxury goods for the well-heeled people while the eastern side is full of commodities with relatively fair prices. Besides, you will also find China’s time-honored brand stores here, such as Shen Da Cheng (pastry store), Zhang Xiao Quan (scissors shop), and Lao Feng Xiang (jewelry store).

Nanjing Road

Oriental Pearl TV Tower

After breakfast, you will enter a world of wonder by visiting Shanghai Disneyland. Established in 2016, it is the first Disneyland in China’s mainland. It is more than 30 kilometers east to the downtown, and it takes about 40-minute drive to get here. Six theme areas covering 3,900,000 square meters are Mickey Avenue, Gardens of Imagination, Adventure Isle, Treasure Cove, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. On Mickey Avenue, you will see many Disney characters such as the favorite Mickey and Goofy, and you also have an opportunity to hug and take a photo with them. Besides, you can enjoy “Once Upon a Time” Adventure in Fantasyland. Walking through a magic mirror, you will enter a beautiful Snow White’s fairy-tale world to relive your childhood. If you want something thrilling, you can choose “Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for the Sunken Treasure” in Treasure Cove. Following Captain Jack, you will start an adventure of exploration and treasure-discovering. Today your guide will not enter Disneyland. So you can enjoy the adventure as you like.

Shanghai Disneyland

Shanghai Disneyland

After breakfast, we will go to Zhujiajiao Ancient Town. It is about 47 kilometers west to Shanghai downtown and about 1 hour to drive here. Covering 47 square kilometers, it is known as the Venice of Shanghai for its fantastic natural landscapes. In this ancient town, you will see 36 stone bridges spanning the river. Among them, Fangsheng Bridge is the longest, largest and tallest one, regarded as a symbol of Zhujiajiao. “Fangsheng” means to release animals, which shows a Buddhist thought of benevolence. In addition, it is the best site to take your family photos. I believe there will be so many “likes” if you share them on your Facebook.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Former French Concession. It was administered by the French government from 1849 to 1943. There is a road named Wukang Road in this area. It was formerly called Route Ferguson, which was named after John Calvin Ferguson, an American missionary. He came to China in the Qing Dynasty as the headmaster of Nanyang Mission College (the former Shanghai Jiao Tong University). He funded the construction of an earth road which allowed easy access to the college for students and teachers. In 1907, the authority of the Former French Concession widened the road and paved it with cinder. During World WarⅡ(1939-1945), the Nanking National Government (1927-1948) took over the concession and decided to rename roads. It is said that Wang Jingwei (chief of the Nanking National Government at that time) called the road Wukang Road because he liked Mogan Mountain in Wukang (now Deqing County), Zhejiang Province. On Wukang Road, there are many classical buildings, including French Renaissance-style buildings and Spanish-style houses. Wukang Mansion is the most popular one. It is an eight-story building, just like a giant vessel in the distance. Today, it has become an internet-famous site attracting young people to take photos. 

Then, you will come to Tianzifang Market. It has changed from a street bazaar into a gathering place of art and culture in recent decades. It is most famous for its art and cultural creative industry represented by art studios. For example, in Chen Yifei Art Studio, you can see his works, such as paintings and sculptures, and know about his life through the displayed things. Besides, Tianzifang Market is also a place full of Shikumen buildings (buildings with stone-hooped doors). They are traditional buildings in Shanghai, combining elements of southern China and western countries. The door frame of Shikumen is made of stone, and the door leaf is made of wood. Here you can also find a restaurant to enjoy delicious food. The Teddy Bear-themed restaurant is a good choice.

Tianzifang Market

Zhujiajiao Ancient Town

After breakfast, you can enjoy your free time. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport and take the estimated flight HO1157 14:45/17:15 to Zhuhai. Upon your arrival, a professional guide will wait for you at the airport and take you to the hotel.

As a coastal city in Guangdong Province of China, Zhuhai covers 1,701 square kilometers and has a population of more than 1.9 million. It is a popular traveling destination because of its warm weather and fantastic scenery. It is also billed as The City for Lovers and the Hundred Island City. In addition, it has been awarded as “The Best Garden City” and “The Happiest City in China”.

Today, we will explore the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, the world’s largest ocean theme park. It is a part of the Chimelong International Ocean Resort located in Hengqin District, Zhuhai. Covering 1,320,000 square meters, it has eight enchanting theme areas: Ocean Avenue, Amazing Amazon, Dolphin Cove, Ocean Beauty Area, Polar Horizon, Hero Island, Mount Walrus Zone, and Hengqin Ocean Zone. Walking into Dolphin Cove, you will see the lovely Sousa Chinensis. They are national-level protected animals in China. With pink skin and a gentle smile, the cute animal is favored by visitors. In the Ocean Beauty Area lies Whale Shark Aquarium. There are mantas, whale sharks, sea turtles, and a variety of rare fish. Walking along an underwater corridor, you can have an immersive experience and get close encounters with these ocean beauties. Besides, you cannot miss some shows. The first one is 5D Castle Cinema. With special eyeglasses, you will fly into the sky and dive into the ocean to adventure with Kaka (a character of the park) just sitting in the Motion Seat. The show is played every 30 minutes from 10:00 to 14:30 and every 60 minutes from 15:00 to 19:00. There is another night show that starts at 20:00. It is a large-scale performance that combines light, music, fountain, and fireworks together. With all these elements together, the park tries to give you a surprise. Today your guide will not enter the park with you, and you can arrange your time by yourself.

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

After a hearty breakfast, you will leave Zhuhai and go to Macau to continue your family tour. Your guide will lead you to Hengqin Port to take the cross-border bus. At the same time, the Macau guide will wait for you at the Macau Port. When arriving in Macau, you will be transferred to the hotel.

Macau, a special administrative region of China, is a world-famous gambling destination, known as Las Vegas of China. It covers an area of 32.8 square kilometers and has a population of more than 600,000. There are many things in Macau waiting for you to explore.

After a nice rest, you can arrange your time freely in the afternoon. If you want to explore this city, you can start with tasting some delicious snacks, such as almond cakes, Roufu (dried meat slices), and Portuguese egg tart. The name almond cake came from its shape when it was originally made at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Actually, it is made of mung bean flour! You can buy it and have a taste.

After breakfast, we will go to visit Senado Square. It has always been the center of Macau and many celebrations are held here. As one of the four major squares in Macau, it has been included in World Heritage List as the Historic Centre of Macau. The square is wide in the front and narrow in the back, just like a funnel. In the center of the square, there is a fountain, the symbol of this square. In the central part of the fountain lies a celestial globe. We know that Macau was occupied by the Portuguese in the past. So the globe here is to symbolize Portugal’s maritime expedition.

Then we will go to the Ruins of St. Paul’s. Arguably, it is Macau’s most famous landmark. It is Baroque architecture. With China’s distinctive lion-like gargoyles on it, the Ruins of St. Paul’s represents the combination of western styles and Chinese stone carving art. St. Paul’s cathedral was first built in 1602. It was the largest Catholic cathedral in East Asia at that time. Unfortunately, it caught fire in 1835. The fire lasted for two hours. At last, only the front part of this cathedral was left. That is the Ruins of St. Paul’s.

Next, let’s visit the grand Monte Fortress, the oldest and the largest fortress in Macau. Constructed in 1617, it played an important role in preventing Macau from being invaded in the Battle of Macau in 1622. It has been a military area since then and has served for more than 400 years. Until 1965, it was rebuilt into an observatory. Besides, it was repaired three times in 1992, 1993, and 1996 to make sure it can be well-preserved. In 1998, it was reconstructed into Macau Museum, displaying cultural relics as a witness to the history of Macau.

In the afternoon, we will first visit Macau Tower, an iconic landmark with a height of 338 meters. It is the 8th tallest tower for sightseeing in the world and also the tallest steel tower for sightseeing in Southeast Asia. The observation deck of this tower is a must-visit place. Standing on the observation deck of 233 meters, you can overlook the whole city in a panoramic way through the massive glass window. You can also check out the nearby Pearl River Delta skyline. If the weather is fine, you can even see Lantau Island in Hong Kong.

Maybe Las Vegas would be the first place to pop into your mind when it comes to huge casinos in the world. However, Macau is also a world-famous place for its many casinos. Today you are going to visit the Venetian Casino. It is located in a 39-story hotel in the heart of Macau’s Cotai Strip. The large gambling area is divided into four parts, namely Red Dragon, Golden Fish, Imperial House, and Phoenix. There are totally over 3,400 slot machines and 800 tables for card games. Opening around the clock, it accommodates thousands of people gambling at the same time. Walking through the gambling hall, you will be amazed when seeing the upscale gambling rooms and breathtaking entertainment shows.

Last, you will come to Sands Cotai Central, a resort on the Cotai Strip in Macau, to enjoy a one-stop shopping experience. It is an integrated building complex offering various services including dining, shopping, and entertainment with restaurants, bars, gaming, and shopping areas. With an area of 28,000 square meters, the Sands Cotai Central has become one of the city’s main commercial centers as a leisure destination. It is reputed as the most convenient shopping center by the local people. When it comes to shopping, it has so many renowned brands such as Marks & Spencer, Gucci, and Michael Kors. Besides, you can enjoy delicious snacks here and buy some gifts for your friends in the shops.

Ruins of St.Paul's

Senado Square

In the morning, you will take the ferryboat to Hong Kong. Hong Kong is the third largest financial center in the world. It covers a land area of 1,106,66 square kilometers with a population of more than 7.5 million. As a free port city and an international metropolis, it enjoys equal popularity with New York and London. After arrival, you will go to the hotel to check in and have a good rest. In the afternoon, you can explore this charming city on your own.

Today we will take a half-day tour, which is a typical way to enjoy a cost-effective trip with lower costs. In addition, you will have more free time to do what you like. First, we will go to Victoria Peak. It is the highest point on Hong Kong Island with a height of 552 meters. Taking Peak Tram to the top, you will get a panoramic view of the city. There is a legend about this peak. Once upon a time, there was a gigantic supernatural stone turtle trying to climb to the hilltop. It climbed so slowly with a speed of about 3.3cm per year that people thought that it wouldn’t reach the hilltop even if Hong Kong was submerged by the seawater. Surprisingly, it finally climbed to the peak. Today, you can still see the stone turtle near the Peak Tower Station.

The next attraction is Repulse Bay, a place to relax on the beach or in the water. It is one of the most popular beaches of Hong Kong because of its clean water and long white sand beach. With its good public services, swimming is the most popular activity favored by locals and visitors. After that, you can enjoy sunbathing on the beach with your family. You can also lie on the beach with your legs buried in the white sand. Besides, there is a beach volleyball area where you can enjoy playing volleyball with your family. When you are hungry, you can find fresh seafood in the restaurant on the shore. You can even have a barbecue with your family if you like.

Then, you will go to the Stanley Market situated along the south coast of Hong Kong Island. It sells a variety of souvenirs that you can buy for your family and friends. You can buy silk garments, clothes, paintings, and jade wares. You can enjoy bargaining with the sellers when shopping for your favorite goods, which gives you great enjoyment. Besides, wandering in the market and enjoying the soft sea breeze, you can experience the street life of this metropolis, which gives people a sense of coziness.

Repulse Bay

Stanley Market

In the morning, we will drive to Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Tung Chung Station on Lantau Island, which is about 30 kilometers west to Hong Kong Island and it takes about 40 minutes. Then, we will take Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, the most enjoyable way to reach the top of Lantau Island. There are two kinds of cabins: Standard Cabin and Crystal Cabin. Generally, we will choose the Standard Cabin, but you can tell your guide if you want to take the Crystal Cabin equipped with a glass underside, through which you can enjoy the scenery beneath your feet.

Climbing on the top of the island, you will see The Big Buddha. With a total height of 34 meters, it is the largest outdoor bronze statue of Buddha in the world. Sitting on the mountain which is 483 meters tall, this grand Buddha represents the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. Under the statue, there is a big bell with engraved scriptures hung in the center. The bell is struck 108 times a day, which means to help people relieve 108 kinds of annoyances of life.

Po Lin Monastery is another Buddhist attraction on the top of Lantau Island. It was built by three monks, originally called Da Maopeng. In 1924, it was renamed Po Lin Monastery. In the monastery stands a tripod commemorating Hong Kong’s return to China. The body of the tripod is engraved with bauhinia (the flower of Hong Kong). In addition, there are clouds at the top and waves at the bottom that are surrounding the flower. All these images symbolize a scene of prosperity in the city after Hong Kong returns to China.

After lunch, you will go to Ngong Ping Village. It is a village designed with Chinese-style architectural elements and a collection of shops, restaurants, and children’s entertainment facilities. Here you will find some souvenirs with Hong Kong characteristics, such as postcards, pens, and T-shirts. Because it is close to the Po Lin Monastery, there are also some Buddhist souvenirs. Many restaurants offer some local Wonton noodles and egg tarts. In addition, spectacular shows will be played in the village, such as Chinese Kung Fu shows, juggling shows, and Cantonese opera performances. Come here to feel the local cultural atmosphere of Ngong Ping.

Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car

Po Lin Monastery

Today is the end of your 12-day wonderful cost-effective theme park family tour. I believe you have had a memorable experience in the past few days. After breakfast, your guide will accompany you to the airport and say goodbye to you. I sincerely hope you choose China Tour Star again. We are ready to offer you excellent service at lower costs. See you next time!

Author: Liu Jingjing

Proofreader: Vivian Zhou