Selected China Relaxing Golf Tour & SPA

Welcome to Shanghai! Your guide will be waiting for you at the airport and will pick you up once you get off the plane. On the way to the hotel, you can have a look at the street scenes of Shanghai.

Shanghai, a port city with a long history, now is in rapid development. As a national central city, Shanghai is the economic, financial, trade, shipping, science and technology innovation center of China. The climate of Shanghai is mild and humid, and spring and autumn are shorter while winter and summer are longer. When it comes to Shanghai, people will think about Shanghai cuisine, aged villa, Shikumen-style architecture, and cheongsams. Shanghai is famous for its local cuisine with a perfect combination of color, aroma, and taste as the main feature.

After breakfast, we will take you to the Yu Garden (closed on Mondays). It will be the start of your top China tour from Shanghai. As a well-known classical garden in the Jiangnan region (south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River), the Yu Garden was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and owns a history of over 400 years. It was opened to the public in 1961 and now is a national key cultural relic, honored as “Top of Jiangnan Gardens”. The Yu Garden is divided into six areas with different features. The main buildings of Yu Garden include Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Tower, and Yuhua Hall. Many stone sculptures, clay sculptures, and wood carvings can be seen throughout the Yu Garden.

Then we will take you to Shanghai Old Street, which is located in the old town of Huangpu District. Witnessing the economic and social development of Shanghai, it was originally an important place for foreign trades and small commodity trades. The whole street is featured by the traditional characteristic industries, highlighting the traditional folk culture and creating a Shanghai cultural atmosphere. The street is divided into two sections: the eastern section and the western section. The eastern section has been decorated and renovated to restore the residential houses of the late Qing Dynasty (1636-1912) and the Republic of China (1912-1949), which are featured by red wooden doors and windows, roofs with grey tiles, and upturned eaves. Following the architecture style of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty, the western section is lined with shops selling tea, tofu, silk, and so on, showing the folk culture of the old town in Shanghai. Owning many stores with traditional features, it is now still the home of many local people.

Then the next scenic spot is the Xintiandi Area, an urban tourist attraction showing the history and culture of Shanghai. It is a pedestrian street with the unique Shikumen architecture (traditional Shanghai residence with a stone-framed door) of Shanghai for dining, shopping, performing arts, and other activities. Xintiandi Area is divided into two parts: the southern part and the northern part. A 25,000-square-meter shopping and recreation center has been built in the southern part, including fashion stores, accessory stores, food courts, cinemas, and a one-stop fitness center. Retaining the most Shikumen houses, the northern part has been transformed into some high-consumption places and high-end restaurants. Walking through Xintiandi Area is like being in Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s. However, once you step into each building, you will find it is totally in a modern style.

The Former French Concession will be the first stop in the afternoon. The Former French Concession of Shanghai used to be the largest and the best-developed place of the four French Concessions in old China. Despite the development over the last few decades after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, this area retains distinct European characteristics and is a popular tourist destination in Shanghai. The architectural style is exotic, so you will find many buildings with romantic French style. The old French phoenix trees that are growing here were also first introduced to China by the French and planted here. Many former residences of celebrities like Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence can be found here. Western restaurants and cafes also can be seen everywhere.

The next stop is Shanghai Tower. As one of the ten new landmark buildings of Shanghai, Shanghai Tower is a giant high-rise skyscraper. The appearance of the Shanghai Tower is like a spiral. As a comprehensive super high-rise building, it is mainly for commercial use. A variety of business forms including the conference and exhibition industry, hospitality industry, catering industry, tourism, and entertainment industry make it one of the most commercially valuable buildings in the world. The tower is built in nine vertical areas, including conference area, office area, hospitality area, sightseeing area, etc. The sightseeing area on top of Shanghai Tower is the area you will visit. You will go to the “Top of Shanghai Observatory” on floor 118 with a height of 546 meters to have a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of Shanghai. After visiting, we will take you back to the hotel for a good rest.

Former French Concession

Shanghai Tower

The first stop of this day is Zhujiajiao Water Town. We will drive for about an hour to get there. Located in the southwest of Shanghai, 50 kilometers away, Zhujiajiao Water Town is one of the four famous historical and cultural towns in Shanghai. It was established about 1,700 years ago. More than a thousand houses are built along the river. Besides, nine old streets of the ancient town are built along the river channels too, among which the North Street, a typical old street in the water town, is the most completely preserved street with folk buildings in the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty in Shanghai. There are also many old bridges made of stone. Among them, Fangsheng Bridge is the longest, largest, and highest five-arch bridge in Shanghai. In addition, there are other attractions waiting for you, for instance, Kezhi Garden, a manor-style garden that was built in 1912 and Yuanjin Buddhist Temple, which served as an important repository of treasures in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is worth noting that you will take a wooden boat to sightsee along the waterways. After that, you will have your lunch in Zhujiajiao Water Town.

In the afternoon, we will drive back to Shanghai downtown to visit the Bund, almost at the center of Shanghai. With a length of 1.5 kilometers on the bank of Huangpu River, the Bund houses 52 buildings of various Western classical styles, which are important historical sites and representative buildings of Shanghai. These buildings are showing the coexistence of architecture from all over the world. On the Bund, you will find neoclassical buildings and baroque buildings with English, Italian, French, and Spanish features. There are also some great attractions on the Bund, such as Huangpu Park, the first public garden in China, Garden Bridge, an excellent historic building in Shanghai, and the Lovers’ Wall, the anti-flood wall built and beautifully decorated along the Huangpu River.

Then, we will take a walk along Nanjing Road, which is located next to the Bund. Running in a west-east direction, it is one of the ten most beautiful and prosperous commercial streets in China. Nanjing Road is divided into two sections – Nanjing Road East and Nanjing Road West. Nanjing Road East serves as a dedicated commercial zone and a tourist area, while Nanjing Road West is the most expensive and fashionable commercial area in China with a lot of luxury goods, boutiques of fashion and sports brands. The street is paved with colorful bricks. The middle part of the street is paved with golden bricks, called the “golden belt”, symbolizing glory and prosperity. On the “golden belt”, there is a variety of public facilities such as telephone booths, benches, streetlights, and sculptures. There are also trams coming and going along the street for sightseeing.

After the tour, we will drive you back to the hotel. Then you can have a good rest and get yourself ready for the next day.

Zhujiajiao Water Town

The Bund

After breakfast, you will say goodbye to Shanghai and head to Kunming. According to your flight schedule, your guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel in advance and then transfer you to the airport on time. You will take the estimated flight MU5219 11:05/14:25 to Kunming. 

Kunming is the capital of Yunnan Province, also known as the “Spring City” for its spring-like climate all year round. Once you arrive at Kunming, your guide will be waiting for you right at the airport and take you to the Spring City Golf & Lake Resort, about 60 kilometers away from the airport. We will drive southeast for about an hour to get there. A new chapter of your tour is opening up here!

Today, you will spend your time playing golf at the Spring City Golf & Lake Resort. At an altitude of 1,770 meters, the Spring City Golf & Lake Resort is surrounded by verdant hills and lies by a picturesque lake – Yangzonghai Lake, making it the perfect place to spend your holiday. As a premier integrated golf resort, it comprises two international standard 18-hole golf courses as well as luxury villas, which are set amidst lush landscapes. One of the two championship-level golf courses is a mountain course, which is set on high grounds overlooking the lake. It offers you spectacular views of the lake and the hills. Another one is a lake course, which is set on the bank of Yangzonghai Lake. It is famous for its narrow fairways, crisscrossing trenches, beautiful terraces, and amazing lake views. Besides, the villas are designed to meet the needs of different types of guests. From the guest rooms, you can enjoy the beautiful views outside. The resort also has a viewing path, where you can overlook the fabulous natural scenery. What is more, the resort also offers a swimming pool, tennis courts, spa, and gym. The best views and relaxing atmosphere here will make you feel completely relaxed.

Spring City Golf & Lake Resort

Spring City Golf & Lake Resort

After having breakfast, you will depart for Sanya. Your private guide will pick you up from the Spring City Golf & Lake Resort and escort you to the airport so that you can board your flight on time. At the airport, you will take the estimated flight CZ6700 11:25/13:25 to Sanya.

Sanya is an international tourist city with tropical seaside scenery, also known as the “Eastern Hawaii”. After arrival, our guide will hold your name sign and wait for you at the airport. And then you will be transferred to the hotel – Sanya Ocean View Resort Yalong Bay, just next to the Yalong Bay Golf Club. It is about 35 kilometers away from the airport. We will drive toward the southeast for about 40 minutes to get to the hotel.

Today, you will go to the Yalong Bay Golf Club and spend the whole day here. Yalong Bay Golf Club has always won the favor of many golfers from all walks of life with its chic and outstanding course design, elegant and relaxing surrounding environment, and complete clubhouse facilities.

The 18-hole course of Yalong Bay Golf Club covers an area of 680,000 square meters, with 5 tees on each fairway and 100 bunkers in the course. The fairways are superbly designed and delicately shaped, seemingly flat, yet challenging and entertaining, and can meet the needs of golfers of all levels. Besides, the artificial lake in the course covers an area of 120,000 square meters.

Covering an area of 10,000 square meters, the five-star clubhouse includes lounges, restaurants, guest rooms, stores, and locker rooms. The Chinese restaurants and Western restaurants can accommodate about 200 people. Covering an area of 200 square meters, the specialty store is the largest golf equipment store on Hainan Island. As for the locker room, it can accommodate 400 players at the same time. What’s more, there are 40 elegant and comfortable guest rooms built according to five-star standard with tropical style. The driving range has 26 tees and several grassland tees. There are also other facilities such as a swimming pool and grass tennis courts for players to enjoy themselves.

Yalong Bay Golf Club

Yalong Bay Golf Club

After breakfast, we are going to visit the Binglanggu·Hainan Li & Miao Cultural Heritage Park. Founded in 1998, the park is located in a tropical rainforest with ancient trees and intertwined vines. As an internationally famous tourist attraction, the park covers an area of more than 3.33 million square meters in total. The scenic area consists of four major sections: Intangible Cultural Heritage Village, Gan Za Li Village, Rainforest Miao Village, and Dream Field. It is a window to show the ethnic minority culture of Hainan Island to the visitors. There is a large-scale live-action performance “Binglanggu – Ancient Rhythm” for you to appreciate the ethnic dance and melody of Li and Miao nationalities. Besides, you can also taste ethnic food and learn about Li and Miao folk customs in the park.

After finishing your lunch at the Binglanggu·Hainan Li & Miao Cultural Heritage Park, our next stop is the Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park. With a total area of 15 million square meters, it is the first coastal ecological forest park combined with mountain landscapes in Hainan Province. There are not only complete artificial landscapes and recreational facilities but also patches of natural tropical rainforest. The forest vegetation types of the park include tropical evergreen rainforest and tropical semi-deciduous forests, carrying a rich diversity of more than 1,500 species of plants. Besides, there are more than 30 species of mammals, more than 60 species of amphibians, and more than 100 species of birds in the park.

Binglanggu·Hainan Li & Miao Cultural Heritage Park

Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park

After breakfast, you are going to be ready to depart from Sanya and head to your next stop –Beijing. The guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel and then transfer you to the airport according to your flight schedule. You will take the estimated flight CA1370 12:55/17:00 to Beijing. When you land in Beijing, our guide is waiting for you at the airport arrival hall. After meeting and greeting, you will be transferred to the hotel.

As the capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is the political center, the culture center, the international communication center, and the scientific and technological innovation center of China. Beijing was the capital of six dynasties historically and many royal buildings were built here, making it the city with the largest number of imperial palaces, gardens, temples, and tombs in China. It has more than 200 tourist attractions open to the public, of which seven historical tourist attraction has been listed as the world heritage sites, making it the city with the most world heritage sites in the world.

Located in the center of Beijing, Tian’anmen Square covers an area of 440,000 square meters. The ground of the square is all paved with light-colored granite strips that are treated with special technology. In front of the square, you will see the majestic Tian’anmen Gate on the north side of Chang’an Avenue. Built in 1417 of the Ming Dynasty, Tian’anmen Gate was the front gate of the Imperial City of Beijing during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which was the center of carrying out political activities in China. At that time, Tian’anmen Square was also an important place where national decrees were issued. Now, the most important event that is held here every day is the flag-raising ceremony. Walking through the square, you will see the Monument to the People’s Heroes in the center, the Great Hall of the People on the west, and the National Museum of China on the east.

Then, we will take you to the Forbidden City (closed each Monday), which used to be the royal palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Forbidden City is the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden-structure building complex in the world. The Forbidden City contains more than seventy palaces of different sizes and more than nine thousand rooms, covering an area of about 720,000 square meters, with a building area of about 150,000 square meters. The buildings in the Forbidden City are divided into two parts: the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The Outer Court includes the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony, where great ceremonies were held. The Inner Court includes the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union and Peace, and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the main palaces where the emperors and the empresses lived.

After that, your guide will take you to the nearby restaurant for lunch. After lunch, we will take you to Beijing CBD International Golf Club. With a prime location in the east of Beijing, the golf club opened to the public in April 2005. Designed by the American design master Brit Stenson, it was built in accordance with the world championship level. Designed in the TPC (Tournament Player Course) style, the course here is known for its large water area and long, winding bunkers. Each fairway allows the players to adopt different strategies according to their levels, making it both challenging and interesting. In addition, there are also shopping stores, western restaurants, Chinese restaurants, coffee shops, wine bars, cigar bars, meeting rooms, bathing rooms, swimming pool, gymnasium, and foot massage rooms for you. As for children, they can have fun in the children’s playroom. You will have a great time here. After that, we will drive you back to the hotel.

Forbidden City

Beijing CBD International Golf Club

After breakfast, today’s tour will start with the Temple of Heaven. Located in the south of Beijing, the Temple of Heaven covers an area of about 2,730,000 square meters. Originally built in 1420 in the Ming Dynasty, the temple was later rebuilt during the reigns of Emperor Qianlong and Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. As a world heritage site, the Temple of Heaven used to be the place where the emperors sacrificed to heaven and prayed for good harvests in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The temple includes the Circular Mound Altar and the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests, surrounded by a long altar wall. The north altar wall is arc-shaped and the south altar wall is square, symbolizing the orbicular sky and rectangular earth (an ancient Chinese concept about the world). The main hall – the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is located on the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests. You will follow your guide to have a look at this grant hall.

Then, we are going to visit Hutong, narrow streets or alleys in the old residential area of Beijing. The ancient folk culture of Beijing is also known as “Hutong Culture” or “Siheyuan (traditional courtyard residences) Culture”. Hutong in Beijing was originated in the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368), and there were more than 6,000 Beijing Hutongs at the peak. The Hutong usually runs east-west and is relatively narrow, mainly for pedestrians. On the two sides of the Hutongs usually lies Siheyuan. They are not only an important part of the city but also the place where Beijing people live. Hutongs are generally very close to the downtown area but without the hustle and bustle of traffic. You may know more about Beijing during the rickshaw tour to visit Hutong. The rickshaw, a vehicle transformed from the bicycle, used to be commonly seen in the Hutongs of Beijing. It will be quite unforgettable to visit Hutongs by rickshaw.

After lunch, we are going to visit the Summer Palace. As a royal garden in China during the Qing Dynasty, the Summer Palace is located in the western suburbs of Beijing. It covers an area of more than 3 million square meters, and about three quarters of the garden is water. Mainly dominated by Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, the garden is modeled after the gardens in South China. There are more than 3,000 Chinese ancient buildings in various forms, including palaces, pavilions, corridors, etc. Just down from the Longevity Hill lies a 700-meter-long “Long Corridor” with more than 8,000 colorful paintings on the beams of the corridor, enjoying a high reputation in the world.

Then we will leave for the next stop. Following the name of a state-run old factory of the electronics industry, the 798 Art Zone was originally the site of old factories like the 798 Factory. It has gradually developed into an aggregation of various buildings such as galleries, art centers, artists’ studios, design firms, restaurants, bars, etc. Now, it is a new landmark of Beijing’s urban culture, featured by huge cast-in-situ frame structures, bright skylights, and thick, sturdy walls. People redefined, designed, and renovated the old industrial buildings while preserving the original historical and cultural legacy, successfully showing a new understanding of architecture and lifestyle. At least 300 artists are living in the 798 Art Zone or taking the 798 Art Zone as their main creation place, and some of them are from other countries. Here, you can find a perfect blend of the past and the present. After the tour, we will take you back to the hotel to have a rest.

Temple of Heaven

Summer Palace

Today, our first stop is the Mutianyu Great Wall, about 75 kilometers away from the city center.  We will drive toward the northeast for about one and a half hours to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall. With a length of 5,400 meters, the Mutianyu Great Wall is the longest section of the Great Wall in China. The Mutianyu Great Wall was built in 1368 on the original site of the wall built in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 577). It is the essence of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. There are advanced cable cars and our tour offers you a two-way cable car service. If you would like to go up by a cable chair, the toboggan and the cable chair are all available when you go down.

After visiting Mutianyu Great Wall, we will drive toward the southwest to go back to Beijing downtown. On the way back, we will pass by the Water Cube and the Bird’s Nest and you will have the opportunity to admire these two buildings and take pictures. As the national aquatics center, the Water Cube was the main swimming pool built for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. And the Bird’s Nest is the nickname of the main Olympic stadium. The shape of the stadium is like a bird’s nest, holding the hope of human beings for the future. And the lunch will be on the way back.

Qianmen Street will be the only stop in the afternoon. As a famous commercial street in Beijing, Qianmen Street is located on the central axis of Beijing. Built in 1550, the 29th year during the reign of Emperor Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, it was the imperial road for the emperor to go out of the Imperial City to the Temple of Heaven. The street is 845 meters long and with a 20-meter-wide lane. With a long history, Qianmen Street contains many old Chinese brands, such as Liubiju Sauce Store, Tongrentang Drugstore, Changchuntang Drugstore, and Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop. The street is featured with traditional commerce, history and culture, reflecting the fusion of tradition and fashion.

Bird’s Nest

Qianmen Street

It is the last day of this China top tour from Shanghai. After breakfast, you will be taken to the airport according to the time of your flight. Say goodbye to your guide. Take your package and precious memory of this trip with you. It is our pleasure to serve you and we are looking forward to seeing you again in other cities!

Author: Changmei Guo

Proofreader: Vivian Zhou