Top 10 Tours from Shanghai to Hong Kong

Welcome to Shanghai. Your wonderful 9-day tour will start here. Your local guide will wait for you with your name sign in the arrival hall. After picking you up, we will drive you to the hotel. Hope you have a good night.

Covering more than 6,340 square kilometers, Shanghai is the largest city in China. It is the economic, financial, commercial, and maritime center of mainland China. As an international metropolis with rich history and fascinating modernity, Shanghai is known as the “Oriental Paris”.

Today, your journey will start. After breakfast, you will visit Yu Garden (closed on Mondays) first. It is a famous classical garden in south China. Built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it was originally a private garden owned by a government official called Pan Yunduan. It was built for Pan’s parents to enjoy a happy time in their old age. There are about 50 attractions in the garden, including the Lotus Pond, Great Rockery, Wanhua Chamber, Exquisite Jade Rock, etc. Among them, the Great Rockery is eye-catching. It is the oldest, most exquisite, and largest existing rockery made of yellow stones. The Yu Garden is popular among visitors from all over the world. Even many dignitaries and celebrities including President Clinton of the United States, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Chancellor Schroeder of Germany, and President Rogge of the International Olympic Committee have visited the garden.

Then, you will enjoy a pleasant time on Shanghai Old Street, which is next to Yu Garden. Formerly known as Fangbang Middle Road, it is a unique multifunctional street integrating tourism, shopping, entertainment, and cultural exhibits. It has a total length of 825 meters. The architectural style and layout of this street from west to east show the historical and cultural development from the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1636-1912) to the Republic of China. Besides, it also shows the mix of Chinese and western culture. Here, the earliest banks, gold shops, jewelry shops, theaters, and tea houses in Shanghai are gathered.

After that, you will pay a visit to Tianzifang Market. Built in 1930, it was originally named Zhichengfang Market. In 2001, painter Huang Yongyu renamed it Tianzifang Market according to the name of painter Tian Zifang. It is a place for creative shops, galleries, photography exhibitions, all kinds of cafes, etc. It ranks first among the ten most influential gathering areas of creative industry in Shanghai. I believe, you will be deeply attracted by its fascinating artistic atmosphere.

After enjoying your lunch, you will visit the Former French Concession. It used to be the largest and most prosperous French concession among the four French concessions established in ancient China. The history of the concession can be traced back to 1849. It had developed into one of the best residential areas in Shanghai in the 1920s. On July 30, 1943, the Chinese government took over this area and ended the history of the French Concession, which lasted nearly 100 years. Here, many European-style buildings established in the early 20th century gather. And there are restaurants, dessert shops, coffee shops, galleries, etc., in this area.  

Our last stop today is the Shanghai Tower, which is located in the central area of Lujiazui Financial and Trade Zone of Pudong District. It adjoins Shanghai World Financial Center in the east and abuts Jin Mao Tower in the north. With a total height of 632 meters, the tower now ranks as the tallest building in China and the second-tallest in the world, including 127 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. It is a super high-rise building integrating office, hotel, commerce, entertainment, sightseeing, and other functions. When you come here, you can take the world’s fastest elevator to the world’s highest indoor observation platform. Here, you can enjoy a unique and impressive panoramic view of the Bund, the Huangpu River, etc. After finishing the visit, we will transfer you to your hotel and you can have a good rest.

Shanghai Tower

Yu Garden

Today, after having breakfast, we will drive southwest for about 1 hour (50 KM) to Zhujiajiao Water Town. Located in Qingpu District, Shanghai, Zhujiajiao Water Town is famous and popular throughout the country. As early as 1,700 years ago, a village was formed during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280). During the Song and Yuan Dynasties (960-1368), a bazaar was formed named Zhujia Village. In 1991, it was listed as one of the four well-known towns in Shanghai. Covering an area of 46 square kilometers, the fan-shaped water town is regarded as Shanghai’s Venice. Here, small rivers shaded by willow trees, distinctive old bridges across rivers, and more than a thousand old-style houses can be found. If you want to experience a quiet living atmosphere, Zhujiajiao Water Town is the best choice. Furthermore, taking a wooden boat is the most popular way to explore this ancient water town. Taking a boat to pass through various old bridges built during Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1912) while enjoying the scenery along the way must be a unique and impressive experience.

Then we will have lunch in the town. In the afternoon, we will drive northeast for about 1 hour (50 KM) to the urban area to continue our visit. First, we will pay a visit to the symbol of Shanghai—the Bund. With a length of 1.5 kilometers, the Bund extends from Yan’an East Road in the south to the Waibaidu Bridge over the Suzhou River in the north. It faces Huangpu River in the east and is surrounded by old Shanghai Financial and Trade Zone. There are more than 20 historical buildings of different styles along the Bund and they are known as the “The Universal Expo of architectures”.  

The next stop today is Nanjing Road, which is the first commercial street in Shanghai after establishing foreign trade ports. With a total length of 5.5 kilometers, it extends from the Bund in the east to West Yan’an Road in the west. It consists of East Nanjing Road and West Nanjing Road. The former is an area for affordable goods and tourism, while the latter is the most prosperous and fashionable commercial district in Shanghai, focusing on luxury goods and high-end consumption. Here, you can explore traditional stores as well as the latest fashion stores. About a hundred traditional stores providing jade, silk goods, wool, etc. are located here. Upscale stores like Tiffany, Omega, Channel, etc. also can be found here. Of course, you definitely cannot miss the delicious food here. You can also buy some for your friends and families as gifts. After that, you will be transferred to the hotel.

The bund

Nanjing Road

After having breakfast in the hotel, you will check out. And then you will take an estimated high-speed train G8264 08:25/09:01 to Suzhou, which is one of the first batches of national historical and cultural cities as well as the world’s first “model city of world heritage”. With a history of nearly 2,500 years, it is an important birthplace of Wu Culture. Otherwise, it enjoys the reputation of “paradise on earth”.

After arriving in Suzhou, we will drive west for about 20 minutes (7 KM) to Tiger Hill. With a history of more than 2,500 years, it is known as “the most popular attraction in Wuzhong District”. Sushi, a well-known poet in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), said that “It is a lifelong pity if you visited Suzhou without visiting Tiger Hill”. So, you can imagine how attractive it is. The most famous two major attractions are Tiger Hill Tower and Sword Pool, of which, Tiger Hill Tower is the second leaning tower in the world and the first in China. And Sword Pool can be said to be the most mysterious place in Tiger Hill. Legend has it that the tomb of He Lu, King of the Wu State(547BC-496BC), lies here.

Then, you will go to the Suzhou Grand Canal to take the Canal Boat. The Suzhou Grand Canal was built about 2,500 years ago. It surrounds the beautiful Suzhou ancient town like a jade belt. In the past, the Suzhou ancient town was a center where thousands of merchants gathered relying on the Suzhou Grand Canal. Nowadays, nearly half of the commodities in Suzhou are still transported by the canal. If you want to tour the canal, taking the Canal Boat is the best choice. The boat departs from the Xinshiqiao Wharf, makes a round trip along the canal, and returns to the wharf in around 45 minutes. Along the way, you will see various old bridges, Suzhou Ancient City Wall, etc. On the boat, you can not only try local delicious food but also watch a Pingtan performance (ballad singing and story-telling in Suzhou dialect), through which you can know more about local Wu Culture as well as Chinese traditional culture.

After having lunch at a local restaurant, you will enjoy a pleasant time on Shantang Street. Located in the northwest of the Suzhou Ancient Town, it extends from Changmen Gate (the west gate of the ancient town) in the east to the Tiger Hill in the west. It is about 3,600 meters (equivalent to seven li), hence the name ‘Seven-Li Shantang’. The street is named after Shantang River. In 825, the famous ancient poet Bai Juyi was appointed as the governor of Suzhou. He had been in charge of the dredging work of the watercourse northwest outside Suzhou ancient town. After the completion of the dredging work, this section of watercourse got a name- Shantang River, which played great role in the transportation at that time. Most of the ancient buildings on both sides of the streets retain the features of buildings in the late Qing Dynasty (1840-1912) and the Republic of China (1912-1949).

Your last stop today is the Lingering Garden. Built in 1593, the garden was originally a classical private garden. Now it is one of the four most famous gardens in China with an area of 23,300 square meters. The Lingering Garden seeks to create spectacular and wonderful natural landscapes within limited space. There are pavilions, halls, rockeries, towers, plants, etc. in the garden. Buildings, flowers, and trees blend harmoniously with the surroundings. According to the style of the buildings, the whole garden can roughly be divided into four parts: the central, eastern, western, and northern parts. The central part features ponds and rockeries; the eastern part is dominated by buildings; the western part is enchanting for its natural scenery; the northern part is used to exhibit potted plants. Then we will go back to the hotel.

Tiger Hill

Shantang Street

After enjoying your breakfast in the hotel, you will check out. And then you will take an estimated high-speed train G7389 09:08/10:40 to Hangzhou. Upon arrival, your local guide will pick you up and drive southwest for about 30 minutes (11 KM) to the West Lake. The lake is about 3.2 kilometers long and about 2.8 kilometers wide. Apart from its intoxicating scenery, the romantic legends about it are also very famous. The most touching legend is the love story between Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian, The former is a white snake spirit and the latter is a mortal man. When they first met on a boat on the West Lake, they fell in love with each other soon and then got married. However, the evil monk named Fa Hai separated the happy couple by imprisoning Xu Xian. Bai Suzhen tried various means to rescue her husband, but she failed at last and was imprisoned under the Leifeng Pagoda by the lake. Fortunately, the couple was rescued by Bai Suzhen’s sister, Xiaoqing. From then on, they lived a happy life. For this story, the West Lake becomes an ideal place for dating. When you come here, taking a boat to enjoy the beautiful scenery is a good choice.

In the afternoon, you will visit Feilai Peak first. It has a height of 168 meters. When you visit the Feilai Peak, you may find lots of strange-shaped stones, like flying dragon, crouching tiger or running elephant. Legend has it that an Indian monk Huili came to Hangzhou 1,600 years ago. When he saw the peak, he believed that it had flown over from India because it was almost same with the Lingjiu Peak in India. Hence it is called Feilai Peak(Feilai means flying over).

Our last stop today is the Lingyin Temple, also known as Yunlin Temple. As an ancient Chinese Buddhist temple, it is backed by the North Peak and faces the Feilai Peak. Built in 326, it covers an area of about 87,000 square meters. The founder of the temple is the monk Huili from India. Legend has it that Huili believed that the temple was the place where the immortals hid, so he named the temple Lingyin Temple(Ling means immortal and yin means hide). There are many important Buddhist literature and treasured Buddhist buildings. It is a place for those who want to learn Chinese Buddhism.

Lingyin Temple

Feilai Peak

In the morning, your Hangzhou guide will escort you to the airport and you will take the estimated flight 9C6251 09:55/12:15 to Macau. After you land in Macau, your local guide will pick you up. And then you will go to visit the landmark- Ruins of St. Paul’s. We will drive for about 20 minutes (10 KM) to get there. Built in 1602, it was formerly known as the Paul’s Cathedral. On January 26, 1835, the cathedral was ruined by fire and only the Ruins of St. Paul’s remained. It used to be a splendid Gothic church with both oriental and western architectural features. Seen from a distance, it looks like a traditional Chinese arch. Take some photos with it and post them on your Facebook, which are sure to get lots of likes.

After taking pictures there, your guide will lead you to the nearby Monte Fort. Built in 1616, the Monte Fort is the largest and oldest among the many forts in Macau. It occupies an area of about 10,000 square meters and is an irregular quadrilateral with the side length of about 100 meters for each side. Originally owned by the church, it was built to protect the priests in St. Paul’s Church from pirates. Later, it was turned into an area for military equipment. In 1622, the Dutch attempted to invade Macau, and the cannons on Monte Fort were used to repel the Dutch. The Monte Fort was the core of Macau’s defense system at that time.

After that, you will visit Senado Square which is surrounded by historical Portuguese buildings. Located in the central area of the Macau Peninsula, it is one of the four major squares in Macau with an area of 3,700 square meters. There is a beautiful fountain in the center of this square. Since the opening of Macau’s ports, the Senado Square has always been the center of Macau. Besides, many festivals and celebrations will be held here every year.

After lunch, you will be guided to the A-Ma Temple, which is one of the most famous places of interest in Macau. Built in 1488, A-Ma (means ‘mother’ in Hokkien dialect) Temple has a long history of more than 500 years. Besides, it is built facing the sea and leaning against mountain. As the oldest temple in Macau, it is mainly for people to worship Mazu (the goddess of the sea). In the temple, there are various halls including the Main Hall, Hongren Hall, Guanyin Hall, etc. The scale of each building is small and they are designed harmoniously with nature.

Then, you will go to see the Casino in the Venetian Macau Resort Hotel. As is known to all, Macau is famous for gambling. Visiting the Casino in the Venetian Macau Resort Hotel gives you a chance to know of the gambling culture in Macau. With the largest casino in Asia, the Venetian Macau Resort Hotel has the largest number of gambling tables in the world. I believe you will have a totally different feeling when you visit this casino.

When the whole day’s visit is over, your Macau guide will escort you to the wharf to take a ferry to Hong Kong. The total ride takes about 1 hour. Your Hong Kong guide will pick you up at the wharf and transfer you to the hotel.

Senado Square

Ruins of St. Paul’s

After enjoying your breakfast, you will visit the Wong Tai Sin Temple first. With a history of more than 75 years, the temple is one of the most famous temples in Hong Kong. It is named after a person called Huang Chuping who is known for treating illness and helping the needy. It is said that he has achieved enlightenment and become immortal. With his good deeds and great power, he is said to grant whatever is asked and requested. This temple built for him is known for its fortune-telling. If you want to have your fortune told, you can have a try. The temple’s architecture is in traditional Chinese temple style with a splendid golden roof, grand red pillars, glorious multi-colored carvings, and yellow latticework.  

Then, you will pay a visit to Victoria Peak, which is located northwest of Hong Kong Island. With an altitude of 554 meters, it is the highest point in Hong Kong. How to reach the top of the peak? Tourists can take the Peak Tram. As the earliest tram in Asia, it has been in operation for over 100 years without any accidents. Your tram journey will take only about seven minutes. You can choose the seat on the right side to have a better view. After reaching the summit, you will see Peak Tower, which is like a huge bowl. It is designed by the famous British architect Terry Farrel. The tower is a must-see attraction integrating sightseeing, entertainment, and shopping.

In the afternoon, you will enjoy a pleasant time in the Stanley Market, which is one of the most popular markets in Hong Kong. The market is filled with various souvenirs, such as silk, traditional Chinese clothes, ornaments, Chinese crafts, postcards. When you buy gifts or souvenirs here, you can bargain with the shopkeeper. Otherwise, there are many western-style bars. After finishing the visit, you will be transferred to your hotel to have a good rest.

Stanley Market

Peak Tram

After having breakfast, we will drive for about 40 minutes (35 KM) to Lantau Island. Located on the southwest of Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island is the largest island in Hong Kong with an area of 147 square kilometers. We will take the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car to get to the top of this island. The Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car connects the center of Tung Chung and Ngong Ping. It adopts a reliable and safe cable car system with a bi-cable ropeway, which is the first of its kind in Hong Kong. There are Standard Cabin, Crystal Cabin, and VIP Cabin, and generally, we will arrange the Standard Cabin for the visitors. If you want the Crystal Cabin or VIP Cabin, please tell your guide in advance. The whole journey takes about 25 minutes, which saves more than 40 minutes comparing with that of taking the New Lantau Bus Line 23. Sitting in a comfortable and quiet cable car, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of Hong Kong International Airport, the Big Buddha, and Ngong Ping Plateau.

Once arriving at the top, we will go to visit the Ngong Ping Village. There are restaurants, stores, recreational facilities, etc. in this market. Besides, if lucky, you may see shows, like Kung Fu show, variety show, Cantonese opera show. In this market, there is a “Wishing Tree”. Many people like making wishes under the tree. It is said that as long as you make a wish, it will come true.

Then, you will see the Big Buddha, which is located on the top of Mount Muk Yue on Lantau Island. With an area of 6,567 square meters, the Buddha is the world’s largest bronze Buddha statue. It is designed by the Ministry of Aerospace Science and Technology of China and its appearance is similar to the Lushena Buddha in the Longmen Grottoes. The Big Buddha embodies the combination of religion and the most advanced technology. And it is often called “Tian Tan Big Buddha” because its pedestal follows the design of the Temple of Heaven (called Tian Tan in Chinese) in Beijing.

Then, you will visit the Po Lin Monastery. It was originally built by three monks, Dayue, Dunxiu, and Yueming. The monastery consists of many halls, such as the Great Hall of Treasure, the Hall of Ti-tsang Bodhisattva, the Maitreya Hall, the Banruo Hall. There are different Buddhas in different halls. The Great Hall of Treasure, for example, enshrines three Buddhas – Dipamkarara, Sakyamuni, and Maitreya. In the Hall of Ti-tsang Bodhisattva, a bronze statue of Ti-tsang Bodhisattva stands there. After finishing the visit, you will take the cable car down the mountain. And then, we will transfer you to your hotel.  

Lantau Island

Big Buddha

Today, you have to say goodbye to China. Your guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the airport. We hope you have enjoyed your journey and look forward to serving you next time!

Author: Wang Chen

Proofreader: Liu Yan