Visa-free China Tour for Seniors

Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China. Your pleasant journey will begin here. With a history of more than 3,000 years, Beijing is now the political and economic center of China. You will surely experience the collision between ancient culture and modern development here. Your tour guide will pick you up at the airport, and then take you to your hotel by a private car. On the way to your hotel, your guide will generally introduce Beijing to you and tell you some interesting stories about Beijing. Upon arrival, your guide will assist you to check in.

Option: After checking in, you will have free time to take a rest. If you still feel energetic, we recommend Qianmen Street to you. Qianmen Street is a very famous commercial street in Beijing, which is located on the central axis of the capital, north from Qianmen Moon Bay, south to the intersection of Tianqiao Street, and connected with Tianqiaonan Street. The street is 845 meters long and 20 meters wide. From the Ming and Qing Dynasties (Ming Dynasty 1368-1644; Qing Dynasty 1636-1912) to the Republic of China (1912-1949), it was called Zhengyangmen Street. In 1965, it had an official name Qianmen Street. With the long history of Qianmen Street, many Chinese time-honored brands have been created, such as Duyichu (famous for siumai-a kind of Chinese dim sum), Quanjude (famous for roast duck), Yitiaolong (a hot pot restaurant), etc. Visitors can enjoy authentic Beijing food here. In addition, the China Bookstore on Qianmen Street and Zhang Yiyuan Tea Shop are good places for tourists to buy books and have close contact with the authentic Chinese tea culture.

Today, your trip to Beijing will officially begin. In the morning, the first site is Tian’anmen Square. Tian’anmen Square has a location within the central part of the city of Beijing. It acted as the major gate for Beijing’s imperial city in the course of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The square, 880 meters long from north to south and 500 meters wide from east to west, covers an area of 440,000 square meters and can accommodate one million people for grand gatherings. It is the largest urban square in the world currently. On October 1, 1949, the founding ceremony of the People’s Republic of China had been hold at Tian’anmen Square. In Tiananmen Square, there is a famous activity - flag-raising ceremony. The time of raising the flag depends on the specific sunrise time, which is generally from 5:00 to 7:00.

When you walk through the Meridian Gate (Wu Men) as well as the Gate of the Tian’anmen Tower, you can access the Forbidden City (closed every Monday). It is the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in China, also known as the Forbidden City, located at the center of the central axis of Beijing. The Forbidden City takes up 720,000 square meters. There are more than 70 palaces, including large-scale and small-scale palaces, as well as over 9,000 houses. The Forbidden City is the most complete and the largest ancient wooden building complex in China and even worldwide. It is known as “the first of the world’s five major palaces”. It lies the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union, and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility in the center of the Forbidden City. In addition, there are the six palaces on the east side and six palaces on the west side. In this palace, nearly one million considerable precious cultural relics are contained. They take up one-sixth of the total number of cultural relics in China. The Forbidden City needs to be visited from the south to the north. The Meridian Gate is the only entrance, and the exits are the East Prosperity Gate and the Gate of Divine Prowess.

After lunch, you will go to visit Hutong in Beijing. With a history of more than 700 years, Beijing Hutong emerged from the establishment of the capital of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) in 1267.Beijing is dotted with more than 7,000 hutongs. Wudaoying, Nanluoguxiang, and Yangmeizhu are the most famous hutongs that have been transformed. To be specific, there are many interesting shops in Wudaoying Hutong. The hutong is less than 700 meters long. It takes nine minutes to walk through the hutong, but it takes an afternoon to stroll through it.

After a brief tour of the Hutongs, you will head to the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven covers an area of 2.73 million square meters in the south of Beijing. In 1420(the Ming Dynasty), the Temple of Heaven completed. It was rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1739-1796) and Emperor Guangxu (1875-1908) of the Qing Dynasty. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Temple of Heaven was the place where the emperors offered sacrifices to heaven and prayed for good crops and prosperity. If you are lucky enough to visit the Temple of Heaven when it is not crowded, you should experience the mystery of the Echo Wall. When there are few people, the effect of the Echo Wall is obvious. Two men stand against the wall in the rear of the east and west side halls. If a man speaks against the wall to the north, the sound waves will travel along the wall to the other end of the wall. No matter how low the voice is, the other person can hear clearly.

Hutong

The Forbidden City

This morning after breakfast, we will drive one-hour northwest to the Ming Tombs, which is about 50 kilometers away from the city center. The Ming Tombs are located at the foot of Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, Beijing, covering an area of 120 square kilometers. In general,13 emperors, 23 empresses, 2 crown princes, more than 30 concubines, and 2 eunuchs were buried here. The highlight of the visit was Chang Tomb. Chang Tomb is the head of the Ming Tombs. It is the joint burial place of Zhu Di (1360-1424), the third Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and his Empress Xu. The mausoleum palace covers an area of about 120,000 square meters. Among the Ming Tombs, Chang Tomb is the largest, earliest and most magnificent of the thirteen tombs. Amazingly, all sixty wooden pillars in the main hall are made of nanmu (a rare type of wood unique to China), with a diameter of more than one meter and a height of more than ten meters, which are magnificent.

Your lunch will be served at a local restaurant. After lunch, the guide will take you to Mutianyu Great Wall. It is about 45 kilometers from the Ming Tombs and takes about an hour by car. The total length of Mutianyu Great Wall is 5,400 meters. The vegetation coverage rate in the scenic area is more than 90%. It is also one of the famous Sixteen Scenic Sites of Beijing. The Mutianyu Great Wall was built in 1368 by Xu Da, a general under the administration of Zhu Yuanzhang, on the site of the Great Wall of the Northern Qi Dynasty. This section of the Great Wall connects Gubeikou in the east and Juyong Pass in the west. Since ancient times, it has been the strategic military site to defend the capital city. There are Zhengguantai, Dajiaolou Watchtower, and other famous landscapes. In addition to cable cars and chairlifts, you can also take the toboggan.

After visiting the Great Wall, we will drive back to the city. Along the way back, you will pass Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. Bird’s Nest, the major venue in terms of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Water cube is located in Beijing Olympic Park. It is Beijing’s main swimming pool built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. They both are the landmark buildings of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which are located on both sides of the north end of the city’s central axis. At these two places, the driver will stop for a while and you can take some photos.

Bird's Nest

Water Cube

As of today, your trip to Beijing is over. Your guide will help you check out in the morning. After checking out, your guide will take you to the airport for your estimated Flight HX337 12:05/15:55 to Hong Kong. Your Hong Kong guide will greet you at the airport and take you to the hotel.

Hong Kong is located in the south of China. It includes Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories, and 262 surrounding islands. Hong Kong has a total land area of 1106.66 square kilometers and a sea area of 1648.69 square kilometers. Hong Kongis the third-largest financial center in the world. As a highly prosperous free port and international metropolis, Hong Kong is known as “Nylonkong” together with New York and London.

Hong Kong has been a part of China since ancient times and was under British colonial rule from 1842 to 1997. Since World War II, Hong Kong has enjoyed rapid economic and social development. It has not only become one of the “Four Asian Tigers”, but also one of the regions with the richest, most developed economy and the highest living standards in the world.

Today, your half-day tour will begin. After breakfast, you will head to Victoria Peak. Victoria Peak is a must-see destination for sightseeing, entertainment, and shopping in Hong Kong. From the top of the peak, you can have a clear view of the Victoria Harbor. To visit Victoria Peak, you can try the Peak Tram. The Peak Tram was officially put into service on May 30, 1888. It is recognized as the earliest cableway system in Asia. If you are interested in the tram history, you can visit the Peak Tram History Collection at the Garden Road Tram Terminal for free before boarding the tram. The best way to get to the top of Victoria Peak is to take the Peak Tram. It takes only seven minutes to reach the top of the mountain. Remember to choose the right seat near the platform to have a better view. When you take the tram down the hill, you will find that the tram becomes the steepest when approaching Garden Road Termination. At that time, you will have the illusion that you are flying, and it is funny and exciting.

Besides, Peak Tower is an attraction most favored by tourists. Located on Victoria Peak, Peak Tower has the highest 360-degree observation deck in Hong Kong. Designed by renowned British architect Terry Farrel, Peak Tower is a distinctive bowl-shaped structure that has been featured in millions of postcards and photographs around the world.

As you head south from Victoria Peak, you will find Repulse Bay. Repulse Bay is a crescent-shaped bay, known as the “Hawaii of the Orient”. It is the most representative bay of Hong Kong, China. Its name is said to come from a British royal warship that used to guard the bay against pirates, meaning “repel”. Repulse Bay has been famous for a long time. It is the venue where Bai Liusu and Fan Liuyuan fought in the classic novel Love in a Fallen City written by Eileen Chang, a famous novelist in modern times.

Victoria Peak

Repulse Bay

Your first stop today is Lantau Island. Lantau Island, located in the southwest of Hong Kong, is the largest island in Hong Kong, China. It covers an area of 147 square kilometers, which is near twice the area of Hong Kong Island, the second largest island in Hong Kong. If you want to pursue the beauty of Lantau Island, you can start by taking the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car. You will take the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car from Tung Chung. The 25-minute cable car ride will leave you the feeling that you are in mid-air. You will experience a “flying” sightseeing journey. For a bit more excitement, you can try Crystal Cabin with the transparent bottom of the carriage, which creates the experience that the blue sea and mountains are just at your feet.

Then you will visit Po Lin Monastery. Po Lin Monastery, founded in 1924, is known as the head of the Four Zen Buddhist Temples of Hong Kong. The temple provides overnight accommodations for visitors who will watch the sunrise at the Phoenix Mountain or learn Buddhism for a short period. The archway is facing the top of Muyu Mountain. At the top of the mountain, there is a new bronze statue of Sakyamuni, named Big Buddha, which stands 26.4 meters high. The statue, with a total height of nearly 34 meters, is the largest bronze sitting Buddha in the world. Scientific and technical facilities have been adopted inside the Big Buddha to protect the statue from lightning strikes, typhoons, heat, and cold effects, as well as salt spray erosion from the sea breeze. The Buddha has a base of three layers, which is equipped with an exhibition hall and other facilities. There is a big bell in the exhibition hall. The bell is controlled by computer and strikes every seven minutes. It will strike 108 times a day and it means to relieve 108 worries.

Option: You will have free time to visit in the afternoon. In the meantime, we recommend you try Dim Sum in Hong Kong. In the Hong Kong Dim Sum culture, the famous “four Kings” are shrimp dumplings, steamed Siu Mai, barbecued pork buns, and egg tarts. The traditional shrimp dumplings are in the shape of a half-moon. There are twelve folds on the belly of the dumpling. Dumplings are filled with shrimp, meat, and bamboo shoots. They are delicious and smooth. There are two kinds of steamed Siu Mai: dried pork and beef. You can choose according to the kind of meat you like. Barbecued pork buns are a kind of steamed bread with the minced meat of barbecued pork. The general size of the barbecued pork bun is about five centimeters in diameter. There are usually three or four buns in a bamboo steamer. The typical egg tarts in Hong Kong are classified according to the skin of the egg tarts. They are mainly divided into two types: beef tallow egg tarts and crisp skin egg tarts. For Hong Kong and Cantonese people, Dim Sum is more than just a piece of food. It more often represents delight created by taking a break from a busy life.

Ngong Ping 360 cable car

Po Lin Monastery

After breakfast this morning, you will take the ferry to Macau. Your Macau guide will meet you at the pier. Macau is located in the south of China, in the Pearl River Delta. Its land area is 32.9 square kilometers. It is an international free port, a world tourism and leisure center, one of the world’s four major gambling cities, and one of the highest population density areas in the world. Its famous light industry, tourism, hotels, and casinos have made Macau one of the developed and affluent regions in the world.

After meeting with the Macau guide, you will visit Macau Tower. Macau Tower, covering an area of about 13,400 square meters, is a famous large-scale tourist facility and a new landmark building of Macau. The tower cost a total of 1 billion MOP. After three years of construction, Macau Tower was completed and opened to the public on December 19, 2001. Macau Tower is one of the top ten sightseeing towers in the world, integrating sightseeing, conference, and entertainment. In addition, Macau Tower is the 8th tallest tower in the world, surpassing the Eiffel Tower in Paris to become the tallest sightseeing steel tower in Southeast Asia.

After lunch, you will start at the Ruins of St. Paul’s. Its official name is the Ruins of St. Paul’s Church, which is the ruins of the front wall of the church. It was the largest Catholic church in the East at that time. In 1835, St. Paul’s Church was destroyed in a fire, and only the front wall remained. Because its shape was similar to traditional Chinese memorial archways (Pai Fang in Pinyin), it was named “DasanbaPaiFang” in Chinese. The Ruins of St. Paul’s is one of the landmark buildings of Macau, as well as one of the “eight sights of Macau”. In 2005, the Ruins of St. Paul’s and other Ruins in Macau’s historic district became the United Nations World Heritage Sites.

After visiting the Ruins of St. Paul’s, you will go to Senado Square. This square, with an area of 3,700 square meters, is one of the four major squares in Macau. The long and narrow triangle in front of the square is a lively area for commercial and cultural activities. Since the opening of the square, it has always been the center of Macau, where many festivals and celebrations have been held, including the inauguration ceremony of the governor of Macau.

The last stop in Macau is A-Ma Temple. A-Ma Temple is one of the three Buddhist temples in Macau. It was first built in 1488, the first year of the reign of Emperor Hongzhi (1488-1505) in the Ming Dynasty, with A history of more than 500 years. The main buildings of A-Ma Temple include the Main Hall, the Hongren Hall, the Guanyin Pavilion, and so on. A-Ma Temple is mainly dedicated to the goddess Mazu of Taoism. In Fujian, “Mazu” means “mother”. Mazu is Lin Moniang, the sixth daughter of Meizhou County inspector in Putian, Fujian Province. Lin Moniang was intelligent, kind, and helpful since her childhood. She often helped shipwrecked people. Furthermore, she also drove out plagues for the people, curing diseases and saving lives. In order to express the gratitude for her kindness, people call her “Mazu”. In 2005, Macau’s historic district, including the former site of A-Ma Temple, was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

At this point, your trip to Macau is over. You will take the ferry back to Hong Kong.

Ruins of St. Paul's

Macau Tower

Today is a relaxing day, and there is no arrangement for you. After you have finished your breakfast, your guide will meet you at the hotel and help you to check out.The guide will take you to the airport at the expected time. This is the end of your wonderful trip to China. You are very welcome to visit China next time and enjoy the scenery of other cities!

Author: Yao Ma

Proofreader: Carrie Zhang