Culture and culinary delights in Chengdu and Guangzhou

Arrive in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. Chengdu is the home and habitat of giant pandas while its local cuisine is world famous for its spicy flavour. Though a capital, the city has a surprisingly slow pace of life and is dotted with various kinds of teahouses. Many local people spend the afternoon by drinking tea and playing cards in the indoor or outdoor teahouses. The city and its neighbouring areas boast many natural and historic wonders, including Jiuzhaigou, Leshan, Mt. Emei and the impressive Dujiangan irrigation system that was built in the 3rd century B.C.

Upon arrival, meet with the local English-speaking guide in the airport and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day is free at leisure.

Accommodation at hotel.

After having breakfast at hotel, visit the lovely pandas at Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Centre, just 10 km north of the Chengdu city centre. The Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Centre has been constructed to imitate the pandas' natural habitat so that the incredibly cute animals have the best possible environment for breeding. Enjoy lunch at a nearby local Chinese restaurant before transferring back for some leisure time in People’s Park, the most popular park in Chengdu and host to a colourful mix of Chengdu residents who are always out enjoying themselves in the open air. The park is not only an enjoyable place to relax and mingle, it also has great historical significance as the site of the 1911 protests against the Qing government's policy of handing over railway construction to foreigners. These Chengdu protests and strikes set off a chain reaction that helped topple the Qing dynasty. Today, People's Park provides a great public outlet for grandparents with their grandchildren in tow, joggers, tai qi enthusiasts, musicians and even tea drinkers in need of a good ear cleaning. Specific crowds tend to gather in specific parts of the park: the chess players are in the southeast corner, the musicians hold court in the middle, the east side is the domain of candy and souvenir hawkers, and the west end is where the Heming Tea House sits peacefully in the middle of the park's lake.

In the evening sit down for a famous Sichuan hot pot meal for dinner. Sichuan people consider hot pot a local specialty, which is noted for it peppery hot taste that’s powerful, yet fresh and tender. Traditionally eaten in the cold months, the boiling liquid, meat and spices all contribute to the warming of the body and soul, instantly taking the chill out of winter. However now people don’t mind what season it is, hot pot is a welcome treat anytime! After dinner transfer back to the hotel.

Accommodation at hotel.

Drive to Leshan in the morning and take a cruise tour of the Leshan Giant Buddha. The Buddha is located to the east of Leshan City, in Sichuan Province, at the confluence of three rivers: the Min River, Qingyi River and Dadu River. The most renowned scenic spot in Leshan City, the impressive Buddha statue carved out of the stone cliff was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

After marveling at the giant statue, enjoy lunch at Xiba Tofu Restaurant where we can taste the local famous dish, Xiba tofu, a kind of tofu that’s specially made with the sweet water from Xiba town. After the tour, drive back to Chengdu city to visit Wuhou Temple. The temple was built in the 6th century to commemorate Zhuge Liang (Kongming), known for his great wisdom. Zhuge Liang was a famous military strategist of the Three Kingdoms period (220 – 280 A.D.) made up of the Wei, Shu and Wu kingdoms. Later, transfer to stroll around Jinli Old Street, which boasts ancient buildings, traditional culture and local food. The street is designed to immerse people into the atmosphere old Chengdu and give them an opportunity to savour local foods – the perfect chance to try out famous Sichuan snacks for supper!

Accommodation at hotel.

When talking about local Chinese cuisine, one popular saying is, “Sweet in the south, salty in north, sour in the west and spicy in the east.” After experiencing the spicy Sichuan cuisine in Chengdu, today we are heading to Guangzhou for sweet treats.

Take a morning flight to Guangzhou and, upon arrival, meet with your guide and start a city tour beginning with your first visit at the Western Han Dynasty Nanyue King Mausoleum Museum. The mausoleum is the showcases Guangzhou’s 2,000 years of history. Next, move on to the Five-Ram Statue in Yuexiu Park, the largest urban parkland in China. The sculpture of five rams is the symbol of Guangzhou. After lunch, continue on to visit the Temple of Six Banyan Trees. This ancient Buddhist temple was originally built in 537 A.D. and features a 57.6-metre-high Flower Pagoda, the tallest historic structure in the city. Next, stroll through Shangxiajiu Street. Though just as crowed with people and shops as Beijing Road shopping street, Shangxiajiu has a decidedly stronger traditional, historical feel than the modern Beijing Road. The shops here are housed in colonial-era Qilou (骑楼) buildings, which are a unique blend of 19th century European and Chinese architecture. The connected arcade formed by the buildings' protruding second floors protects pedestrians from the frequent rain showers while sculptures along the street depict life in old Guangzhou.

After the tour, transfer to have dinner at the famous Lianxianglou Restaurant. Lianxianglou is a very popular and long-standing restaurant serving local Cantonese fare. It was founded in 1889, initially engaging in cakes and biscuits. The unique lotus seed paste cakes were well liked at that time and the mini moon cakes with egg yolk and lotus seed paste, along with rice cakes with coconut juice, initially made by Lianxianglou are still very popular. In 1993, the restaurant was named as a "Chinese Time-honoured Brand" and "Domestic Superfine Restaurant" in 1998 by the Trade Ministry. After dinner, transfer back to the hotel.

Accommodation at hotel.

Enjoy a morning tour of Xiguan Mansion. In Xiguan you’ll find well-preserved traditional architecture and Xiguan Mansion is one of the best representations. The facade of Xiguan Mansion was generally built with grey bricks, and the main wooden door is accompanied by a Tanglong (horizontal wooden bars) and a pair of 'café style' outer doors at the entrance. The interior is very symmetrically structured. In the past, only the well-to-do families of businessmen or officials could live in these grand and magnificent places. Next, move on to Chen Clan Temple. It took seven years to build the temple with funds raised by Chen clans from 72 counties of Guangdong Province and was designed to house family members coming to Guangzhou for the Keju exam (the civil service exam system in ancient China). Afterward, get ready for a delicious dim sum lunch at Pan Xi Restaurant. Occupying an area of 12,000 square metres, this large garden-like restaurant is located on the bank of beautiful Li Wan Lake is the site of "Chang Hua Garden", an imperial garden of the king of Nan Han Dynasty. Pan Xi Restaurant ranks No. 1 of the three garden-style restaurants of Guangzhou and has many specialties, such as steamed whole white gourd soup and garden herb chicken, but is most famous for its pastries.

After lunch, transfer to visit Shamian Island. Shamian was once home to the two concessions given to France and the United Kingdom by the Qing Dynasty government in the 19th century. Now, it is a paradise in the busy city of Guangzhou with little traffic and houses from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Return to your hotel in Guangzhou.

In the evening, head to the fascinating Qingping Market. Cantonese people are known to eat anything and everything! You’ll see what we mean at this market where you’ll see everything that is possibly edible – from persimmons and scallops, to seahorse and starfish, and more. It is also a great place to people watch.

Accommodation at hotel.

In the morning stroll through Flower City Square and Guangdong Provincial Museum founded in 1959 with a land area of 43,000 square metres. The complex comprises three major parts: the museum, the relic of first national congress of Kuomintang and the Lu Xun Memorial House. Other affiliated buildings include Red Tower and the observatory of Sun Yat-sen University. Later, visit Guangzhou Opera House, a theatre that has become the largest performing centre in southern China and is one of the three biggest theatres in the nation, alongside Beijing's National Grand Theatre and Shanghai's Shanghai Grand Theatre. Finally, move to Haixinsha Asia Olympic Garden.

In the evening, savour a seafood dinner before enjoying a one-hour cruise along the Pearl River.

Accommodation at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. You’re free at leisure before transferring to the airport for your flight to your next destination.