Day 1
Our non-stop
flight to Hong Kong leaves San Francisco late tonight, as we fly across
the Pacific Ocean and the International Date Line, enjoying the award
winning services of Singapore Airlines.
Day 3
Arriving in Hong
Kong early in the morning, we proceed to the meeting point for our hotel
transfer after clearing customs & immigration. After checking into our
hotel, we have a few hours to relax before we join a city tour at about
1pm this afternoon. Leaving the island of Kowloon we travel via the
Cross-Harbour Tunnel to Hong Kong Island. Driving by Wanchai we reach
Victoria Peak for a great view of the city, the busy harbor, the skyline
and the surrounding area – a fabulous picture postcard view! Leaving the
peak, we continue to Aberdeen village where traditional Chinese junks rub
shoulders with fishing boats bringing in the latest catch and huge
floating restaurant boats. And all this against the backdrop of the
impressive skyline! We can choose to stay in the area for dinner etc., or
return to the hotel late after the tour.
Days 4 & 5
We have two days at leisure to explore this fascinating city on our own!
Day 6
After breakfast we proceed to the Kowloon railway station where seats have
been booked for us on the 9.30AM train to Shenzhen – one of the largest
cities in southern China, approx. 40 minutes away. After we clear
immigration, we will be met by our local tour guide and taken to the
Minority Village Park. After lunch, we visit the villages in the park and
watch the cultural shows performed at each village. Later this afternoon
we will be transferred to the airport for our flight to Guilin, arriving
at about 8 PM, where we will be met and transferred to our hotel.
Day 7
In the morning we visit the ‘Red Flute Cave’, a limestone cave with
impressive stalagmites and stalactites, climb up the 326 steps to Fubo
Hill and enjoy a birds’ eye view of Guilin. We proceed to ancient South
Gate, which was built during the Ming Dynasty approx. 600 years ago and
see the Ming Prince’s mansion, which now houses the local University.
After
we drive to Yangshuo, approx. 50 miles away and enjoy the beautiful
landscape on the way, passing through small villages with farmers working
the fields. Upon arrival we check into our hotel and after a brief rest
our guide will take us for a walk through this fascinating town. The rest
of the day is free for us to explore Yangshuo on our own.
Day 8
We leave Yangshou after breakfast this morning and head towards Xingping,
where we board our cruise boat. During the next 3-4 hours we cruise on the
Li River and simply enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the majestic
mountains (their peaks often covered with clouds & fog) rising from
the riverbanks. The lush green vegetation and the mist create a magical
atmosphere. We may also stop at fishing villages en route, just as
President Clinton did when he visited the area. We enjoy a Chinese lunch
on board and upon arrival we will be taken to Guilin Airport for our
flight back to Hong Kong. We arrive in Hong Kong and transfer to our
flight back to the US on Singapore Airlines. Crossing the international
dateline again we arrive back in San Francisco on the same day.
