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Canton Tower and Liede Bridge lit up over the Pearl River at dusk
6 DAYS · GUANGZHOU · FOSHAN · SHUNDE · KAIPING · ZHUHAI

Guangzhou: Lingnan heritage trail

Lion dance at Huang Feihong's hall, then Kaiping's UNESCO watchtowers.

6 days
Guangzhou to Zhuhai
5 nights
Three carefully selected hotels
Lingnan heritage
Culture, cuisine and architecture
Minimum 2
Privately guided throughout
Introduction

A journey through Lingnan culture, Cantonese heritage and Guangdong.

Serving as the southern gate of mainland China, Guangdong is home to the unique Lingnan culture, Cantonese lifestyle and home for the overseas Chinese. Among the most well-known is Guangzhou, also known as Huacheng or Yangcheng, with over 2,000 years of history.

After experiencing the Xiguan architecture of old Guangzhou, we discover the 500-year-old Shiwan pottery culture at Foshan, as well as quintessential Lingnan ancient buildings at Shunde ancient town.

More in Southern China →
Route map showing Guangzhou, Foshan, Shunde, Kaiping, Zhuhai and optional Wanshan Island
Highlights

Why advisors choose this journey.

  1. Sampan Congee at Lychee Bay

    Taste the mouth-watering Sampan Congee from Guangzhou's Lychee Bay.

  2. Lion dance at Huang Feihong Memorial Hall

    A lion dance performance at the famous Kung Fu master's memorial hall.

  3. Qinghui Garden

    Explore one of Guangdong's four most famous gardens.

  4. Daliang farm dishes and Jianfeng

    Authentic Daliang farm dishes and a boat ride at Jianfeng, the Zhouzhuang of Guangdong.

  5. UNESCO-listed Kaiping Diaolou

    Dive deeper into the love and patriotism of overseas Chinese at the Kaiping Diaolou Group.

Day by day

Full Itinerary.

  1. GuangzhouD1–2
  2. FoshanD3
  3. ShundeD3–4
  4. KaipingD5
  5. ZhuhaiD5–6

First impressions of Guangzhou

On arrival, drive 53km to Huangpu Military Academy, the cradle of modern military strategists. Visit Yuexiu Park's landmark Five Rams Statue, Guangzhou Museum's historical relics and the five-storied Zhenhai Tower from the Ming Dynasty circa the 13th century. In the evening, set off from Canton Tower Wharf for a Pearl River night cruise.

The Five Rams Statue in Yuexiu Park, Guangzhou
Overnight
Guangzhou
Meals
No meals included

One-day tour of Guangzhou

Discover old Guangzhou's Lingnan heritage. Hop on a Lychee Bay boat ride across unique Xiguan architectures and taste the famous Sampan Congee. Also known as "Little Qinhuai", the historical water system dates over 2,000 years ago. Continue to Sacred Heart Cathedral (Stone House), the Qing Dynasty-era Chen Clan Ancestral Hall with its large courtyards and symmetrical halls, before a sweet-toothed ending with the famous Double-Skin Milk Custard.

A bowl of sampan congee from Guangzhou's Lychee Bay
Overnight
Guangzhou
Meals
Breakfast included

Traditional Cantonese culture experience

Set off 35km/1h to Foshan. Enjoy Huang Feihong Memorial Hall's lion dance and cultural relic exhibits, the Yuanfeng-era Foshan Ancestral Temple and Shiwan Town's Nanfeng Kiln, famed as South China's pottery capital for over 500 years. Learn the pottery production process and visit Shiwan Ceramics Museum before driving 48km/1h to Shunde.

Lion dance performance at Huang Feihong Memorial Hall, Foshan
Overnight
Shunde
Meals
Breakfast included

Explore Shunde

After a morning stroll at Qinghui Garden, one of Guangdong's finest Lingnan gardens, enjoy a boat ride at Fengjian Water Town, which prospered during the Qing Dynasty for its silk industry. Sample famous Daliang delicacies such as Beng Sha (butterfly-shaped cookie), Double Skin Milk, Stir-Fried Milk, as well as Fengcheng Fish Skin. Also visit Ancient Shawan Town with its unique oyster shell walls, murals, as well as Lingnan brick, wood and stone carvings.

Ancient stone bridges and archway at sunset in Shunde
Overnight
Shunde
Meals
Breakfast included

Chinese and Western architectural heritage

Drive 120km/1.5h to Kaiping Diaolou (UNESCO), built circa 1920-1930s as fortified watchtowers which skilfully blend rural Chinese architecture with Western elements. Proceed to Chikan ancient town, built by overseas Chinese who brought back Western architectural influences, creating a unique scene as the hometown of overseas Chinese. Thereafter, drive 155km/2h to Zhuhai.

Kaiping Diaolou watchtowers among rice fields at dusk
Overnight
Zhuhai
Meals
Breakfast included

Hotel to airport

Depending on your departure time, if time permits we will visit the Qing Dynasty-era Meixi Memorial Arch, dedicated to former overseas Chinese millionaire Chen Fang, with its family history, calligraphy and painting exhibits. Thereafter, we will transfer to the airport, ferry port or railway station for your onward arrangement. It is possible to extend your stay in Macau, Hong Kong or retreat into Wanshan Island.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge over the sea at golden hour
Meals
Breakfast included
Hotel information

Where you will stay.

In Guangzhou

One recommended stay

Park Hyatt Guangzhou

Guangzhou · Canton Tower View Room

First-class accommodation with unparalleled elegance in Guangzhou's Zhujiang new town.

We put guests in Zhujiang New Town because it is Guangzhou's most walkable modern district, with the Canton Tower, Pearl River promenade and the city's best restaurants all close by. The Park Hyatt suits travelers who want a calm, design-led base after busy days exploring the old Xiguan quarter, with attentive service that quietly takes care of dinner reservations and evening river cruise timings. We recommend the Canton Tower View Room for the skyline outlook after dark.

Good to know
  • The 65th-floor sky lobby and infinity pool offer iconic vistas of the Canton Tower.
  • Super Potato interiors use hand-sculpted wood and raw stone throughout.
  • The 70th-floor Roof Bar is the highest outdoor bar in the city for skyline drinks.
Visit hotel website →
Park Hyatt Guangzhou tower above Zhujiang New Town at dusk
Tower View Executive Suite bedroom overlooking the Canton Tower
Indoor swimming pool with Canton Tower views at Park Hyatt Guangzhou
Guangzhou skyline at blue hour seen from Park Hyatt Guangzhou

In Shunde

One recommended stay

Midea Shunde, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Shunde · Garden Terrace Room

A welcoming social lobby and all-day dining in China's gourmet capital.

We choose this hotel in Shunde because it takes food as seriously as our guests do, in a city widely regarded as the cradle of Cantonese cuisine. The all-day restaurant, Zhen Kitchen, and its lychee wood BBQ give a genuine taste of Shunde's culinary reputation without leaving the property. Rooms are quiet and modern, a welcome contrast after a day of ancestral halls and water towns. We recommend the Garden Terrace Room for its outdoor seating.

Good to know
  • The 'Weaver's Tale' design theme pays homage to Shunde's historical silk industry.
  • Signature restaurant Zhen Kitchen specializes in authentic lychee-wood roasted goose.
  • A social hub in Beijiao, it features a lush garden terrace for alfresco dining.
Visit hotel website →
Exterior of Midea Shunde, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
Garden Terrace Room balcony with private lawn at Midea Shunde
King deluxe guestroom at Midea Shunde, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

In Zhuhai

One recommended stay

The St. Regis Zhuhai

Zhuhai · Deluxe Room

Overlooking the Greater Bay seascape at Wan Chai coast, opposite Macau.

We finish the trip at The St. Regis Zhuhai because the closing stretch of a Lingnan journey deserves a proper sea view, and Wan Chai's waterfront looks straight across to Macau. It is the natural base for guests extending into Macau or Hong Kong, with butler service that handles onward ferry and border arrangements smoothly. We recommend a Deluxe Room on a high floor for the open seascape and Zhuhai's skyline at night.

Good to know
  • Occupying the top floors of Zhuhai Tower, it features HBA-designed Gilded Age style.
  • LaBrezza on the 71st floor is a destination for fine Italian dining above the clouds.
  • The signature St. Regis Butler service handles all Macau and Hong Kong transfers.
Visit hotel website →
The St. Regis Zhuhai tower above the Wan Chai coast
King Deluxe room at The St. Regis Zhuhai
Indoor swimming pool at The St. Regis Zhuhai
Deluxe room at The St. Regis Zhuhai
Official quotation

Rates & what is included.

The indicative cost covers the full journey for the party size shown. The single supplement applies only when one guest occupies a room alone. All rates in CNY.

  • Park Hyatt Guangzhou · Guangzhou · Canton Tower View Room
  • Midea Shunde, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel · Shunde · Garden Terrace Room
  • The St. Regis Zhuhai · Zhuhai · Deluxe Room
Indicative cost per person
CNY 18,500
Single supplement
CNY 6,200

Based on 2 guests sharing twin rooms. Minimum 2 guests to operate. Single supplement added only for single-room occupancy. All rates in CNY.

What's included

  • Accommodation on twin sharing basis in hotel as stated on bed & breakfast basis
  • Meals as stated
  • All transportation & transfer
  • Local English-speaking expert guide
  • All entrance fees in sights stated

What's not included

  • International airfare
  • Beverages in restaurants where meals are included
  • Gratuities
  • Personal expenses, e.g. telephone bill & laundry
  • Visa
  • Travel insurance
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