China is a vast land of staggering contrasts. It’s a place of ancient cultures, modern metropoles, and everything in between. It has landscapes of soaring karst limestone scenery, lush and gravity-defying terraces and remote barren deserts.
However, while the Land of the Dragon is one of the most populous countries on earth, to the outside world, it remains enigmatic and relatively unknown. This is starting to change, however, with the easing of visa restrictions and a more developed tourism infrastructure. Language can be a barrier (hello, English-speaking driver/guide!) and domestic travel distances can be large, but this is definitely one of the most fascinating destinations we offer, as the following China family tour photo blog shows.
We’re so grateful to the Duncan family, who, having a son with Chinese heritage, wanted to find out far more about the country, not just for his benefit but for the whole family. As the following shows, a family holiday in China can prove to be quite the adventure!
What a background! What a foreground! The iconic sight of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong, demonstrates at a glance the mix of ancient and modern you’ll find in this former colonial outpost. A natural landform, the harbour separates Hong Kong Island in the south from Kowloon in the north. Today, it’s an important trading hub, but the historic and affordable passenger Star Ferries also provide a great way for locals and tourists to get around.
Whilst Hong Kong might be better known for its skyscrapers, the peaks that surround them are clothed in verdant jungle and vegetation. The most popular hike on Hong Kong Island is up Victoria Peak, although some, particularly those with younger children, may prefer to catch the historic tram.
Cameras at the ready. Here’s what you’re rewarded with at the top of Victoria Peak – the best view in Hong Kong.
Swap Victoria Peak for the soaring karst limestone scenery that makes Yangshuo, in southern China’s Guangxi region, famous. Here you’ll experience rural China at its laid-back, languorous best, a place where pastoral scenes such as grazing water buffalo, rice paddies, ancient stone villages and traditional rural villages are commonplace. Both our exciting China example itineraries visit Yangshuo.
Meandering through it all are two scenic rivers, the Li River and the Yulong River.
Taking a bamboo raft along the river is both fun and relaxing!
And you can rev up the adventure and adrenaline, with an all-terrain vehicle (like this quad bike), which copes equally well in water and out of it!
What’s this? Pizza and pasta in the middle of rural China? We suspect the pre-teens and teens were equally happy on this occasion to indulge in more familiar cuisine.
Ahhhh. That’s more like it! Learning the ancient art of traditional painting and Chinese calligraphy. Not just a fascinating and absorbing activity, but the results make for a wonderful souvenir to take home.
About 100 kilometres away from Guilin lies one of China’s most iconic and stunning rural attractions, the Longji rice terraces. Dating back to the Yuan Dynasty, these long, verdant patterns resemble a long dragon’s tail and backbone, hence the name (‘Loong’ means Dragon’s Spine).
You don’t just have to look at these terraces from afar, though, as you can take a hike through them, following ancient pathways used by farmers for centuries.
Learn about rice production and chat with the local ethnic Zhuang people in the village. Here you’ll see wooden houses, stone mills and carving relics, ancient wells and flagstone roads.
There’s a huge variety of accommodation during a China holiday, including everything from modern city hotels to ones looking over rice terraces or smaller, character-filled places complete with a pool. See where to stay in China to get a feel for the type of accommodation available.
If there’s one wildlife symbol that epitomises China, it’s the Panda. Here in Chengdu, you can learn all about these amazing creatures up close and personal at the Panda Research Centre and also at other, less well-known sanctuaries. Pandas have to eat between 12 – 38 kilograms of bamboo a day, which certainly made us feel better about our teenagers’ fridge raids!
As the capital of Sichuan province, Chengdu is home to China’s spiciest food, and there are a huge number of delicious places to eat. One of the most traditional – and fun – meals to have is a hot pot, where you dip your vegetables and meat into a boiling soup, almost fondue-like.
There is masses to do in Chengdu besides seeing the iconic pandas – think opera, food tours, the People’s Park, and if you’ve got time, it’s worth visiting Qingcheng Mountain, one of the birthplaces of Taoism, with ancient temples, lush forests, lakes and waterfalls.
It’s just a 4-hour high-speed train from Chengdu to Xi’an. Here you can hop on bikes and cycle around the immense city walls, a good leg stretch after the train ride.
No visit to Xi’an – or indeed China – would be complete without a visit to one of the most significant archaeological wonders of the world: the Terracotta Army. Built to protect the tomb and afterlife of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, you’ll learn all about this 2,000-year-old marvel. Audio headsets help to keep the kids interested. Whilst all our tours are bespoke, see what else you could be doing on our China Highlights 11-day itinerary.
From ancient to modern with a visit to Shanghai – now one of the world’s major finance, business, tech and transport hubs, and a fascinating place to explore. It’s not all high rises though; here, in the northeast of Old Shanghai, is an oasis of calm and tranquillity, the Yu Yuan gardens. These traditional Chinese gardens and temples date back to the Ming dynasty. Include Shanghai on our two-week China Highlights example itinerary.
Other places to visit in Shanghai include the the Caoyang neighbourhood for an insight into typical modern-day life, and Cheghuangmiao bazaar, full of snacks…
…and wild and wonderful street food galore!
Last but not least, few visitors to China would miss the capital, Beijing, home of China’s leaders for the last 800 years. Here, you visit the Temple of Heaven (pictured here), Tiananmen Square, and the world-renowned Forbidden City, the traditional home to China’s Emperors. Find out more about the places you can visit in China.
A highlight of any trip to China is the Great Wall. We avoid the section closest to Beijing, as it’s too busy, and instead head further afield to a particularly spectacular (and quiet) section.
Put yourself in the picture here, ‘Peking’ out of one of the fortress windows or on the wall itself. Iconic!
China family tours – next steps
We hope our China photo story has given a glimpse of the country’s rich culture and the multitude of family-friendly activities you can include. There really is something for everyone, and far more than you can fit into one trip. If China is on your and your family’s wish list, do get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. To start planning, ring us at 01728 752 751 or email us using our website form.
