Trip Summary
The grand eastern seaboard: imperial Beijing, sunrise on sacred Mt Tai and Confucius' home at Qufu, Huangshan's pines, West Lake and Wuzhen lanterns, Shanghai's skyline, Wuyishan tea rafts, Xiamen's island air, and Canton→Hong Kong dim sum — history to horizon in 15 days.
Trip Highlights
- Mt Tai sunrise — the imperial pilgrimage for 2,000 years
- Huangshan's sea of clouds and West Lake dawn
- Wuzhen lantern canals after dark
- Wuyishan bamboo rafts and da hong pao tea
- Gulangyu + Cantonese finale in HK
Day by Day
Day 1 — Beijing
Arrive; Wangfujing.
Flight in · Beijinginternational flights, destination pre-filledBook → Stay · Qianmenaxis-side baseBook → Car rental · Beijingpick up at Beijing Capital International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 2 — Beijing
Forbidden City + Temple of Heaven.
Stay · Qianmenaxis-side baseBook → Tickets · The Palace Museumskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 3 — Beijing
Great Wall day.
Stay · Qianmenaxis-side baseBook → Tickets · Badaling-Mutianyu Great Wallskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 4 — To Qufu
HSR 2.5 h; Confucius temple-mansion-cemetery.
Beijing → Qufu trainHSR ~2.5 hBook → Stay · Temple of Confuciusinside the walled old town by the temple gatesBook → Car rental · Qufupick up at Qufu East Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Confucius Sites of Qufuskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 5 — Mt Tai
Train to Tai'an; night-ascent option or cable for sunrise.
Qufu → Tai'an trainHSR ~30 minBook → Stay · Mount Taimountain-base quarter at Tianwaicun — cable car and bus terminalBook → Car rental · Tai'anpick up at Tai'an Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Mount Taiskip-the-line entryBook → Day 6 — To Huangshan
HSR; Tunxi old street.
Tai'an → Huangshan trainHSR with one transfer ~5 hBook → Stay · Mount Huangshan Scenic Areasummit hotel for the sunriseBook → Car rental · Huangshanpick up at Huangshan North Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 7 — Huangshan
Cable up; Bright Summit sunset.
Stay · Tunxi Old Streetdown to the old townBook → Tickets · Mount Huangshanskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 8 — Sunrise → Hangzhou
Lion Peak dawn; HSR to Hangzhou.
Huangshan → Hangzhou trainHSR ~1.5 hBook → Stay · West Lakenorth-shore lake lifeBook → Car rental · Hangzhoupick up at Hangzhou East Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 9 — Hangzhou
West Lake boat + Longjing village.
Stay · West Lakenorth-shore lake lifeBook → 
Day 10 — Wuzhen
Coach 1.5 h; lantern night.
Hangzhou → Jiaxing trainHSR for Wuzhen ~40 minBook → Stay · Wuzhen Water Towna night inside the west zoneBook → Car rental · Jiaxingpick up at Jiaxing Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Wuzhen Water Townskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 11 — Shanghai
Coach/HSR; the Bund.
Jiaxing → Shanghai trainHSR ~1 hBook → Stay · The Bundriverfront for two Shanghai nightsBook → Car rental · Shanghaipick up at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 12 — Shanghai → Wuyishan
Morning Yu Garden; HSR 3 h.
Shanghai → Nanping trainHSR to Wuyishan ~4 hBook → Stay · Mount Wuyiresort strip by the riverBook → Car rental · Nanpingpick up at Nanping Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 13 — Wuyishan
Nine-Bend raft + tea terraces.
Stay · Mount Wuyiresort strip by the riverBook → Tickets · Mount Wuyiskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 14 — Xiamen
HSR 3 h; Gulangyu sunset.
Nanping → Xiamen trainHSR ~3 hBook → Stay · Zhongshan Roadferry-side old townBook → Car rental · Xiamenpick up at Xiamen North Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Gulangyu Islandskip-the-line entryBook → Day 15 — South finish
HSR to Guangzhou (4 h) yum cha, or +1 day to HK; fly out.
Xiamen → Guangzhou trainHSR ~4 hBook → Stay · Shamian Islandcolonial riverside finaleBook → Car rental · Guangzhoupick up at Guangzhou South Railway Station on arrivalBook → Flight out · Guangzhoudeparture flights from Guangzhou, destination openBook → 
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