Trip Summary
The scenic south at its best: sunrise above Huangshan's granite sea, Wuyishan's nine-bend tea river by bamboo raft, Xiamen's car-free island and tulou fortresses, then Guangzhou's dim sum or a Hong Kong finale — all linked by the coastal HSR spine.
Trip Highlights
- Huangshan sunrise and the Begin-to-Believe pines
- Nine-Bend River bamboo raft under tea cliffs
- Gulangyu island afternoon and Xiamen seafood
- A tulou fortress overnight among Hakka villages
Day by Day
Day 1 — Shanghai
Arrive; Bund evening.
Flight in · Shanghaiinternational flights, destination pre-filledBook → Stay · The Bundone riverfront nightBook → Car rental · Shanghaipick up at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 2 — Up Huangshan
HSR to Huangshan North, cable up, sunset from Bright Summit.
Shanghai → Huangshan trainHSR ~2.5–3 hBook → Stay · Mount Huangshan Scenic Areasummit hotel — sunrise above the pinesBook → Car rental · Huangshanpick up at Huangshan North Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Mount Huangshanskip-the-line entryBook → Day 3 — Sunrise → Tunxi
Dawn at Lion Peak, west-path descent, Tunxi old street.
Stay · Tunxi Old Streetdown to the old town for ink-and-tea shoppingBook → Day 4 — To Wuyishan
HSR; afternoon tea-village walk.
Huangshan → Nanping trainHSR to Wuyishan ~1.5 hBook → Stay · Mount Wuyiresort strip by the riverBook → Car rental · Nanpingpick up at Nanping Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 5 — Wuyishan
Nine-Bend raft, Dawang Peak, rock-tea tasting.
Stay · Mount Wuyiresort strip by the riverBook → Tickets · Mount Wuyiskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 6 — To Xiamen
HSR 3 h; Zhongshan Road night market.
Nanping → Xiamen trainHSR ~3 hBook → Stay · Zhongshan Roadferry-side old townBook → Car rental · Xiamenpick up at Xiamen North Railway Station on arrivalBook → 
Day 7 — Gulangyu
Ferry over; Sunlight Rock, beaches, pianos.
Stay · Zhongshan Roadferry-side old townBook → Tickets · Gulangyu Islandskip-the-line entryBook → Day 8 — Tulou day
Nanjing County tulou loop (2 h by bus from Xiamen), optional overnight in a Hakka fortress.
Stay · Zhongshan Roadferry-side old townBook → 
Day 9 — To Guangzhou
HSR; Beijing Road and Canton Tower.
Xiamen → Guangzhou trainHSR ~4 hBook → Stay · Shamian Islandcolonial riverside for the last nightBook → Car rental · Guangzhoupick up at Guangzhou South Railway Station on arrivalBook → Day 10 — Out
Yum cha brunch; fly from CAN or train 45 min to HK.
Flight out · Hong Kongdeparture flights from Hong Kong, destination openBook → 
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