3-Day Xiamen Essence and In-Depth Fujian Tulou Tour

After your flight lands at the airport, your tour guide will wait for you with a welcoming smile at the arrival hall. Transfer to your hotel by a private car and driver. The rest of the day is for you to acclimatize and explore the city, or relax and recoup ready for the tour tomorrow.

Hotel options:
Ramada Hotel Xiamen
Pan Pacific Xiamen

Today, you'll leave Xiamen and head to Nanjing, where you'll get much closer to the people and traditions behind Fujian Tulou. You'll step into the authentic Hekeng Tulou, meet the families who still live here, and spend time with a local Tulou builder who has dedicated his life to this traditional craft.

Step into Hekeng Tulou

You'll walk through this peaceful, less-touristy Tulou community and meet the local residents who still call it home. You can step inside their homes, head upstairs to see their living spaces, and chat with them about everyday life over a cup of local tea.

Meet a Tulou Builder

You'll then meet a local master and hear the stories behind the Tulou he has helped build and preserve. He'll show you how local earth and other traditional materials are turned into these remarkable homes, and share the knowledge passed down through generations.

Build with Your Own Hands

With the master beside you, you'll have a chance to try traditional Tulou-building techniques yourself. As you work with the materials, you'll get a real feel for the patience and craftsmanship that go into building a Tulou.

Tea at His Home

Afterwards, you'll join the master at home for a cup of local tea. Take your time to chat with him about his life, his family and his years of working with Tulou.

Hotel options:
Nanjing Qingdelou Inn (original tulou with a private toilet)

Today, you'll head to Longchanglou and spend time in the tea fields. Put on a traditional straw hat, carry a bamboo basket on your back, and follow local villagers into the fields to pick fresh tea leaves by hand.

Make Tea the Traditional Way

Once you've gathered your leaves, you'll follow the villagers through the traditional tea-making process. You'll spread the leaves out to wither in the sunshine, gently shake them in bamboo trays to bring out their aroma, and pan-fire them in a warm iron wok.

Make Tea the Traditional Way

After all that work, you'll finally get to brew the tea you helped make and taste it for yourself. Sit down, enjoy a cup, and appreciate how the fresh leaves you picked earlier have been transformed into your very own tea.

After lunch, you will be transferred to the airport or train station. Your private guide will make sure that everything goes smoothly before saying goodbye.