Itinerary

14 May

Sat       Depart Honolulu/Taipei – (International)

            Morning departure – relax and enjoy your in-flight service as you fly over the Pacific, crossing over the

                International date line and on to our destination…..Shanghai

            China Airlines #17 – Leave Honolulu 9:15am

·         ITT provides complimentary bus transfer to Honolulu International airport and return

15 May

Sun     Arrive Taipei – 14:35 – (International)   -   (D)

            Overnight Novotel airport hotel

·         Buffet dinner at hotel

16 May

Mon     Depart:  Taipei/Shanghai   -   (B)

            China Airlines #501        Leave Taipei      09:05

·         Buffet breakfast at hotel

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16 May   

Mon     Arrive Shanghai   -   (D)

            China Airlines #501        Arrive Taipei      10:50

Shanghai…a bustling trade port; the economic heart of China, and the queen of the Orient. Making our way to our hotel, a comprehensive narration by our guide will acquaint you of Shanghai                        

• Afternoon tour includes:
• People Square –is a spectacular space in the heart of the city surrounded by spectacular buildings on all sides

              The Bund (derived from an Anglo-Indian name meaning quay or embankment) is an ideal location to

              Admire the historical buildings (banks and trading houses) which parallel the river Huangpu

• Dinner at local restaurant
• Shanghai Acrobatic - China’s magnificent heritage of arts;  the tradition has flourished through to modern times, particularly in the city of Shanghai where many of the best known troupes perform to this day
• Accommodations: Hilton Hotel

17 May  

Tue      Shanghai   -   (B/L/D)

• Shanghai Museum - opened in 1996 and known as one of the finest museums of ancient Chinese art. Its rich and exceptionally high quality collection of bronzes and ceramics are celebrated around the world
• Oriental Pearl TV Broadcasting Tower - is a new landmark of Shanghai which faces the Bund across the Huangpu River at Lujiazui, the busiest part of Pudong new Area. At a height of 468 metres (1535 ft), it is the tallest TV tower in Asia
• Buffet lunch at Oriental Pearl TV Broadcasting Tower
• Zhujiajiao (Water Village) - an ancient city located on the banks of Dianshan Lake, and at the front of Dianshan Hill.  After more than one thousand years, Ming & Qing dynasty buildings still stand an ancient stone bridge that crosses the canal that runs through the center of town.  Places of historical interest and scenic beauty surround you.  Visit includes the museums, a boat ride on the canal, and shopping on BeiDa Street, which is famous for its 1,000 shops!
• Taobao City Market, Shanghai’s bustling local market - which is known for its vendors specializing in garments, textiles and footwear; the shopping heaven for women
• Dinner at a local restaurant
• Accommodation:  Hilton Hotel 

18 May   

Wed     SHANGHAI   -   (B/L/D)

Take a walk through Shanghai’s old Chinese quarters to lovely Yu Yuan garden, a 16^th century Ming Dynasty private garden and residence. Its deceptive size, laid out with many corners and breezeways to give one the illusion of size, houses in exquisite harmony the essential elements of a Chinese garden

-Time permits, visit the silk factory - Useful and elegant, silk, like Chinese civilization, is very, very old. Silk's discovery as material suitable for weaving goes back to Lady Xi Ling Shi, Emperor Huang Di's 14-year-old bride. According to works attributed to Confucius, she was relaxing under a mulberry tree, drinking a cup of tea, a silk cocoon fell smack into her teacup.  The clever Chinese empress noticed that the delicate fibers unraveled in the hot liquid. Thus, according to romantic legend, Lady Xi became the first person unwind a silk cocoon and then use the filament to create yarn to weave cloth. Yet incontrovertibly silk is more than fabric: this substance epitomizes the very spirit of the Chinese people

-Dinner will be served at the Green Wave Restaurant

-Accommodation: Hilton Hotel

19 May  

Thu       SHANGHAI/GUILIN  -  (B/L/D)

Hotel check out – meet in the lobby for our transfer to the domestic airport for our flight to Guilin

Farewell to our Shanghai guide

Guilin:  a beautiful city where you will find mystical landscapes of limestone karst pinnacles covered with lush vegetation…a sight to behold!

Upon our arrival in Guilin, meet our local guide

Reed Flute Cave - one of many limestone caverns that dot the hills and pinnacles of the Guilin Region. Formed 600,000 years ago by a cave river and is famous for its speleothems. There are also more than sixty calligraphic works written on the wall of the cave since the era of Tang Dynasty. The name of the cave is derived from the “reed grass” growing at the gate in the front of the cave which is used to make flutes, hence “Reed Flute Cave”

-Continue with a tour to a tea plantation institute where you will learn the art of tea picking and enjoy a traditional tea ceremony

-Dinner for local flavor at Tea-House Cuisine

-Later tonight, a leisurely walk to the theatre to watch the minority cultural show

-Accommodation:  Sheraton Hotel

20 May

Fri          GUILIN   -   (B/L/D)

This morning you’ll begin with a scenic cruise along the Li River where you’ll admire the landscapes that have been inspiring Chinese artists and poets for centuries.  With its unique landforms and swirling mist, it is the classic Chinese scenery you have always imagined.

The drive from the hotel will take approximately 40 minutes and will pass some of the most attractive rural scenery in the Guilin area. The northern Guangxi-Zhuang Autonomous Region in which Guilin is located is an area of rugged fold mountains and a belt of limestone pinnacle formations which lie on either bank of the Li River

-Lunch will be served on board

-Your boat cruise will sail southwards to the village of Yangshuo.  En-route, you can admire the dramatic limestone formations and learn about the legends that are associated with many of these pinnacles. Before driving back to Guilin, you may wish to take some time to explore Yangshuo’s village and local “hello” Market

-Dinner is served at a local restaurant

-Accommodation:  Sheraton Hotel

21 May

Sat          GUILIN/XIAN   -   (B/L/D)

Hotel check out – meet in the lobby for our transfer to the domestic airport for our flight to Xian

Farewell to our guide in Guilin

XIAN - a former capital of China and home of the excavation site of the Terra-Cotta Warriors.

Upon our arrival meet our local guide

·         City Wall, Take a stroll along the top of the wall, one of the few remaining City Walls in China.  X’ian City Wall is the best preserved, oldest and largest ancient city defense system in China. It is also one of the most important landmarks of the city

·         Wild Goose Pagoda -  an impressive religious structure to survive from the Tang Dynasty to house Buddhist treasures.  It formed part of the Temple of Great Mercy and Goodness, built by Prince Li Zhi in the first half of the 7^th Century in honor of his mother.

·         Lunch at local restaurant

·         Tang Dynasty Show & dumpling dinner - The show is where the Shaanxi Provincial Music and

Dance Ensemble present a revue of music and dance drawn from the Tang dynasty (618 - 907)

·         Muslim Market -  an after dinner stroll through this market if time permits

·         Accommodation: Sheraton Hotel

22 May   Sun     XIAN   -   (B/L/D)

This morning you will lay eyes on one of the most famous army of men and horses buried with the first Emperor of Qin 

-a visit to the famous Terracotta Warriors site. Theories abound, but it is thought that the Terracotta Warriors, made from mineral rich loess soil, were meant to safeguard the emperor’s passage to the afterlife and additionally protect his kingdom from attack.  Each pit serves a different military purpose including the vanguard and side flanks, military encampment, and strategic headquarters.

-Lunch at a local restaurant

• Banpo village - that existed some 6,000 years ago near Xi'an in the Shaanxi Province of China. Artifacts that have been unearthed from the Banpo site are all that remains of this prehistoric clan-based community. The village grounds occupied a physical area of 50,000 square meters, and consisted primarily of a residential section, a pottery area, and burial grounds. Five excavations that were conducted from 1953 to 1957 revealed the remains of 45 houses, 200-odd storage pits, 6 kilns, 250 tombs, and more than 10,000 stone tools and everyday articles.
•  

Dinner at local restaurant

Accommodation: Sheraton Hotel

23 May

Mon      XIAN / BEIJING   -  (B/L/D)

Hotel check out – meet in the lobby for our transfer to the domestic airport for our flight to Beijing

Farewell to our guide in Xian

Beijing – it’s a world rich in history, culture and stunning physical beauty and the capital of China!

• Forbidden City - Center of the Chinese world for nearly 500 years, the imperial palace remains the most complete and best preserved collection of ancient buildings in China. Called the “Forbidden City” for the exclusive nature of the emperors who built and inhabited it.

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-Tiananmen Square for a stroll on the largest public plaza on earth.  Lying in the center of Beijing, Tiananmen Square is thought of as the very heart of the city.  The square, in spite of its past events, remains one of the most popular venues in Beijing. 

-Lunch served at local restaurant

-Beijing National Stadium - It is also known as “The Bird's Nest” and the main track and field stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics   (drive-by/exterior visit only).

- After lunch, visit the Summer Palace, taking a leisure stroll while admiring the thousands of ancient murals along the Long Corridor and a boat ride on Kunming Lake (weather permitting). 

-Dinner will be served in supreme Dadong  restaurant for Beijing Roast Duck.

Accommodation: Park Plaza Hotel

24 May

Tue          BEIJING   -  (B/L/D)

-The Great Wall at Mutianyue with cable car ride. The Wall has been built up in myth and legend, but despite the many inaccuracies written, it remains one of the great man-made wonders of the world.  The Great Wall rides some of the highest peaks of the Yan Mountains affording some stunning views of the surrounding countryside.  Originally built to guard strategic passes to the plains on which Beijing is located, the magnificent vistas and solitary setting here evoke the grandeur and dazzling achievement of 5,000 years of Chinese civilization (Includes cable car fee)

-Lunch  at a local restaurant.

-Ming Tombs, maintaining an imperial tradition that originated in the Zhou Dynasty (1066 B.C. – 221 B.C.), the Ming emperors selected the location and design of their tombs during their reign. Of the 16 Ming emperors, 13 are buried in this valley just north of Beijing.

-Along the way, two stops at:  (before & after the visit of the Wall)

-Jade factory– Jade have been used and loved by Chinese culture for thousands of years.  With its unique coloration and luster, and its keen radiance, it gradually evolved into a symbol of power, status, wealth and holiness.  The smooth surfaces and flowing lines, immense variety of forms, colorful, exquisite luster and painstaking attention to details are captivating

-Cloisonné factory - Cloisonné is the technique of creating designs on metal vessels with colored-glass paste placed within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired pattern. Known as cloisonné (French for "partitions"), the enclosures generally are either pasted or soldered onto the metal body. The glass paste, or enamel, is colored with metallic oxide and painted into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired at a relatively low temperature, about 800°C. Enamels commonly shrink after firing, and the process is repeated several times to fill in the designs. Once this process is complete, the surface of the vessel is rubbed until the edges of the cloisonné are visible. They are then gilded, often on the edges, in the interior, and on the base

-Lunch and dinner at a local restaurant

-Accommodation:  Park Plaza Hotel

25 May

Wed             BEIJING   -   (B/L/D)

-Temple of Heaven, a perfection of Ming architecture and one of the symbols of Beijing.  Built in 1420, this huge site (twice the size of the Forbidden City) follows a route traversed by past emperors and their entourages in splendid procession from which the commoner had to avert his eyes. As you stroll through the grounds, you will have an opportunity to join the early morning exercises

-Lunch at local restaurant

-Hutong. “Hutong” is a Manchurian term referring to the network of small winding alleyways that once covered the city of Beijing. Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime rickshaw tour through the narrow streets of ancient Beijing; concludes with a visit to one of the local families here

Pearl Factory – China is a major pearl producer - here you will learn the

difference between cultured and natural pearls.  Virtually all commercial pearls today are cultured.  Real pearls feel rough and Gritty when gently rubbed along your teeth; the plastic or glass pearls sold on the street feels smooth

-Silk market  - several years ago, these street vendors sold silk products and other knick-knacks for the foreigners.   Today, no longer at the Silk Street, they are housed in an air conditioned building.  Enjoy your shopping time

-Dinner at a local restaurant

-Accommodation:  Park Plaza Hotel (5*)

26 May

Thu      BEIJING – (B/D)

Free day to enjoy on your own

5:00pm - meet in the lobby for our farewell dinner and show

The Legend of Kung Fu follows the story of a young boy found wandering outside an ancient temple. Like every boy in China, he dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master. On the road to enlightenment the young monk encounters many difficulties and temptations.  The Legend of Kung Fu is produced by China's leading performance art production company,

Accommodation:  Park Plaza Hotel (5*)

27 May

Fri              BEIJING/TAIPEI  -  (B)

Hotel check out – meet in the lobby for our transfer to the international airport for our flight to Taipei

Farewell to Beijing and our guide.  We end our tour in Beijing but you will carry memories of China with you as you make your journey home

China Airlines Flight: CI-512, depart Beijing at 12:25 pm.

Arrive in Taipei at 3:35 pm.   (D) - Overnight at Taipei

Dinner at hotel

Accommodation: Novotel Airport Hotel-Taipei

28 May  

Sat             TAIPEI/HONOLULU   -  (B)

 Hotel check out – meet in the lobby for our transfer to the international airport for our flight to Honolulu

China Airlines Flight CI-18, depart Taipei at 1420 pm

Arrive in Honolulu at 07:00 (same day arrival)

Complimentary bus transfer to ITT office-Hickam AFB

Aloha….until we meet again!

Remarks:

Quality of Experience - To us, value is not just the lowest price, but also quality and experience that exceed expectations.  Searching out the best, most interesting and fun activities for our tours are an ongoing effort at Information Tickets & Travel (ITT).  We strive to offer places and experiences you’d never find on your own…we make your experience a dream come true!  

Escort Services:

All international tours are fully escorted.  Our Tour Escorts are dedicated, friendly, and professional with many years of experience in escorting our clients to all parts of the world.

 Price:

Tour package price:  $3,395.00 per person based on double occupancy

*Singles occupancy & family package – upon request

*Price is subject to change if hotel, domestic air, fuel or tax increases

Tour package includes:

·         Economy class/International flights (Honolulu/Shanghai - Beijing/Honolulu)

·         Economy class/domestic flights (Shanghai/Guilin/Xian/Beijing)

·         Hotel Accommodations in China with daily western buffet breakfast  (per itinerary)

·         Transit (overnight) accommodation (Novotel Airport Hotel) with breakfast

·         Meals as per itinerary  - (B/L/D)

·         All tours listed & sightseeing entrance fee

·         hotel/airport transfers/baggage service

·         English speaking local guides in each city

·         ITT Tour escort

Note:          Throughout your travel in China (Shanghai/Guilin/Xian/Beijing), you will encounter markets/department stores/high-rise malls etc (some are mentioned in the itinerary and others are not), and you are looking for souvenir trinkets, fine art, jewelry and so much more, China is hard to BEAT!  Highly recommend you bring your calculator to negotiate, it is the universal bargaining tool.  And China, almost everything is negotiable…!

Price exclude:

·         China visa & handling fee (ITT will process China visa for all passengers)

·         Travel protection insurance – (recommended highly)

·         Excess baggage – international & domestic

·         Personal nature and service not mentioned in the above itinerary.

Hotel Information:

Shanghai -Hilton Shanghai Hotel -1 Dong Fang, North Dong Sanhuan Road, Shanghai

Guilin - Sheraton Hotel - 15 Bin Jiang Road, Guilin

Xian – Sheraton Hotel -  262 Feng Hao East Road, Xian

Beijing - Park Plaza Hotel - 48 Wangfujing Avenue, Dongeheng District, Beijing

Come meet the gang:

Please plan to attend a group meeting for this China tour.  Call for meeting date & time.  At this time full payment is required – we accept Visa, MasterCard, personal checks.   Come meet your traveling companions.  Please bring your current passport to this meeting.

Full details of itinerary/information will be covered at this time

Cancellation Policy:  An administration fee will be charged for cancellation of tour.

However, should customer cancel tour (other than health reasons-documentation is required), some penalties will apply depending on airline/hotel vendors’ fee.

This package is based on 10 passengers and up.  Therefore, if passenger count is lower than 10, we may have to cancel tour and return all monies to customers without penalty.   

Traveling documents:  Passengers on tour must possess a current passport of at least six months validity. 

China Visa:  Visa is required for China (not included in the package price).  However, ITT will process China Visas at a minimal fee.  To process, we will need a passport picture of passenger, signed visa form and visa fee.

Health/Immunizations:: Not required.  However, updating your health record is recommended. 

Travel Protection:    

Highly recommended – There are times when unforeseen events should occur.  To avoid incurring costly charges should this happen, we strongly urge you to invest in travel protection insurance.  Call ITT for further information.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CALL…..808-448-2295

Expire 14 May 2011