Discover Luxury China Holidays
China’s colossal size, lightning-fast development and language hurdles means a holiday to China can be hard to tackle as an independent traveller. But travelling in China need not be daunting, and Ampersand’s tailor-made holidays to China provide just the right amount of self-exploration and guided touring, combining ultra-luxury at the very best hotels, local experiences at boutique hotels, with cultural adventures accompanied by truly incredible and knowledgeable guides.
China is the third largest country in the world, and three times larger than India, so there is little doubt of the plethora of experiences on offer. The difficulty is knowing where to begin... It is also an essential stop for anyone hoping to learn more about the direction the world is taking this century. No first tailor-made tour in China is complete without visiting the truly unique city of Beijing, a juxtaposition of ancient and modern, where you can get lost in the hutongs, can't help but be impressed by the vastness of the Forbidden City and the scale of the Great Wall of China, and then travel south to the buzzing metropolis of Shanghai to learn of its colonial past and its lightning fast development taking China into the future. Thereafter you are spoilt for choice between travelling to Xi'an to view the magnificent Terracotta Warriors, delving into Yunnan or Guangxi provinces for trekking and jaw-dropping natural beauty in the mountains, following the majestic Yangtze River or Huangpu River, eating your way through the spices of Sichuan province and Chengdu as well as visiting the Giant Panda Breeding Centre, or going to Hangzhou, the fabled city on West Lake.
Visit the far northeast which you will see shares cultural similarities with Russia, and Harbin is wonderful to visit in the winter when you can walk through life-sized, intricately carved ice palaces. The western provinces of China will take you back to the times of the Silk Road and ancient civilisation and where the people have more in common with central Asia. For ultimate off the beaten track trekking, the Tibet region is the place to go. Due to political sensitivities, it requires a special permit to visit, which we are very experienced at organising. Retaining a unique culture which stretches back to ancient times, it is a culturally fascinating destination, but also its geographical location, means the high-altitude scenery is truly stunning. For something more urban, beyond the mainland, there’s the exhilarating Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, with infamous shopping, cuisine and a dazzling skyline that even the most city-weary traveller will be blown away by. And cross the sea to Macau, where you can wander Portuguese-built streets, and see the unique blend of culture. There is something to interest anyone and plenty to learn from your holiday in China; from the way the country is being shaped in the mega-cities to the way the country used to be through its beautiful calligraphy, tea ceremonies and classical music – much of which is still practised today, and we can organise for you to learn from the masters in their craft.
Our travel advice for anyone planning a first trip to China would be to incorporate a journey on a high-speed train, to spend an afternoon at a traditional teahouse, to learn calligraphy from a master and to visit a park in the early morning to watch locals practising tai chi, square-dancing, or singing rousing traditional songs. Chinese cuisine must also play a big part in your tour in China – the vastness of the country means that the style of cuisine varies greatly from region to region, from the numbing-spicy food of Sichuan, the warming soups and roasted duck of the north, the dim sum of Guangzhou and Hong Kong, to the cumin-infused lamb dishes of the western provinces.
We believe experiences like these will make you fall in love with the country, just as much as the sights will. We are constantly bowled over by China – its beauty, ancient history, mouthwatering cuisine and powerful present are all intoxicating, but what we feel is most fascinating is the unexpectedly fun and agile sense of humour of its people. The best piece of advice we can give is to avoid trying to do too much; this is a massive country and deserves to be visited more than once.
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Our suggested tours in China
Unrivalled luxury with The Peninsula Hotels
Travel through three of China’s iconic cities, staying in the most luxurious hotels of the Peninsula Hotel Group. From Beijing...
View hereChina & Burma: Style, Substance & Spirit
China and Burma, both substantial cultural identities, yet despite being neighbours, are lightyears apart. Discover the magic of these two...
View hereTravel East Asia in Luxurious Style with Aman Resorts
Experience the beauty of Southeast Asia on this 18 day tour while staying exclusively at Aman proprieties. Observe the brand’s...
View hereSouth of the Clouds - Delve into China's Yunnan Province
If spending time surrounded by breathtaking scenery is your idea of an ideal holiday, this itinerary is for you. Each...
View hereAman Tri-Centre UNESCO China Experience: Beijing, Lijiang & Hangzhou
Experience Aman's signature luxury in three unique settings, each atmospherically evoking China's varied past. The grandeur of an imperial Summer...
View hereRetracing China's Ancient Tea and Horse Caravan Trail
Jeff Fuchs’ expert led expedition along the unexplored sections of the Ancient Tea and Horse Caravan Road. Explore the diversity...
View hereFar from the madding crowd: rural highlights of Southern China
Modern China has redefined the phrase 'concrete jungle'. However, there are countless rural idylls to be found spread across the...
View hereSome of our favourite hotels in China
Aman Summer Palace ,
Beijing
Aman Summer Palace is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Aman Resorts in Asia and our Top 10 Hotel Spas. China’s capital...
View here Banyan Tree Yangshuo ,
Yangshuo
One of Banyan Tree’s newest properties, the hotel opened in 2014 and has a fresh and modern feel – although...
View here The Temple House ,
Chengdu
Opened in July 2015, The Temple House, Chengdu, is the eagerly awaited new member of the Swire Hotel family that...
View here The Upper House ,
Hong Kong
The Upper House is a high-style haven in the heavens from one of Asia's hottest designers, Andre Fu. Lord it...
View here The PuLi ,
Shanghai
The PuLi Hotel and Spa is an luxury urban resort, conveniently located in the heart of Shanghai, but which has...
View here Rosewood Beijing ,
Beijing
Set in the heart of Beijing's bustling Chaoyang, the new 283-room Rosewood is a class act. The rooms and suites...
View hereSome of our favourite places of interest in China
Harbin
Popularly known as the ‘Ice City’, Harbin is the capital of the Heilongjiang Province in northeast China with a population of...
View hereLhasa
Lhasa is the capital of Tibet and one of the highest cities in the world at 3,600 metres. For centuries...
View hereKaifeng
Whilst Kaifeng is today a small city by Chinese standards, being home to nearly 5 million, the city is believed...
View hereJinghong
Located in the far south of Yunnan province, close to the border with Myanmar, Jinghong was the historical capital of...
View hereLijiang
Located in Yunnan province, Lijiang is regarded as the Venice of the Orient with its dizzying array of water canals, quaint bridges and...
View hereYangshuo
Yangshuo is a small county in southern China that is full of everything you would like to experience within this...
View here