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Ultimate China

with optional Philippines pre-tour
New

Ultimate China

with optional Philippines pre-tour 21 day tour/cruise - April 7, 2028
Arnold Zheng
Special Guest Educator

WHY WE HAVE THE BEST TOUR OF CHINA!

CHINA is the owners of Fun For Less Tours favorite country in the world! From their first trip in the 1990’s they have been to China over 25 times. They have spent many weeks on their own exploring all over China. Every place you visit and see in China they experienced first. Our tour is not like any other; we didn’t copy someone else’s tour, others copy our tours. Our tours include the important sites in Beijing, the Great Wall, the Terra-cotta Warriors, the Yangtze, the Li River, Hong Kong and so much more. But we don’t stop there, we bring you many things that are not offered by other companies:

Here is a partial list that makes us better than the rest:

  • With us you see more of China: We have always been the BEST. We zig zag through China, picking and choosing the very BEST to experience.
  • Zhangjiajie Mountains: We were the first ever to bring American groups to Zhangjiajie. This is likely the most beautiful place on Earth. It is where they filmed the floating mountains of Avatar. Yes, those mountains actually exist, they filmed them at Zhangjiajie and then cut off the bottoms to make them float in the movie. This is a highlight of highlights in China.
  • Tianmen Mountain: A HUGE highlight day. Experience the most beautiful cable car ride in the world. It also claims to be the longest cable car ride in the world. The ride is over 30 minutes as it travels through beautiful canyons and scenery to the top of Tianman Mountain, where we will spend the day.
  • Both the Yangtze and the Li River in one tour. Rarely will a tour include both. Usually, you must pick between a tour that includes the Li River or one that includes the Yangtze. If you are going to China, you need to do both.
  • The BEST Cultural Shows: We don’t add them as an extra that you have to buy, we have included some of the very best cultural shows China has to offer.
  • REAL 5-Star Luxury Hotels and Cruise Ship: In China hotels and Yangtze River cruise ships can assign their star rating more or less on their own – many companies passengers end up in hotels and cruise ships on the Yangtze that state they are 5 stars but in reality, they are more like a 3 star. Majority of our hotels are 5 Star PLUS and our luxury Yangtze Cruise ship’s cabins all have private balconies. In 2025 we were on the same cruise ship with a National Geographic group. They paid more than double for a shorter China tour that did not include the Zhangjiajie Mountains, the ancient walled city of Pingyao, Guangzhou or the many shows we included.
  • The Ancient walled city of Pingyao: China’s best-preserved ancient walled city. The whole town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is often called a living museum. Even though the ancient walled city is many hundreds of years old, the buildings are all lived in. The first banking system in China started in Pingyao. This will be a major highlight.
  • Pandas in a Wild-life Park: A great place to see Pandas, as there are many Pandas in this wild-life park.
  • High-Speed Trains are faster than flying: By the end of 2022 China was close to having 30,000 miles of high-speed rail lines, they are working on getting to 50,000 miles of highspeed rails.  Highspeed trains travel between 120 to 220 miles an hour. We used to do 5 airplane flights inside of China. By the time you add the drive through traffic to the airports, the hours needed at the airport before the flights, along with the drive time back into the next city – in every routing, traveling by high speed train has become faster than flying. That doesn’t even take into consideration that the vast majority of our flights were over an hour late. The trains have more comfortable seats, more leg room and you get to enjoy the beautiful China landscapes when traveling by train.
  • High-Speed Train baggage issues: China’s High-Speed Trains have only a small area around your seat that can handle American’s small carry-ons – which is the size of what the Chinese would take as a suitcase. There is no room for large suitcases without having to eat up your leg room. Then there is the massive headache of loading and unloading buses, dragging large suitcases through train stations, along with having to lift your large suitcases on and off the trains. We are the only company we know of that has solved this issue. Your large luggage are taken from your hotel room in one city and will magically appear in your hotel room in the next city. We have your large luggage trucked from your hotel room to your next hotel in the next city. You are free to travel on the high-speed trains with your day pack or small carry-on without having to handle or worry about your large suitcases.  Bottom Line: We designed our tour to bring the very best of China, you will see and experience more with us than any other company. China should be your #1 Choice. There are more WOW days in China than you will find on any other tour anywhere in the world!

Package Price Includes:

21 Day China, Yangtze & Zhangjiajie Package Includes:

  • 15 nights in REAL 5-Star Luxury Hotels.
  • 4 nights on a REAL 5-Star Luxury River Cruise Ship.
    • All rooms have a private balcony.
    • Includes the most important shore excursions.
    • Includes all ship taxes and fees.
  • High-speed trains.
    • Guangzhou to Guilin.
    • Guilin to Zhangjiajie.
    • Chongqing to Xi’an.
    • Xi’an to Pingyao.
    • Pingyao to Beijing.
  • Special Luggage Service others do not do: We take all large pieces of luggage by truck to the next area while you travel by high-speed train. Our passengers do not have to handle luggage at the train station or on the trains!
  • Li River Cruise AND the Yangtze River Cruise: Very few tours offer both the Li River and the Yangtze on the same tour. We include both!
  • Several FANTASTIC Cultural Shows included.
  • Guangzhou Fantastic Wild-Life Park – Includes pandas and shows inside the park.
  • Quality Meals: The quality of the meals can make or break your tour. We have the quality! Breakfast is included every morning in China and dinner is included on all but two nights in China. Also, lunches are included during your Yangtze cruise.
  • All buses, guides, and entrance fees.
  • Gondola and cable car rides at Zhangjiajie.
  • All transfers, if you booked our group airfare or your flight arrives on or before and departs on or after our group flights.
  • All internal transfers, to and from hotels, airports, hotels, train stations and ships throughout China.
  • All land taxes, hotel taxes and airline taxes inside of China.
  • Cities Visited: Guilin, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Zhangjiajie, Yichang, Chongqing, Xi’an, Pingyao, Beijing, plus many other small cities on the Yangtze.
  • Special Guest Educator: Arnold Zheng.
  • Fun For Less Tours staff throughout your tour and Yangtze Cruise. “We don’t send you, WE TAKE YOU.”
  • Headset receivers.

 

Package Price: $6,995*

*Price does not include airfare into Hong Kong and home from Beijing. Per person cash discount price, based on double occupancy. Does not include Philippines pre-tour, international airfare, China visa and tips.


Option to purchase our 5-night phenomenal pre-tour to the Philippines!

For over 20 years, we have offered a Bali pre-tour extension to our China Tour. We love Bali; it has wonderful hotels, beautiful beaches, and the river rafting our passengers enjoy can compete with the best experiences in the world. We believed we would never consider anywhere else for a pre-tour connected to our China tour! But, never say never. Over the last year, our opinion has changed. Our owners of Fun For Less Tours spent several weeks exploring the Philippines. That was followed later by a Fun For Less Tours Group that went to the Philippines. After talking with the Philippine passengers along with evaluating their experience, there was a simple question asked to several who had been to Bali and had now visited the Philippines. “If you took the best of the Philippines that could be done in a pre-tour and compared it to the best of Bali that could be done in a pre-tour – which is better. To a person, including the owners, hands down the Philippines far outshone Bali. The Philippines is now our pre-tour option!

Here are a few quotes from our passengers about their experience in the the Philippines this year!

“The Philippines Tour exceeded expectations. Spectacular scenery, the most warm and
friendly people and fun excursions. Highly Recommend!” – Keith & Jan R.

“Best trip Ever! Gorgeous scenery, gratious and friendly people.
The accomodations were great and the activities were so much fun!” – Linda S.

“Love, Love, Love swimming with the whale sharks, the Chocolate Hills,
Kayaking in the big lagoons, the food and the resorts.” – Kay

“This trip was fabulous! The beauty of the Philippines was breath-taking.” – Lee & Sharon W.

We have been able to put together a 5-night Philippine Pre-Tour Package. China has always been our #1 favorite tour, but now that we have added the Philippines, it is even better. How do you get a better rating than #1? Maybe now it is a #1+ tour.

Our special, uniquely designed Philippine tour will be a highlight of highlights and will even compete with some of the best of China.

Here is an overview:

  • One night in Manila in a 5-star luxury hotel – touring will include the highlights and the American Cemetery.
  • Cebu: After our flight that is included to Cebu, we plan to immediately take a boat ride out to a nearby island for snorkeling with beautiful colored fish. When our people were there this year, the water was so clear that the few who didn’t even get in the water witnessed the beauty. After we drive to our deluxe hotel. With our connections, we have been able to reserve our wonderful beachfront hotel only for our passengers. TripAdvisor rates your hotel a 4.8 out of 5 – you can’t get better than this. We spend two nights in this hotel
  • Swim with the gentle Whale Sharks. A rare and wonderful highlight that was listed as one of the things our passengers liked most about visiting the Philippines.
  • El Nido: We will fly from Cebu to El Nido. Our hotel is a 5 Star Luxury Hotel right on the beach. We will spend two nights in this hotel.
  • Boating into and around the El Nido islands will include kayaking and snorkeling for those that want to. Enjoy the stunning beauty of the El Nido Islands.
  • After our 5 nights in hotels, we will fly the short distance to Hong Kong to join with the China Tour Group.

Note: The Philippines are so fantastic; every China passenger should want to add this pre-tour, but that’s not possible. We are limited to no more than 70 passengers.

swimming with whale sharks

Here is what is included in our 6 Day 5 Night Philippine Pre-Tour:

  • 1 Night 5-Star Luxury Hotel Manila.
  • 2 Nights 4 Star Deluxe Beach Resort Cebu Island.
  • 2 Nights 5 Star Luxury Beach Resort El Nido.
  • $790 in airfares – including all taxes and fees.
    • Manila to Cebu.
    • Cebu to El Nido.
    • El Nido to Hong Kong through Manila.
  • Boat to a Cebu Island for snorkeling.
  • Swimming and snorkeling with the GENTLE Whale Sharks.
  • Boating, kayaking, snorkeling in the El Nido Islands.
  • All transfers if you booked our group airfare or your flight arrives on or before and departs on or after our group flights.
  • All national park fees.
  • Fun For Less Tours staff throughout.

Extension Price: $2,895*
*Per person cash discount price, based on double occupancy.
Does not include international airfare, tips and visas.

The following day-by-day itinerary is subject to change at any time.

Day 1 April 7: USA/Hong Kong fly
Departure from USA to Hong Kong by flight.

Day 2 April 8: Hong Kong
Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel.

Day 3 April 9: Hong Kong
Today we will do a City tour of Hong Kong, visiting the most important places to see.

Day 4 April 10: Hong Kong – border crossing – Guangzhou
This morning we will travel to the border between China and Hong Kong.  After clearing customs, we will drive to our hotel in Guangzhou. This evening, we are scheduled for a wonderful show just across the street from our hotel.

Day 5 April 11: Guangzhou Panda Day
Today we will visit the Fantastic Chimelong Safari Wild-life Park. There is so much to do and see, and we will have the full day to enjoy the animals and shows at your leisure. Our local guides will give you advice on what is best to see and experience. One of the highlights will be your visit to the pandas. Chimelong Safari Park is home to one of the largest panda populations in captivity.  (Breakfast, Buffet dinner at the hotel)

Day 6 April 12: Guilin
This afternoon we will travel by high-speed train to Guilin, home of the Li River.  Upon arrival, we will visit one of the most impressive, stunning caves in the world – the Reed Flute Cave.  Afterward, we will check into our 5-star luxury hotel in Guilin.  (Breakfast, Buffet dinner at hotel)

Day 7 April 13: Guilin – Li River
After breakfast, we will travel to the Li River, where we will board our boat. Our boat will take us through some of the most beautiful and unique rock formations found anywhere in the world. The scenic drive to and from the Li River is filled with terraced rice paddies. (Breakfast, Buffet dinner at the hotel)

Day 8 April 14: Guilin – Zhangjiajie
Today we will travel by high-speed train from Guilin to Zhangjiajie, where they filmed the floating mountains in the movie Avatar.  Though the mountains only float through the magic of cinematography, this is still a stunning place to visit.  As we draw closer to this area, later in the day, you will be amazed by the beauty outside of your train windows. (Breakfast, Buffet dinner at the hotel)

Day 9 April 15: Zhangjiajie – Tianmen Mountain
After breakfast, we transfer to Zhangjiajie downtown to take the 4.5-mile-long cable car way to the top of Tianmen Mountain, the highest mountain in the Zhangjiajie area (standing at over 5,000 feet).  We will experience sub-primitive forests, enjoy the breathtaking glass skywalk and the 100-meter-tall natural hole—Tianmen Cave, before riding one of the longest escalators in the world down through the middle of the mountain. This evening, we will attend an outdoor show that will absolutely amaze you, the Tian Men Hu Xian. (Breakfast, Buffet dinner at the hotel)

Day 10 April 16: Zhangjiajie – Zhangjiajie/Tianzi Mountains
Another huge highlight day. After breakfast at the hotel, we will take the bus to Mountain Tianzi—nicknamed the “King of the Peak Forest”.  We will take a cable car up to the peak of this over 3,000 feet high mountain, enjoying incredible views of the surrounding rolling mountains, peaks, and picturesque rocks, which gives a sense of mystery as if in a fairyland.  This is the area where Avatar was filmed.  (Breakfast, Buffet dinner at the hotel)

Day 11 April 17: Zhangjiajie – Yichang – Ship
This morning, we will take a beautiful drive to the Three Gorges Dam and board our 5-star luxury ship on the Yangtze. We will spend 5 days and 4 nights cruising the beautiful, majestic Yangtze River. Tonight we enjoy a Welcome Dinner on the ship.
Cruise: Century Cruise 5-star cruise ship – (Breakfast, Buffet on the ship)

Day 12 April 18: Cruising the Yangtze
The Yangtze is beautiful with green mountains, manicured farms, and fjord-like 3,000-foot cliffs; you will be awe-struck by its beauty. We will start our day by visiting the world’s largest man-made dam. The ship locks of the Panama Canal pale in comparison. Each of the 5 ship locks will raise the ship 60 feet into the air. Spectacular, unique, mystic, and magical are the adjectives describing the magnificent scenery along the Three Gorges, unfolding on a monumental scale, equal to the Grand Canyon. Today, we will go through the Misty Gorge, where you will see exquisite peaks, grotesquely shaped rocks, and silvery waterfalls. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 13 April 19: Cruising the Yangtze
We will start our day with our shore excursion to Shennv Stream. This is one of the most beautiful places on earth. We will then return and continue sailing through Wu Gorge and on to the grandest Gorge on the Yangtze, the Qutang Gorge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 14 April 20: Cruising the Yangtze
Today we will visit one of the relocation cities.  Before the dam was built, everyone lived in small cities next to the Yangtze.  Many small cities had to be moved up to higher “relocation cities” before the dam was filled with water, and these low-lying cities were flooded, creating a long lake instead of a river. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 15 April 21: Chongqing – Xian
This morning, we will leave our 5-star luxury ship on the Yangtze in Chongqing and drive through China’s largest city, with a population of over 34 million.  We will then travel by high-speed train from Chongqing to Xian.  You will love this ride through the many canyons, tunnels, and beautiful landscapes on our way to Xian. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 16 April 22: Xian – Terracotta Warriors
After breakfast, we will spend the day visiting the Terracotta Warriors, one of the world’s great archeological treasures. Xian was the ancient capital of 11 dynasties and one of the largest medieval cities in the world. The huge city wall with its intact moat surrounds the city.  We will find time for you to walk on the city wall.  This evening, we will attend one of the best cultural shows you will see anywhere in the world – The Tang Dynasty Dinner and Cultural Show. This fantastic show is full of music, dance, and colorful traditional costumes. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 17 April 23: Xian – PingYao
This morning, we travel by high-speed train to visit the Ancient city, PingYao. PingYao was so impressive that our 2025 tour expressed that there wasn’t enough time to really experience it.  Our 2025 group took a high-speed train from Xian to Beijing with a few hours’ stopover in Pingyao.  After listening to the comments and suggestions from our 2025 group about not having enough time AND wanting to overnight in PingYao, we did just that for this tour. PingYao is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Its ancient city wall still surrounds the full city.  Little has changed inside this walled city over the past 500 years.  This will be a huge highlight!  By adding an extra day with an overnight in PingYao, our 2026 group will now have time to even enjoy the ancient city at night when it is lit up by lanterns.   (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 18 April 24: PingYao – Beijing
This morning we will take the high-speed train from PingYao to Beijing.  Later today, we will visit the Summer Palace in Beijing.  This is the other reason we added a day.  Our 2025 Group missed the Summer Palace because there simply wasn’t enough time in Beijing due to all the traffic. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 19 April 25: Beijing
Today we will visit the Temple of Heaven.  This afternoon, we will make our anticipated visit to the Forbidden City. A huge complex of palaces, pavilions, courtyards, and gardens. The Forbidden City was off-limits to common people for over 500 years. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 20 April 26: Beijing bus
This morning early, we will travel 40 miles north of Beijing to the Juyongguan Pass Great Wall. This extraordinary 4,000-mile-long fortification was built to thwart the barbarian invasions. A walk along the enormous towered and turreted wall is spectacular. We will return to Beijing midafternoon, where you will have free time to shop at Silk Market and explore more on your own. Dinner is not included tonight as many will be out shopping before heading home. (Breakfast)

Day 21 April 27: Beijing /ETD Flight Home
This morning, we will transfer to the airport for your flight home.  (Transfers are included if you booked our group airfare or your flight arrives on or before and departs on or after our group flights.) (Breakfast)

OPTIONAL PHILIPPINES PRE-TOUR EXTENSION (Day-by-Day Itinerary)

Day 1: April 2: Manila
Fly to Manila.

Day 2: April 3: Manila
We will arrive into Manila this evening. After going through customs, we will head to the hotel.

Day 3: April 4: Cebu
Today we will fly to Cebu. Upon arrival we will transfer down the coast to our beautiful beach resort. We bought out a brand-new boutique hotel set on the cliffs overlooking the azure Camotes Sea. It is truly a combination of luxury and hospitality.  From its restaurant, to its fresh water infinity pool to its wonderful beach that you reach by riding a glass elevator overlooking the ocean – you’re going to love it all.

Day 4: April 5: Swim with Whale Sharks
This morning we will drive to Oslob to swim with the Whale Sharks. Instead of driving the 5-plus hours back to Cebu, as originally scheduled, we will drive the short distance back to our wonderful beach resort to enjoy a free afternoon relaxing, walking the beach, or swimming.

Day 5: April 6: Cebu
This morning we will drive back to Cebu where we will do a short city tour before flying to El Nido. Upon arrival we will transfer to our 5-Star luxury hotel on the beach.

Day 6: April 7 El Nido
Today we will enjoy boating on catamaran boats to experience the best of El Nido’s aquatic wonders.  The boating is a great experience all on its own. Some people will enjoy kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming, while others can just enjoy the beautiful stunning scenery as we boat around the islands.

Day 7: April 8: Manila
Early this morning we will transfer to the airport, where we will fly to Manila. We will do a short tour in Manila before we take our evening flight to Hong Kong to join the regular group.