22 / 42 kilometers; Sat. 7:50am - Sun. 6:00pm
This two-day-one-night, all-inclusive escape brings you to Kaiping, a UNESCO heritage site. The weekend is packed with activities, from a cycle adventure and pool party & BBQ, to cooking workshops, farm visit and an off-the-beaten path history walking tour. Activities are catered to avid cyclists, families, outdoors-minded, and also those who want to take it easy! Everything is taken care of, from transport and hotel, to food and activities. Come with us, relax, and enjoy the beauty of this historic countryside!
Kaiping's countryside is dotted with 1,833 'diaolou' buildings, dating back to the 19th and early 20th century, when Overseas Chinese returned here and built homes and fortresses. On Saturday you are brought to Kaiping by private coach, and explore these buildings, as well as ancient villages, farms, fields and rivers on an off-the-beaten-path, VIP cycle adventure. High-quality mountainbikes are brought into Kaiping, and along the way you will be served with iced drinks, snacks, and a farmers' lunch with children playground. You finish the ride in the late afternoon at a beautifully restored diaolou building, where a several fun hours are spent in a large swimming pool, with a sumptuous BBQ and cold drinks. After enjoying the sun set, you board the private coach to the hotel and enjoy the evening at the hotel's roof top, garden, or one of the many public lounges.
On Sunday morning, several activities in and around the hotel introduce you to Kaiping's unique history and local life. Activities are hosted by a local organization that is active in conservation and sustainable community development. A walking tour is held through the villages, exploring abandoned buildings, meeting locals, and learning the local folk stories. At a farm visit you may pick your own fruits and vegetables, and learn about the local farming practices. With help from the locals we engage in a cooking workshop where you prepare (and eat!) some local snacks. We leave Kaiping by private coach in the mid-afternoon and return to Zhujiang New Town at dinner time.
07:50 Meet at IFC - International Finance Center (Zhujiang Xi Lu, Guangzhou)
08:05 Private coach departure
10:20 Arrival in Kaiping, preparation for cycle ride
10:40 Departure of morning cycle ride
12:30 Lunch at a large farmers' restaurant, with kid's playgrounds & farm
13:45 Departure of afternoon cycle ride
16:15 Arrival at swimming pool, swim, relax
17:00 BBQ, drinks, sun set
19:00 Departure by private coach
19:30 Arrival at the hotel, free time
08:00 - 10:00 Continental breakfast
09:40 Introduction to Kaiping by TK-SPACE
10:00 Village history walk, farm visit
12:00 Lunch at your own convenience and expense (many options available)
13:15 Cooking class
15:30 Private coach departure
18:00 Arrival at IFC, Guangzhou
The tour can be booked from 1,528 CNY per person, based on double occupancy of the room, and this includes almost everything you need for the weekend. Two hotel options are available, which are located 1.0km apart, and are shown below. For hotel option 2, an additional 70CNY per person (or 140CNY per room) applies.
Included in the fee: almost everything you'll need:
★ Private coach transport to and from Kaiping
★ Hotel accommodation
★ Lunch and dinner on Saturday, breakfast on Sunday
★ All of Saturday's cycle ride: high-quality mountainbike, helmet, drinks, snacks, backup truck&van
★ Pool Party, music, gazebos, BBQ, unlimited drinks
★ All of Sunday's activities described in this post
★ Pictures
★ English-speaking hosts, guides, organizers
Not included in the fee:
★ Drinks (available at the hotel, or BYO)
★ Sunday's lunch
Hotel Option 1
The above-mentioned price applies to staying at the host of the activities of the second day. The hotel is located in a former watch-making factory, and offers comfortable and clean rooms with private bathrooms. The hotel has plenty of public spaces, including roof tops, to hang out in evening and morning, serves coffee, (alcoholic) drinks, and local, Southeast Asian, and Western food.
Hotel Option 2
For an extra 70 CNY per person, you stay in a more upscale hotel with stunning views over the surrounding fields and 'dialous'. The garden offers plenty of seating, coffee, Chinese cuisine, and a kitchen and living room table provide a comfortable environment.
For single person bookings:
For single person bookings, an additional fee of 200 CNY is charged for the use of a private room. Only if you wish, we may be able to match you up with other, same-sex single bookings, using a twin bed set-up, and you pay normal price.
For families with children:
- If you bring 1 child (3 years and under), an additional 200 CNY applies. Only 1 infant crib is available (first-come-first-serve), or you may bring your own, or you may have your child sleep in the parents' bed;
- If you bring a child (6 - 17 years old), an additional 728 CNY/child applies. The child may share the double bed with the parents;
For inquiries and reservations you may add Bram on WeChat at user ID bram_wechat (QR code above) or phone number (+86) 15626406926. Full payment upfront is required through WeChat Pay or AliPay, and bookings are handled on a first come, first served basis. A reservation is not complete until paid.
When signing up we ask you to inform us of:
1) which hotel you would like to stay in (rooms are assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis);
2) any dietary requirements;
Full refunds are provided when cancelling until 12 noon on 8 March 2021. Cancellations after that time, but 48 hours prior to departure, can claim a 50% refund. No refunds apply for cancellations within 48 hours of departure. We never cancel tours in case of rain, since it very rarely rains for more than 15 minutes.
We meet outside IFC, by the main entrance of the Friendship Store on Zhujiang Xi Lu, and next to the golden statue shown below. A WeChat map with the exact spot is shown below. The Chinese address for DiDi is: 广州国际金融中心. If you come by metro, go to Zhujiang New Town metro station and take exit C. If you have any problems in the morning, you can contact us at 15626406926. Please be there at 7:50am. We will depart, with or without you, at 8:05am! Several days before the tour you will be added to a WeChat group with all participants on the tour.
★ Passport
★ Mobile phone with valid Health Code (Suikangma)
★ Comfortable clothes and closed shoes for the cycle ride
★ Sunscreen, insect repellent
★ Hat/cap
★ Swim gear
★ Warm clothes for the evening