Easter Island, a Chilean territory, is a remote volcanic island in Polynesia. It’s famed for its archaeological sites, including some 900 monumental statues, called moai, created by its early Rapa Nui inhabitants during the 10th-16th centuries. The moai are carved human figures with oversize heads, often resting on massive rock altars called ahus.

 

Why is the Easter Island called Easter island

It was in the early 18th century when Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen was sailing the south Pacific. In his exploration, he “discovered” the island on Sunday, April 5, 1722 — which just so happened to be Easter that year on the Christian calendar.

 

Experiences in Isla de Pascua

  • Tour Ahu Akivi – Easter Island
  • Orongo and Rano Kau – Easter Island
  • Anakena and Rano Raraku – Easter Island
  • Boat tour around Easter Island
  • Curanto dinner show
  • Easter Island excursion
  • Orongo and Ana Kai Tangata cave
  • Horse riding on Easter Island
  • Polynesian show

 

Highlights

Standing next to one of the colossal moais of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) and wondering how the heck they got there

 

 

China

Recent times have seen a ceaseless drama of energetic development and economic contortions unfold in China.  Emerging from the austerities and craziness of the Mao era, the country is now a full member of the World Trade Organisation, and is home to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Massive investment has radically improved transport quality and travel has become steadily speedier and more comfortable.  China has never been so transformed, except perhaps when the Mongols passed through with their own blueprints for change.

 

Best time to visit

March to May and September to November are best, avoiding the extremes of winter and summer

 

Highlights

  • Adding the Great Wall sites near Beijing to your have-seen must-sees
  • Paying a mandatory visit to the ancient Forbidden City and Summer Palace in Beijing
  • Parading through the Terracotta Warriors of Xian, grand reminders of China’s imperial past
  • Enjoying the more-familiar Western atmosphere of Shanghai
  • Chilling out in Xishuangbanna’s lush, subtropical rainforest

 

Experiences in Beijing

  • Forbidden City and Badaling Great Wall
  • Emperors Tour
  • Forbidden City
  • Tiananmen Square
  • Temple of Heaven
  • Summer Palace
  • Historic tour
  • World Wonder tour – Great Wall (Badaling) and Ming tomb
  • The last Hurdle tour, Mutianyu Great wall and Exterior view of Olympic venues
  • Essential and ancient Beijing
  • Evening Chinese Kong Fu Show
  • Evening Beijing Acrobatic Show
  • Beihai Park, Jingshan Park and Nanluogu Alley tour
  • Undergound Palace and Mutianyu Great Wall tour
  • Beijing Roast Duck Dinner
  • Beijing highlights tour
  • Evening foot massage
  • Great wall tour
  • Hong Qiao Pearl Market
  • Cultural and local attractions tour
  • Jinshanling – Great Wall hiking tour
  • Dingling Tomb and Sacred Way
  • Lama Temple, Temple of Confucius
  • Panda Garden
  • Beijing Lamb Hot Pot Dinner
  • Modern Beijing tour
  • Beijing Hutong tour
  • Private tour to Olympic venue
  • White Cloud Taoist
  • You Way in Beijing – private customised tour

 

Experiences in Chengdu

  • Tour of Sichuan Cuisine Tasting and making
  • Hiking in Qingcheng mountain with lunch
  • Ancient Irrigation project and Taoism
  • Sichuan Opera Appreciation Evening
  • Tour to Panda Base
  • Giant Buddha in Leshan
  • Hunglongxi Ancient Town

 

Experiences in Chongqing

  • Best of Chongqing
  • Dazu Stone Carving Grottoes
  • Chongqing Night View
  • Wulong tour

 

Experiences in Dali

  • Erhai Lake Bike Tour
  • Dali Ancient Town and Three Pagodas Tour
  • Erhai Lake Cruise and Xizhou Bai Minority House Tour

 

Experiences in Dalian

  • Full day Dalian Tour
  • Jinshitan National Holiday Resort
  • Lushun tour from Dalian
  • Dalian coast tour

 

Experiences in Datong

  • Datong excursion tour – Hanging Monastery – architectural wonder

 

Experiences in Guangzhou

  • Guangzhou tour
  • Kaiping Tour
  • Panyu tour
  • Foshan tour
  • Evening Pearl River night cruise
  • Six Banyan Tree Temple, Chen Clan Academy, Nanyue King Museum, Yuexiu Park, Qingping Market tour
  • Your way in Guangzhou – private customised tour

 

Experiences in  Guilin-Yangshuo

  • Li River Cruise and Yangshuo
  • Guilin City tour
  • Tour to Longsheng (famous rice terraces)
  • Tour of Longji Terraces, Zhuang and Yao Minority Villages
  • Bicycle tour to Chaoyang Pier and Moon, Fu li Ancient tour and boat tour
  • Yangdi Town tour with Guilin (bamboo rafting tour)

 

Experiences in Hangzhou

  • Deep breathing in Hangshou (car, bike)
  • Hangzhou, the Grand Canal, Gongchen Bridge and China Silk Museum
  • Old Hefang Street, Old Pharmacy and National Tea Museum
  • Shaoxing tour
  • West Lake, Lingyin Temple and Six Harmonies Pagoda
  • Wuzhen tour
  • Xitang Water Town
  • Xixi Wetland and West Lake tour

 

Experiences in Kunming

  • Stone forest and Jiuxiang Cave tour
  • Kumming Western Dragon Gate and Minority Village Tour

 

Experiences in Liijiang-Shangri-la

  • Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baisha Frescco and Longquan Village Tour

 

Experiences in Nanjiing

  • Purple Mountain Adventure tour
  • Capitl City of Six or Ten Dynasties tour
  • Chinese Garden tour

 

Experiences in Qingdao

  • Cultural Qingdao – Olympic Sailing centre

 

Experiences in Sanya

  • Luhuitou Park, Local Market and Heren Pearl Farm tour
  • Nanshan, Buddhism and Jingrun Crystal
  • Trophic Rain Forest Yanuoda and Jingrun Pearl Cultural Centre
  • Monkey Island and Silk houses
  • Nantian Hotspring and Tea houses in Sanya City
  • Village of Li, Miao Minority and Jingrun

 

Experiences in Shanghai

  • Shanghai City tour
  • Excursion to Zhouzhuang
  • Suzhou Garden and Zhouzhuang Watertown Tour
  • City lights and Huangpu River Cruise
  • China Acrobatis and Shanghai Tour
  • Zhujiajiao Water village tour
  • Zhouzhuang Water Village
  • Evening ERA Acrobatic show
  • Explore the former Residences of Celebrities
  • Essential Beijing tour from Shanghai
  • Excursion to Hangzhou from Shanghai
  • Jewish sites
  • Shanghai new life tour
  • Pudong tour
  • Excursion to Su Zhou
  • Suzhou from Shanghai
  • Excursion to Wu Zhen
  • Excursion to Wuzhen
  • Essential Xi’an Private tour
  • Xitang excursion from Shanghai
  • Your way tour – customised private tour
  • Zhujiajiao Excursion
  • Rendezvous with French Concession
  • Sea of Shanghai
  • Heritage of Shanghai Expo
  • Architecture Design by Ladislav Hudec

 

Experiences in Shenzhen

  • Tour of the Miracle City of China (miniature city of vivid replicas of the world’s wonders, historical heritages and famous scenic sites

 

Experiences Suzhou-Anhui

  • Ancient Chinese Architecture tour
  • Classical garden tour
  • Water village tour

 

Experiences in Wuhan

  • A trip to beautiful riverside City Wuhan
  • Best of Wuhan and Chu Culture

 

Experiences in Xiamen

  • Hakka Culture village of Yongding
  • Xiamen Tour

 

Experiences in Xian

  • Terracotta Army Museum and Banpo village
  • Famen Temple and Museum, Qianling Mausoleum and Museum
  • Xian evening show
  • Walking in the old town
  • Xian city tour
  • Shaanxi history museum
  • Big Wild Goose Pagoda
  • City Wall
  • Great Mosque
  • Walking and biking in Xian
  • Dumpling (Jiaozi) Dinner
  • Mount Huashan tour
  • Xian Huxian County Peasant painting
  • Xian music fountain show night tour
  • Traditional Xian tour
  • Culture Xian tour

 

Eat

Peking duck in Beijing, anything with four legs (bar your table) in Guangzhou

 

Drink

Chá (tea).  As political surveillance is relaxed, China’s teahouses, traditional centres of gossip and intrigue, are making a comeback.

 

Surprises

Not all Chinese look Chinese; the majority, Han Chinese (92%) are only one of 56 officially recognised ethnic groups in China.