£4499pp—Tour China by bullet train & cruise Southeast Asia

Drift along the Li River, meet Chengdu's giant pandas, see the Terracotta Army, and walk along the Great Wall. That all comes after a 12-night all-inclusive cruise through Thailand and Vietnam. We couldn't find anything like this cruise-and-rail package from anyone else.

What’s included

• Return flights, with 23kg baggage
• All transfers
• One night at the 5-star Pan Pacific, Singapore, with breakfast
• A 12-night all-inclusive cruise on Celebrity Solstice, in an Inside Stateroom
• One night at the 5-star Harbour Grand Kowloon, Hong Kong, with breakfast
• Two nights at the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin, with breakfast
  
• Two nights at the 5-star St Regis, Chengdu, with breakfast
• Two nights at the 5-star Gran Melia, Xi'an, with breakfast
• Three nights at the 5-star NUO Hotel, Beijing, with breakfast
• Excursions throughout China
• A standard high-speed rail ticket from Hong Kong to Guilin
• First-class high-speed rail tickets throughout the rest of China

When
Fly from London on 5 February, 2027.

For more information, see our partner's website.

Cruise itinerary

• Ko Samui... enjoy a laid-back beach day on a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand. 
• Laem Chabang... stay overnight in the gateway to electrifying Bangkok. The port is around 90 minutes away from the city, so we recommend pre-booking a private taxi or a shore excursion. 
• Phu May... this is the starting point for excursions to Ho Chi Minh City, a must-see for its street food culture and war-time history. You could also pre-book a private taxi. It's around two hours away.
• Chan May... this port opens the door for optional trips to Hue, Vietnam's imperial capital, and Da Nang, a buzzing coastal city near Hoi An. Both are around an hour away.
• Hanoi... stay a full day and night so you can see this atmospheric city at its most magical. Wander round the French-inspired streets, try some pho, and see the traditional water puppet show.

Tour itinerary

• Two nights in Guilin... this is the heart of China's karst country. It looks a little like Halong Bay, except the limestone peaks are even taller and more densely packed. Cruise the Li River, explore Yangshuo, and have dinner at a restaurant by the Yulong River.
• Two nights in Chengdu... see pandas in their natural surroundings at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. After lunch, tour the lantern-lined Jinli Street, famous for its Qing Dynasty architecture.
• Two nights in Xi'an... this was once the eastern end of the Silk Road. Visit the famous Terracotta Army, explore Xi'an's ancient City Wall, then enjoy a Tang Dynasty-inspired dinner show. The next day, sit down to a dumpling lunch. 
• Three nights in Beijing... learn about China's imperial history in the Forbidden City, enjoy a Peking duck lunch, then tour the Temple of Heaven. The next day, explore the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, take a cable car ride with mountain views, then tour the Summer Palace.

About high-speed trains in China
You'll get standard seats from Hong Kong to Guilin, then enjoy reserved first-class seats for the rest of the trip. These include lots of legroom, individual charging points, Wi-Fi, and a snack. Highlights include:

• Guilin to Chengdu... a 5-hour journey that begins among jade-green river valleys and passes under the Qinling mountains. 
• Chengdu to Xi'an... this route takes just over three hours, and offers some lush views of rural life in central China.
• Xi'an to Beijing...  this 4-hour journey crosses the vast North China Plain. It gives you a sense of scale that no map could. 

Transfers & baggage
Shared transfers and 23kg checked baggage included.