Guangdong Tour

We couldn’t come to Guangzhou without starting our first full day with one of the city’s greatest traditions: yum cha!

Over a table overflowing with dim sum, we’ll experience the leisurely Cantonese ritual of morning tea before setting off on foot to discover a more traditional side of Guangzhou.

We’ll wander through the old streets of Yuexiu district, explore markets packed with ingredients used in Cantonese kitchens, taste fragrant aged tangerine peel tea and discover pockets of historic architecture hidden among the modern city.

After some downtime, we’ll head back out in the evening for a completely different dining experience at a local dapaidang, a lively, old-school Cantonese eatery filled with fresh seafood and smoky, wok hei-laden dishes.

Those who aren’t ready for bed can finish the evening with a stroll along the Pearl River as Guangzhou lights up around us, or maybe join a local dance troupe for a dance or two.

Today we leave Guangzhou behind and make our way to Shunde, a place with a legendary reputation for food.

Our first meal will introduce us to some local favourites, from beautifully roasted goose to crispy-bottomed claypot rice and handmade fish cakes.

The afternoon is yours to explore. Wander through the historic Qinghui Garden, hunt down Shunde street snacks, try my favourite boutique gelato in China, discover a local café or simply relax before another big meal tonight.

In the evening, we’ll experience one of Shunde’s most comforting specialties: congee hotpot. Delicate ingredients are cooked in a silky rice porridge base, creating a meal that perfectly captures Shunde’s obsession with freshness, technique and making the most of every ingredient.

And we’ll end the meal with one of my favourite guilty pleasures: shuangpinai, AKA double-skin milk pudding. It’s divine.

Today we’re getting hands-on with a cooking class, with not one, but two renowned Shunde chefs!

One will walk us through how to prepare two local savoury dishes, while the other will be focusing on sweets. We’ll learn how to make one of Shunde’s most beloved desserts: ginger milk pudding.

And, of course, afterwards we get to eat the fruits of our labour!

After a free afternoon to relax or continue exploring, we’ll regroup for a dinner of “sauna chicken”, part of a unique Shunde style of cooking where meat or fish is gently steamed above a pot, allowing all those delicious juices to drip into a fragrant broth below.

We’ll pair our sauna chicken with Shunde-style sashimi and a bright, citrusy fish skin salad. It’s a meal that perfectly demonstrates two things Shunde does exceptionally well: incredible freshness and a true no-waste approach to food.

Today we say goodbye to the Pearl River Delta and travel northeast into the mountains of Meizhou, the cultural heartland of the Hakka people. Hakka cuisine is hearty, deeply comforting and closely intertwined with the history and migration of the Hakka people, and today we’ll start discovering both.

We’ll begin our exploration over lunch inside a centuries-old weilongwu, one of the traditional residential compounds of the Hakka people that once housed large extended families under one roof.

Later, we’ll retreat to a peaceful countryside homestay where you can slow down, enjoy the surroundings and settle into rural Meizhou life.

Dinner will be a home-cooked Hakka meal, followed by Karaoke in the garden!

Wake up slowly and enjoy a peaceful morning in the Meizhou countryside.

Those who feel like exploring can visit a nearby traditional weilongwu ancestral hall, offering a closer look at the architecture and family traditions that have shaped Hakka communities for generations.

For lunch, we’ll keep things beautifully simple with one of Meizhou’s everyday favourites: yanmian, or Hakka tossed noodles, which are wonderfully garlicky, and phenomenal paired with the local tomato and coriander soup.

Then it’s time for another change of scenery as we continue onwards to Chaozhou, a city in Chaoshan, another of China’s great food regions.

Our first Chaoshan dinner might look deceptively simple: a bowl of white congee. But here, the congee is only the beginning. Our table will quickly fill with an incredible selection of dishes and accompaniments, think raw marinated seafood, steamed fish, marinated goose and plenty more, showcasing the variety of flavours, textures and ingredients that make Chaoshan cuisine so special.

After dinner, those with energy to spare can join us for an optional nighttime wander through Chaozhou’s beautiful ancient city.

We’ll start our day the Chaozhou way, with a local breakfast of freshly made changfen, silky rice noodle rolls filled with beef and topped the local way: with sesame paste!

From there, we’ll step into one of the most important parts of Chaoshan culture: tea.

During an intimate tea experience in Chaozhou Ancient City, we’ll discover the region’s famous gongfu tea tradition, learn about the wonderfully named “Duck Poo Aroma” tea, and see just how much precision can go into brewing one tiny cup of tea.

The afternoon is yours to explore the ancient city at your own pace. Wander through historic streets, shop, sightsee or, our personal recommendation, turn lunch into your own mini food adventure and see what local snacks you can discover.

Tonight, we regroup for one of the region’s most iconic dining experiences: Chaoshan beef hotpot.

With an incredible variety of freshly sliced cuts cooked for mere seconds in a light broth, this is a meal where the quality of the ingredients takes centre stage.

Today we make our way back to Guangzhou, bringing our Guangdong food journey full circle.

After checking in, the afternoon is completely yours. Relax, squeeze in some last-minute shopping, revisit a favourite neighbourhood or, if you somehow still have room, hunt down one final snack.

In the evening, we’ll come together for our farewell feast.

For our final dinner, we’re going out with a sizzle: zhezhebao, an iconic Cantonese cooking style where meat, seafood and vegetables are cooked in scorching-hot claypots and arrive at the table bubbling, aromatic and full of flavour.

After dinner, anyone who isn’t quite ready for the adventure to end can join us for optional farewell drinks (not included) as we raise a glass to nine very delicious days together.

Sadly, all good food adventures must come to an end.

Enjoy one final breakfast before saying goodbye to your fellow travellers and continuing on to your next destination.