Golden Gems of China - September 2026 - Hostess Roundup - Sarah

Wow, what an incredible trip we had in China!

Once all the Melbourne and Sydney sisters had met up in Hong Kong to travel the last leg together, we flew into Beijing to start a fascinating and yummy trip, full of wow-moments as we travelled by coach, plane, cruise ship, train, cable car and of course did much by foot, around some of the most iconic sights in China.

In Beijing, we learnt all about about the history and culture of the Chinese at Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. We climbed the Great Wall and loved learning paper-cutting techniques in the ancient section of the city as well as marvelling at the acrobat show.

The ancient city of Xi’an was next, where we stood in awe at the Terracotta Warriors and the city walls and ate fun snacks in the Muslim Quarter.

Chengdu was the city of the wonderful pandas and then our 3-night cruise along the Yangtze provided some rest and relaxation as we calmy sailed through massive gorges and magnificent waterways.

Zhangjiajie was next with the spectacle of the “floating mountains”, the glass elevators, cable cars, the misty forests and the giant glass bridge over the Chinese Grand Canyon.

Finally we ended up in modern, cosmopolitan Shanghai, with its shops, skyscrapers, river and energetic vibe.

With our trusty escort Grace and gorgeous local guides, we walked, talked, laughed, ate and travelled around this astonishing country. Nothing could have prepared us for the uniqueness that is China – the language, the food, the culture, the warm people, the distances, the crowds, the traffic, the 1000s of steps and not forgetting the toilets! We loved every minute of the experience and will treasure the memories for a very long time.