Kaiping Diaolou Towers Day Trip: Private Village Tour

Walk inside century-old Diaolou towers built by overseas Chinese families

A private day tour from Guangzhou to Kaiping explores three UNESCO World Heritage villages (Zili Village, Liyuan Garden and Jingjiangli Village) built by overseas Chinese in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The tour includes hotel pickup at 8am, a local English-speaking guide, private vehicle transport, entrance fees and lunch. The drive to Kaiping takes about two hours each way.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kaiping Diaolou and Villages

• Meet guide at Guangzhou hotel
• Drive 2 hours to Kaiping
• Visit Zili Village and Diaolou towers
• Explore Liyuan Garden and buildings
• Have lunch
• Visit Jingjiangli village old houses
• Return to Guangzhou hotel

The experience

The Diaolou are watchtowers and old houses built by Chinese families who worked overseas, then returned home to construct these distinctive structures with Western architectural style. Zili Village is the most preserved of the three stops and the most popular for its scenery and number of towers. You can climb inside some of them to view the surrounding countryside. Liyuan Garden, considered the finest example, has well-designed buildings and gardens to wander through. After lunch, the tour moves to the quieter Jingjiangli Village to see more of the old houses and their architectural details.

Your guide meets you at your hotel lobby in central Guangzhou at 8am and travels with you by private vehicle for the two-hour journey to Kaiping. The day runs eight to nine hours total, ending with your return to your Guangzhou hotel. Bottled water is provided throughout the day.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Guangzhou.
• local English-speaking guide for the full day.
• private vehicle transport to and from Kaiping.
• entrance fees to all three villages.
• lunch.
• bottled water.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (3 to 85 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SilkRoadTrips

Is this one for you?Book this if your group wants to set the pace at each village and garden: your private guide adjusts the itinerary based on what interests you most, and hotel pickup at 8am lets you start exploring the towers immediately.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 3): free.

What exactly are the Diaolou towers and why were they built?

Diaolou are watchtowers and fortified houses built by overseas Chinese during the late 19th and early 20th centuries when they returned home from abroad. They combine Western architectural style with traditional Chinese design and were constructed as family residences and defensive structures. All three villages on this tour (Zili, Liyuan and Jingjiangli) were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.

Can I actually go inside and climb the Diaolou towers?

Yes, you can walk up some of the towers at Zili Village to view the quiet countryside from above. The towers are accessible as part of the tour, though which specific ones you can enter depends on their condition and any local restrictions on the day of your visit.

What is included in the lunch?

Lunch is included in the tour price, though the specific menu and restaurant are not detailed in the tour information. Your guide can advise on dietary requirements when you book.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to meet the guide?

No, your guide meets you at your hotel lobby in central Guangzhou at 8am, and you travel the entire day by private vehicle. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so you do not need to arrange separate transport.