MAY 16 - 25, 2026 · 10 DAYS

Echos from the Tulous:
A Hakka Homecoming

Trace the footsteps of overseas Hakkas in Guangdong and Fujian provinces. Historically, Hakkas ("guest people") immigrated to Southeast and South Asia, Taiwan, the Americas, Europe, the Caribbean, and beyond. We will start the trip in Hong Kong where we'll explore ancient Hakka villages in the New Territories. Then, we will visit fortified Hakka settlements in Shenzhen before visiting the ancient capital of Hakkas: Meizhou. In Meizhou’s Hakka Museum, learn about your ancestors and their history, culture, and traditions before taking a road trip through Dabu County to Songkou Port and Lee Kuan Yew’s ancestral home. Then, we will spend a few days in Hakka villages, tulous (and other Hakka dwellings), homestays and farm-to-table restaurants before wrapping up in Zhangzhou.

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Who This Experience Is For

Curious Returnee

If you are an immigrant, child/grandchild/great-grandchild of immigrants, third culture kid or an adoptee who has rarely had an opportunity to go back to your motherland, this trip gives you a chance to dive deep into your ancestors' history in a way that is deeply personal.

Reflective, Community Oriented Traveler

During our trip, Grace and Yongjian will lead guided discussions designed to foster emotional connection and a sense of community. We will have the opportunity to talk about our immigrant family experiences and have conversations about our overseas Chinese identity.

Overseas Chinese History Enthusiast

Overseas Chinese History is often reduced to the typical "coolie" narrative - overlooked in classes and stereotyped as railroad and restaurant workers. By visiting museums and villages, this trip will teach you about the wider stories that shaped the overseas Chinese experience - one of resilience, reinvention, and remarkable contributions.

Note: Itinerary may change, changes will be communicated to travelers in advance when possible.

Itinerary

Arrival in Guangzhou. Get oriented on Day 1. Check into hotel. We will assist you in getting your China SIM cards and setting up any apps needed for the trip. In the evening, meet your fellow travelers over a welcome dinner of classic Hakka dishes.
On Day 2, we will take a ferry to Lai Chi Wo to visit one of the most historical and well-preserved Hakka settlements in the New Territories. The area houses a series of some of the oldest Hakka settlements, which have been inhabited for over 400 years during the Ming Dynasty. In Lai Chi Wo, we will learn about the Hakka people who migrated to Hong Kong and hike to three different villages: Lai Chi Wo 荔枝窩, Mui Tzi Lam 梅子林, and Kop Tong 蛤塘.

Enjoy a family style lunch at a local village restaurant and sample traditional Hakka dishes such as braised pork and yellow wine chicken.

In the afternoon, we will cross the border to Shenzhen for dinner.
While Shenzhen is mostly known as a modern metropolis that has experienced rapid economic growth, the city guards a quieter, profound history as the home to some of the region's most historical Hakka settlements.

The Hakkas began establishing their communities here during the Song Dynasty. Today, over 100 traditional Hakka dwellings still survive in the outskirts of the city. These fortress-like homes reflect the history of Hakka migration and its people’s resilience.

We will visit:

Dapeng Fortress (大鹏所城, Dapeng Suocheng): A Ming-era fortified coastal town built as a defense against pirates.

Dawan Ancestral Residence (大万世居): Built in 1791, this is China’s largest and most completely preserved Hakka-style square compound.

Crane Lake Hakka House (鹤湖新居, Hehu Xinju): Now a museum, this fortified village was built over 200 years ago by the Luo family and took several generations to complete. In its golden age, it was home to approximately 1,000 people.
Meizhou, also known as Moiyan, is an important region for Hakkas worldwide. 95% of the world’s Hakka Chinese diaspora trace their roots to Meizhou its surroundings.

In Meizhou, start the day with a simple, traditional but hearty Hakka breakfast of Yanmian- marinated noodles.

Visit the Museum of Hakka Culture to learn more about the migration of Hakka people, both within China and abroad. Visit the nearby 人境庐 and 东山书院.

In the afternoon, we will visit Jiangbei Old Street 江北老街. This historic area is known for its preserved buildings that feature a unique mix of Hakka and Western architecture. Many of the shops and restaurants here are run by overseas Chinese of Hakka descent who have returned to China. You can hear lots of people speaking Hakka here so it’s a great chance to chat with the locals!

For dinner, we will have a traditional dinner in a traditional Hakka walled Weilong House. Try Hakka specialties such as stuffed tofu 酿豆腐 and steamed pork in preserved vegetables (moi choi kiew niouk 梅菜扣肉)
Our first stop of the day is Songkou, the historic departure point on the Meijiang River, where Hakkas boarded boats for the journey to Southeast Asia and beyond. Visit the Memorial Site of Overseas Chinese here, as well as a historical hotel where prominent immigrants stayed.

Neraby, we will ascend the 元魅塔 tower. Built in the late Ming Dynasty, its purpose served as a symbolism of homecoming for the returning Hakka diaspora.

From Songkou, we will visit Baihou Ancient Town- another important overseas Hakka settlement.

In the afternoon, we will continue driving through the Hakka communities of Dabu county, visiting important landmarks such as Lee Kuan Yew’s ancestral village. A highlight includes a visit to Tai’an Lou, a rectangular style tulou complex with 200 rooms that dates back to 1764.
Cross from Guangdong to Fujian province and begin our 2 day excursion of the Hakka roundhouses (tulous). We will visit many tulous from the the Chuxi tulou cluster. Dinner will be provided at a Hakka farm-to-table restaurant.
Today, we will explore the Nanjing Tulou cluster. Comprising over 15,000 structures, this area is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Highlights include several famous clusters, such as the "Four Dishes and One Soup" cluster.
In the morning, we head to Zhangzhou, in Fujian's Hokkien region. While Quanzhou and Xiamen are better known, Zhangzhou is a vital yet often overlooked pillar of Hokkien history and culture. Its unique position—bordering the Hakka and Teochew regions—has given it a distinctive character, shaped by layers of trade, migration, and cultural exchange. We will spend the day exploring the historic sites and living traditions of this fascinating area.
After brunch, take a high speed train from Zhangzhou to Hong Kong.

Not returning to Hong Kong? Please inform us in advance.

Highlights

Find Your Ancestral Village

We'll drive to historic Hakka villages to track down your family's ancestral village!

Stay Overnight in a Tulou

Visit UNESCO World Heritage Tulous and learn

more about daily Hakka life by staying overnight

in a Hakka tulou.

Farm-to-table Hakka Feast

Dine at locally owned farm-to-table Hakka restaurants, including a Hakka Wei Long Wu.

Grace & Yongjian will accompany you on entire experience (except to/from airport and during free time). Together, we are fluent in English, Mandarin, and Spanish.

Whenever necessary, we will have local guides and drivers accompanying us as well.
For all our experiences, we strive to pick accommodations that are clean and authentic.

Whenever possible, we choose to support small, local guesthouses run by people from the community.

Costs differ between single and double occupancy, please review the costs below
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be covered for the entire trip, unless stated otherwise in the itinerary.

If you have any dietary restrictions (vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free, etc.) or food allergies, please inform us in advance of the trip so we can make this trip enjoyable and safe for you.
In this virtual pre-departure orientation, we will cover essential apps (payment, maps, VPNs, eSIMs) and practical on the ground tips that will help you navigate China like a local.

It's also an opportunity to get to know your fellow travelers and ask us any questions!
For any sites mentioned in the itinerary that require an entrance ticket, the cost of the ticket for each traveler will be covered.

Tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable.
All overland transportation, including high speed trains, buses, and rideshares.

Metro rides within cities are not covered.

Transportation during free time is not covered.

Any transportation to Hong Kong (flight or train) before the trip begins is not covered and any transportation after Day 10 is not covered.
To remember your trip, you will receive a From Roots to Bridges themed goodie bag!

What Is Included

What Is Not Included

- International Flights

- Travel Insurance (REQUIRED for every traveler)

- Chinese Tourist Visa (if required)

- Meals Not Included in the Itinerary

- Alcoholic drinks

- Personal Expenses (souvenirs, gifts, etc.)

- Room service, laundry, incidentals

- Activities not a part of the itinerary

- Hospital bills and related medical expenses
- Damaged or lost personal possessions

I'm Interested! What's Next?

Reserve Your Spot

Secure your spot via WeTravel. At the time of booking, you will submit a deposit to hold your spot. The deposit counts towards your total payment. If you cancel your spot, we are unable to refund your deposit. If the trip doesn't run due to a lack of participants, you will receive your deposit back.

Reserve My Spot!

Join Our Community

All travelers in your group will be onboarded to an online community platform so you can get to know your fellow travelers as you prepare for this group travel experience. On the platform, you will receive a full itinerary and you can ask questions and submit any special requests.

Submit Full Payment

Full payment will be requested 90 days prior to departure. If you’re booking within 90 days of your departure, you will be asked to make the full payment immediately. Payments are made on WeTravel.

Attend Pre-Departure Orientation

30 days prior to departure, we will host a virtual pre-departure orientation where you will view the full detailed itinerary, healthy and safety measures, what to pack, what apps to download, and any other details that will help you feel prepared for the experience.

Costs

Single Occupancy

$2499 USD (includes VAT)*

You will have a room and bathroom to yourself

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Double Occupancy

$2099 USD (includes VAT)*

You will share a room with a person of the same gender (if available) or your requested roommate

*Prices are based on a 4-person travel group minimum and are subject to increase if travel group is below this number.

Price doesn't include WeTravel service fee (~$20 USD).

Frequently Asked Questions

If you would like to join this experience but with a shorter length, email us at hello@fromrootstobridges.com and we will consider that for a future iteration of this experience if there are enough interested travelers to fill a group.

Otherwise, if you decide to join an experience late or leave early, whether planned or unplanned, you will still be responsible for the full cost of the experience.

To avoid unexpected expenses from early departures, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that includes trip interruption coverage
This group experience is designed for adults, 18 years and older.

If you have minors who would like to join an experience like this, we can arrange a private experience specifically for your family.

Please note that each minor requires at least one adult 21+ years old to accompany them.

Refer to our Private Experiences to learn more.
When booking this group travel experience in WeTravel, please respond to the question "Is there a place not mentioned in the itinerary that you'd like to go to?" and if there is enough interest in visiting that destination, we will consider adding it to the itinerary if possible. The cost of the experience may change.

Alternatively, we can host a Private Experience for you to your family's hometown.
Absolutely! While our journeys are designed for the overseas Chinese diaspora reconnecting with their heritage, we warmly welcome travelers with other meaningful ties to the region—whether through family, partners, friendships, or a deep interest in its culture, history, or language.

We simply ask that you join with respect for the diasporic voices at the heart of these experiences. Your curiosity and perspective can enrich the group’s dynamic, as long as you listen actively and engage thoughtfully.

Have a specific connection or reason for joining? We’d love to hear about it!
Yes, we generally advise our travelers coming to China to get a Chinese tourist visa in your country of residency. If you have confirmed that your trip to China can be done under the 10 or 30 day visa free policy, then you do not need to apply for a Chinese tourist visa.

Visa-Free Entry Policies

10-Day Visa-Free Transit: Travelers from many countries (e.g., US, UK, Canada) can stay up to 10 days in certain Chinese cities (like Beijing or Shanghai) if transiting to a third country (proof of onward ticket required).

30-Day Visa-Free Access: Citizens of 38 countries (e.g. France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Republic of Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan and Negara Brunei Darussalam) can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days under mutual agreements.

Note: Policies may change—always verify with this official webpage before travel.

From Roots to Bridges will not accept responsibility if you are refused entry to China because you lack the correct visa documentation.
You should book your departure flight from your home country to Hong Kong International Airport and your return flight from Hong Kong as well.
Prior to entering China, you should download WeChat (communication and payments) and AliPay (payments and more).

If you need to use Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, or Google Apps during the trip, download a VPN.

Refer to our China Apps guide to see which other apps are required and recommended.
Prior to your trip to China, we recommend you to buy a 3HK E-SIM.

If you would prefer to get a physical SIM card, we will bring you to a physical store in China to get a SIM card.
Please refer to these CDC Guidelines for what vaccines to get prior to traveling to China.

Please refer to our Cancellation Policy Page
We understand that medical emergencies may cause you to not be able to attend this trip or cut the trip short.

Therefore, we require our travelers to buy travel insurance with trip cancellation before the trip begins to cover unforeseen cancellations.

What Our Travelers Say

Beverly 🇺🇸🇨🇳

Grace and Yongjian went above and beyond in this Homecoming Guangdong trip. From the initial calls where they got to know my background and goals for the trip, to creating a schedule that explored many places in the entire province. They were able to find my family's ancestral temple and people associated to my family that I did not know, incredibly and unexpectedly. From tourist sites to off the tourist path, we saw the range of offerings. I loved meeting local people so I can continue to practice Chinese and learn about everyday Chinese life. They are also amazing company to be around on this extensive trip. Thank you both for a life changing trip through China for the first time.

Aline 🇫🇷

Although I had already spent a month traveling in China before joining Grace and Yongjian, the road trip I took with them to Kaiping and Jiangmen was unforgettable. Traveling in China without speaking Mandarin can be challenging and exhausting. But with Grace and Yongjian, everything went smoothly as we explored remote villages, interacted with locals, and enjoyed authentic Cantonese dishes. Their deep knowledge of Chinese history and culture made the experience enriching, relaxing, and well-organized, yet flexible. Above all, Grace and Yongjian are incredibly passionate and enthusiastic about what they do. Their energy and love for sharing their culture made the whole experience so special.

Max & Nikki 🇩🇪

We had traveled to China independently before. This time, we wanted to delve deeper and get to know aspects of the country that remained closed to us as solo travelers without a Chinese driver's license and language skills. Grace and Yongjian organized a road trip to the less touristy province of Guizhou. They took us to remote villages, hidden viewpoints and neighborhood restaurants that we would never have reached on our own. The trip was characterized by their enthusiasm for the country, its people and food, as well as the very personal stories and experiences they shared. It was like a road trip with friends; except we didn't have to take care of anything ourselves.

Jurrien & Sandra 🇳🇱

Together with Grace and Yongjian, we travelled for almost 2 weeks through the province of Yunnan. Having never been to China, we felt a bit overwhelmed with the required preparations for this huge country. Even before we crossed the border from Vietnam to China, they prepared us in every possible way. From how to use Alipay and WeChat, to buying SIM Cards and setting up a VPN. Their knowledge about the area was astounding. Especially on the topics on (local) cuisine and culture, they introduced us to so much we didn't know. The itinerary chosen, suited well with our interests and the execution went very well.

Sebastien 🇪🇸

China wasn’t on my travel list until Yongjian and Grace's captivating passion and deep knowledge opened my eyes to its wonders. Their guidance was essential in securing a SIM card, managing payments, booking trains and ordering food. This allowed me to fully embrace Yunnan’s rich diversity, from vibrant markets and museums to stunning landscapes and historical sites. The region’s varied ethnic groups and incredible cuisine enriched every moment. This trip not only left me with precious memories and a new perspective on travel and China but also the gift of friendship with two remarkable people I now call friends.

Angela & Yang 🇩🇪

During our trip to China, especially in Fuzhou, Grace and Yongjian made our experience truly unforgettable. Although we have visited China several times before and speak the language (more or less), it can still be challenging to navigate the country, as everything changes so quickly. What made the journey even more special were the fascinating stories they shared about their own trips and the history and culture of the region. Touring with Grace and Yongjian was an absolute pleasure, and I would highly recommend their services to anyone, who want an effortless and memorable trip!

Matt 🇺🇸

I've lived in mainland China for over seven years and I was thrilled to join Yongjian and Grace for my first visit to Fujian Province. Together the three of us made stops at the historic district of the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys, Xichan Temple, and the Overseas Chinese Museum. It was a pleasure touring Fuzhou with Yongjian and Grace, who were kind enough to introduce local delicacies and locate vegetarian restaurants to accommodate my dietary restrictions. I would wholeheartedly recommend booking a tour with Yongjian and Grace--you will not be disappointed!

Ted (Aug '24) 🇺🇸

I had a wonderful time traveling with Yongjian and Grace. They created a comprehensive itinerary with unique, hard-to-find experiences while remaining flexible and open throughout the trip. Their approach to travel planning reflects their commitment to cultural authenticity and meaningful engagement

with the communities they visit.

I would definitely go on another trip with them!

Our Travel Philosophy

We started traveling around China in 2023 with a desire to reconnect with our ancestral homeland. From then to now, we have traveled to half of China's provinces & regions. In the process, we realized that the beauty, history, and cultural diversity of China goes well beyond the typical path that tourists take (Beijing, Shanghai, etc). We want to show you the real China, from the cities to village in China's undiscovered provinces and regions. Whether or not you can speak Chinese, we want to help you navigate all the complexities that come with traveling around China and foster an environment that allows you to connect on a deeper level with Chinese culture, people, language, and food. Learn more from our YouTube videos!

Helpful Resources

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[for Americans & Canadians]

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