The 6 3-Hour Experiences Around the World That Earn the Detour

1.Shanghai 3-Hour Afternoon Tea Tasting and Dessert Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 15 reviews · 3 hours · from $77Our pick

Meet your English, Chinese, or Korean-speaking guide at South Huangpi Road Station at 2 PM for a three-hour Shanghai food walk. Sample mooncakes at two pastry shops, watch a traditional tea ceremony, and try Cantonese icy desserts such as mango puree, sago, almond tofu, and milk pudding with purple sticky rice.

“Fantasztikus idegenvezetővel, különleges desszerteket kóstoltunk, és a tea szertartás is nagyon érdekes volt”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.3-hour Morning/Afternoon Tea Tasting on Maliandao Street & Dimsum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $99Top rated

Meet your guide near Wanzi Subway Station for a three-hour visit to Maliandao Tea Street. You’ll join a tea ceremony, taste eight teas across two tea shops, then eat dim sum such as soup buns, shrimp ravioli, chicken feet, and spring rolls. Guide Renny is listed as warm and helpful, and the group is capped at 15 people.

“Excellent experience with Renny, who was very warm, friendly and helpful. Started at the really vast and interesting "tea city" and had a lovely and peaceful time trying lots of teas in a tea tasting ceremony. Then had some delicious food including pork dumplings and hand pulled noodles. Left very happy and full! Would definitely recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Three-Hour Private Chengdu Tea Wholesale Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $46

Meet an English-speaking guide at Wenshu Yuan Monastery, or arrange listed hotel pickup, then spend about two hours in Chengdu’s vast tea wholesale market. Learn how green, black, white, oolong, and Pu-er tea are processed, graded, and packaged. With Jerry, you can taste tea before buying leaves, teaware, and accessories. This private tour costs $46.16 per person.

“Jerry was a fantastic guide! We had an amazing time and learned so much on this tour through the wholesale tea market. WE highly recommend!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.3-Hour Private Hutong Walking Tour with Drum Show at Drum Tower and Tea Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $72

Spend two to three hours with a private guide in Beijing’s old hutongs. Walk beside Houhai Lake, cross Yinding Bridge, browse Yandai Xie Street, watch a drum show, and join a tea tasting inside the Bell Tower. Hotel pickup is offered, and guide May is known for tailoring the walk to your interests.

“Even though it was a holiday, tge tour operator found a guide for me. May did a fantastic job of telling me many interesting things and tailoring the tour to my interests. A wonderful private tour.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.3 hours Xi’an Mahjong Class with Local Tea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $59

Spend three to four hours learning Chinese mahjong in a courtyard parlor in Xi’an. Your guide, including Michael on some sessions, teaches the basic rules and strategy while you enjoy tea, bottled water, coffee, and local snacks. Choose an afternoon or early evening start, with groups capped at eight.

“I had a combined experience with Michael. First we played Mahjong and he brought some friends because I was a single traveller, and his friends completed the Mahjong table for me. After some good fun, we went for a food tour through Xi’anRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.3 Hour Vietnam Tea & Egg Coffee Tasting With Train Street

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3 hours · from $36Best value

Meet an English-speaking guide and tea expert near Hanoi’s Old Quarter for a hands-on lesson in handmade tea. Taste green and red tea, brew your own pot, then choose Giang Cafe egg coffee, Train Street, or an optional Bun Cha and Banh Mi lunch. Groups are limited to five people.

“we booked this short tour with the expectation of knowing some more knowledge about asian tea but got more than that. Adward - the guide picked me up at hotel to the tea house, it is amazing to enter a small world of tea. I was introduced clearly about how the tea buds are handpicked and sundried then they taught me process of tea brewing and serving, especially I was encouraged to brew tea with nice teapot. Train street was amazing with banhmi and bun cha. Well worth the money.”

Check availability →Read our full review