Gaobei Tulou Compound
Gaobei Tulou Compound
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
36 reviews
Excellent
15
Very good
19
Average
2
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Terrible
0
KodoDrummer
Buenos Aires, Argentina70,626 contributions
Sep 2020
Fujian Yongding Tulou Wang Chengqi Lou is the world's largest tulou. It was built in the Ming Dynasty. It is a huge, strange shape, antique, full of rich local architecture. High four to 6 story walls made from local materials, including earth, stone, bamboo, and wood.
Written September 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GaborLeo
Slagelse, Denmark190 contributions
Feb 2014 • Friends
These earthen fortified houses of SW China are magnificent, unique structures. There are about 3000 such houses in the region, many of them still inhabited. They have been built since 1200s - the last ones quite recently. About 48 of them are recognised as World Heritage. We visited the Gaobei cluster on a Sunday - and apparently, so did all the inhabitants of a small Chinese city. It may be a platitude to refer to "many Chinese" but be prepared to have this experienece first-hand if you visit on a weekend. These structures are built on a stone platform, with sandstone blocks and mud brick walls, with wide, overhanging roofs to protect the walls from rain. They can be round, oval or square, and have no outside windows on the first two floors. Life is lived on the inner courtyard - which may contain a srhine, the kitchens, storerooms and these days, many shops. The inner structure is constructed of wood; bedrooms are on the upper floors. The buildings are in very different conditions, sadly many of them "maintained" with no regard to tradition, style - or taste. Many others are ruined by developments and modernisation - the outside eletcricity wires are not even worth mentioning. Still, they have a very strong presence in the landscape, they are majestic. Try to stay overnight - many of them rent out rooms to visitors, and when the other visitors are gone, you can wonder around undisturbed, appreciate the atmosphere, and there are always many places to eat or sip tea. We have done this - but not at this cluster. Still, worth a visit, but be warned - there is a new visitors' centre, and a short shopping mall to get through before you reach the "king tulou", Chengqi Lou. This is the largest tulou, with three concentric round of buildings on the inner courtyard, and many narrow passages between them, and thus even 20 people can create a congestion. The locals just get on with their activities, stoically tolerating the gawking visitors. On the top of the hill, there is a newly built viewing platform, overlooking the town. There really ought to be better care and protection of these buildings, they are majestic.
Written February 25, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Minnie Y
Seattle, WA538 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
I always wanted to see these Hakka castles, so by chance when I was in the area for work, we took the 1.5 hour car trip from Longyan to Yongding. We came on a weekday so it was slow with a few tourists.
We hired a local guide who took us to the 4 major Tulous and explained to us how they were built, why they were built and why & how each are different. It was very illuminating; well worth the rmb$60 I paid her for 3 hours. Not sure if any of them speak English proficiently though.
Of course, being a Chinese tourist guide she has to sell you something - she took us to her home where her mom sold assorted agricultural products and her sister sold tea & tobacco. We ended up having a lunch at one of the courtyard inside the Tulous - freshly killed chicken soup, local red mushroom stew, Hakka style tofu, etc. Yummy if that's your kind of thing.
The village/compound is well-maintained and well-laid out, though some exaggeration of who is Hakkanese seems unnecessary. Life seems idyllic, all the street vendors closed up after lunch, probably for siesta. I lament the quality of Chinese tourists that don't appreciate the knowledge aspect of such heritage. I feel there is an opportunity for a total immersion type of tour, perhaps in another generation.
We hired a local guide who took us to the 4 major Tulous and explained to us how they were built, why they were built and why & how each are different. It was very illuminating; well worth the rmb$60 I paid her for 3 hours. Not sure if any of them speak English proficiently though.
Of course, being a Chinese tourist guide she has to sell you something - she took us to her home where her mom sold assorted agricultural products and her sister sold tea & tobacco. We ended up having a lunch at one of the courtyard inside the Tulous - freshly killed chicken soup, local red mushroom stew, Hakka style tofu, etc. Yummy if that's your kind of thing.
The village/compound is well-maintained and well-laid out, though some exaggeration of who is Hakkanese seems unnecessary. Life seems idyllic, all the street vendors closed up after lunch, probably for siesta. I lament the quality of Chinese tourists that don't appreciate the knowledge aspect of such heritage. I feel there is an opportunity for a total immersion type of tour, perhaps in another generation.
Written November 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YKPng
Singapore, Singapore425 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Visited in December (end). A world heritage site worth a visit. Weather around 18C. Stayed at Hakka Prince Hotel at Yongding.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth S
24 contributions
May 2016 • Solo
If Gao bei had been the only cluster I visited, I may have walked away impressed, but having visited Chu Xi, Hong Keng and Tian Luo Keng, I found Gao Bei to be far more commercial and less charming than the others. The 'king' tulou which is the most quintessential and recognisable of the tulou is surely impressive but it's BUSY and there are many many people trying to get money from you for various things. AND if you want to get upstairs and see that iconic tulou view for yourself you have to wait until after 4 pm and even then it'll cost you an extra 10 RMB, the perfect centred image is completely unattainable as they've blocked access so they can charge 10 rmb for photos taken with their perfectly positioned camera. Compared to the other clusters the tulou are far more spread out here and the village isn't quaint like the others. Overall if you are very keen to see the King tulou then come here but if not your time and money are better spent at the other clusters.
Written May 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NYfromNC
NC, USA52 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
The easiest and least expensive way is to take a bus tour from Xiamen (Lunch and entrance fee are included.). The same tour cost 138 to 198 depends on the agency (shop around). We took the one that was recommended by our hotel. It is cost effective because if you go on your own entrance fee is 60 and a bus will cost around 50.
Once you finish the guided tour you get around 30 minutes to be on your own. take the opportunity to go up to the view point from a trail behind the Tulou going up the hill (coordinates 24.665891,117.003651). It will only take 10 minutes to climb up.
Once you finish the guided tour you get around 30 minutes to be on your own. take the opportunity to go up to the view point from a trail behind the Tulou going up the hill (coordinates 24.665891,117.003651). It will only take 10 minutes to climb up.
Written March 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LG_Kay
Singapore, Singapore7,512 contributions
Dec 2017 • Solo
I hired a motorbike to bring me to ChengQiLou, which is a 10 mins ride from HongKeng Cultural Village (洪坑村). ChengQiLouu is considered King of Tulou, as it is the largest tulou. This tulou consists of the iconic 4 circular buildings. This place is very touristy, with many shops selling trinkets lining both sides of the road leading to this place.
Strongly recommend to climb the nearby hill to have a great panoramic view of the tulou clusters. The climb is relatively easy, with concrete steps and takes about 10 mins to reach the summit. Great photoshoots from here.
Strongly recommend to climb the nearby hill to have a great panoramic view of the tulou clusters. The climb is relatively easy, with concrete steps and takes about 10 mins to reach the summit. Great photoshoots from here.
Written December 28, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rebecca
Aarhus, Denmark491 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
We visited Gaobei around lunch time on a Saturday and unfortunately it coincided with busloads of tourists visiting at the same time... After some waiting time though we managed to get a look around the king of tulous without too many people around. I think if you come early in the morning it's better (we drove from Xiamen).
We also visited Tianluokeng and I enjoyed that more as we stopped first above the tulous to get a good view and then went down to explore. Plus, it wasn't as crowded there as at Gaobei. So if you can, visit both!
We also visited Tianluokeng and I enjoyed that more as we stopped first above the tulous to get a good view and then went down to explore. Plus, it wasn't as crowded there as at Gaobei. So if you can, visit both!
Written March 17, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Horst S
Lauchringen, Germany318 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
If you only have the time to visit one tulou, go here, because it gives you a good impression and lots of information regarding the Hakka people and their culture.
Yes, it is a touristy place, but if you come quite early in the morning or mid-afternoon, there won't be huge crowds and you can get to know the tulous and the people who still live in them today.
Yes, it is a touristy place, but if you come quite early in the morning or mid-afternoon, there won't be huge crowds and you can get to know the tulous and the people who still live in them today.
Written November 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raymond W
Townsville, Australia4,534 contributions
Sep 2014 • Couples
This is really a pretty decent option for people wanting to get a quick look at a few different tulous. There is one modern tulou dating from 1962 with Western touches, there is an impressive square tulou with a cobbled central square and attractive timber staircases and railings, and most of all, there is the king tulou, the largest of its kind. 1000 people used to live within this one tulou, making it like a small town inside a single building. The entrance cost is 50 yuan. There is a bit of pressure to buy stuff in all the tulous here but it isn't too hard to brush aside. Perhaps I preferred this to the more fancied Tianloukeng.
Written September 9, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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