Friendly Planet Travel’s newest tour to China packs the sights, sounds, and comforts of its wildly popular Taste of China and Best of China & Yangtze River tour packages into an incredible itinerary that’s even easier on the wallet. At just $1,299, China Delight, a dazzling 10-day tour, visits the country’s must-see Beijing and Shanghai, and also goes off-the-beaten-track to Hangzhou, known as the “Venice” of China for its meandering canals and gorgeous gardens.

China Delight includes roundtrip airfare from LAX and all intra-China transportation; first-class and deluxe hotel accommodations; 11 meals; and comprehensive sightseeing with local, English-speaking, expert guides. Travelers can also choose to extend their tour to Chengdu, home of the Giant Panda Research Center, where they get a chance to actually hold and hug a panda.

Travelers on China Delight will visit capital city Beijing, the political, educational, and cultural center of China, a city full of buildings and landmarks of historical significance. They’ll visit the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City. Travelers will tour Shanghai, the walled metropolis where finance, fashion, and technology make the city pulse with energy. Finally, they will take the fastest train in the world to reach the remote canal town of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, what some call the Venice of the East. It’s a beautiful destination where travelers will meet the “real” Chinese, visit a tea plantation and lunch with the farmer-owners, and enjoy the city’s natural splendor. Those with more time to spend in China can extend their trip to Chengdu for the opportunity to interact with pandas at the world’s foremost Panda reserve, the Giant Panda Research Center (video link below).

Friendly Planet Travel has been operating tours to China since 2002. Their very popular A Taste of China and Best of China and Yangtze River tours have sold out every year, with ratings of “very good” or “excellent” from more than 90 percent of travelers.

Friendly Planet Travel, jackie@gregoryfca.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tx0lQ_S-H4&feature=related (Chengdu), www.friendlyplanettravel.com