My long-cherished dream of traveling to the Fujian Tulou has finally come true. I had almost given up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but with China reopening tourist visas, I seized the opportunity. In this four-part series, I’ll share my experience staying at the UNESCO World Heritage Fujian Tulou. This first installment covers everything from planning to making reservations.
What are Fujian Tulou?
The distinctive inward-facing communal housing structures known as Tulou
Fujian Tulou (or simply Tulou) are circular communal housing structures scattered throughout the mountainous regions of China’s Fujian Province. Primarily built by the Hakka people, they served as fortresses protecting inhabitants from both enemies and natural disasters. The oldest Tulou is believed to be over 700 years old (dating back to the Yuan Dynasty!) and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Inside each Tulou, dozens of families sharing the same surname live together, with the largest housing up to 200 households.
The iconic Tianluokeng Tulou cluster, representative of Fujian Tulou
Among the most famous is the Tianluokeng Tulou cluster in Nanjing County. Even if you don’t recognize the name, the impressive sight of massive circular and square earthen buildings clustered together creates an unforgettable landscape that likely resides in your memory. In fact, these structures frequently appear in Chinese tourism posters and photography collections.
I’ve long been fascinated by these Tulou and always wanted to visit them. When China recently reopened tourist visas, I impulsively decided to make this trip happen.
Can You Actually Stay in a Tulou? A Surprising Discovery
While planning my trip, I researched previous travelers’ experiences and made a surprising discovery: it’s actually possible to stay overnight in some of the Tulou buildings. Several travel sites featured accounts from people who had stayed in these unique accommodations.
Typically, the upper floors of Tulou buildings are off-limits to outsiders. While tourists can visit the ground floor, they cannot access the upper levels where residents actually live. However, some Tulou have opened their doors as guesthouses, offering visitors the chance to experience life inside these remarkable structures by becoming temporary residents.
The upper floors where people live are normally closed to tourists
Given the stricter entry requirements for China since the pandemic, I decided to make advance reservations for this trip. In the past, travelers could often negotiate accommodations on-site, but recently, having confirmed lodging reservations has become an important factor during immigration screening.
Navigating Chinese Booking Websites
Familiar booking sites like Booking.com and Expedia rarely list Chinese accommodations, especially unique facilities like Tulou. Instead, I turned to “Ctrip,” China’s largest travel booking platform.
Ctrip, China’s domestic leisure booking site
Searching the site, I found several guesthouses claiming to be inside Tulou. However, I had to be cautious as some advertised themselves as “inside a Tulou” when they were actually nearby hotels. Looking closely at the photos, many showed exterior images of Tulou but revealed modern hotel rooms for accommodations. This characteristically Chinese “flexible interpretation” required careful verification.
The booking page was entirely in Chinese, so I had to rely on my limited Chinese language skills. I looked for an English language option but unfortunately couldn’t find one.
Choosing an Oval-Shaped Tulou!
The oval-shaped Tulou in the foreground is Wenchang Lou, where I stayed
Among the options, one caught my eye: a guesthouse in “Wenchang Lou” within the Tianluokeng Tulou cluster. This rare oval-shaped Tulou has captivated many photographers with its unique form. The chance to actually stay in this iconic structure that I’d dreamed about made my decision immediate.
The rate was approximately $12 USD per night. While this surprisingly low price raised some concerns, I managed to secure a private room with windows on the second floor or above. From the photos, the room appeared simple but clean. There was no air conditioning or heating, and bathrooms and showers were shared facilities. However, I viewed this as an authentic opportunity to experience the actual lifestyle of Tulou residents rather than a limitation.
While many Tulou have either fallen into disrepair or become completely commercialized for tourism, Wenchang Lou is still home to Hakka people who maintain their traditional way of life despite increasing tourism. I was thrilled at the prospect of experiencing a glimpse of their daily lives.
Coming Up Next
In the next installment, I’ll share my overnight experience at Wenchang Lou in the Tianluokeng Tulou cluster. What was it like staying in this budget accommodation? I’ll detail my interactions with the Tulou residents, the interior layout of the building, the shared facilities, and much more.
