China Travel

Zhuhai is to Macau as Shenzhen is to Hong Kong. That's to say, like Shenzhen, it was designated a Guangdong Special Economic Zone in the 1980s in order to capitalize on its proximity to a long-time foreign colony. And just as laid-back Macau has always played second fiddle to high-powered Hong Kong, Zhuhai is a far more relaxed place than booming Shenzhen. Today, modest Zhuhai is popular with tourists for its green expanses, decent beaches, intriguing offshore islands and laid-back vibe. It's also the site of a major border crossing into Macau and its Gongbei Port is a great place to find bargains on a bewildering range of goods. Within easy reach of metropolises like Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Shenzhen, Zhuzhai (which translates as "Pearl of the Sea") makes for a pleasant side trip from its better-known Pearl River Delta neighbors.  Home to se... more »

Although the city is relatively unknown to tourists, as there's little to keep them here, Zhongshan is known to practically every Chinese person in the country. Why? Once called Xiangshan, the city was renamed in honor of the father of modern China, you guessed it - Dr. Sun Zhongshan, more widely known as, Dr. Sun Yat-sen. If you happen to sojourn here for a day or two there are only a couple sights to keep you busy. As you can imagine, there's no shortage of pavilions and museums dedicated to Sun Yat-sen. You'll find a memorial pavilion dedicated to Sun Yat-sen in spacious Zhonghan Park, near Fufeng Wenta (Fufeng Pagoda), a seven-story structure erected in 1608. You'll also find the Sun Yat-sen museum in town, as well as Sunwen Memorial Park, home to the world's largest bronze sculpture of Sun Yat-sen. A city of leafy parks and wide boulevards, Zhongshan is one... more »

Ancient city walls... the misty limestone peaks known as the Seven Star Crags... China's finest inkstones... the forested slopes of Dingshu Shan... Guangdong's highest pagoda, Chongxi Ta... ancient city walls.... All this and a fascinating history featuring 16th century Italian priest Matteo Ricci, one of the first Europeans to live in China make the modest city of Zhaoqing a pleasant surprise for travelers who make it to central Guangdong. Some 110 km west of Guangzhou, Zhaoqing is still a bit out of the way for many, making it all the more worth visiting if you're looking for something a bit off the beaten path.    more »

Even if you've never been to China but you have been to Chinatown, Guangzhou should strike a familiar chord. That's because so much overseas Chinese culture is the legacy of immigrants from Guangzhou—formerly known as Canton—and the surrounding Guangdong Province countryside. Located at the apex of the Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou forms a golden triangle with financial powerhouse Hong Kong and upstart Shenzhen. The Delta has become the world's factory floor and recent years have been prosperous.  The city has experienced its share of growing pains—namely pollution and congestion—but today is settling into a new phase of its life as a 21st-century Chinese metropolis complete with a well-manicured riverfront, renovated colonial buildings and flashy high-tech skyscrapers.  Beneath the ranks of new glass and steel towers, the f... more »

Probably not the first place most foreigners think of when they mull visiting China, but Foshan is very well known within China proper. This city is associated with a remarkable list of important Chinese historical figures including Sun Yatsen, founder of the modern Chinese state, Huang Fei Hong, the legendary martial arts who inspired legions of kung fu flicks (a good one to watch is Once Upon A Time In China starring Jet Li), both Bruce Lee and his teacher, Wing Chung master Yip Man, and a host of others. Just 19 km southwest of Guangzhou, Foshan is now a prosperous modern city, the third largest in teeming Guangdong, complete with five-star hotels, rotating restaurants, electronics factories and direct trains to Hong Kong. Its record as an economically successful town goes back a long way, with renowned pottery and ceramics industries that date back to the Song Dynasty&nb... more »