China

China's cultural riches and 5000 years of tumultuous history place it, without doubt, among the world’s greatest travel destinations.

The Great Wall, Xian's Terracotta Army, the Forbidden Palace and Tiananmen Square: the very names reverberate with history and legend.

China's paradoxes are many: Shanghai's skyscrapers contrast with Beijing's historical treasures, while in rural provinces mechanisation has not yet reached many traditional farming villages. China is a vast country perfectly balancing the high-tech, forward thinking cities with many cultural, historical and natural wonders, 23 of which have already been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Handed back to the Chinese in 1997, Hong Kong maintains many of it’s British influences, seamlessly blending East and West cultures. A past punctuated by prosperity, colonial influences and war has made Hong Kong the amazing metropolis it is today, packed with sights and sounds. Shop for antiques in Stanley market, take the funicular train to Victoria Peak for stunning views of the city, visit Hong Kong’s outlying islands for a spot of peace and quiet, and take a junk boat trip across the famous Victoria Harbour

The capital Beijing lies just south of the rim of the Central Asian Steppes and is separated from the Gobi Desert by a green chain of mountains. A huge, sprawling city that’s home to 12 million people, Beijing is full of wonderful sights. Walking along the Great Wall, standing atop The Gate of Heavenly Peace from where Mao declared China as The People’s Republic, and looking out over the enormous

The sheer size of China dictates a natural diversity to the land and central China is no exception. Guilin and Yangshou are scenic rural areas bordered by a dramatic backdrop of the towering limestone pinnacles; and history is in abundance in Xian, a city enclosed behind an ancient wall. Just outside of Xian is the incredible Tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, who first united China in 200 BC.

Lying on the estuary of the Yangtze River, Shanghai is a modern and bustling city, the centre of China’s trade and industry. European-style architecture, traditional Chinese buildings and sleek modern developments all co-exist in this cosmopolitan metropolis. The French Concession area has quiet, colonial parks and neighbourhoods, while the Bund along the Huangpu River has the celebrated strip of

Yunnan has the greatest diversity of any of China’s provinces, sharing borders with Vietnam, Myannmar, Tibet and Laos. Geographically it ranges from tropical rainforest in the south to the snow capped peaks on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. The city of Kunming is a starting base for this area and at the same altitude is Dali, a colourful town surrounded by a great city wall. On a scenic drive fr

Scott Dunn: ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST A HOLIDAY

China

Beijing

Central China

Shanghai

Yunnan