With China Southern expected to begin direct flights from Adelaide to Guangzhou in December 2016, Asia travel specialists Insider Journeys have prepared a list of the top reasons for Adelaideans to visit China.
Unparalleled natural beauty
Few places offer travellers the variety of natural experiences that China does. Spectacular landscapes with sweeping views have inspired a multitude of traditional Chinese paintings and even the epic sci-fi movie, Avatar, and continue to transfix travellers. The country’s landscape includes the snow-capped peaks of Tibet, the karst lime formations of Yangshuo and Guilin, dramatic mountainous areas in remote Yunnan and sweeping sand dunes across the Silk Road en route to the ancient city of Kashgar.
The cuisine
For travellers driven by their need to eat, China promises great things. Eating can be a 24/7 endeavour and nowhere more so than China with so much to try. Outside of the often quoted eight styles of Chinese cuisine, which include the numbing and spicy Sichuan cuisine, the sweeter and lighter seafood dishes of Guangdong (Cantonese), and varieties from Hunan, Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, Shandong Anhui, there are also Beijing, Dongbei (northeastern) and Uighur styles to sample.
A lifetime’s supply of culture
The modern metropolises of Shanghai and Beijing, with their perennial hustle and bustle are a huge contrast to the ancient artefacts and towns waiting to be discovered across the country. The remarkable Army of Terracotta Warriors in Xian, the historic Lijiang in the southwest and ‘Chinese Venice’ Suzhou in the east, the Forbidden City and the hidden hutongs in Beijing are just some of the gems worth exploring.
Inspired to visit?
Insider Journeys offers a range of small group journeys and private travel options to China. For details, call 1300 138 755 or visit www.insiderjourneys.com.au.
