Shuhe ancient town

    in Yunnan Province

    Shuhe ancient town is part of Lijiang old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site with a history of more than 800 years and once a confluence for trade along the ancient tea-horse road. Lijiang tourism became popular many years ago and travelers from around the world flood in every year.

    Lijiang old town is well-known for an orderly system of waterways and bridges. Shuhe ancient town differs from other ancient Chinese cities in architecture, history and traditional culture.

    Qinglong Bridge and Shuhe central market are must-visits. Evenings in the old twon can be particularly rowdy, not least due to the many outdoor bars, where boisterous groups of tourists try to outsing other groups.

    Transport: Fly to Lijiang in Yunnan Province from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels and hostels in Lijiang. Or stay at riverside inns or with the locals, very popular with tourists.

    (Jane Lai)

    Pingyao ancient town

    in Shanxi Province

    Pingyao ancient town in Shanxi Province has a history of more than 2,700 years. This UNESCO World Heritage site has retained the city layout from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, conforming to a typical bagua (eight trigrams) design.

    More than 300 sites in or near the city have ancient ruins. Preserved Ming and Qing residences number close to 4,000. The outlying Zhenguo Temple and Shuanglin Temple are popular.

    “The Ancient Town of Pingyao is an outstanding example of a Han Chinese city of the Ming and Qing dynasties that has retained all its features to an exceptional degree. In doing so, it provides a remarkably complete picture of cultural, social, economic, and religious development during one of the most seminal periods of Chinese history,” according to the UNESCO World Relics Committee.

    Transport: Fly to Taiyuan in Shanxi Province from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and take a bus to Pingyao.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels and hostels in Pingyao at varying prices. Ancient inns are particularly popular with visitors.

    Cuisine: Pingyao is well-known for beef and flour dishes. There is a wide variety of dishes made from flour at reasonable prices on Mingqing Street.

    Likeng ancient town

    in Jiangxi Province

    This 1,000-year-old town is in Wuyuan County in Jiangxi Province. Hidden deep in the mountains, it escaped the wartime devastation that obliterated many other parts of ancient China, and remains in its original state today.

    Likeng is a cluster of houses built along a brook, and is said to be the county’s most scenic town. The brook is two to three meters wide, spanned at various points by bridges. Dogs are often seen lounging around on the bridges, watching tourists pass. Strolling along the lanes, visitors are treated to vivid and fine wood, stone and wall carvings and other ancient decorations.

    Transport: Fly to Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and take a bus to Wuyuan.

    Accommodation: There is a wide selection of hotels and hostels in Wuyuan at varying prices.

    Cuisine: Farm-produced dishes in Wuyuan are well received by tourists, including fish, chicken and bean curd. There are also hand-made snacks.