Hangzhou

Northerners (beifangren, 北方人), especially Beijing folk, love comparing - and more often contrasting - themselves with (or against) their Southern compatriots. Most of this is done in the spirit of snarkiness, though at times it borders on outright hostility (witness my ex-colleague of Cantonese descent who was harangued by a particularly foulmouthed cab driver for his Guangdong roots) - but even the most hardcore of beifangren will admit that those Southerners, particularly those along the coast, sure know how to live the good life.

Filled with lush, green hills, rivers and thousands of small islands dotting its coastline, Zhejiang sits right smack in the heart of China's booming southeastern seaboard. We visited last week during the October 1st holiday to sample some of its southern charms and despite having to fight the holiday crowds (as expected), we enjoyed ourselves nevertheless. Among the highlights:

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