As the ancestral homeland for many overseas Chinese, Guangdong has a very rich history. One of the places where this is perhaps most obvious is the region around Kaiping, a city-administered as part of Jiangmen, approximately 140 kilometers from Guangzhou. If you ever find yourself in Shenzhen or Guangzhou with a spare day or two, Kaiping is worth the trip!

Kaiping was a region of major emigration at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century and the area has a wide range of diaolou, or watchtowers, scattered through the rural landscapes. These diaolou served two purposes, housing, and protection against banditry. Many western architectural features are featured in these towers, and recently some of them were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

Zilicun (自力村)

Perhaps the most famous of the diaolou clusters, Zili Village, or Zilicun, is a beautiful sight with impressive, fortified watchtowers looking out over vast fields of green. The watchtowers have most of the original furniture intact, and there are still portraits of its residents hanging on display. They are indicative of the wealth that many overseas Chinese returned from America to China with.

Entry here is RMB 80, and there are a few buildings that you can enter and enjoy the view from the top. You can also get an RMB 150 ticket to cover all clusters in the area as well as the Li Gardens that are nearby, build in the 1920s and 1930s.

Chikan Village (赤坎)

Chikan Village is a really interesting village, though you’ll need to go here soon if you want to enjoy it in its former glory. The village has already been emptied and feels like a ghost town, and signs indicate that there are plans to demolish the entire village and turn it into a sort of ‘tourist destination’ with newer buildings that look like the old buildings.

This seems a rather odd way to preserve a village that has been designated as a National Historic and Cultural Town of China. One of the most impressive sights is a three-kilometer long riverside stretch of European-style buildings.

Jinjiangli (锦江里)

One of the few villages that still had residents living here, Jinjiangli has three famous diaolou, the most well-known being Ruishi Lou. You can enter it and climb to its balcony, but for the best views, there are surrounding neighbors who are more than happy to let you on their roof for a small fee (RMB 10 per person).

The village also has a couple of little restaurants for if you’re arriving hungry and want to experience local cuisine.

Sanmenli (三门里)

One of the most inhabited villages of them all, Sanmenli, has the oldest diaolou of the area at its core: Yinglong Diaolou. Being off the beaten track, you don’t need a ticket to go here.

This huge, almost windowless watchtower was built during the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century but is unfortunately closed to the public. Again, we asked nearby neighbors whether we could take a look from their roof, as the view was impressive from high up.

Getting there

Get a bus to Kaiping from Guangzhou Railway Station or from Tian He Bus Station. The travel time for both of these buses is about two hours, and they depart every 30 minutes between 7am and 7pm.

From Shenzhen, you can get a bus from Shenzhen Qiaoshe Bus Station or from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. This bus takes approximately 3-4 hours, depending on traffic.

Getting around

The easiest thing to do is rent a car to take you to these spots, as they are approximately 10 kilometers from Kaiping and then another 5-10 kilometers from each other. Alternatively ask a taxi driver to take you there, wait, and take you back.

Staying there: While the sights can be covered in a (long!) day trip, we recommend staying over in a hotel in Kaiping (there are plenty of options available online), so that you have a day and a half to cover the four clusters listed above.

Need a break from the big smoke? Get Out, with our handy travel guides, right here.

Photos: Margaux Schreurs

The Talking Travel Desk is out traveling, so for this edition, Jessica Rapp takes you to Guangzhou. Until the next post, one road flat safe.

More than a hundred years ago, Guangzhou was a place of uprising, its neighboring county, Xiangshan, being the birthplace of Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen. These days, though, portrayal of the seaport city often gives its significant historical value a miss, with more travel guides pegging it instead as one of China’s most modern and wealthy cities. We agree – it’s difficult to ignore that sprawling, complex highway system and those sparkling shopping malls, and if these wonders don’t convince you to make the three-hour trip by plane, then surely it will be the outrageously cheap deals in wholesale markets bustling with African, Middle Eastern and Chinese traders.

What to See: Guangzhou is a bargain shopper’s heaven. Start at the center of Tianhe District, where the malls have a range of both high-end and street labels on offer, and then have a look at Guangyuan Xilu for wholesale clothing options. You’ll have to dig, but you won’t have to haggle. Need a wig to complete your look? Get those, along with vibrant Ankara fabric at the African market on Xiaobei Lu. On the weekend from 3-10pm, head to Haizhu District for Guangzhou’s biggest flea market, Mafa Bazaar, with more than 60 vendors selling everything from homemade food and handicrafts to vintage clothing and furniture. Once you’ve exhausted the shopping bug, go to the city center and take a ride to the top of the 600m tall Canton Tower.

Where to Stay: There’s no shortage of good budget options for a mindful traveler, including RiverSide YHA, which is located next to the Pearl River and near a spread of old factories that have been transformed into an art and culture district. For a seamless and more luxurious stay, try the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, a sleek and contemporary offering from Swire (the company who created Taikoo Li), conveniently located close to a handful of 24-hour dim sum restaurants and cafes.

Where to Dine: Many Guangzhou locals will claim their food is better than the offerings in Beijing, and after a lavish sampling of dim sum by Mandarin Oriental’s Chef Fei, you just might believe them. Try the bulging shrimp dumplings or walnut paste buns at Guangzhou Restaurant (Guangzhou Jie Jia , 广州饭店), known for its longevity, or schlep to Mei Xin Garden in Tianhe District, highly regarded for its Chiuchow Steamed Dumplings. Wash it all down with a pint of Xurry’s Porter by Strand Brewing, Guangzhou’s tenderfoot of China’s craft brew scene.

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on July 31, 2014.

Photos: Jessica Rapp