China's modernization confronts travellers at every turn

No trip to China would be complete without an excursion to the Great Wall.

Built to protect China's northern borders, it is the world's longest man-made structure, coming in it at over 6,350 kilometres.

A junk boat sails past in Hong Kong harbour

Hong Kong's not long been part of China proper and it shows.

Made up of four main areas - Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands - Hong Kong was part of China until 1841 when it came under British rule as part of the peace terms for ending the Opium Wars. In 1997 it went from being a British holding to a Special Administrative Region of China.

A Buddhist monk strolls past a monastery in Lhasa

The Himalayan kingdom of Tibet has long been a delightfully backward place, where you can still observe lifestyles, practices and a spirituality that hasn't been seen in Europe since the Middle Ages.

Beyond its pompous front, Beijing is a delightfully chaotic city

The sprawling metropolis of Beijing usually makes it onto most visitor itineraries, and rightly so.

China's capital may be among the most polluted cities on Earth but it has some of the country's great sightseeing highlights in and around town.

The Li River has been inspiring artists for generations

If you want to track down that watercolour landscape of molar-like hills, lazy rivers and standing oarsman from the reproduction parchments hanging on the walls of your local Chinese takeaway, the Li River is the place to go.

You don't usual associate going to China with a trip to the beach, but here it is: the most popular beach resort for Beijing residents with all the gaudy seaside kitsch and skimpy bikinis you'd expect!

Originally a colonial getaway, then haunt of the Communist party elite, Beidaihe is now open to the masses and where the usually industrious and sober Chinese show their more relaxed and mischievous side.

Thousands of life-sized terracotta warriors guard the grave of Emperior Qin Shi Huang

Though the relatively prosperous inland city of Xi'an was the imperial capital for 11 dynasties between 1000BC and 1000AD, it would be a long way off the tourist trail if it hadn't been the capital and final resting place of China's first emperor Qin Shi Huang (260BC-210BC).

Traditional fan dancers spin against the backdrop of Shanghai's futuristic skyline

As mainland China's most Westernized city and one of Asia's leading business cities, Shanghai is not really a place for tourists to beeline to.