South China

South China covers Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong and Macao, with the Guilin–Yangshuo landscapes and Hainan's tropical coast as well as Cantonese and Chaoshan Lingnan cuisine and the metropolitan flavor of Hong Kong and Macao.

South China, following China's seven-region geographic division, includes the three provinces and regions of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan, plus the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao, which are grouped under South China in this scheme. Taiwan is not included in this scheme and is treated as a separate top-level region. Highlights: in Guangdong, city tours of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai and the dim sum tea culture, Chaoshan's food and old towns, Lingnan architecture and Cantonese cuisine in Shunde, Foshan, the Kaiping diaolou towers, Danxia Mountain in Shaoguan and the Hakka tulou of Meizhou. Guangxi is famous for its karst landscapes, represented by the Li River in Guilin and the Yulong River in Yangshuo, along with the Longji Rice Terraces, the Chengyang Eight Villages and their Dong wind-and-rain bridges, the transnational Detian Waterfall, the Leye Dashiwei tiankeng sinkholes and Weizhou Island in Beihai. Hainan's Sanya, Wanning and Lingshui, Haikou and Qionghai's Boao form a tropical seaside resort belt, while the central Wuzhi Mountain and Baoting retain rainforest scenery. Hong Kong and Macao are known for city sightseeing, shopping and food, and historic districts blending Chinese and Western influences. Classic itineraries: the "Guilin–Yangshuo–Longji" scenic route in four to six days; an east-coast circuit of Hainan, "Haikou–Qionghai–Wanning–Sanya," in five to seven days; a Greater Bay Area city tour of "Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Macao" in five to seven days; a Chaoshan food tour in three to four days. Getting there: flights are plentiful at Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an, Hong Kong, Haikou Meilan, Sanya Phoenix, Guilin Liangjiang and Nanning Wuxu airports; Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are linked by high-speed rail and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, Hainan has a round-island high-speed railway, and high-speed rail from Guilin to Guangzhou and Nanning is convenient. Notes: May–October is the rainy and typhoon season, when sailings to islands and offshore activities may be suspended; visitors to Hong Kong and Macao need valid travel documents; flights and hotels in Sanya are very expensive during the Spring Festival, so book in advance.

Destinations

Itineraries