asia

china

China is country of contradictions and contrasts. Where else can you find communist soldiers sipping Coca-Cola? But it's also a country of surprises. Cities like Shanghai may be the posterchildren for shopping and new-world style decadence but the other extreme of sedate, rice terrace-laden countryside and lush jungle-like hinterland can be found.

Living history can be witnessed around every corner a la Tiananmen Square and the Terracotta Warriors and much beyond – after all this is China, a country that has been continuously settled for around 4,000 years. In a country this size, the regional cultural variations are supremely varied as is its cuisine, that goes way, way past fried rice and sweet and sour pork and as such will be an adventure in itself as you travel around. From the stark beauty of the Gobi desert, to the white beaches and coconut trees that dot the South China Sea, there's more to China than a little red book and a bloody big wall.