Back in the 1930s, at the beginning of World War Two, thousands of German Jews escaped Nazi persecution by fleeing to Shanghai, making the city the Oriental ‘Noah's Ark’. At a time when few countries were welcoming, Shanghai opened its door to these displaced people.

The hutong alleys are the best place to see and feel Beijing’s authentic culture and these narrow lanes also hide many culinary treasures.

Chengdu is the capital of southwestern Sichuan province and is best known for its most famed residents – the Giant Pandas. It is a very happy place and has been voted as China’s happiest city for many years.

Beijing’s markets stock everything from fruit and vegetables to fresh meat and seafood, all on open-air display. You will also find a myriad of herbs and spices that give Chinese cuisine its distinctive flavours.

Chongqing is enormous! Often called ‘Little Hong Kong’, this massive metropolis combines an enthralling urban cityscape with traditional cultural elements. This large municipality is located at the convergence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers.

Mention cricket and most people think of the sport. But in China this is a different kind of cricket altogether. Once the sport of the emperors, cricket fighting is an age-old tradition and a popular pastime. Cricket owners cherish their insects and caring for them is far from cheap.

The hutong alleyways are the best place to see and feel Beijing’s authentic culture. These narrow lanes also hide many hidden treasures waiting to be discovered.

Inside Vang Vieng’s dramatic mountains lie otherworldly caves and mysterious caverns just waiting to be explored. Many contain strangely-shaped stalactites and stalagmites that resemble objects or animals.

Lap up incredible vistas of Hong Kong’s collection of outlying islands while hitting the famous Dragon’s Back trail. The Dragon’s Back is a mountain ridge in south-east Hong Kong that passes through Shek O Peak.

Beijing started life as a provincial backwater before becoming a junction for traders and travellers journeying between Manchuria and Mongolia. As China’s capital city, these days it attracts people from all over the world.