A holiday in China exposes us to a vast land of breathtaking scenery and a culture extending back thousands of years. For sweeping diversity in culture, history, geography and opportunity China is emerging as a destination of choice. Once an intensely private country of social and political extremes, China’s headlong rush into the 21st Century has opened its doors and arms to embrace the world, and holidays in China offer a complete immersion into a bewildering assortment of fascinating cultures.

For a taste of adventure, think the mystical Silk Road route through deserts, mountains, forests and steppes of unparalleled beauty. The amazing Three Gorges Dam projects on the mighty Yangtze offers the perfect excuse for a river cruise and the amazing limestone karsts of China’s southern regions showcase natural beauty that takes the breath away. Don’t forget Xian, with its ranks of buried terracotta warriors and of course, The Special Administrative Zone of Tibet is another destination in itself.

Arrive at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport and be whisked into the vibrant city heart at spectacular speed on the Maglev elevated railway. Exhaust your camera batteries snapping the incredible futuristic architecture of the Pudong from the infamous Bund, centrepiece of colonial occupation in days gone by. You’ll be swept away by the noise, colour and speed of this fascinating megalopolis

Then there’s Beijing with its vast Forbidden City where generations of rulers lived until the last Emperor left in 1924, and Tiananmen Square; the very heart of the People’s Republic. Not far away is the opportunity to visit the original site of Peking man, or to walk along a tiny section of the Great Wall, along with thousands of other travellers, so be prepared for an exhausting visit. The Olympics started a whirlpool of activity in Beijing and the city transformed itself into an architectural, artistic and sporting showcase in less than a decade.

A country so vast can’t be explained in just a few words; a history spanning millennia and a population so large in cities stretching over a smog filled horizon all need to be experienced firsthand.

Tonle Sap River flows backwards during the monsoons to form Lake Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake

The coastal resort town Sihanoukville (named after King Norodom Sihanouk) is known as Snookyville by travellers.

You can’t use a coin-operated public phone in Cambodia – there are no coins