Hotel Pick-up, Transfer to Kaiping Diaolou and Villages,
Your private IslamiChina Travel guide will greet you with a clear sign in your hotel lobby (or designated meeting point) at the scheduled time. Transfer to Kaiping Diaolou and Villages in a comfortable air-conditioned private vehicle (approximately 130km, 2 heures).
What UNESCO Says on Kaiping Diaolou and Villages
Kaiping Diaolou and Villages feature the Diaolou, multi-storeyed defensive village houses in Kaiping, which display a complex and flamboyant fusion of Chinese and Western structural and decorative forms. They reflect the significant role of émigré Kaiping people in the development of several countries in South Asia, Australasia and North America, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are four groups of Diaolou and twenty of the most symbolic ones are inscribed on the List. These buildings take three forms: communal towers built by several families and used as temporary refuge, residential towers built by individual rich families and used as fortified residences, and watch towers. Built of stone, pise , brick or concrete, these buildings represent a complex and confident fusion between Chinese and Western architectural styles. Retaining a harmonious relationship with the surrounding landscape, the Diaolou testify to the final flowering of local building traditions that started in the Ming period in response to local banditry.
Diaolou Cluster in Zili Village
Zili Village is the best preserved Diaolou (Watch Towers) villages that are listed as cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2007. It is a fascinating blend of Eastern and Western architectural styles. Its traditional blue-brick houses with tiled roofs are complemented by a stunning cluster of Diaolou watchtowers and Western-style villas. Explore the village’s unique structures, and climb to the rooftops for panoramic views.
Liyuan Garden
The Liyuan Garden, built in 1936, is a renowned example of private gardens built by overseas Chinese. Named after its owner, Xie Weili, it’s one of Guangdong’s four most famous gardens. Blending Western modernism with traditional Chinese landscaping, Liyuan Garden features a unique network of wide, deep canals. Bridges, pavillons, and winding corridors connect the various architectural elements. The garden is divided into three zones: the Villa Zone, Grand Garden, and Little Garden.
Visit Chikan Old Town
Fondé en 1649, Chikan town was once the administrative center of Kaiping and a thriving market town in South China during the 1930s. Its old town is famous for its colonial Nanyang-style arcade buildings, designed by local migrants who returned in the 1920s. Dixi Road is particularly notable. The town’s beauty has attracted filmmakers, with movies like Let the Bullets Fly, The Grandmasters, and The Legend of Drunken Master being filmed here.
Transfer to Your Hotel
Your private guide and driver will transfer you back to your hotel.
Notice on Lunch
This tour does not include lunch. Please be aware that halal cuisine is not readily available at Kaiping Diaolous. To avoid any inconvenience, we suggest bringing your lunch with you.
