West of the Pearl River Delta, Jiangmen (the 'Wuyi' region) is the ancestral home of millions of overseas Chinese — a landscape of paddy fields dotted with the fortified watchtower-mansions called diaolou.
History & culture
From the 19th century, huge numbers emigrated from here to the Americas and Southeast Asia; returning wealth built the eclectic East-meets-West diaolou of Kaiping, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What to see & do
- ◆Kaiping diaolou watchtowers (nearby)
- ◆Chikan old arcaded town
- ◆Cangdong heritage village
- ◆Guifeng Mountain park
- ◆Overseas-Chinese museum in Jiangmen city
What to eat
- ●Taishan rice-noodle dishes
- ●Eel and freshwater fish
- ●Cantonese clay-pot rice
Getting there
High-speed and intercity rail connect Jiangmen to Guangzhou and Zhuhai; the diaolou areas are best reached by car or tour.
Avoid the pitfalls
- The famous diaolou are spread across rural Kaiping — see the dedicated Kaiping guide and plan a car.
- Sites are agricultural and scattered; a half day barely scratches it.
- Combine with a delta loop through Zhongshan or Zhuhai.
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