Beijing, China’s sprawling capital, has history stretching back 3 millennia. Yet it’s known as much for modern architecture as its ancient sites such as the grand Forbidden City complex, the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Nearby, the massive Tiananmen Square pedestrian plaza is the site of Mao Zedong’s mausoleum and the National Museum of China, displaying a vast collection of cultural relics.

Sichuan is a southwestern Chinese province that contains a stretch of Asia’s longest river, the Yangtze. The region is the home of giant pandas, which visitors can observe at Bifengxia Panda Base and other reserves. Chengdu, the provincial capital, is a center for traditional Sichuanese opera, which include fire-breathing and sleight-of-hand mask changes.

Guangzhou is a sprawling port city northwest of Hong Kong on the Pearl River. The city features avant-garde architecture such as Zaha Hadid’s Guangzhou Opera House (known as the “double pebble”); the carved box-shaped Guangdong Museum; and the iconic Canton TV Tower skyscraper, resembling a thin hourglass. The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, a temple complex from 1894, also houses the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum.

Shanghai, on China’s central coast, is the country's biggest city and a global financial hub. Its heart is the Bund, a famed waterfront promenade lined with colonial-era buildings. Across the Huangpu River rises the Pudong district’s futuristic skyline, including 632m Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, with distinctive pink spheres. Sprawling Yu Garden has traditional pavilions, towers and ponds.

Kwun Tong is an area in Kwun Tong District, situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in the north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak in the east to the north coast of the former Kai Tak Airport runway in the west.

Central is Hong Kong’s frenetic business and retail heart, crammed with skyscrapers, swanky malls and luxury hotels. Iconic Victoria Harbor is filled with ferries and traditional boats. The neighborhood is known for nightlife, with pubs and clubs in Lan Kwai Fong, and wine bars and trendy restaurants nearby.

Tsim Sha Tsui is a shopping and nightlife district in Kowloon. Casual eateries and eclectic local shops are packed along neon-lit Nathan Road, while luxury malls line nearby Canton Road. The Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, on Victoria Harbour, is a popular spot to appreciate Hong Kong's skyline views.

Causeway Bay is Hong Kong’s energetic retail heart. Luxury malls, department stores and boutiques pack its western end, while bargain hunters roam the Jardine’s Crescent street market. Numerous dining options, from upscale restaurants to street-food stalls, dot the area. Local meeting points include Hong Kong Central Library, with its historic collections, and tranquil Victoria Park, popular for Tai chai sessions.