I studied world history when I was still in secondary school in Singapore. It brought me a special interest in history, architecture, and cultural relics. Historical buildings must be experienced in person to truly feel the local culture and the stories of the past. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Kaiping Diaolou is relatively close to Hong Kong. Traveling there by car from Hong Kong or on a free-and-easy trip is very convenient. If time feels too tight, you can plan for three days and two nights: spend the first evening in Kaiping City, visit the Diaolou on the second day, and return on the third day. Below is a simple two days one night guide to Kaiping Diaolou and Chikan Ancient Town.
The emergence of the Diaolou
This is related to geography and public security. Because Kaiping often experiences floods after heavy rain, and the area lies at the border of four states, it is nicknamed “the land of four no-governance”. The Diaolou towers were built to defend against floods and bandits.
Best Time to Visit
You can visit at any time. Around February each year, there is a chance to see a vast sea of rapeseed flowers. The blooming period only lasts about two weeks before the flowers are harvested, so you’ll need to plan carefully to catch them. In this case, it’s usually recommended to set out early in the morning, as taking photos will take quite a lot of time.
Transport
Driving from Hong Kong is not far. From Zhuhai to Kaiping takes less than two hours.
From Hong Kong to Kaiping City, you can currently travel via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge to Zhuhai, then transfer to a bus to Kaiping City or take a Didi ride directly to Chikan Ancient Town. Another option is to take the China Travel Service bus (Jiangmen – Kaiping RT-Mart) or the Huan Dao bus (Jiangmen – Kaiping City).
If you travel to Kaiping City first, you can transfer to public bus route 6 or routes 13 / 9 to reach your destination. Unless you want to experience the local bus culture, it’s generally recommended to take a taxi directly.
Diaolou Sightseeing
A single pass ticket grants access to all attractions, including: Li Garden, Zili Village, Majianglong, Jinjiangli, and Nanlou.
Since the attractions are scattered in different locations, travelers are advised to hire a car to tour the scenic areas. Although there are cycling routes, we eventually chose to hire a car.
If you are driving, the route can be: Chikan Ancient Town → Majianglong Diaolou → Jinjiangli Diaolou → Li Garden → Zili Village → Nanlou
More detailed routes can be found in the map. Fang’s Lantern Tower / Fuheli is a good spot to capture the sunset.
You can have lunch inside Zili Village. A must-try dish is the Yellow Eel Claypot Rice — it’s truly delicious. Many shops sell it, but the one cooked by a local in Zili Village is exceptionally good. Compared with the food in Chikan Ancient Town, it feels like two completely different worlds. The food in Chikan is extremely salty.
Other local delicacies include: Kaiping Roast Pork (開平燒肉), Tofu Cubes (豆腐角), Mustard Greens (芥菜), Sand Ginger Chicken (沙姜雞), and dim sum such as White Rabbit Dumplings (白兔餃), Golden Silk Bird’s Nest Cups (金絲燕巢盞), Crystal Pumpkin Cakes (水晶南瓜果), and Thousand-Strand Papaya Pastries (千絲木瓜酥).
Accomodation
It is recommended to stay in Kaiping City, as there are more accommodation options and a wider variety of food choices. If you wish to spend a night in Chikan Ancient Town, you can choose the Diaomin Tribe guesthouse. Take special note that not all rooms have private toilets and bathrooms.
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