China1 day

Kaiping's Diaolou: Watch Towers and Villages — 1 Day from Guangzhou

A drive from Guangzhou reaches Kaiping's UNESCO-listed fortified towers, built by returned emigrants, across three village sites.

Kaiping's diaolou—fortified watchtowers constructed between the 1920s and 1930s by Chinese immigrants returning from abroad—represent a distinct period in Chinese architectural history. This nine-hour private journey travels from Guangzhou to three village sites: Li Garden, with its blend of Chinese and Western design; Zili Village, where a cluster of individually styled diaolou still stand; and Majianglong Village. The route includes time inside the towers themselves and access to rooftop vantage points overlooking the surrounding countryside. A local lunch break features regional dishes including claypot eel rice and steamed minced pork balls.

Highlights

Li Garden: a landscaped estate combining Chinese and Western architectural elements, including a birdcage-shaped pavilion, watchtowers, bridges, and canals
Zili Village: an ensemble of individually styled diaolou, accessible by foot with interior and rooftop access
Majianglong Village: a third major diaolou cluster within the UNESCO-listed Kaiping Diaolou and Villages site
Interior exploration of fortified towers and the stories of emigrant builders
Rooftop vantage points across rural Kaiping countryside

Day by day

1Guangzhou to Kaiping: Li Garden, Zili Village & Majianglong VillageLi Garden · Zili Village · Majianglong Village · local restaurant · Zili Village rooftops

Your guide meets you at your hotel lobby for a drive to Kaiping. The diaolou—fortified buildings that dot the countryside—were constructed in the 1920s and 1930s by Chinese laborers and merchants who had worked or lived overseas and returned home with new wealth and different architectural ideas. These towers, now designated UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites, stand as a record of that particular historical moment and the tension between traditional Chinese building and imported Western influence. Your first stop is Li Garden, a stately residential compound where that architectural blend is most visible. The gardens spread across several acres, with pavilions, watchtowers, bridges, and canals arranged to command views and channel water. A pavilion shaped like a birdcage is among the most distinctive structures. After time to wander the grounds, you break for lunch at a local restaurant where the regional specialty—claypot eel rice—and steamed minced pork balls anchor the meal. In the afternoon, you move to Zili Village, where the best-preserved group of diaolou stands. Each tower follows its own architectural logic, reflecting the individual wealth and taste of its builder. You walk through the village and enter several towers to see their interiors—how rooms were organized, how light entered, how the towers functioned as both defensive structures and residences. Rooftop access allows for a wider view of the farmland and other towers across the valley. Finally, you visit Majianglong Village, another significant cluster within the same UNESCO site. The return drive to Guangzhou takes approximately 2.5 hours.