Just one of the massive metropolises that forms a part of the vast Pearl River Delta (one of the most densely populated places on planet Earth), Dongguan is wedged between Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Its history goes back some five millennia, but the most notable episodes came with the great conflicts of the Opium Wars, well chronicled in the Opium War Museum and Sea Battle Museum in the city.

Forever changing shape and developing, Dongguan, like much of the Pearl River Delta, continues to sprout new skyscrapers and innovative buildings. Some of them are nothing short of overwhelming, like the South China Mall and its 659,000 square feet of retail space, or the endless Huanghe Fashion Town, which still reigns as one of China's largest clothes bazaars.

Beyond that, Dongguan tour guides are often happy to showcase their serene green spots at Keyuan Garden, Qifeng Park and Songshan Lake before hitting the buzzy alleys around Walking Street, where BBQ eateries and karaoke joints abound. Or, you could request something more cerebral in the form of jaunts to Jin'aozhou Pagoda and Guanyin mountain, home to a white-glowing Buddha temple and great swathes of protected forestry.