Time of the visit:the 29th of nov.,2025

The Kaiping Diaolou are multi-story, fortified watchtowers.They are located in the rural countryside of Kaiping City, Jiangmen, Guangdong Province. These structures uniquely blend Chinese and Western architectural styles, a result of returning overseas Chinese who incorporated elements from North America,Canada Australia, and Southeast Asia into local building traditions. The site can be classified into public, residential, and guard towers.

I took a page out of our fellow member MC's review and booked a ticket for the train from Guangzhou 's Southern railway (saw my first police robot there patrolling inside the building) station to Kaipingnan railway station...a hassle-free ride.I intended to take a didi taxi from there but it wasn't necessary as lots of pirate taxi drivers offered their service to me...with a lower price than the official ones.I went directly to the Zili cluster.The Zili Village is one of the four core villages that make up the UNESCO property. It is highlighted as a well-conserved cluster of Diaolou and is the nr.1 destination for whoever is interested in the Diaolous. The village features a group of Diaolou set amidst rice fields, representing the typical integration of these defensive towers into the agricultural landscape.

What is a Diaolou? To make it short and simple :towers built primarily for defense against banditry and flooding, but they also served as residences and status symbols for wealthy overseas Chinese returnees. They are characterized by thick reinforced-concrete walls, small windows, and ornate balustrades, often incorporating architectural motifs from Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical styles alongside traditional Chinese elements.A Diaolou represents a dramatic fusion of architectural styles brought back from North America by returning Chinese and blended with local rural traditions, illustrating a significant interchange of human values and architectural styles within a particular cultural area.A Diaolou is also quite exotic to the average Chinese visitor.

Zili is quite touristy,but it wasnt overcrowded when I was there.Two towers were accessible to the visitors. However,the interior is only mildly interesting.Another accessible tower showcases a wonderful exhibition about some overseas Chinese families.Very well done and my personal highlight in Zili.I almost stayed one hour in that exhibition tower.I took my hat off to the smart way they presented the destiny of some overseas Chinese families to the public... everything was in English ,too.I truly enjoyed Zili,a surprisingly refreshing whs.There were also some buildings where the visitors could watch. documentaries...some with English subtitles.

The Zili Village is the most visited and best‑preserved Diaolou cluster in Kaiping as it features a concentrated collection of about 15 Diaolous and watchtowers scattered across a traditional rural landscape of ponds, rice paddies, and farmland.Therefore the logical first destination for every visitor,and rightfully so.And be warned you need more time than you think at the beginning to appreciate and see every tower there.I took the very last shuttle bus(free) leaving from Zili and had to make a tough choice.

The Liyuan Garden or the Majianglong Diaolou Cluster? I only had time for one of them. The Liyuan Garden is a luxurious garden‑estate built by a returned overseas Chinese, combining Chinese landscaping with Western architectural details. It is one of the three core spots of the Kaiping Diaolou Cultural Tourism and looked great on a pic I saw in Zili.

I opted for the Majianglong Diaolou Cluster.A serene cluster of diaolou nestled in a bamboo forest, connected by stone paths. It is about 10 km south of Zili.Far less interesting than Zili IMO.I stayed there around 45-50 min.

I then decided to take a taxi to the Chikan Ancient Town instead of going to the railway station.Thanks to Chinese Railways you are allowed to change your ticket once for free.The historic riverfront town with hundreds of Qilou buildings is supposed to offer a glimpse into the commercial and social life of the overseas Chinese community.

Chikan was......well,lets put it this way ....a surprise.The town is not a conventional amusement park but has been developed into a comprehensive cultural tourism resort with many entertainment and leisure activities centered around its historic arcaded streets and riverside setting.Chikan is not a theme park with rides.Difficult to describe....

I'm at a loss for words to describe Chikan. A wild mix of China, Italy, and Disneyland, with strange giant tram buses, night shows, illuminated wonderlands, lively streets with open-air movies, colorful river lanterns at night, and music and water dance shows. Themed streets like cultural, workshop, fashion, and Parisian-style streets. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely... I had a fantastic evening there. I almost missed my train back to Guangzhou. Historic atmosphere? Historical significance as a hub for overseas Chinese? I couldn't find any of that, as everything is overshadowed by the entertainment aspect. But Chikan was still great, and I enjoyed the 3.5 hours there. A crowning finale to a refreshingly different World Heritage Site.Especially that exhibition tower in Zili taught me so much about the destiny of the overseas Chinese that now I can truly understand this whs ' OUV.

Kaiping is a different and well-chosen World Heritage Site. It gives a proper home to the history of millions of overseas Chinese and their fate.