World Heritage Kaiping Diaolou: A Guide - As Expected, Majianglong is My Favorite

💥Hey everyone, today I'm going to give you a proper introduction to Kaiping Diaolou 😎 🎈【Types of Diaolou】 Kaiping Diaolou were originally fortress-like homes built with money brought back by overseas Chinese who had gone abroad to seek their fortunes. They were constructed to protect families from bandits and floods - these are called residential towers. Less wealthy people pooled their resources (contributing money if they had it, or labor if they didn't) to build communal towers. According to documentaries, these communal towers couldn't accommodate many people, with women and the elderly often excluded from protection. There's also a simpler type called watchtowers - I thought the name referred to "renewal," but locals explained it actually means "night watchman," which makes their purpose quite obvious. 📍【Scenic Area Distribution】 Almost every village in Kaiping has diaolou, but the most concentrated ones have been developed into five major tourist areas: Zili Village, Li Garden, Jinjiangli, Majianglong, and Chikan. The attractions are quite far from each other, and taxis take a long time to arrive, though there are shuttle buses connecting them that you can ride for free with your admission ticket. Still, I recommend self-driving or cycling, as the roads are smooth and easy to navigate. 🌟【Majianglong Experience】 Compared to the other four sites, Majianglong has the fewest visitors. The day we visited was hot and stuffy - we couldn't bear standing around in Zili Village and my friend was eager to finish the tour quickly, but in Majianglong we could stroll leisurely. It felt cool and refreshing there, making us reluctant to leave. 🏠【Diaolou Features】 The more elegantly constructed diaolou are called "lu." Majianglong has Jun Lu and Lin Lu open for visitors, with tickets priced at 50 yuan. The open diaolou are either entrusted to the government by descendants of the original owners or directly donated (like Lin Lu). Unopened ones, such as the tallest diaolou in Jinjiangli called Ruishi Tower (the iconic representative of Kaiping Diaolou), are maintained by descendants, though most diaolou have been abandoned. 💡【Travel Tips】 Before visiting, I recommend watching documentaries on Bilibili to understand the historical background, which will make your tour more meaningful. Also, there's hardly any food available in Majianglong, so remember to bring your own snacks, and definitely don't eat at the restaurants there - the food is terrible 😣.