Guilin

10d · The classic seven-day circuit extended with Chengdu's giant pandas and Guilin's karst river scenery — the two additions that most transform a first China trip.

10d · Ten days through two of China's most photogenic landscapes: Yunnan's terraced rice fields and highland villages, followed by the karst pinnacles and river mist of Guilin and Yangshuo.

10d · Ten days through the south: Hong Kong as the entry point, Guangzhou for Cantonese food culture, then the karst river landscape of Yangshuo and Guilin before flying home.

14d · Fourteen days across eastern and central China using only high-speed rail — no domestic flights. A lower-carbon alternative that also provides a closer view of the country at ground level.

Flat rice noodles dry-fried with silky marinated beef, beansprouts and spring onion over a fierce wok flame.

Stir-fried wide flat rice noodles with sliced beef, scallion, bean sprouts and a smoky wok-hei flavour.

Fujian's banquet centrepiece — a slow-simmered soup of dried abalone, sea cucumber, scallop, ham and 20+ other ingredients.

Whole goose roasted to crisp-skinned tenderness. The most prized of the Cantonese siu mei roasted meats.