For decades, the sleepy Portuguese colony of Macau offered little more than a taste of romantic European history in Asia, as the few smoke-filled casinos catered mainly to gamblers from Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Ice might seem a tough sell in Harbin, one of China's coldest cities, but it has pulled it off with a spectacular annual festival that for many is far more tempting than a warm beach holiday.

China has never been more open for travel, and cheap "bucket-shop" package tours, the staple for most Chinese enjoying the freedom to wander for the first time, offer journeys with a magical mystery of their own.

It was scary to see our chartered jet, an Airbus 319, wind through the lofty mountains and deep valleys over northern Sichuan, so close to them that you'd fear Frank Sinatra's "Now, the end is near" could happen any moment.

It is hard for visitors to this tranquil, culture-steeped town not to be attracted to the beauty of Shanghu (尚湖), or Lake Shang, much the same as Hangzhou's West Lake (Xihu) captivates tourists.

Taxi fares have gone up this week and the ordinary public and even bankers are complaining it is now a bit pricey to get a cab in central Singapore.

This 4,000-year-old city is the capital of Sichuan, known for millennia as "the land of abundance." Besides abundance, Chengdu is also famous for its rich cultural and historical heritage.

"My name is Song Jing, Song as in Song dynasty, Jing as in shuijing (crystal), but just call me Xiao (little) Song. I'll be your tour guide in the next three days," the young tour guide told a busload of overseas visitors to Beijing.

Making a pit stop in Chengdu for 48 hours? One of China's ancient capitals, Chengdu provides easy access to scenic Sichuan province and Tibet.

Got 48 hours to explore Xian, the gritty Chinese city best known for its nearby Terracotta Army?