China is changing at the speed of light - and now, in this cusp between centuries of tradition and almost time-lapse development, is the time to see it. Sip cocktails in the sleek bars of Shanghai, trek Tibet's holy Mt Kailash or explore water villages and ancient towns.

* Hotel and hostel addresses provided in Chinese script so you can show taxi drivers where you need to go
* Courses in cooking, martial arts, and traditional Chinese medicine
* History chapter written by award-winning Oxford academic
* Full-colour itineraries chapter
* Green-friendly listings personally identified by authors