Two hours from Beijing, Baiyangdian in summer metamorphoses from a drab swamp into a colorful checkerboard of lotus patches and fish nurseries The sun may have taken the weather forecasters by surprise, but not the lotus flowers. Attuned to the barest climatic fluctuation, they are already on the threshold of their summer bloom. A gathering tide of flowering lotuses is now sweeping across China, transforming seemingly destitute marshlands into scenic tableaux of white,  » Read more »

by Peter Neville-Hadley, Editor-in-Chief  Send those friends and relations off on an unusual summer tour Despite repeated predictions that in a very short period China will overtake France as the number one travel market in the world, the opening up of China's travel industry to the creation of Sino-foreign joint-ventures last year has been met with little enthusiasm, not least because it has yet to be deregulated sufficiently to guarantee a reasonable return.  » Read more »

by Polly Evans, Editor Top tips for holiday planners For those traveling to China who are fed up with staying in hotels which don't quite meet the mark, a new luxury tour company, Imperial Tours , has researched all the major hotels in China's most-visited locations, with the aim of offering guests the ultimate in luxury and elegance. These are the spots it recommends: Starting in Beijing, the newest and most stylish hotel in town is the Kerry Centre Hotel (Behind the China World Trade Centre at 1 Guanghua Lu,  » Read more »