阳江市

Why this place

Yangjiang is known in China for its knives — a large share of the country's kitchen knives come from here — and for kites, which is a genuine local festival culture. Its coast has some of the best beaches in Guangdong.

What to see

• Hailing Island and the beaches — Zhaopo and Shili Silver Beach
• The knife factories and the cutlery trade, which is the city's identity
• Spring Bay and the coastal villages, plus the Guanghai and Baisha old towns

What to eat

• Yangjiang seafood and the local 'Ma' cakes
• The region's river-fish cooking, plus the famous Yangjiang preserved beans

Best time

October–December and March–April; the kite festival is in autumn