THE TWIN BOULDERS: The Guangzhou Opera House is the best theater for the performing arts in south China (LIU DAWEI)

Manufacturing powerhouse Guang-dong Province in south China is to add another string to its bow. On September 27, the annual Guangdong International Tourism and Culture Festival will kick off in the province's capital Guangzhou, which will show the world the varied tourist resources of the province.

Besides, a series of cultural events will be launched this year to attract tourists, including those attending the World Expo in Shanghai, as well as those going to watch the 16th Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou and three nearby cities this November.

Landscape

Guangdong's landscape embodies the harmonious coexistence of mountains and rivers.

Stretching from the less developed eastern and northern areas to the developed west and the Pearl River Delta in the south, the province resembles the head of an elephant with its trunk dipped in the sea. Geographically, the province is divided into four areas.

The Pearl River Delta, the heart of the province's manufacturing boom, is where Guangzhou is located. It is famous for its pleasant climate, extensive spread of rivers, historic relics, hot springs, beautiful beaches and Lingnan-style architecture, known for its gorgeous and heavy decorations, such as carvings and sculptures of varied materials.

MODERN LOOK: The Pearl River is running through Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, and the heartland of China's manufacturing boom (LIU DAWEI)

The mountainous northern area is famous for its varied landforms, places for hiking, rafting and other adventures, and folk relics.

But the eastern and western areas of the province, through which run the Dongjiang and Xijiang rivers respectively, are yet to be developed for tourism.

Travelers who prefer natural scenery to historic sites will love Qingyuan in the province's less developed northern area and Zhaoqing in the west. Qingyuan attracts tourists from the Pearl River Delta, Macao and Hong Kong with water-eroded caves, rafting destinations, hot springs and dilapidated temples. Zhaoqing is famous for a serene landscape of riverside mountains and temples, with lush and diverse vegetation.

Architecture

Guangzhou is now a dynamic modern city after more than three decades of developing an export-oriented economy.

Still, scattered in lanes and streets, many cultural relics in the city remind passers-by of the city's history stretching back 2,300 years.

Ancient temples, palaces or tombs, unearthed relics and even a section of the ruins of 11-layer paved roads with a history of more than 1,000 years, silently tell of the waxing and waning of the city.