Nanning, China

The capital of Guangxi province, NANNING became a centre of supply and command first during the Vietnam War, and then a decade later when China and Vietnam came to blows in 1979. Following the resumption of cross-border traffic in the 1990s the city has capitalized on trade agreements with its neighbour, and today Nanning is a bright, easy-going place with a mild boom-town atmosphere and mix of leafy boulevards, modern architecture and a handful of narrow, colonial-era streets. There's good shopping, decent food, a museum strong on regional archeology, and both international and domestic transport connections – in particular, over the nearby open border with Vietnam.