Zhuhai, China

ZHUHAI is an umbrella name for the Special Economic Zone encompassing three separate townships immediately north of Macau (Aomen): Gongbei on the border itself, and Jida and Xiangzhou, the port and residential districts 5–10km farther up along the coast. Full of new offices, immensely wide roads and tasty economic incentives, Zhuhai has yet to blossom in the way that Shenzhen has – probably because Zhuhai's neighbour is Macau, not Hong Kong. Sights are also few; the coastline hereabouts is pretty enough on a warm day, but there are few true beaches (Lingjiaozui, in Jida, is the best bet for swimming) and most people have come for the border crossing, or to take advantage of what amounts to a duty-free enclave aimed at Macanese day-trippers in Gongbei's backstreets. Lianhua Lu is Gongbei's liveliest street, a kilometre of hotels, restaurants, and shops selling cheap clothes, household goods and trinkets you never realized you needed. South across a paved square, the crossing into Macau is itself concealed inside a huge shopping plaza – labelled "Gongbei Port" in gold on the red roof – where you can buy more of the same.