TIANJIN, CHINA

Tianjin, or "Jin" in hip locals speak, or "Diamond of the Bohai Gulf" in chamber of commerce terms, prates as China's fourth largest city, with a staggering nine million citizens. Simultaneously gritty and vibrant, it is a city just beginning to realize its tourism potential. New swanky four and five star hotels decorate the downtown skyline with sophisticated pizzazz, while scrupulous parks and gardens along the Hai River challenge Tianjin's industrial image. Ancient temples and pagodas, and elaborate colonial buildings are no longer blights of neglect, but instead prized pieces of its past turned into the type of brochure-like attractions that prompt tourists to snap several photos of and describe in their journals as "fabulous" with three exclamation points. Plus, its surrounding mountains to the north access, among other jaw-stretching things, China's famous Great Wall. Keep in mind, however, that unlike some of the tourist-first coastal cities, Tianjin's attractions are widely dispersed. They tend to get lost in the city's overwhelming size and fist-shaking traffic, making it less than accommodating... more