Kaiping is located west of the Pearl River Delta and is famous for it's fortified towers (diaolou, 碉楼). The earliest of which were built during the Qing Dynasty and the majority being later in date around the 1920's and 1930's. They served a dual purpose being both a home and a fortification against bandits. Many of these towers are still standing and Kaiping diaolou and villages were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2007.
