Want to avoid the backpackers and lose the tourists? Intrepid travelers Sarah Fung and Winnie Yeung venture off the beaten track and discover some of China’s best-kept secrets.


Yangshuo
Located in Guangxi province, Yangshuo’s beautiful mountain scenery has inspired Chinese poets and artists for centuries. These days, it’s equally well known as the backpacker capital of China, thanks to the reasonably priced guesthouses on the cobbled, tourist-friendly West Street, where you can earn your keep by teaching English for months at a time. It’s also a must-visit destination for adventure holidaymakers.

You can get to Yangshuo by taking a one-hour bus ride from Guilin but the best way is a meandering four-hour cruise along the Li River, where you can admire the region’s spectacular karst rock formations, reflected mirror-like in the calm water. They rise dramatically—as far as the eye can see—from the town center all the way out to the rural farms, and their sheer faces make them a major draw for rock climbers, who consider Yangshuo one of the best rock climbing sites in the world. If you’re keen, try Karst Climber (Karst Café, 42 Xianqian Jie, www.karstclimber.com), which is one of the town’s pioneering rock climbing companies. A quicker, albeit slightly more terrifying way to go straight up, is by hot air balloon, where you watch the green farmland fall away from you as you rise 1,000 feet above the ground. An hour’s ballooning costs around US$290 per head and can be booked through any hotel or travel agent. Try China Hot Air Ballooning (86-773-881-4919, www.chinahotairballooning.com), an Australian-run, internationally certified company that offers hour-long flights at dawn and sunset.

If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, the best way to enjoy the scenery is to hire a mountain bike from town or your hotel and spend hours getting lost on the narrow tracks that wind through the local farmland. The farmers tending to their paddy fields along the Li River or nestled in among the karst peaks are sights you won’t get to enjoy if you stick to the main roads. Some of our favorite routes include the ride to Moon Hill, so called because of the hole that goes right through the peak that changes from a crescent to a full circle depending from which angle you look at it. Park your bikes and then hike to the top of the hill for spectacular vistas across the province. Near to Moon Hill is the Real Water Cave, which is apparently named to distinguish itself from the many imposter water caves dotted around the area. The only access into the cave is by rowboat, which in the darkness gives the rather unsettling feeling of crossing the river into Hades. Many of the chambers inside the cave are so vast that the ceilings are beyond the reach of a torch’s beam, and you have to content yourself with admiring the sparkling limestone rock formations. Afterwards, make a splash in their mineral mud baths and hot springs before heading back out into the sunshine. Be warned though: like most things in China, the published price is open to discussion, and you can usually pay half of what the tour guides are asking.

You can also cycle up to Dragon Bridge, which is located on the smaller but equally picturesque Yulong River. Pause for a quick swim in the water, and then hop on a bamboo raft that takes you back downstream.

Getting There
While it’s possible to fly to Guilin, the best way to travel is by train from Shenzhen. China’s cross-country train services are modern, clean and efficient, and the soft sleeper class is well air conditioned, comfortable and spectacularly retro (approximately $650 one-way from China Travel Service, www.ctshk.com). If you don’t want to take the train back, then grab a sleeper bus back to Guangzhou and then take the train back to Hung Hom (approximately RMB200, from any Yangshuo travel agency).

 

 

Kaiping
At first glance, Kaiping is just like any other semi-developed, money-thirsty Guangdong city. Located in the southwest of the province, it has only one five-star hotel and two skyscrapers (one being the hotel). Tenement buildings litter the landscape, most with pirated goods shops blaring out deafening disco music from the ground floor. Cars appear to get priority over human beings so while there are nicely-paved roads, the sidewalks are muddy.

But what people might not realize is that the city is still mainly farmland and rural villages and scattered around this countryside are thousands of bizarre-looking, multi-storey towers called “diaolous” (meaning watchtowers). Because of their strange appearance and historical value, these century-old buildings were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2007. Since then, the diaolous have become increasingly popular with photographers and architects who visit Kaiping from around the globe

The Diaolou
Here’s a history lesson on the diaolous. These fortified towers were constructed in villages from the time of the Qing dynasty until 1930s. During that time, many Kaiping residents went overseas to Hong Kong, the US and England to make money and when they returned they were virtually the richest men there. But Kaiping was also infested with bandits who often terrorized the villagers. And so these rich men built fortified watchtowers of up to four storeys high, so their families could live safely inside, protect their wealth and watch out for bandits. Money is not the only thing they brought back; many diaolous feature both Chinese and Western architectural characteristics—think classical western pillars with Chinese roof tiles. They also imported cement from England to build these towers—talk about extravagance. The final outcome was these peculiar-looking towers standing proud among the village houses and farmland.

To see the towers you can visit one of four diaolou areas run by the government for a set ticket price of RMB130. This allows you to enter all diaolous managed by the government. Once inside, you can catch a glimpse of what life was like for these rich families. Imported whisky bottles, living rooms on every floor and big rooftop terraces are some of the norms of these houses. The four areas are Majianglong and Zili Village which both have magnificent clusters of diaolous; Chikan, an old town where many films are set and Li Garden which is very picturesque and has many colorfully-painted diaolous.

Getting There
Coach company Trans-Island operates five buses a day to Kaiping from Prince Edward for $240 return (book at www.trans-island.com.hk) but the ride is painfully long at four hours. Alternatively, you can go to China Travel Services (www.ctshk.com) for ferry tickets to Kaiping. There is one ferry every day at 8:30am which leaves from China Hong Kong City in Tsim Sha Tsui. Now there’s a trick here. Your ticket will say Hong Kong to Kaiping but the ferry only takes you to Zhongshan. Once on the correct ferry you will get your transfer bus ticket to Kaiping. The important thing is to make sure you are on the Kaiping ferry—so check with pier or ferry staff before boarding. During your ferry journey, watch out for staff asking for passengers heading to Kaiping. You need to get your bus ticket from them. The bus to Kaiping will be waiting for you at Zhongshan pier.  Both the ferry and the bus take one and a half hours each. Sound complicated? Well, that’s part of the fun.

Touring Around
As the diaolous are all in the countryside, you need to book a driver with a van or car to take you around. These are not taxis. Taxis in Kaiping are very rare. You will find these drivers gathered at the point where your bus from Zhongshan dropped you off. Try to bargain, but usually the price is around RMB500 for two days, including far-flung destinations and return ride to the hotel from the bus stop.

Staying There
Many people in Guangdong go to Kaiping for a day trip but we suggest staying a night to give yourself more time to tour the diaolous. We recommend you stay at Kaiping’s only five-star hotel, The Pan Tower International. Formerly named “Ever Joint Hotel”, it’s more of a three-star experience but it’s clean, safe, comfortable, and as the tallest building in the city, its rooms offer pretty decent views. The flat rate is around RMB330 per night. Pan Tower International, 2 Zhong Yin Lu, Kaiping, 86-750-233-3333 or book at  www.ctrip.com.cn.

Final Word
Kaiping is not exactly the safest place in China. Be alert, do not walk around the city by yourself at night and never flash money around when you are outdoors.

 

Fujian
Like Kaiping, Fujian is a province where many people emigrated to make their fortunes. Another similarity is that it has also been named a UNESCO World Heritage for the unique architectural style of their “tulous” (earth towers).

The Tulou
There are thousands of tulous in Fujian but only 46 of them have been classified by UNESCO. Built between the 15th and 20th centuries, the tulou is a cylinder-shaped building with Hakka people living in flats on different storeys. The exterior wall looks bare and windowless while the middle of each tulou is hollow, with a communal courtyard in the center. The design serves two purposes—the solid, windowless exterior wall provides extra security for the inhabitants, and it keeps the flats well ventilated, well lit, wind proof and quakeproof, unlike normal individual houses.

Some of the most famous tulous include Jiqinglou, which was built in 1419. It is four storeys high and has 53 flats on each level; Zhenchenglou, nicknamed the prince of all tulou because of its size (it’s a two-ring tulou with a total of 216 flats); and Chengqilou, the “king” of tulou, which was built in 1709 and is made up of four concentric circular buildings.

While you are there, book yourself a room in one of the tulous for a taste of the Hakka life. There is no need to look for a particular place because all the tulou residents will flock to you and offer their homes as lodging. Do not expect hotel facilities but simple a bed and breakfast. Some might have a private bathroom but no air conditioning or lights in public areas. But then it’s the authenticity one is after, should you choose to stay there.

Tulous are scattered all around Fujian but many people choose to fly to Xiamen as a starting point as it’s the major provincial city (more on that below). From Xiamen there are trains to Yongding (three hours, RMB30), a rural county with most of the tulous. Taxi drivers in Yongding can drive you around the tulous for around RMB300 a day.

Xiamen
Xiamen is a coastal city in Fujian which is often regarded as the landing point for Taiwanese entering China, being the closest city to the Taiwan Strait.

Because of this, walking through Xiamen somehow gives one the eerie feeling you’ve stepped into a Taiwanese town. So, besides treating it as a starting point for your tour of the tulous, spend a couple of days in Xiamen to experience a slightly different kind of Chinese city. A good first stop is Gulangyu, or Piano Island. Located a short five-minute ferry ride from the main city, this island was once a foreign enclave with consulates and luxurious homes. Today most of these buildings still stand and the island prohibits cars and motorcycles, making it an excellent place to stroll around. The island is great for seafood and restaurants are found near the pier. There are also some very decent and unique accommodation options. Night Lily Guest House (11 Bishan Lu, 86-592-206-0920), converted from a 1930s colonial house, has an amazing antique collection and is run by expats. Room rates start at RMB450. Gulang Villa (14 Gusheng Lu, 86-592-206-3280), is located by a secluded beach on the island and is like a retreat. It also serves some kick-ass Hakka food. Room rates start at RMB428.

Also interesting is the night market on Ding’an Lu, with local snack shops tucked away in quiet alleys. For a more comfortable sit-down Hakka meal, go to the Chinese rooftop restaurant at Lujiang Harborview Hotel (54 Lujiang Dao, 86-592-202-2922).

Staying There
Fortunately Xiamen is a pretty decent city when it comes to accommodation and you can find most international hotel chains. We recommend the brand new Wyndham Hotel Xiamen, a chic hotel which overlooks Gulangyu and has magnificent views from its rooms. 12 Lu Jiang Dao, Xiamen, 86-592-636-6666, www.wyndham.com. Room rates starting at RMB620.

Flying There
Dragonair flies to Xiamen everyday. Fares start at $810.
Book at www.dragonair.com.

 

Deqin
On the southwestern tip of China, Yunnan is known for its high mountains and its many cultural groups, the largest mix of ethnic minorities in China. It shares its southern border with Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar and as such, the culture here is heavily influenced by these Southeast Asian countries. Move up to the north however, and the prevailing cultural influence is that of Tibet, with which Yunnan also shares a border. This rich cultural diversity, not to mention its excellent cross-border train services, makes it a popular destination for explorers. However, Dali is backpacker-central and capital city Kunming is brimming with tourists, so try heading to remote Deqin to get a real taste of the province. At 3,500 meters above sea level, this mountain town is home to 55,000 inhabitants, 85 percent of which are Tibetan. It’s not easy to get to, with just one road winding through the town, and the only access is a five-hour bus ride from Zhongdian (also known as Shangri-La). However, people who make it out to this remote town are astounded by the spectacular scenery, which includes snow-capped mountain ranges, glaciers and farming terraces, all set against a bright blue sky and crisp mountain air. Many regret they didn’t set aside more time to thoroughly explore this relatively untouched gem. Thanks to the central government’s tourism-boosting initiatives, there are many inexpensive guesthouses which range from $60-$200 per night, and plenty of friendly local guides ready to take you on a tour to some of the region’s most scenic spots. Try Tashi’s Mountain Lodge (www.deqinlodge.com), which is English speaking and can help to organize treks and visits to secret spots around the region. A popular saying in Yunnan is that you can experience all four seasons in a day and with temperatures fluctuating wildly, it’s best to prepare for every kind of weather. Food here is heavily influenced by neighboring province Sichuan, and as such is very spicy and oily. It is, however, both delicious and inexpensive and a meal should cost no more than $60 per head.

Getting There
Flights to Kunming Airport depart regularly from Shenzhen. From there you can hire a private van or car, or take a bus through Lijiang and Zhongdian, where you can then transfer to Deqin.