Exploring China’s Southeast – Overland From Hong Kong to Guangzhou, Yangshuo, Guilin, Fenghuang, Zhangjijie, Changsha, Huangshan, Suzhou and Shanghai
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world”.
– Gustave Flaubert
As if our first month in China wasn’t jam-packed enough with hiking, cycling, sampling street food from local night markets, visiting temples and ancient towns, strolling through local parks and shopping plazas, all the while learning more about the local customs and ways of life in China’s southwestern provinces. – Now we were fortunate enough to still have another 30 days in which to explore some more of lesser-known China and experience what the southeastern provinces had to offer!
Wandering through the ancient streets of Fenghuang, a famous riverside landmark is the Wanming Pagoda. First built during the Qing dynasty, it is a seven-storied hexagonal tower approximately 22 metres in height that is beautifully illuminated at night.
Arriving back in Guangzhou and commencing our second 30-day visa on Saturday 3rd November 2018, our intention was to stay only one night before travelling to Yangshuo County in southern China’s Guangxi region, known for its dramatic karst mountain landscape and outdoor recreational activities. Having previously visited Yangshuo in 2011 where we embarked on a cycling tour of the beautiful countryside in this region, we were eager to re-visit and stay for longer. Travelling from Guangzhou by train the following day after splurging a little and staying in a serviced apartment for the night, we had pre-booked a 7-night stay at the Mountain Stream Guesthouse in Yangshuo, which seemed well-located and had great reviews.
After a day of travelling – exiting and re-entering China to commence our second 30-day visa, we treated ourselves to a lovely apartment staying for just one night at the ‘Guangzhou MD Service Apartment, Chang Long Wanda, Square Branch’ before heading to the countryside. We paid 269 yuan (approx. £29), which was well-worth the space and luxury after our experience of the Peace Guesthouse in Litang!
After waiting in a long queue to purchase train tickets for over an hour at the Guangzhou South Railway Station, we managed to get standard seats to Yangshuo by high-speed train for 140 yuan each (£15 per person). The journey was comfortable taking approximately 2 and a half hours to reach the town of Xingping where the Yangshuo Station is located, after which we had to take a bus to Yangshuo city centre, around 22km away. Arriving by nightfall, we then had to wait at the bus station located on the other side of town to where we were staying for a local bus that could take us to Shenshan village as the guesthouse was in fact situated on the outskirts of town.
Located at the intersection of Shibanqiao, within the Shenshan Village, the Mountain Stream Inn is approximately 1.8 km from West Street and the centre of Yangshuo.
One of the residents! A giant tortoise eats and entertains guests in the reception/ chill out area.
It was a little further away from Yangshuo West Street than we were expecting – this being the famous pedestrian street in the town centre (also known as Foreigner Street) filled with bars, restaurants and shops showcasing a variety of local crafts, antiques and souvenirs. With a history of over 1,400 years, it is the oldest street in Yangshuo! However, after finally reaching the guesthouse and checking into our double room with private en-suite to discover that our room also had a balcony facing directly onto picturesque countryside with several karst mountains in view, we were easily appeased. It was not like we hadn’t seen enough shops displaying local crafts and selling the same kinds of trinkets in Dali and Lijiang already! It would also save us money being a little out of the town centre as we could dine locally as opposed to being in the midst of ‘tourist central’ where food and drink would generally be overpriced. (That’s not to say that we wouldn’t venture out to West Street for a ‘party night’ whilst there – but we could have the best of both worlds staying on the edge of town.)
After finding out we had a balcony with a wonderful view looking directly onto several karst formations, we were more than happy staying a little out of the town centre.
Taking the next day to get our bearings, we walked to the town centre and organised activities for the rest of the week based on the weather forecast for the next 7 days. This involved visiting a number of hostels/ hotels to research prices and check out the condition of their bicycles in readiness for hiring mountain bikes the following day. (The best Mountain Stream bikes were already booked out for the next day.) With good weather being forecast, we were eager to venture into the countryside on a cycle tour and stretch our legs on the Yulong River Cycle Route – a 20km (12.5 mile) stretch along the Yulong River between the Gongnong and Jinlong (Dragon) bridges.
On the way into town, we found a fantastic little ‘dumpling’ café! Freshly made to order and delicious, we stopped here for breakfast everyday as the entire meal for both of us cost around 8 yuan – less than £1!
Amongst the glorious karst peaks of Yangshuo, located just off the West Street, fast-food chain McDonald’s dominates the view. Now one of the most recognised brands in the world, two decades ago McDonald’s was largely unknown in China.
Hiring bikes the following morning from a hostel on Shen Shan Lu for 20 yuan each for a day’s rental (approx. £2.20), we set off from town around 9:30am on the Longyue Road in an anti-clockwise direction towards Dragon Bridge and ended up completing a 35km loop through the Yulong River Scenic Area that took us around 6 hours with both drink and photograph stops. Seven years on since our first introduction to Yangshuo’s picturesque countryside (away from the heavy development and commercialism of West Street), and the prevailing feature of the Yulong River Scenic Area remains its pure, natural beauty. There are still no motorised boats on the river, and few cars drive on the road as many stretches of the route are only navigable by bicycle. Encompassed by stunning limestone karst formations, the route winds through ancient farming villages, where locals seem to live in the same manner as generations of their ancestors did. In this part of rural China, even today it feels like very little has changed.
Our route took us through traditional farms, past magnificent karst rock formations, bamboo forests and rice paddies, and over ancient bridges as we crossed the Yulong River.
Stunning reflections on the Yulong River. Cycling past, we felt an overwhelming sense of calm and tranquility.
At times, we found that the route turned from a paved road into a gravel or dirt path and a muddy one at that! Despite renting a mountain bike with gears, on some sections we found it was easier to walk!
Taking in the view from the Dragon Bridge where a popular activity for tourists is to take a bamboo raft along the Yulong River.
Passing a striking wildflower meadow and experiencing the quintessential beauty of the Yangshuo countryside before heading back to town.
By the time we got back to town after our cycle ride, we were famished. Resisting the lure of a burger and fries, we dined at a simple local restaurant offering set meals for 15 yuan. (Less than £2). We had a choice of meat, which was then served with rice and vegetables, half a boiled egg and some tofu.
From a peaceful tour of the countryside on two wheels, to more adrenaline pumping adventuring as we then embarked on our second ‘Via Ferrata’ experience and a new challenge in China! Having first opened to the public in July 2018, the ‘Via Ferrata Basecamp’ is a new ‘outdoors’ activity in Yangshuo, which we couldn’t wait to try. Winding its way up and around the cliff-side with a tightrope walk, sky plank walkway, two ladders and two zip-lines, the route is not for the fainthearted, especially when your safety talk is in Chinese! But despite my initial reservations and a lot of knee-trembling, we found it to be an exhilarating experience and a great way to spend a morning.
Looking onto the mountainside where the new ‘Via Ferrata’ experience has been established in Yangshuo.
We were given helmets and fitted with harnesses, before a ‘safety talk’ that was spoken completely in Chinese. Thankfully the guide also demonstrated how to use the equipment or we would have been clueless how to work the safety clip system, which was different to any we have used previously!
Not deterred by the language barrier, the guide fitted us out with harnesses and helmets before we were shown how to use the safety clip system with a quick demonstration, and then away we went. Thankfully Wayne set off first and became my trusted guide, encouraging me round the different features of the climbing route when at times I must admit I was petrified. (The sky plank walkway was the worst as my brain had to battle with the dread of stepping from plank to plank across fresh air whilst they swung forwards and backwards! Suspended hundreds of feet up, it was extremely slow going.) That being said, it was well-worth the 260 yuan per person admission price (£28 each), which was on the higher side compared with other tourist activities that we’d paid for as it was heart-racing stuff and definitely got us out of our comfort zone!
Nervous smiles! Setting off along the ‘iron path’ with Wayne taking the lead and acting as my guide.
With shaky knees, walking the metal tightrope across the face of the mountain.
Slowly but surely stepping my way across the sky plank walkway. As the planks moved forwards and backwards, I had to psyche myself up before daring to step onto the next one each time.
Wayne makes his way down the ladder towards the first zip-line.
Clipped on in readiness to walk around the observation deck! The two girls in front of us were also nervous and took their time on each obstacle.
Wayne prepares for the final zip-line which takes you back to the start point of the via ferrata.
Another activity we couldn’t miss whilst based in Yangshuo was attending a cookery school. Priced at 160 yuan per person (approx. £17.50 each), we booked a half-day cookery class at the ‘Cloud 9 China Cooking School‘ located on West Street as it had excellent reviews online. As real food enthusiasts (being given the trail name ‘Two Plates‘ on the PCT, if you’ve read our previous blog posts you’ll know I truly love my food!) and having thoroughly enjoyed taking two cookery classes whilst travelling through Thailand in 2010/ 2011, we were very much looking forward to learning some new culinary skills and trying our hand at cooking some authentic Chinese dishes.
Trying our hand at some authentic Chinese cooking in Yangshuo!
Having opened in Yangshuo in 2003, we found the Cloud 9 Cooking School to be well-organised and very professional. A particularly good aspect of the class was that we were taken to explore the local market to buy fresh produce prior to cooking. With so many varieties of vegetables for sale that we had never seen before, we found the market tour to be extremely interesting. As Westeners, the instructor was also sensitive to our thoughts on animal treatment and warned us which parts of the market displaying livestock (including cats and dogs for food) to avoid if we wanted to.
Very impressive – the largest cucumber we’ve ever come across!
Back at the ‘Cloud 9’ restaurant, the cookery class then took place in a kitchen area on the upstairs floor. We could choose 4 dishes to make from a given selection, after which the ingredients were prepared and clearly laid out in readiness for us to cook with. The host modelled what to do and gave us instructions in excellent English and although the cooking class was fast paced, we found it both manageable and enjoyable. We each got our own cooking stove and used an Asian cleaver and wok for an authentic experience! We made Gong Bao Chicken, Fried Beef with Peppermint and Chillies, Braised Aubergine with Garlic and Chilli Paste, and Fried Green Beans with Garlic and Chilli Sauce. After the class, we were then able to eat the food we had cooked ourselves whilst seated at a table on the restaurant terrace overlooking the West Street pedestrian area and small lake, which was really nice. We were also given paper copies of the recipes to take with us so that we could make the dishes again at home.
The lovely chef who gave demonstrations and explained what to do in excellent English.
Armed and ready to get chopping!
The four dishes we each made!
Sitting at the restaurant terrace ready to tuck into the dishes we had made. It was a lot of food, so we ended up taking some with us in a doggy bag!
After a busy week in Yangshuo, we then travelled north by bus to the city of Guilin, famous for the ‘Sun and Moon‘ twin pagodas that light up at night on the shore of Lake Shanhu. As we had previously visited Guilin in 2011, we just used the city as an overnight stop before heading further north to the ancient city of Fenghuang in China’s Hunan Province.
We stayed overnight in a standard double room with en-suite at the Ease Hostel on Xinyi Road in Guilin for 88 yuan. (Approx. £10.)
Situated in Shanhu Lake, the ‘Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas’ are one of the main attractions in Guilin. We had a walk around Shanhu Lake and along the Lijiang River before leaving town by bus early the next morning.
Once a frontier town, Fenghuang in China’s Hunan Province marked the boundary between the Han civilisations of the central plains and the Miao, Tujia and Dong minorities of the southwest mountains. Today, Fenghuang attracts great numbers of tourists as it has become a breathtaking riverside settlement of winding alleys, temples and rickety stilt houses, with 20 ancient streets, dozens of ancient lanes, and over 200 ancient residences, which display the architectural styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Having wandered through the labyrinth of streets to explore Fenghuang after arriving mid-afternoon, it was the night-time scenery of the ancient town that really captured our hearts, as the old buildings and temples are wonderfully illuminated along the Tuo Jiang River.
The heart of Fenghuang Ancient Town is its riverside where you’ll find its most impressive bridges and iconic stilt houses. One of the main tourist activities here is to experience a boat ride along the Tuo Jiang River taking you past these ancient attractions.
One of the town’s most prominent features – the stilt houses – are locally referred to as Diaojiaolou. According to legend, Diaojiaolou houses were first invented as a way to protect families from venomous snakes and scorpions. The stilts are also said to have symbolic significance, with the long vertical poles representing the link between heaven and earth. Nowadays, it is recognised that the design keeps the buildings safe from the spring floods.
Fenghuang after dark is magical. Every night, the entire town is brightly illuminated. It makes for a dazzling sight, especially when the riverside attractions are reflected in the water.
Though there are a number of bridges along the Tuo Jiang River, the Rainbow Bridge is the Ancient Town area’s largest. Easily recognisable because of its large brick base and three wide arches, it is also known as the Hongqiao Bridge and was first built during the Ming dynasty and then reconstructed in 1670. Walking across it during our exploration of the backstreets, we encountered a crowded marketplace featuring dozens of small shops on either side, which was completely unexpected!
Along with the stilt houses, the ‘Rainbow Bridge’ has become a symbol of Fenghuang itself. As a marvel of old architecture, it is wonderfully photogenic when lit up at night.
We stayed for 2 nights at the Rose Courtyard Inn in Jiangbei New Village, Tuo Jiang town in a standard double room with en-suite bathroom for 302 yuan (approx. £33). Ideally located beside the Tuo Jiang River, we chose this particular guesthouse as it had great reviews for cleanliness and it was just a few minutes stroll to the Waterwheel, the Snow Bridge and the Jump Rocks (man-made stepping stones across the river). Nanhuamen Bridge and the North Gate were also less than half a mile away when we explored the ancient town’s attractions on foot.
Whilst staying in Fenghuang, we also took the opportunity to visit the ‘Southern Great Wall‘. In general, most people are familiar with ‘The Great Wall of China’ located in the north of the country winding its way over 5,000 miles from east to west. But it is rare to know about the existence of a ‘Great Wall’ located in southern China as well. As a defensive wall built during the Ming Dynasty that once stretched to Guizhou province, the ‘Southern Great Wall‘, which was completed in 1622 originally spanned 190 miles. Today, having undergone recent restoration work, it is recommended that the best section to visit is that located close to Huangsiqiao Ancient Town, approximately 13 kilometres southwest of Fenghuang County.
Today, most of the Southern Great Wall has been destroyed. The ruins are scattered in sparsely populated ridges in the west of Hunan Province, with the best preserved section being in Fenghuang county.
Statues in the main plaza.
There is a local bus from the Shiqiaolong Bus Station that stops on request outside the entrance to the Southern Wall, which takes a journey time of approximately 30 minutes and costs 6 yuan (£0.65) per person. With a minimal entrance fee of just 45 yuan each (£5 pp), we didn’t mind taking the local bus and doing our own self-guided trip, especially as the higher section of the wall was said to afford stunning views of the rural Hunan landscape. Unfortunately, on the day we visited we didn’t have the best weather, which impacted on the views we could see from atop the wall, but nonetheless, it was still an interesting place to look around whilst we were in the area.
Renovated in 2001, the ‘tourist’ section of the wall is approximately 1.8 kilometres in length. With several lookout towers and viewing platforms, the route circumnavigates a central plaza taking you back to the staircase where you initially started.
To reach the higher sections of the wall we had lots of steps to climb!
On a clear day, we would have been able to see extensive views of the rural Hunan landscape.
There were more than 800 whistle terraces, gun emplacements, blockhouses, and outposts used for stationing troops and defending the area, where at the time the wall housed between 4,000 and 5,000 soldiers.
Following our short stay in Fenghuang, we then travelled northwest to the ‘Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area’ and the ‘Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’, distinguished for becoming China’s first national park in 1982. Home to more than 3,000 distinct plant species as well as diverse fauna, for thousands of years this was a remote land known mainly to three minority peoples: the Tujia, Miao and Bai. Yet despite its long cultural history, the main attractions of the park today are the giant quartzite sandstone pinnacles that rise skyward from the valley floor, some up to 200 metres tall with tufts of evergreen shrubs clinging to their narrow summits. Formed through erosion and found nowhere else in the world, they attract upwards of 20 million visitors per year.
It wasn’t until 1982 that China created its first national park: ‘Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’. In 2015, Zhangjiajie then gained its esteemed status of UNESCO Global Geopark.
Covering a total area of 350 square kilometres, the Wulingyuan Scenic Area – designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992 – consists of three main parts: Zhangjiajie National Park, Suoxiyu Nature Reserve and Tianzi Mountain Natural Reserve. As a major tourist attraction in China, the region’s impressive scenery is matched by its crowds. In addition to the hoards of domestic tourists, foreigners alike come here every year to witness the spectacle of ‘The Avatar Mountains‘ for themselves. Said to have been the inspiration for James Cameron’s floating mountains on the planet Pandora in his Oscar-winning 2010 movie ‘Avatar‘, such recognition has made the area ever more popular. Even more so after the official renaming of the 1,080-metre Southern Sky Column, that has since been recognised as ‘Avatar Hallelujah Mountain‘ in honour of the film.
Showcasing some 243 peaks, this protected zone encompasses thousands of jagged quartzite sandstone columns, many of which rise over 200 metres. These striking monoliths are eroded into the earth creating a towering stone forest.
One of the most famous pillars – originally known as the ‘Southern Sky Column’ and now re-named ‘Avatar Hallelujah Mountain’ in honour of the film – stretches 3,544 feet into the air equal to the length of 78 school buses!
With its rugged rock formations, misty mountains and lush trees, to truly experience Zhangjiajie’s wonders you need more than just one day. Therefore, with torrential rain preventing us from venturing into the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park for the first couple of days during our stay at the Destination Youth Hostel, located approximately 35km out of the main city and close to the Wulingyuan Scenic Area and National Park entrance, we extended our stay to 5 nights. This was to maximise our time in the park and feel like we had got value for money as one adult admission ticket, which is valid for 3 days, costs 258 yuan (approx. £28).
We discovered an excellent restaurant in Wulingyuan where we treated ourselves to roast duck, having been holed up in our hostel for a couple of days waiting out the worst of the rain.
With the rain easing after a couple of days, we finally activated our admission tickets having pre-bought them on arrival in Wulingyuan. On Day 1, whilst still being a little drizzly, we took the cable car up to Tianzi Mountain (also known as ‘Son of Heaven’ Mountain) famous for its breathtaking views of of the rock pinnacles surrounded by low-lying cloud and mist, where we then bailed into the McDonald’s at the top for some lunch in the hope that the weather would improve. (Yes, the American fast-food giant really does have an establishment atop the 1,212-metre-high peak!)
Tianzi Mountain has four wonders: the ‘Sea of Clouds‘, the ‘Radiance of the Moonlight‘, ‘Rays of Sunshine‘ and the ‘Snow in Winter‘ – but unfortunately we were unable to see them. After experiencing a complete white-out from every viewpoint, we then decided to head back down the mountain via the walking route, which took us around 2 hours to return to the park entrance. Having been really excited to at last venture into the national park, we were frustrated with the dismal weather to say the least and hoped that all three days wouldn’t be equally as disappointing.
McDonald’s Tianzi Mountain Restaurant opened in 2006. It is nearby He Long Park and the West Sea Scenic Spot. With such dreary weather, we were glad to take advantage of its location and sit inside with a hot drink.
Today’s typical view! We were so frustrated having travelled all the way to northwestern Hunan in anticipation of seeing the natural wonders of Zhangjiajie, just to be presented with white-out.
The following day, the weather had somewhat improved so we decided to walk along the Golden Whip Stream and up the mountainside to the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area. Yuanjiajie is a naturally formed platform mountain surrounded by higher summits which are divided by deep valleys, thereby affording us (as luck would have it today) incredible views of the rock pillars and steep valleys surrounded in mist. The famous sights in this scenic area include: the ‘First Bridge Under Heaven‘, ‘Avatar Hallelujah Mountain‘, ‘Lost Soul Platform‘, ‘Back Garden‘, and the ‘Overlooking Bridge Terrace‘. Located in the north of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, it is one of the most popular viewing areas and inundated with Chinese tour groups making it a slow process to get around all the viewing areas.
Inside the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, we walked along the Golden Whip Stream and up the mountain via ‘the hiking route’ to the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area.
A series of steps lead to the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area. With an elevation of 1,074 metres, it took us just over an hour walking via Luancuan Slope from the middle of the Golden Whip Stream to the ‘Back Garden’ of Yuanjiajie. We then spent around 2 hours walking along the mountain trail to each viewpoint enjoying the tremendous vistas.
We saw several signs encouraging visitors to appreciate and take care of their surroundings.
Unfortunately we weren’t alone on the trail! Today we were vying for the best vantage points along with several hundred other tourists eager to see the ‘Avatar Mountains’ in all their glory.
Along with everyone else, we had to wait our turn at each viewpoint to enjoy the sweeping vistas within the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area.
Having taken the walking route up the mountain, today we returned via the world’s tallest outdoor lift – the towering Bailong Elevator, literally translated as ‘Hundred Dragons Sky Lift’, which was opened to the public in 2002. At 326 metres (1,070 ft), it is the world’s tallest outdoor lift and can transport visitors up or down the mountain in less than two minutes! For the privilege of such a quick descent, we paid 72 yuan each for a one-way ticket (approx. £8 each).
Despite the ‘Avatar Hallelujah Mountain‘ being the major draw for Chinese tourists, we found that every section of the park has its own charm: from the fascinating rock pillars of different heights, to the pagodas, pavilions, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, ancient trees, temples, arches, caves and bridges all present within the expansive area. And having experienced much better weather on the second day, it was well-worth the entrance fee and effort to get to this lesser-known part of China now being experienced by ‘foreigners’.
We highly recommend taking the walking routes from both the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park entrance and Wulingyuan entrance, as the further you get into each area of the park on foot, the less people there are at the more remote viewpoints. By the end of each day of exploration, the cable cars, elevator and shuttle buses can then be used as a means of returning.
Another famed attraction close to Zhangjiajie city is Tianmen Mountain, located within the Tianmen National Park. Tianmen or ‘Heavenly Gate’ Mountain is named for the enormous gaping hole in the centre of the rock that appears as a sunlit portal to another world. 999 steps lead directly to the natural hole in the mountain, referred to as Tianmen Cave.
After a hair-raising bus ride up the 99 hairpin bends to the top of Tianmen Mountain, we were treated to incredible views! We must admit, the journey to the top of the mountain was quite a nerve-racking ordeal and left a longer-lasting impression on us than the mountain itself!
In front of Tianmen Mountain with Tianmen Cave – the natural hole in the mountain – in clear view in the upper left of the picture. 420 feet high and 180 feet wide, the cave slit is visible from any distance below.
Visiting ‘Tianmen Shan’ – 999 steps lead visitors through a massive hole in the mountain also known as the ‘Gateway to Heaven’.
Walking up the 999 steps and looking back towards Zhangjiajie city. It was mind-blowing to think we were higher in elevation than the tremendous sea of clouds in front of us.
Once through the ‘Gateway to Heaven’, a cliff path encircles the mountaintop, where the main attractions for tourists are the three glass ‘Sky Walks’. Sitting 4,700 feet up the mountain, the glass walkways (which are terrifying to some), slither around the vertical cliffs offering breathtaking views and spine-tingling thrills.
Usually, there is a cable car option taking visitors to the top of the mountain. It is claimed in tourist publications that the ‘Tianmen Mountain Cableway‘ is the “…longest passenger cableway of high mountains in the world”. With 98 cars and a total length of 7,455 metres, it begins in the City Garden downtown and ends on the summit ascending a total of 1,279 metres, the highest gradient being an unusual 37 degrees. We were really excited about experiencing this, but to our great disappointment the cableway was undergoing maintenance work for the next month so was closed on the day that we visited. We therefore had no other option but to take the bus both uphill and back down the mountain, experiencing the nerve-wracking 99 hairpin bends of hell twice! With 7 miles of twists and turns, this alternate route is not for the faint of heart, especially as it is considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world!
Whilst visiting Tianmen Shan, we climbed the 999 steps to ‘Heaven’s Door’, walked the entire route around the mountaintop on the narrow, plank paths attached to the vertical cliffs, and took in the expansive views from the glass sky walkways 4,700 feet up!
Looking out and enjoying the tremendous views from one of the glass walkways that snakes around the mountaintop. The crystal clear bridge is 3 feet wide, 2 1/2 inches thick and winds around the mountain for 200 feet. This is one scenic route you have to walk gazing downward!
The rare mountaintop scenery makes it one of the most beautiful sky gardens the world over!
Wearing shoe covers to protect the glass, I took a closer look at the scenery below us through the glass floor! The skyway offers a unique vista of the mountainous summits that launch out of the dense foliage of the park underneath.
We stopped and watched as a brave little girl posed for photos on one of the glass walkways. Chinese tourists are all about ‘selfies’ from unique vantage points!
On the mountaintop, several trees were adorned in red ribbons. In Chinese culture, the colour red symbolises good luck and joy. It is believed that tying a red ribbon to a ‘wishing tree’ will not only bring the person happiness, but will make the wish come true. I think if we’d have had a ribbon, we would have wished for a safe return down the road with 99 hairpin turns!
After an exhilarating day atop Tianmen Mountain, we were thankful to then return safely to our guesthouse in Zhangjiajie city. Despite knowing what to expect, the descent via one of the world’s most dangerous roads was equally as gut-churning especially as our return journey was in the fading light of day. In near darkness and at speed, with buses trying to pass us on their way up to bring more tourists down on what felt like the narrowest, windiest sections of road, we just closed our eyes and held our breath at every twist and turn! Relieved to still be alive when we reached town, we treated ourselves to pizzas and celebratory beers at a local shopping mall before returning exhausted to the ‘Xiao Wi Ding Inn‘ for our second night, staying in a private double room with en-suite bathroom for 236 yuan. (Approx. £26).
The following day was much less eventful when we travelled to Changsha, the capital and most populous city of Hunan province. After a 5 hour journey by bus costing 110 yuan per person (approx. £12 each), we stayed overnight at the ‘Kaiserdom Changsha West Bus Terminal Branch Hotel‘ for 143 yuan. (Approx. £16). Compared to other cheap accommodation we have found in China with fabulous facilities, this was a basic business hotel in need of updating that was adequate for a one night stay. We chose it because of its close proximity to the bus station as we were merely using the city as an overnight stop en route to Huangshan and the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area, where we had planned on hiking and staying overnight on the mountain to witness sunset and sunrise.
Travelling from Changsha South Railway Station the following morning to Huangshan North Railway Station, we went for the cheapest option and purchased second class seats on a G Class train for 331 yuan each. (Approx. £36 per seat.)
We reached a remarkably quiet Huangshan North Railway Station late afternoon. We then had to wait a couple of hours for a local bus to take us to the Huangshan Scenic Area where we had booked a 3-night stay at the ‘Huang Mountain Wangfeng Hotel‘ for 309 yuan (approx. £34), located in Tangkou Town.
Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990, ‘Huangshan‘ or the ‘Yellow Mountains‘ are not so called because the mountains are yellow, but because the area was renamed after the legendary Yellow Emperor – Huang Di, in 747 AD. After that Huangshan began its ascent to fame. Many Buddhist temples have been built on the mountain and, more recently, it has become a major tourist attraction in China because of its scenic qualities, which include oddly-shaped pine trees and rocks and mystical seas of cloud. Having hiked up Emei Shan and Hua Shan back in 2011, two of China’s prominent mountains of religious significance, we couldn’t let the opportunity pass to visit another one, especially as we could stay overnight on the mountaintop to watch sunset and sunrise.
The logistics of getting to the entrance gate of the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area were straightforward enough once we had reached Tangkou Town as there is a bus stop and ticket booth on the main road with buses operating every hour going to and from the scenic area. It was the overnight stay on the mountaintop that was more difficult to arrange independently however as online booking systems showed hotels and hostel accommodation as full for the date of our intended stay. Hence, we asked the owner of our hotel in Tangkou Town to arrange this for us, which he was able to do successfully via phone. (It’s always great when acquiring the help of a native Chinese speaker!)
Happy that we had managed to get a reservation, we then paid the ‘Huangshan Paiyunlou Hotel‘ located in the ‘West Sea Scenic Region‘ directly on arrival. At a hefty cost of 200 yuan each (£22 pp) to stay in separate dorm rooms as the Chinese only allow same sex rooms, (expensive by Chinese standards) plus the entrance fee of 190 yuan each to enter the Scenic Area (£21 pp), on top of paying for our room in Tangkou Town where we had left the rest of our gear, we sincerely hoped that the weather wouldn’t let us down as this had become our most expensive sight-seeing trip so far! (That’s not including bus and train travel to reach Huangshan in the first place!)
Thankfully, with such stunning scenery as this, we were not disappointed.
As with most tourist attractions in China, the most popular areas of the mountain were busy with Chinese tour groups. Mount Huangshan, for example is a once-in-a-lifetime trek for many Chinese.
Starting from the town of Tangkou nestled at the foot of the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area after a local breakfast of noodles with spicy beef, we resisted the lure of the cable car and hiked up the eastern steps of the mountain under glorious blue skies. There are an estimated 60,000 steps along with paved/concrete paths leading to all the main points of interest, which we managed to cover over two days. We did this primarily to watch the sunset and sunrise from the ‘Cloud Dispelling Pavillion‘ and ‘Purple Cloud Peak‘ look-out points, which are regarded as the best spots on the mountaintop. With its less frequented trails and spectacular views, we however preferred taking the path out west from the ‘Cloud Dispelling Pavillion‘ to the ‘West Sea Grand Canyon‘ and ‘Nine Dragons Peak‘, which we found was a much more peaceful way to enjoy the scenery of the Yellow Mountains without the crowds.
The entire Huang Shan hiking area is referred to as the ‘Magic Scenic Area’ thanks to the stunning paths along the cliff sides and other natural features including striking peaks that seem to punch up through the cloud layer.
The 1,863-metre mountain is renowned for its oddly shaped pines, spectacular rock formations, hot springs and seas of misty and melancholy clouds.
Staying overnight in dorm rooms at the top of the mountain in the Paiyunlou Hotel meant we were able to watch a serene sunset as well as get up to the ‘Purple Cloud Peak’ look-out point in time for sunrise.
An autumn sunrise creates a subtle pink glow over the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area. As the sun slowly made its way above the horizon, there were around a hundred people jostling to get a good shot from the Purple Cloud Peak look-out point. For once, we put the cameras away and spent time just enjoying the moment!
Steps carved into the ridge of the mountain. Safety is definitely your own responsibility in China!
The landscape in the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area has enchanted Chinese painters for centuries. Even during the off-season when we visited, the walking trails up and down the peaks were still extremely busy as Huangshan remains one of the top destinations in the eyes of the local traveller.
With the sun directly overhead, this isn’t a particularly well-exposed shot, but it’s included to show the scale of the mountains and the lengths and extremities of the stepped walking routes. You’ve most definitely got to have a head for heights and wear sensible shoes!
After some incredible moments in another of China’s natural wonders, we took the western steps back down the mountain, returning to our guesthouse in Tangkou. After our final night in the Huang Mountain Wangfeng Hotel, we then returned to Huangshan city where we stayed overnight in a double room with en-suite bathroom at the ‘Koala International Youth Hostel‘ for 139 yuan (approx. £15) as it was located just a short walk from the Huangshan Railway Station. Staying in a hostel, we also had the opportunity to do laundry and get organised for our journey by train the following day to the city of Suzhou.
Situated in the southeastern Jiangsu Province of East China, Suzhou is often referred to as ‘The Venice of the East‘ because of its network of canals and romantic water towns. Also famous for its 60 classical gardens that are collectively recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which include ‘The Humble Administrator’s Garden‘ and ‘The Lingering Garden‘, historically, Suzhou was synonymous with high culture and elegance drawing generations of Chinese artists, scholars, writers and high society to its exquisite art forms and the delicate beauty of its gardens.
Wandering through the ‘Humble Administrator’s Garden’ along with several Chinese tour groups and looking onto the ‘Small Flying Rainbow Bridge’. We found it much busier and far less peaceful than our first visit in 2011.
Having already stayed in Suzhou in 2011 and visited its 4 most famous gardens, on this trip we wanted to enjoy a more relaxed pace, simply using it as a 3-night stop-off in order to prepare ourselves for the crowds and craziness of Shanghai – China’s biggest and richest city! Therefore in an effort to save some money having gone way over budget during our excursion to the Yellow Mountains, we paid for the cheapest priced seats on a K Class train (80 yuan per person/ £9), taking us approximately 9 hours to reach Suzhou from Huangshan. This was opposed to the shorter journey time of three hours, 20 minutes, had we travelled on one of the new bullet trains, which in comparison would have set us back 225 yuan each (£25 pp) just for second class seats. (In all honesty, we didn’t really mind the extra journey time as it gave us chance to rest our legs after what had been a tiring weekend!)
Despite most of China’s cities now being connected to the high speed rail network, if given the choice, we still opt to travel by the old, slower ‘K’ class trains to maximise our money. Keeping to a daily budget whilst ‘travelling’ is difficult enough when paying for ongoing accommodation, transport, tourist attractions and food, so wherever we can make cuts – we do! That’s why we love walking so much because it’s free!
Hence, when we finally got there, we spent a couple of days in Suzhou just walking around. Staying for 3 nights in a double room with private en-suite at the ‘Mingya Hostel‘ in the heart of Suzhou downtown for 324 yuan (approx. £35), we were amazed at how different the growing city was compared to our first visit. In particular, the main commercial centre had changed tremendously, expanding far beyond the main pedestrianised area known as ‘Guanqian Shopping Street‘. Now with huge department stores, coffee shops, fast-food chains and large buffet restaurants around every corner, we were really hard pushed to find a traditional, cheap and cheerful Chinese noodle restaurant that we so love to dine in.
In a similar vein, Pingjiang Lu, the historic canalside street on the eastern side of the city (where we had stayed on our first visit), was also now more developed with new upmarket teahouses and trendy cafes selling overpriced beverages nestled between white-washed houses and ancient architecture. Crowded with Chinese students and large tour groups eager to buy trinkets from the array of souvenir shops (many on day visits from Shanghai), it was no less popular, but we found it hard to have a relaxing stroll and take in the sights. Worse than getting ‘pedestrian rage’ at being stuck behind large groups dawdling along, was having to dodge out of the way of the great many scooters that were trying to pass by blaring their horns and using the street as a cut through. Hence we decided to retreat to the ‘Humble Administrator’s Garden‘ after all. Much busier than the first time we had visited in 2011, as the largest and most classic Chinese garden in Suzhou, it was still a haven in the midst of what had become a lively city.
With a combination of buildings, ponds, bridges, paths and trees arranged in a specific manner, everything in the ‘Humble Administrator’s Garden’ tells a story of the past time. As a representation of a Jiangnan classical garden, it is now the largest classic garden in Suzhou, covering an area of 5.2 hectares.
If we had thought Suzhou to be busy, then it was nothing compared to the 24-hour hustle and bustle of Shanghai, which was to be our final destination before the second of our 30-day visas came to an end. As China’s largest city with a population of 24 million people, Shanghai has become a global centre for finance, innovation, and transportation and a major hub of tourism. Receiving upwards of 300 million visitors per year, the thriving metropolis which boasts a multitude of attractions has seen a constant rate of growth. Beyond the ‘Oriental Pearl Tower‘ and ‘The Bund‘, a famed waterfront promenade lined with colonial-era buildings in the heart of the city, there are a huge range of museums, colonial architecture, religious buildings, theatres, gardens, parks and shopping areas to explore.
First visiting Shanghai back in 2011, it quickly established itself as one of our favourite cities in the world, so we were incredibly excited to return! Not only does Shanghai boast a fantastic blend of history and modernity with Chinese traditions and Western customs intertwined, but it is a magnificent example for visitors to gain a sense of the pulsating development of the country as a whole. It is no wonder that since 2015, Shanghai has become home to more than 170,000 British expats.
For over a century, ‘The Bund’ – a mile-long stretch of waterfront promenade along the Huangpu River – has been one of the most recognisable symbols and the pride of Shanghai. The architecture along ‘The Bund’ is a living museum of the colonial history of the 1800s, showcasing 52 buildings of various architectural styles, including Gothic, baroque, and neoclassical styles.
Just like every other visitor to Shanghai, we took a stroll along ‘The Bund’ at night where you can view the modern skyscrapers in the Financial District on the opposite side of the Huangpu River lighting up the skyline, presenting a distinctive contrast between modern life and the past.
To the left of the skyline is the ‘Oriental Pearl TV Tower’, a distinct landmark in the area. At 468 metres (1,536 ft) tall, the high tower is the world’s sixth and China’s second tallest TV and radio tower. When the Chinese government set out to make Shanghai the New York of Asia, they certainly took the motto of ‘The city that never sleeps’ to heart!
Staying for 3 nights in a double room with en-suite bathroom at the ‘Hanting Hotel‘ in the Tangqiao Residential District located on the east side of the Huangpu River for 948 yuan (approx. £104), we were keen to explore this area of the city on foot and take advantage of its close proximity to the river. All along the riverfront, promenades and pedestrian paths have been developed since our previous visit to Shanghai in 2011, as a means of encouraging the population to get outside. So it was a great feeling to get off the metro and get some air with a leisurely 18-mile walk around the city as the Shanghai Metro is one of the world’s most crowded, with nearly 10 million people riding it per day!
Capturing sunset as we headed back to the Tangqiao district after an 18-mile walk around the city.
Walking along one of the promenades besides the Huangpu River at sunset and enjoying some peace away from the busyness of ‘The Bund’.
Having really enjoyed exploring more of the city on foot, for our final day in Shanghai we decided to go for a run along the east side of the river in the Pudong area. We found the east side to be generally quieter than the west side, with a proper running track taking us through beautiful little gardens along the way as well as past several prominent buildings including the ‘Oriental Pearl TV Tower’, which looks just as mesmerising in the daytime as it does lit up at night.
Shanghai is fast becoming a city of joggers!
On our final afternoon in the city, the route we took was an estimated 5km along the Huangpu River, between the Dapu Road tunnel and the Longyao Road tunnel, paralleling Longteng Avenue, with a pedestrian only promenade most of the way. With it being a Saturday afternoon, the area was a hive of activity with people of all ages enjoying the various attractions around the promenade, including cycling and skateboarding on a parallel track. Yet pleasingly, even with locals out for some jogging, we were still able to run at our own pace without the track feeling overcrowded. The run was just what we needed after some long bus and train journeys and the redevelopment of the riverside area as a whole reconfirmed how much we love the diversity of Shanghai – hence we would still rate this city as one of our favourites.
Happy that we had finished our overland trip through China on a high – it wasn’t quite the end of our adventure. The following morning we would be flying to Taiwan for a further 3 weeks before returning home to the UK to surprise our families in time for Christmas Day! Having never visited Taiwan before, but hearing great things about both the food and Taiwanese people, we were very much looking forward to exploring and experiencing a completely new place. Governed independently from mainland China since 1949, but officially known as the ‘Republic of China’ (ROC), we were intrigued to find out the differences between the culture on the island and that of mainland China in general having spent so much time amongst typically Han Chinese, who constitute the world’s largest ethnic group.
Find out about our exploration of Taiwan, often referred to as ‘The hidden jewel of Asia‘ in our next blog post!
5 Comments
Just fantastic. You are living your dream!
Hi Splash, hope you’re well!
It’s been a while since we’ve had chance to focus on the blog with work commitments getting in the way.
We’ve been following the permit changes to the PCT and enjoying reading about the preparations for the new class of 2020. Quite jealous, as if we had the money & time we’d do it all over again in a heart beat! We miss the desert and the Sierra so much.
We’re on a ‘staycation’ this year – hoping to explore more of our home country whilst on a big save.
Lots of long distance hikes still on the list for future adventures though!
Best regards, Danielle & Wayne
Another slice of Chinese life, another really enjoyable read 😀
What a contrast to hiking the PCT!
Epic, ancient, sensational, awe inspiring, nerve wracking travel.
I had seen photos of Tianmen Cave. Great to see what surrounds it.
Mind boggling technology to create their roads and trails.
I’m amazed at how orgaanised you were with where and how to visit these destinations after 3 months hiking the PCT!
Hi Helen, We were very upset to see on the news here about the horrendous bushfires in Australia recently. We hope you and your family haven’t been affected.
Yes after the PCT, China was a huge contrast! We hadn’t quite thought it through going from relative seclusion straight to the heart of a bustling metropolis! So it was great to get back into the mountains and hike the Tiger Leaping Gorge and enjoy a more laid back itinerary in the Yangshuo countryside.
We had previously holidayed in Beijing and Hainan Island in 2007, then travelled around mainland China for 3 months in 2011, so we already had an idea of what we wanted to see again and where we wanted to explore further. Independent travel in China is so much easier now compared with just 9 years ago, especially with Maps.Me and Google Translate, so we planned a rough route on arrival based on the location of tourist attractions and lesser-known sights, which we had found via the internet (blogs and travel sites). Half the fun of a trip for us is in the planning and researching of what’s out there to explore. It also helps that there’s two of us to take charge of certain aspects e.g. Wayne plans the walking routes and resupply, whereas I organise transport and accommodation. It works well for us as I am not the best navigator!
We’re currently on a ‘big save’ year, but we have a narrow boat trip on the Cheshire canals planned for my Mum’s 60th birthday at Easter time, and we are going to hike the Pennine Way again this summer but take my dad along as it’s his dream before retirement. Have you got any exciting plans for 2020?
Best regards,
Danielle