Rural, mountainous
Guizhou is one of
China’s best kept
secrets - a lush,
underrated paradise
of breathtaking,
natural landscapes
and pristinely
preserved ethnic
cultures.By Cheryl KhoGuizhou
Mount Fanjing
Fanjingshan, now a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, is a
sacred Buddhist mountain, the
highest peak in China’s Wuling
mountain range.
This isolated sliver of nature,
unsullied by man, boasts rare
biodiversity including the
Chinese giant salamanders and
Guizhou’s golden monkeys.
Hike through steep paths
dotted with Buddhist temples
to the incredible summit, or
enjoy a smooth, breathtakingly
scenic cable car ride through
the clouds.Zhaoxing Dong Village
Nestled in the hollows of
the hills with a little stream
running through, Zhaoxing
Dong Village, hallmarked
by its five wooden drum
towers, looks straight out of a
painting.
This perfectly cloistered
world, away from modern
civilisation, offers some of
life’s simplest of pleasures:
from idyllic daily pastimes of
chatting over rice wine and
playing cards to singing the
cheerful traditional Dong folk
songs with the villagers.Getting there: Flights with
one stopover at major
Chinese cities are offered by
a range of Chinese airlines
including but not limited to
XiamenAir, China Southern
Airlines and AirChina.
Travel Visa: Singaporeans do
not require a Chinese visa for
a stay of up to 15 days.
Currency: 100 Singapore
Dollars = 506 Chinese
Renminbi
Language: As English is
generally scarcely spoken,
especially in the countryside,
it is advisable to have some
conversational Chinese
phrases on hand to get
around more easily.Zhijin Caves
Behold one of the most
beautiful caves in China,
its labyrinthine interiors
showcasing twisting narrow
passages and forked tunnels.
Knobbly karst formations
embellish the cave walls,
protruding with bizarrely-
shaped stalactites and
stalagmites that sometimes
seem to take human form in
the most imaginative of minds.
The cave’s highlight is
the 17-metre high stalactite,
Silver Rain Tree, a sparkling
crystalline structure guarding
the depths of Zhijin.Miao Villages
The affable Miao people, a
close-knit community of a
richly colourful culture, form
one of the largest ethnic
minorities in southwest China,
inhabiting rows of stilted
wooden houses in the rural
countryside.
From personal experience,
Miao homestays divulge a
treasured slice of authentic
village life. At mealtimes, share
life around a large metal wok
of soup stew full of fresh
produce harvested from the
terraced fields.Photo: Larry QianPhoto: Jialiang GaoPhoto: Anja DisseldorpSNAPSHOT