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Rice Terraces and Zhuang VillagesRoute: Yangshuo - Ping'an - Guilin |
| Duration: | 3 days / 2 nights | Departure: | Daily; minimum number of participants: 2 |
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| Comfort level (1-4): | 2 (see our accommodation page for more details) | Accommodation: | Double occupancy room with shower, toilet in a basic guest house (accommodation only) - photos |
| Price: | £155 per person - based on 2 people sharing | Included: | Transport, accommodation and hiking trips with English speaking guide |
| Transport: | Private transfer Yangshuo - Ping'an - Guilin airport | Excluded: | Meals and drinks, entrance fee Ping'an (60 Yuan) |
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Day 1: Yangshuo - Ping'an Most visitors travelling from Guilin to Yangshuo on a China holiday also come to Ping'an. The two cities of Yangshuo and Ping'an are approximately three hours apart with the large city of Guilin in the middle of both cities. The scenery changes during the ride, from karst mountains and farmland to rugged hills and rice paddies.Your driver will drop you off at the entrance to Ping'an village. The 800 inhabitants of Ping'an live in isolation from the outside world. There are no roads inside the village, you can only get there by walking up the paddies for 20 minutes. If you don’t feel like walking or carrying your luggage up, then you can pay someone to take your luggage up for you. This helps the locals out by bringing more money into their community. |
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If you leave Yangshuo around 9:00, you’ll arrive in Ping'an around lunchtime. You’ll spend two nights in a guest house in the middle of rice paddies. Some rooms overlook the rice paddies, others have a view of the village. There’s electricity and warm water available in the morning and evening. The guest house has a large veranda outside where you can enjoy your meals in the open air with spectacular views of the rice paddies and the mountains. In no time at all you’ll become accustomed to the Ping'an atmosphere of peace and spaciousness. |
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If you would like to see more of the village and the surrounding area during your trip in China, go on a two hour walk around the village. There is a path that runs to view point 1 at the top of the village. Here you can stop for a drink and enjoy the view. Then you can continue on to view point 2 along the top with the village beneath you. Along the way you’ll probably run into the inhabitants of Ping'an. The women will approach you and try to sell you homemade jewellery and embroidery pieces. Many of the Zhuang minority women, such as the women in this picture, have very long hair and wear it twisted around their heads. Known locally as the ‘longhairs,' for a few Yuan the women will untie their hair and you’ll see that it often reaches their ankles. You'll feel very welome here on your trip in China as these warm smiling locals radiate hospitality and openness. |
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Day 2: Ping'an travel - hike with a guideIt's day two of your trip in China and at 9am you’ll take off with your guide on a walk through the world’s largest rice paddies, The Dragon's Bone or Long Ji. You’ll climb and descend through marvellous scenic areas, past rivers, through wooded areas and through rice paddies. You’ll pass several villages, most of them nothing more than a few houses on built on poles, with friendly, curious inhabitants who will treat you to their biggest, brightest smiles when you pass.This trek will take about 5 hours. If the weather is bad or if you don't feel like walking the entire 5 hours, there are also shorter treks available during this trip in China. In the evening, the Zhuang will show you their singing and dancing traditions at your request. Afterwards travellers usually gather on the veranda to sit, talk, drink or play a game until late in the evening. |
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Day 3: Departure from Ping'an It's the last day of your trip in China but before you leave, you’ll get to enjoy the quiet morning and the view of mist shrouded mountain tops in the distance. After breakfast on the veranda, the sun will slowly climb into the sky.When the time comes for you to leave, you’ll take your luggage to the parking lot where your transfer will be waiting to take you to Guilin Airport (1.5 hour drive). Your plane may leave very early in the morning; therefore you may need a flashlight to find your way back to the parking lot, accompanied by one of the hotel staff. After this trip in China, most travellers continue on a Shanghai or Hong Kong trip. However, if you'd prefer to end your China holiday at a beach instead of in the city, then you can fly to Kanton (Guangzhou) and head to the beach on a Hainan holiday. |
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Best time to visit Ping'an The best time to travel to Ping'an on this trip in China is from March to October. In August rice is harvested which is quite interesting to watch. If you prefer travelling during low travel season, for instance in December, Ping'an will be quiet and a walk through this area will be just as impressive as during the summertime. Please note: There are no ATMs in Ping'an. Be sure to bring along enough cash for entrance fees, meals and drinks. |
Trip in China - Accommodation (click to enlarge)
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