China’s Top Destinations in April for Terraced Fields & Blooming Flowers

China is never short of historical sites and natural wonders, but the romantic towns and villages with amazing terraced fields or blooming flowers are the most iconic highlights in April. Take a journey from Danba Town in Sichuan to Nyingchi in Tibet, from Fengshan Town in Guangxi to Congjiang Town in Guizhou to explore the best of the beautiful spring season of China.

Yili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang

There is a large area of virgin almond forest dating back to Middle Ages in Xinyuan Country, Yili Prefecture. The almond trees are in full bloom for only four or five days from April 10 to 20. Morning hours will be perfect time for the serene sunrise and the almond blossom in the color of white or pink stretching for a few tens of kilometers.  

Nyingchi Prefecture in Tibet

Make a romantic approach to ‪‎Nyingchi in spring season for the ‘Peach Blossom Valley’‬, where the thousands of peach trees will be in full bloom and scattered in the grassy pasture land, with the permanent snow-capped mountains as the background.

Danba Tibetan Town in West Sichuan

Ranked as the top of the most beautiful villages in China, Danba boasts profound yet unique Jiarong Tibetan cultures and beautiful girls. Usually in early April, stretches of pear flowers are in bloom embracing the local Tibetan dwellings and ancient watch towers, and extending to the Jinchuan River.  

Maojiabu Scenic Area (茅家埠) in Hangzhou

Hangzhou is intoxicatingly beautiful in the springtime, but the famous attractions such as West Lakes and Xixi Wetlands may be overcrowded with tourists. Therefore, you’re encouraged to visit Maojiabu Scenic Area for distinctive riverside dwelling houses, Hangzhou green tea culture and Buddhist culture.

Fengshan Town in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Fengshan Town features groups of Karst peaks as beautiful as those in Guilin and Yangshuo. There are also fascinating Karst caves, pits and naturally formed bridges. Travel to the countryside to experience the Chinese pastoral life in this busy farming season.

Congjiang Town in Guizhou

Inhabited by many minority tribes including Miao, Dong, Zhuang, Yao, etc., Congjiang features amazing terraced fields named Jiabang Terraced Paddy Fields. April is a one of the best time to visit Jiabang, when farmers will irrigate the fields then plant rice seedlings.

Jiangling Terraced Fields in Wuyuan Town, Jiangxi Province

In China’s most beautiful countryside Wuyuan, there are terraced canola‬ flowers fields surrounding the scattered traditional villages with Huizhou architectures and dwellings in April.

Experiencing Dong Culture at Zhaoxing’s Grain Rain Festival

With over 1000 different festivals celebrated by 48 different minority groups in one year, Guizhou is one of the two provinces in China (the other one is Yunnan Province with 51 minority groups) that offer best minority culture experience.

Soon on April 19 (the 13th day of the third lunar calendar month), Dong people in the thousand-year-old Zhaoxing Dong Village will celebrate the Grain Rain Festival (the 6th solar term of Chinese 24 solar terms), with various fun-filled activities and unique cultural experiences for Dong people’s agricultural civilization and very old traditions. 

One of the most beautiful ancient villages in China, Zhaoxing Dong Village retains the traditional layout and architectures. The villagers have been living a simple humble life and devoting themselves to preserving the Dong culture and customs, such as the ‘Kam Grand Choirs’ which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Site in 2006.

To celebrate the Grain Rain Festival, traditionally Dong people will ‘eat black rice and sow the rice seed’, so as to mark the beginning of busy farming season, show respect to the hard-working cattle, and give an important and special gift to the sweetheart. The ‘black rice’ is made from sticky rice with the leaf juice of Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. It is usually considered as a love token according to the traditional Dong marriage customs.

Therefore Grain Rain Festival is also a big day for unmarried men and women. Young men will throw bamboo baskets with presents into young women’s houses for ‘black rice’, meat and wine. Then the man will sing a folk song to get back the basket, yet remain wary of the girl’s sneak attack by applying soot with oil on the man’s face, named ‘Da Hua Lian’. Finally people of all ages including both the locals and travelers join in the ‘Da Hua Lian’. It turns to be a Carnival Night!

>> If you are planning a minority culture tour to Guizhou and want to take part in Zhaoxing’s Grain Rain Festival on April 19, 2016, please contact us for more details.

A Spring Outing to Yangshuo and Hike to the Countryside

People never get tired of Yangshuo, generally, and we're no exception. This place offers many cool and unique ways to amuse the friends and family, such as biking into the rural landscape, bamboo-rafting on the rivers for the awesome Karst mountains, rock-climbing on the scaring vertical peaks, and enjoying the peaceful and relaxing hours at a secret, quaint hotel. Or, do what ETC team was doing – hiking to the countryside of Yangshuo.

Yangshuo, with its surrounding pristine villages and old towns like Xingping and Fuli, offer numerous hiking trails to meet all difficulties. This time, we chose the trail from Jiuxian Village to the Yulong Bridge in Baisha Town, an easy and scenic route. We walked along the Yulong River, through the villages, and passed by paddy fields, vegetable fields and fruit gardens en route. On the photos, you can see that the country roads are rough and rugged, and sometimes difficult to figure out. However, we were rewarded with picturesque landscape and a great hiking experience.

 

The Yulong Bridge

Here we also would like to recommend two hotels, the Secret Garden Boutique Hotel and Jade Mountain Hotel.

The Secret Garden hides itself between towering Karst peaks & lush rice paddies in Jiuxian Village of Yangshuo. The hotel is converted from a group of Qing Dynasty dwelling houses, but restored and provides modern comforts. It is a wonderful place for visitors who desire serenity and a chance to experience the gentle rhythm of Chinese rural life.

Jade Mountain Hotel is a budget hotel and enjoys an ideal location by standing at the opposite of Yulong River. Therefore, you can have a relaxing walk along the river or enjoy doing the morning exercise like running and Tai Chi.

In this season of spring, the canola‬ flowers are in full blossom. Isn’t it beautiful?!

5 Tips for First Time Mountain Hikes in China

For those looking for an exciting and rewarding mountain climbing experience in China, the country boasts numerous awesome peaks with dozens of trails that are on par with the best in the world and meet all abilities and interests. However, for your first mountain hike in China, here are some basic tips and advices.

1. Assemble the perfect itinerary

No matter how many times you have reached the mountain summit, this time may be different. Therefore, take your time to plot out a route, fully understand the road/trail condition, as well as the terrain and elevation, so as to keep away from any possibility of rock fall or mud-rock flows.

2. Make sure your hiking gear is in good shape

Pack lightly, dress appropriately and comfortably, and equip yourself with some safety equipment. Do not wear high heels, even it is an easiest hike, as it may cause inconvenience or potential safety hazard. Prepare yourself alpenstock, backpack, sport hiking shoes, hat, sunglasses, glove, knee pa or anything you needs most. 

3. Keep an eye on the weather forecast

The weather in the mountainous areas changes quickly and varies from one part to another in a day. Keep abreast of the weather in order to dress accordingly and start the trip in a good weather.

4. Travel with friends or a group

It is better and safer to travel with a group. But if you are a solo traveler and decide to climb a mountain alone, make sure you bring with the safety equipment like mountaineering locator. Try not venture into the remote and dangerous trails.

5. You may need a local guide

China’s diverse mountain landscape offers a lot for mountain lovers. Many of the mountains are still untouched. Even the most detailed contour maps tend to be unreliable in these areas, so you’re suggested to hire an experienced local guide.

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Destinations for a mountain trip in China

Mt. Everest – the roof of the world

Great Wall – it winds its way across mountains like a huge dragon

Mt. Hua – China’s most precipitous mountain with thrilling plank roads

Yellow Mountain – the most scenic mountain in China

Zhangjiejie – the oddly-shaped mountain peaks inspired Avatar

Mt. Wuyishan – a UNCESCO World Natural and Cultural heritage

Top 10 Meat Dishes for Chinese Spring Festival

Finally, here comesSpring Festival (春节). Locals also call it Lunar New Year (农历新年), as it is determined by the Chinese lunar calendar. During the 15-day celebration, festivities erupt all over China and beyond. It is also a great time for foodies – you’ll never find Chinese dishes as delicious, multitudinous and traditional after Spring Festival.   

It’s a season of feast. Let’s forget about vegetarianism for a while, and enjoy a meaty meal, with 10 most famous meat dishes from different parts of China.

Recommended China Gourmet Tour Packages

1. Fried meat balls (炸丸子) from Beijing

A must-have dish for Beijingers during Spring Festival, fried meat balls can be served with spiced salt when they just come out of the fryer, or as a side dish to be stewed with rice noodles.

2. Diced pork in pot (坛子肉) from Shandong Province

You may have tried this dish in Beijing. Actually both Peking duck and diced pork in pot are originated in Shandong. Inside the humble pork, there is tantalizing streaky pork, simmered with several quail eggs or mushroom, and secret sauce.

3. Sticky rice balls with meat and lotus root (莲藕糯米圆子) from Hubei Province

A lucky food for New Year's Eve dinner, it symbolizes the family reunion.

4. Lamb stewed in iron pot (铁锅炖羊肉) from Shannxi Province

Everyone knows Shannxi people like mutton. It takes 3-5 hours for a perfect mutton stew. You can add some dry chili pepper into it if you prefer spicy taste.

5. Pig’s feet (发财猪手) from Guangdong Province

Cantonese love pig’s feet, as they bring fortune! Therefore, pig's feet braised in soy sauce or five spices (prickly ash, star aniseed, cinnamon, clove and fennel) is a should-not-miss lucky dish for Cantonese’s New Year Eve Dinner. 

6. Four Main Courses (四大件儿) from Northeast China

The four main courses refer to chicken, fish, ribs and pig’s feet. Northeast Chinese Cuisine features large quantities of food materials and mellow taste.

7. Xinjiang Hand Grasping Mutton Chops (手抓羊肉)

A specialty food in Xinjiang, it’s also a traditional dish for Uyghur family dinner. It is usually served cold with salt or after being simmered or fried with sauce.

8. Braised streaky pork with dried vegetables (烧白扣肉) from Sichuan Province

One of the most common dishes on Chinese feast, the streaky pork is braised with soy sauce and brown sugar, with China’s specialty side dish – dry vegetables.  

9. The Hakka stuffed foods (客家酿菜) from Fujian Province

Hakka people like snail delicacy. On Lunar New Year’s Eve, they make snails into a stuffed dish, mixed with chopped snails and meat, and ingredients like peppermint, corn flour, peanut oil. They are also stuffed tofu, stuffed pepper, stuffed radish, stuffed mushroom, etc. Stuffed dishes are also popular in Guilin, Guangxi.

 

10. Spicy pork leg (香辣肘子) from Hunan Province

It may weigh as heavy as 3kg, and is not easy to eat. But Hunan people consider this huge dish a lucky food that stands for the end of dark days and the beginning of a happy new year.