Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge

Longji Rice Terraces

This 650-year-old agricultural landscape is only a small part of what is here, yet it is stunning enough to take your breath away. The ancestors who carved these terraces out of the mountains could never have imagined that their sweat and lives would produce such graceful, curving scenery. Spectacular views combined with a touch of local culture make for an unforgettable visit. Along the way you will meet Yao women and Zhuang men, who make wonderful subjects for photography. Working villagers and the terraces at sunset create scenes that are beautiful beyond imagination. Best of all, you can stay in a family guesthouse, enjoy farmhouse chicken while looking out over the terraces, and experience the rhythm of terrace farming for yourself. To see the terraces at their most captivating, choose the right season. In April and May, the terraces are flooded and planted with rice, and the water glitters, making it the best time for photography and sightseeing. September is also worth considering, when the terraces turn golden with ripening grain.

¥80 · 1–2 days

Dong Village and Mapang Drum Tower

Dong villages have a distinctive structure, usually nestled between mountains and water. Houses are built from Chinese fir, packed closely together, and in many villages the homes connect into one continuous block, so you can walk through the village without being exposed to sun or rain. Seen from a distance, the villages rise and fall in a spectacular cascade. Almost every Dong village has a drum tower, usually at its centre, where villagers gather to discuss community affairs. The drum tower at Mapang Village (马胖寨), 25 km north of Sanjiang County town, is the largest and most representative in the Dong region. Built in 1939 by a Dong craftsman, it is highly prized for its beauty and is a nationally protected cultural relic.

Yinshui Dong Village

The Dong people who live here are skilled singers and dancers, and they have kept their distinctive customs and food traditions. Notable landmarks include the wooden houses built without nails, the wind and rain bridge at the village entrance, and the square, multi-eaved, pagoda-shaped drum tower with its flying-corner tiled roof.

¥50 · 1–2 hours

Chengyang Eight Villages

The Chengyang Eight Villages are Ma'an (马鞍寨), Ping, Yan, Dong (董寨), Dazhai, Pingtan (平坦寨), Pingpu (平埔寨) and Jichang (吉昌寨). Visitors can watch folk performances that showcase Dong culture, with plenty to see and do. It is an excellent destination for sightseeing, photography and experiencing Dong culture. Chengyang Bridge is a precious cultural relic and deserves a close look.

¥90 (includes sightseeing bus) · 0.5–2 days

Longtan National Forest Park

This national AAAA-rated scenic area offers classic karst landscapes as well as the culture of southern ethnic minorities. Twenty-four peaks of varied shapes, including Wohu Shan (Crouching Tiger Mountain), Meinü Feng (Beauty Peak) and Kongque Shan (Peacock Mountain), rise around one lake (Jinghu, or Mirror Lake), two pools (Longtan and Leitan) and four valleys, forming a breathtaking landscape scroll.

2–3 hours

Huangluo Yao Village

Listed in the Guinness World Records for the longest hair of a group, Huangluo is known as “the village with the longest hair in the world.” Red Yao women with very long hair gathering by the river to wash it look like a folk painting. Villagers in Huangluo Yao Village are all skilled singers and dancers, and are famously hospitable. Performances here include long-hair displays, the red stick dance and the umbrella dance.

Included in the Longji Rice Terraces ticket · 1–2 hours