The Dragon Spined Mountain

I've been wanting to visit Longji since I first saw pictures of its spectacular rice terraces. After visiting this past weekend, I am happy to say, that this is one tourist destination that lives up to the hype.

The Longji rice terraces date back over 500 years. They are carved into the sides of the mountains and kept watered through an intricate network of irrigation ditches. When filled with water in the spring planting season, the terraces are said to resemble the scales of a dragon. Hence the name Longji, which means "dragon spine" in Chinese.

The area is home to several Chinese ethnic minorities. Small farming villages are scattered through the hillside, with guesthouses and restaurants to accommodate travelers. There are well defined hiking paths, paths that date back hundreds of years, to all the well known scenic spots.

After first arriving in the village of Ping'An, at the base of the rice terraces, we journeyed by foot to TianTou, a more remote village with less tourists and better views. The hike took four hours, at times through rain and mud, but was well worth the trouble. There was lots of spectacular scenery along the way, such as a secluded mountain lake, farmers tending to their crops and animals, and an ancient cemetery, not to mention all the rice terraces.

In the village of Tiantou, we stayed at one of the local guesthouses. To my surprise, other than the wooden houses and fresh mountain air, the amenities were much like those found in any other city. We had hot water, a western toilet, satellite television and internet access. In the lobby of one of the guesthouses, a local kid was playing Counter Strike. The cost of our double room for the evening... 25 yuan, roughly $4.

For dinner, the owner brought us a special treat - a wild bird captured by the village's eldest hunter. Half an hour after displaying the bird for our approval, the bird was sitting on our dinner plate, fried with garlic and served alongside freshly picked organic vegetables.

The next morning, we ventured out from TianTou to all of the most renowned scenic spots. The views from the top of the hillside were breathtaking. There were several guesthouses and locals merchants scattered along the way, where you could sit and enjoy the view. We sat and drank a bowl of fantastic local tea at one scenic spot, and had some delicious freshly picked taro at another.

After another day of hiking, we caught a bus from the village of DaZhai back to Ping'An, and then returned to Yangshuo.

I felt that one day was enough time to experience Longji and to hit all the scenic spots, though I wouldn't mind returning to stay for a week or two. Maybe when I get tired of unwinding in Yangshuo, I can head over to Longji to unwind from all this unwinding.