Quick Mini-Breaks in China – Part 6

Zhenyuan and Beijing, two more top destinations for a quick trip in China.

After a longer-than-expected hiatus over the summer, here are a couple more options for a quick mini-break in China before the cold weather sets in, or to serve as a bit of inspiration for the spring time. In whatever season you choose to travel, these two spots are definitely worth checking out, but for very different reasons: one is the biggest tourist destination in the country, even though many expats never really get to see it properly, and the other is an amazing hidden gem than even some locals have never heard of.

Due to space limitations, the Qinghai to Tibet Railway will be part of the next Mini-Break installment. And to allow for a bit more detail on each location, from now on this blog will only feature two mini-breaks at a time. So for now, enjoy Beijing and Zhenyuan.

Zhenyuan

Sometimes described as every mystical or historic place in China rolled into one, Zhenyuan is one of the towns in China that time forgot. While its mountains alone are not as spectacularly beautiful as Lijiang, and its rivers are not unusually blue like those in Zhou Jianguo, Zhenyuan has plenty to offer. The combination of Zhenyuan’s Wuyang River flowing through the middle of town, the karst mountains surrounding the small city and the narrow alleyways and ancient atmosphere will make visitors feel that they are on the set of a 16th century kung fu movie. The only difference is that Zhenyuan is legit, and better yet it is not nearly as crowded or touristy as the more popular and easier to get to options around the country - which makes Zhenyuan perfect for sampling 2,000 years of Chinese culture and history in a small, bite-sized serving.

Walking through the narrow streets and along the riverside it becomes clear why Zhenyuan is not overly eager to increase its international awareness. More visitors would quickly destroy the peaceful (by Chinese standards) life that permeates the area.

As for accommodations, it is absolutely worth spending the RMB 200 to 400 per night to book a balcony room in one of the quaint, low slung buildings along the river just to wake up and enjoy the early morning view as the sun hits the water. From here, you can also take in the lush hillsides and traditional architecture, in particular Zhenyuan’s famous arched Zhushen Bridge. There are other, cheaper options for modest hotels and homestays too, but riverside accommodation is worth the tiny splurge if you’ve already come this far.

When you are finished snapping photos and trying the local food in town, it would be a huge mistake to miss taking a boat tour up the river to see some of the region’s natural beauty. The green water against the black, white and green of the mountains, and their near-vertical angle against the river makes for an unforgettable boating experience, and since the water is so flat and slow, there is little chance of motion sickness for even the least seaworthy visitor.

While not always the most spectacular attraction in Zhenyuan for Westerners, though it is the big deal for locals, the Qinglong/Black Dragon Cave is an interesting and eclectic collection of Buddhist, Daohist and Confucianist temples, shrines and pavilions housed inside a man-made overhanging quarry. Some of the artifacts and architecture inside date back to the 14th century during the Ming Dynasty.

Getting to Zhenyuan is slow, but not that difficult. The easiest way is to fly into Guiyang, Guizhou Province and then take the train from Guiyang to Zhenyuan. The trip is about four hours. One word of caution: the summers are quite hot in Guizhou, and if it is a dry year the water can be lower than usual, so some minor inlets may not be passable by boat. The ideal time to visit is spring or early autumn.

Beijing

It is surprising how many expats live in China for years and never actually spend any time experiencing Beijing. Many reason that they have been there on business and that was good enough, but in actuality China’s capital has loads to offer for a quick two, three or four day trip.

The big ticket items of course are the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Great Wall. All of these sites deserve the recognition they get as cultural wonders, but just strolling around the hutongs and even hitting up a few of the uber-fancy shopping malls is also worth an hour or two of your time in Beijing. Plus, there are very few neighborhoods anywhere in Asia that can compare to the Embassy District in terms of relaxed strolling around-ability.

When visiting the Forbidden City, earlier is better. Plan to get there at 7 a.m. to beat the crowds, and don’t take too long in the outer courtyards because all too soon the masses will start to pin you in. Don’t miss the clock exhibit though, as it gives a glimpse into the opulence of the emperors, intriguingly juxtaposed to the poor conditions of peasants in that same time period. Keep moving methodically and plan to exit out the back for early lunch, choosing one of the myriad restaurants in the area.

After lunch, head back toward the entrance of the Forbidden City and cross the road to Tiananmen Square for the ubiquitous Instagram photo, then check out some of China’s modern government buildings. And for dinner, as kitsch as it sounds, don’t skip the Peking duck. It really is better in Beijing, it’s available all over and prices range from reasonable to stupidly expensive.

For more Chinese imperial majesty, the Summer Palace is magnificent in warm weather and a great place to walk around and enjoy the scenery, including a huge lake with lots of greenery and traditional architecture fit for the final empress. Just bring comfortable shoes, since it takes a while to get through the whole thing.

Rounding out the must-sees, the Great Wall is not to be missed, and so long as you go on a weekday it is usually not too crowded. Mutianyu is the best preserved segment (read: restored) of the wall, and offers the best views as it squirms off into the distant hills, plus there’s a cable car to get up and the option of a bobsled-type cart to get back down, as long as the track is not wet. Buses are around RMB 50 and most leave pretty early, so this can be a half-ish day trip.

Lodging in Beijing runs the gamut from hostels to 5-star luxury; just look online for what you can afford and what is convenient to where you want to be, since Beijing is sprawling. As far as travel options, Beijing is about as easy as it gets, with multiple daily flights and high-speed trains to and from every part of the country.

Next Time: The Qinghai to Tibet Railway: the highest train voyage on Earth, and Xi’an. You can also check out previous guides here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.

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