Off the beaten track

Avid travelers left unsatisfied after ordinary weekend getaways to neighboring Suzhou and Hangzhou may want to consider a further trek away from Shanghai this May holiday weekend.

Not so popular by comparison, the southern Zhejiang and Fujian provinces nonetheless remain home to some of the country's best-kept gems. Whether it's discovering ancient Hakka culture, visiting the vast mountainside or taking in fresh island air - the region boasts several spots sure to appease those wanting a different kind of travel experience. Shanghai Star Weekend reporters Shi Yingying and Chen Weihua discover a few of China's less traveled roads.

Mystical tulous

Once mistakenly believed to be a missile launch site by American spy satellites in the 1980s, these giant tulous, or Hakka earth buildings are as young as 30 years and as old as 700 years. Only found in Fujian province, particularly in the southern Nanjing and Yongding counties, the dominant Hakka people originally built them to protect themselves from invaders after fleeing from turmoil in central China as early back as the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Thousands of them, mostly round or square in shape, are made from packed mud - with walls as thick as 2 meters. The sizes vary. Some house as few as 10 families while others hold up to 600 people.

Though tourism to the area has surged since dozens of the tulous were added to UNESCO's World Heritage list last July, the Hakka earth buildings remain relatively under explored by tourists.

How to get there

Fly to Xiamen on Spring Airline and take a bus from the Xiamen Hubin Bus Terminal to Nanjing (32 yuan for one-way fare) or Yongding (48 yuan for one-way fare). Transfer to a local bus to various tulou locations.

Where to stay

Local hotels also offer tulou tours. Call Yiyuan Hotel at 0596-777-1825 for rooms starting from 80 yuan per night, or call Tulou Renjia at 0596-777-1980 for rooms starting at 100 yuan per night.

Yuyao rarities

Near Yuyao city, Simingshan town in southern Zhejiang province, showcases its unique maple tree season in May, offering tourists the opportunity to appreciate a seasonal rarity ahead of autumn. Thousands of maple trees with fire-red leaves dot the small town. Adorning the landscape, the vibrant leaves draw much attention at this time of year because they give the picturesque illusion of a town up in flames.

Neighboring Simingshan town, Dalan, also close to the city of Yuyao, is another good destination at this time of year, especially as its annual two-week tea festival gets underway at the end of the month. Grown and prepared by local farmers, the town's most famous Siming Longjian tea blend offers a true taste of Dalan.

How to get there

Take the three-hour train to Yuyao from the Shanghai Railway Station or Shanghai South Railway station (78 yuan for one-way fare). Then take a 30-minute bus ride to Simingshan town or Dalan town (under 10 yuan for one-way fares) from the Yuyao South Bus Station.

Where to stay

With a range of two to five-star hotels in Yuyao, rooms start from about 135 yuan per night to 688 yuan per night. For more details, call two-star Nan Lei Hotel at 0574-6273-2066, or five-star Yuyao Hotel at 0574-6270-8888.

Sea bound

Offering a tranquil escape from city life, Yushan Island lies about 25 nautical miles southeast of Xiangshan in Zhejiang province, near the shores of Taiwan.

Due to its remote location, the small island was only in recent years recognized by tourists for its myriad of charms. Boasting the likes of fresh island air and friendly climes all year round, it is also a seafood-lover's paradise with mussel, whelk, cockle, cuttlefish and crab specialties. Bring your fishing rod and camping gear to fully exploit all the island has to offer.

How to get there

Take a five-hour bus to Xiangshan from the Shanghai Bus Terminal (146 yuan for one-way fare) followed by a two-hour boat ride to Yushan Island (local fisherman ferry tourists across for about 60 to 80 yuan per ride).

Where to stay

Tourists are recommended to stay in Xiangshan where two and three-star hotels range from 60 yuan per night to 300 per night.

Ancient beauty

Xianju, a county in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, translates into English as "the place where immortals live". Similar to scenes commonly depicted in traditional Chinese ink paintings, the ancient town is surrounded by wondrous mountain scenery. The famous 5.5-kilometer-long Yong'an stream is a huge attraction in May during prime bamboo-rafting season. Tour guides, trained in folk-singing, paddle visitors around while gracing travelers with local melodies.

In the same county, Potan is also worth visiting, time permitting. It is home to traditional Chinese shops, banks, brothels and teahouses from 1,000 years ago, when the town was at the height of its development as a local sea hub and served as the area's major entertainment center.

How to get there

Take a five-hour bus ride to Xianju from the Shanghai Bus Terminal (137 yuan for one-way fare) followed by a one-hour bus ride to Potan (under 10 yuan for one-way fare).

Where to stay

Booking through a travel agency is recommended. Call Oriental Travel at 0576-8781-8511, or Datang Travel at 0576-8781-1106 for more details.

Mountain climb

The highest peak of Jiangxi province, Wugong Mountain stands 1,918 meters tall on the southeast edge of Pingxiang city. After a four-hour climb up, the breathtaking view is shared with over 66 sq. km of marvelous mountaintop grasslands - but it is the ancient group of 1,700-year-old altars amid the lush greens that is most intriguing. Though it remains unknown to this day, the altars are believed to have once been used as part of a Taoist ritual long ago.

Wugong became instantly popular among locals back in 1638, after Chinese geographer Xu Xiake visited the mountain and wrote about his favorable impressions. Evident by its remaining 100 churches and temples built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the mountainous area still maintains a strong Taoist culture.

How to get there

Take the six-hour train to Pingxiang from the Shanghai Train Station (137 yuan for one-way fare) followed by a one-hour bus ride to Wugong Mountain (15 yuan per one-way fare).

Where to stay

For a mountaintop stay call Lily Garden at 0799-759-0128 for rooms starting at 200 yuan per night, or for a mountainside stay call Wugong Mountain Garden at 0799-763-6536 for rooms starting at 388 yuan per night. Other options include two to five-star hotels in Pingxiang ranging from 118 yuan per night to 368 yuan per night.

(China Daily 04/25/2009 page13)