Retreat to a village in the clouds

Located at an altitude of more than 600 meters, Shihan village nestles among clouds on a mountain in Qiongzhong county, in the central part of Hainan province.

With its natural scenery and ethnic cultures, it is the perfect getaway from the stresses and strains of city life.

The village has more than 300 ethnic Miao and 200 ethnic Li. It used to be the most impoverished village in the county due to inconvenient transport, remote location and a backward economy.

However, since 2009, thanks to financial support from the provincial and county governments, the village has taken on an entire new look, with the repairing of dilapidated houses and construction of public facilities such as a square, inns, fishing area and barbecue area.

Nowadays, the residents live in new houses and have extra rooms they can use as homestays.

Although many rooms have no air conditioners, the village is an ideal place to escape the summer heat as it is cool at night due to its altitude.

The village receives about 200 visitors a day and villager Li Zhengfu said, "Sometimes there are not sufficient beds for visitors."

In all, the village offers 15 homestay rooms, with prices ranging from 80 ($12.50) to 100 yuan per day, and two inns with 70 beds in total, with rooms priced between 80 and 198 yuan per day. Visitors can also camp in the open air for 50 yuan per night.

Wang Guomin, who owns a homestay in the village, said he hosted about 100 visitors during the Spring Festival, and made more than 5,000 yuan in one day from meals.

Travelers can enjoy authentic Miao and Li delicacies, including wild vegetables and bamboo shoots fresh from the mountain, along with rice wine.

It's also an ideal location to enjoy performances of dancing, embroidery, archery and other skills of the Miao and Li ethnic minorities.

huangyiming@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 08/31/2015 page12)