China Travel Blog

When we think of the places paparazzi flock to, we think of red carpet premieres, starlets in designer gowns, and events generally far removed from our day-to-day life. We definitely don’t think of rustic Guizhou province in southern China.  But that is exactly where the paparazzi was. Well, sort of…

This fall, renowned photographer, mountaineer, and AsiaTravel expert Stefen Chow led a high school photography trip down to China’s southwest. In addition to regular photo assignments from Stefen, the students were tasked with acting as the paparazzi at a traditional Miao wedding. Over the course of a week, the students honed a variety of photography skills, from capturing the story of a place, to selling a location, to interviewing their subjects to get the full story behind their shots.

Below is a selection of the students’ work:

(A villager caring for his ox)

(Student photo of a dog being fed at the table. This gentlemen has fed the dog for over 6 years.)

(Group photo following the wedding)

Working with a small, select group of 16 students, Stefen was able to give them personal, one-on-one attention throughout the workshop. Students came with varying levels of experience in photography: while some had bought their cameras just the day before the trip, others had been shooting for more than 2 years. But all of them were united in their assessment of the adventure: simply incredible.

What did Stefen take away from it? He says at the end of the journey, several students told him it had been “the most memorable and impactful experience” of their lives. That’s why he does what he does–being outdoors shows people who they really are, and that first time stays with you forever. We couldn’t agree more. Sounds like the regular paparazzi should think about heading down to Guizhou once in a while.

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If you have questions about travel in Guizhou send us an email at info@wildchina.com and we will be happy to assist you.

On China’s northern edge there is a province that combines the wonder of the desert and the beauty of the grasslands for an experience that will take your breath away; this province is called Inner Mongolia. Similar to the legendary landscape of neighboring Mongolia, Inner Mongolia’s open spaces maintain a feeling of timeless tranquility unlike anywhere in China.

In the desert, atop a sleepy-eyed camel, cross the terrain at the lazy pace of traders who walked these lands hundreds, even thousands of years ago. As the sands whisper and swirl at your feet, imagine that the shapes you see in the distance are pack animals carrying the spices and silks of a foreign land. After disembarking from your camel, head to the grasslands where the surroundings turn from yellow to gentle green.

The grasslands provide a similar feeling to the endless deserts of Inner Mongolia, however your view is unimpeded by undulating sand dunes. As your eyes sweep across the horizon, the only reason your field of vision ends is because of the curvature of the earth. Looking into the distance you can almost hear the faraway galloping of the armies of Genghis Khan. After exploring these beautiful surroundings and working up an appetite, turn to the specialty of Inner Mongolia–delightful selections of sizzling, juicy lamb. When the sun fades and the stars begin to shine, climb into the cozy bed of your own personal yurt. Set up amongst the grasses of the steppe, these charming felt tents are the perfect hideaway to retire to for the evening. Best of all is awakening to the sunrise across the endless horizon just on your doorstep.

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If you are interested in traveling to Mongolia or Inner Mongolia, send us an email at info@wildchina.com.  We will be happy to assist you.

Depending on what city you are in, New Year’s Eve can take on a lot of different shapes. You can watch the ball drop in New York City, join the New Year’s day parade in London, or watch a Tostito chip drop if you are in Tempe, Arizona. While all of these may be impressive, if not amusing, they are nothing like being in Hong Kong to ring in the New Year.

It is no coincidence that the city we recommend for popping champagne and watching fireworks is the same one The Economist recognized this year as the best city in the world.  Not only will fireworks never be the same (Hong Kong goes notoriously overboard when planning its celebratory explosive light shows) but Hong Kong truly has something for everyone.

For those who have come from the blustery cold of northern Europe and North America, Asia’s World City offers a relatively warm January 1st, with temperatures between 8-15ºC (46 to 59ºF). Hong Kong ‘s sun stay hot and tropical so this is perfect weather for families to explore hikes around the territory and take the tram up to Hong Kong’s Peak for a beautiful view of the metropolis below. If you are staying on the Island, the Dragon’s Back Hike is a 15-minute cab ride away, while for those staying in Kowloon, Sai Kung Country Park–a true escape from the bustling crowds–can be reached in under half an hour.

When evening rolls around there are many locations from which to enjoy the night’s festivities. Reserve a table for yourselves at one of the city’s many restaurants to stage your own party complete with Christmas crackers, confetti, and plenty of Moët & Chandon. An excellent venue for this is The Pawn, and one of our favorites. If you go, trust us on this one and try their fresh seafood–it’s fantastic.  Celebrating New Year’s Eve with the entire family? Rent out a junk to float around Victoria Harbour for a truly singular view when the fireworks burst over head. It will be a reunion to remember.  Of course there are those who celebrate the New Year by traipsing around until the wee hours of the morning, and in this regard Hong Kong never fails to disappoint. Unlike the rest of the year, the buses and subway will run all night long on New Year’s Eve.  The vibrant bar scenes of both Lan Kwai Fong and Wanchai offer places galore–bumping clubs, relaxed lounges, and comfy pubs–just be sure to get there early as lines can build as you close in on midnight.

Make a mid-year resolution to plan a trip to the fragrant harbor this December to start 2013 off right in the shimmering streets of Hong Kong.

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If you have questions about travel in Hong Kong, send us an email at info@wildchina.com and we will be happy to assist you.

Photo of fireworks over northern Hong Kong Island by Voice of America.  Photo of Tailongwan (Big Wave Bay, Sai Kung) by AsiaTravel.

With a cool breeze heralding the beginning of fall, the stage was set for guests to enjoy a beautiful evening at Face Bar for yesterday’s Where the Wild Things Are: A AsiaTravel Series with speaker Laurence Brahm. After having a chance to mingle over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, guests headed inside as the light began to fade to hear Laurence discuss his experiences working in Asia.

Laurence’s presentation centered about his pursuit of social entrepreneurship in China. Whether it was training disabled Tibetan women to sew puppets and thereby giving them a sense of empowerment, or buying up land around the Great Wall to protect it from being turned into a tourist trap water park, Laurence has been a defender of local heritage. In addition to these projects Laurence also discussed his own hotel group Shambhala Serai. When one guest inquired what level of push-back he had received from the government for his private venture Laurence replied that it has been minimal. Laurence went on to explain that unlike an NGO, which can have financial backing that is harder to pin point, for profit organizations goals are simpler, and therefore less of a concern for the government. Helpful advice for those considering starting a business of their own in China.

We will definitely keep an eye on Laurence going forward to see what challenge he tackles next, whatever the issue though we see no reason why he won’t succeed.

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Our next Where The Wild Things Are: A AsiaTravel Series will feature food writer and cook Fuchsia Dunlop on October 12th. Stay tuned as full details will be coming out shortly.

 

 

 

On September 5th, join AsiaTravel for our latest installment of Where the Wild Things Are: A AsiaTravel Series which will feature Asian renaissance man Laurence Brahm. In addition to his many academic and business pursuits in Asia, Laurence is also the founder and CEO of Shambhala Serai, a sustainable cultural and eco-tourism boutique hotel group based in Tibet and Beijing. Stop by Beijing’s Face Bar for drink as Laurence discusses the implications and future of two of his favorite topics: Global Activism and Sustainable Tourism.

DETAILS:

When -Wednesday, September 5th at 6:30pm

Where– Face Bar  at No. 26 Dong Cao Yuan, Gong Ti Nan Street, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China.

How-The cost for the talk is RMB 80 and includes one drink and light appetizers. Reservations are required. To reserve tickets, please call 6465-6602 ext. 341 or email wherethewildthingsare@wildchina.com

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To learn more about our Where the Wild Things are Series please see our past events here.

Photo by courtesy of www.laurencebrahm.com

When was the last time you took a picture that could change the world? If your name is Sean Gallagher, then the answer could be “yesterday”. In addition to being a AsiaTravel expert, Sean is also an award winning photographer and videographer. Sean’s work has appeared in publications including TIME Magazine, The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Der Spiegel and National Geographic China. At present, Sean has turned his talents to reporting on the environmental degradation of the Tibetan Plateau for the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

Recently, China has decided to pour considerable energy into the development of its hyrdo-power infrastructure, to the tune of 25,000 dams across the country. With camera in hand, and pen at the ready, Sean has tackled the task of reporting on the effects of this situation. Paragraph by paragraph, snapshot by snapshot Sean is sharing the story he is uncovering with the world. And it is a tragic story. In the midst of the zeal with which China has pursued hydro-power, the effect on the local population has been ignored. Houses, schools, and hospitals have all been completely submerged necessitating the complete reconstruction of some villages to other parts of the country. As communities have been destroyed, the local infrastructure has been crippled forcing young people to depart for the cities looking for work.

There are no easy solutions to the problems caused by China’s energy needs, but if it weren’t for Sean’s work few would even know what was happening. Would you like to get a taste of looking at the real side of China? This fall, Sean will be heading back to Beijing to lead his Silk Road Photography Trip with AsiaTravel. His journey will traverse the Silk Road’s wind swept planes as he instructs participants on landscape, portrait, and time-lapse photography. Come join Sean in Xinjinag this fall and who knows, tomorrow your pictures may be changing the world.

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Do you have questions about environmental travel in China? Interested in something else? Send us an email at info@wildchina.com and we will be happy to assist you.

 

AsiaTravel featured blogger Chelin Miller catches us up on her recent trip to Yunnan:

The Millers (mum, dad and three daughters) spent a week in Yunnan’s Shangri-La, on a relaxing tour of the ‘Kingdom South of the Clouds’. We stayed at the wonderful Songtsam Lodges. It was a perfect trip to visit a part of China that still has not been spoiled by mass tourism, is off the beaten-track, and yet remains very comfortable. We were surrounded by amazing landscape, easily found activities to keep everyone entertained, and enjoyed friendly people and delicious food. Here are each family member’s favorite moments:

Dad: Turning up to a lodge and being welcomed by smiling, friendly faces – every time! Walking through the rain up the mountains to see the golden monkeys in Baima Nature Reserve.

Hannah (17): Hunting mushrooms in the mountainous forests near Benzilan and then BBQ-ing the mushrooms under the stars.

Eli (13): Making moon cakes in Tacheng – and eating them!

Nina (8): Horse riding in Shangri-La and chanting prayers with our guide, Dolma, who also taught me how to turn the prayer wheel in Tibetan temples.

Mum: Getting caught by the rain after picking up watermelons and stopping for shelter at a Naxi household. While waiting for the rain to stop, we sang songs with girls in the lodge, and ate fresh fruit. The best aspect though, was taking wonderful landscape photographs at dawn –in my pajamas, from my bedroom balcony! If you have a chance to come to Yunnan, we can assure you will not regret it.

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If you are interested in travel to Yunnan, we would recommend AsiaTravel’s Cultural Family Vacation, or if you are looking for a little more adventure, check out our Tea and Horse Caravan. If you have something else in mind, send an email at info@wildchina.com and we can begin building the perfect adventure for you.

To read more of Chelin’s blogs click here.

Photos by Chelin Miller.

Although AsiaTravel is proud of all its itineraries, it is not every one that has a National Geographic award. One such lucky trip is AsiaTravel’s Tea and Horse Caravan. Recognized in 2012 by National Geographic Traveler as one of 50 Tours of a Lifetime, the Tea and Horse route is truly spectacular. Led by intrepid explorer and AsiaTravel expert Jeff Fuchs (pictured below), the trip’s course takes an uninhibited look at Yunnan province. Year in and year out, Jeff returns to lead this trip so we sat down with him to find out why. He gave us three reasons:

Unparalleled Access: The path that Jeff takes through Yunnan is one he is intimately familiar with. All along the route, Jeff has cultivated relationships, not only with the locals who live there now, but also with the remaining elders who he notes once “traveled, traded, and gave the ancient journey life.” Jeff has tailored this adventure to cross paths with these individuals, every one of whom is ready to share the oral traditions of their past. Guide books often discuss tired elements of a trip that have long since lost their bite, but Jeff’s ability to speak Tibetan, Mandarin, and Hani open the door for you to enjoy your own original experience. One of Jeff’s favorite aspects of this trip  “is that there is still so much more to dig into, both from a physical sense and from a cultural perspective.”

Historical significance: The Tea and Horse Caravan route is not simply a trip to China’s countryside–it is a journey through living history. Jeff explains that, “The Tea and Horse Road opens up not only Yunnan’s minority regions, but specifically how those minorities are related to tea, the trade route itself, and how they relate to each other. The route follows a path that has been an ancient pilgrimage, trade, and migration route for over a millennium. As each of the layers of the story of this trade route are uncovered, we see one of the most daunting expeditions on the planet, linking Asia’s eternal green commodity, tea, across a huge width of the Himalayas and beyond.”

One of a kind landscape: As you are conversing with locals and and studying the history that surrounds you, what will the surroundings be like? Simply stunning. Jeff reveals a slight smile, and his eyes light up, when he tells us he “would happily wither away in a tea swoon in the tea forests of Xishuangbanna. It is there that a sub-tropical and mystical quality creates a slightly calmer pace that puts one in a pleasant state of bliss.” The mood changes considerably as you move into the Himalayas where “the air clears and becomes sharper, the winds start to buzz and thump, and there is a really tangible sense that one is leaving one sanctum and entering into the mountains’ playgrounds.” Lush forest followed by austere mountains set the scene for getting those “WOW” photos to share with friends and family back home.

If these three reasons are not enough, consider the reviews of two 2011 AsiaTravel travelers Rob and Lynne. Following the expedition they stated, “Getting off the beaten track was number one for us. Jeff and the guides had a unique skill at getting local folk to open up and to share their world with complete strangers.” By the time you finish this trip you won’t feel like strangers, you will feel like you have been walking this route all your life, shoulder to shoulder with those you have met on your journey.

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Interested in joining Jeff Fuchs on his next trip to Yunnan? Looking for something else? Send us an email at info@wildchina.com and we will start working on the perfect itinerary for your adventure.

Photos by Jeff Fuchs and Paul Mooney.

 

On Saturday, August 31st, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake occurred China’s southwestern province of Yunnan.  The quake hit the counties of Shangri-La and Deqin, on the border with Sichuan, at 8:04 a.m. local time.

No AsiaTravel travelers have been hurt or seriously affected by the incident.

Local authorities have reported 3 casualties and 50-plus injured, mostly due to landslides caused by the quake.

The roads connecting Shangri-La and Deqin have been blocked by landslides, and the Songtsam Benzilan and Songstam Meili hotels in the area are also temporarily closed due to power outages.

Since Saturday, over 300 aftershocks have been recorded by the China Earthquake Networks Center, with the largest measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale. In the short term, the Tibetan Autonomous Region of Deqin recommend tourists and residents in Shangri-La not visit Tiger Leaping Gorge, Meili Snow Mountain and Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey National Park.  Local tourism authorities have also shut down some scenic spots to avoid potential risks.

If you are a AsiaTravel traveler and had a trip planned to Shangri-La, one of our travel consultants will be in touch with you or you can email us at: info@wildchina.com.

Much of western China, and its neighboring areas of Central Asia, is prone to earthquakes caused by the impact of the Indian Plate into the Eurasia Plate. Over time, this collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates has lead to the formation of the Himalayan Mountains, the Tibetan Plateau, and the mountains of southwest China, Central Asia and the Hindu Kush.

 

UPDATE – September 10, 2013:

There are currently no restrictions on traveling to Shangri-La, though access to some of the more remote regions in Yunnan continues to be affected.

If you intend to travel to northern Yunnan–specifically to Meili, Deqin or Weixi, please note that the road heading west from Nixi is currently closed. This restricts access to Songstam Lodges (Meili/Benzilan) and to western Sichuan via Derong. Songstam Meili is scheduled to reopen to the public on September 17th, while Songstam Benzilan will remain closed until further notice. 

If you are planning to visit the Yading nature reserve (Sichuan), the road to Xiangcheng from Shangri-La is open, though it is in poor condition and AsiaTravel does not recommend taking it during this period. In addition, the road between between Tibet and northern Yunnan remains closed.

We are paying close attention to the situation and will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.

BREAKING – August 30, 2013

At 1:27 p.m. local time, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake was registered by the China Earthquake Networks Center in Urumqi, the capital city of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China.   The epicenter was at a depth of 12 kilometers (approximately 7.5 miles).

As of 3:44 p.m. today, no casualties or injuries have been reported. There are currently no AsiaTravel travelers in the area of the earthquake.

As with all earthquakes of this magnitude and higher, visitors and residents are advised to travel with care and be mindful of aftershocks.

We at AsiaTravel will continue to monitor the situation and provide any updates that become available.