10 authentic China trips for 2012(2)

6. Suzhou, Jiangsu Province (江苏省苏州市)

Suzhou lies 30 minutes west of Shanghai by bullet train; the city is a scenic haven with a lot of canals, carefully planned-out ancient gardens and delicious freshwater river fish.

Don’t get stuck on the modern shopping streets. It’s not worth it. Instead, venture to Shantang Jie (山塘街) or Pingjiang Lu (平江路).

Shantang Jie is an 11-kilometer strip of ancient architecture, lined with shops, restaurants and opera houses. Canal boat rides are also available but this hub is primarily for people looking to shop for souvenirs.

Pingjiang Lu is an idyllic cobblestone street that runs alongside a canal. It’s narrow but is a typical old-school Suzhou street with its quaint teahouses overlooking the canal and pedestrian-only roads.

Once the sightseeing is done, try the city’s signature mandarin squirrelfish (松鼠桂鱼) -- a porcupine looking fish dish that is both sweet and sour.

It can be found at most high-end Suzhou restaurants, but De Ye Lou (得月楼) is one of the best. The establishment dates back to the Ming Dynasty. The fish is priced at RMB 168.

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De Yue Lou, 27 Taijian Long, near Guanqian Jie, Suzhou, 苏州观前街太监弄43号, +86 512 6523 8940, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m.

7. Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province (江西省景德镇)

The porcelain capital of the Orient, Jingdezhen is the place to get china from China. Even the local traffic lights are adorned in bright blue and white porcelain.

Jingdezhen has a 1,700-year history of porcelain production. Budding artisans and tourists alike can try their hand at the antique craft for RMB 50 at the Ceramic History Museum (陶瓷历史博物馆).

For a more scenic day trip, visit the Dragon Pearl Pavilion (龙珠阁) for its historical ties to the ancient ceramic industry.

The landmark used to be the imperial ceramic plant of the Ming and Qing dynasties. But it has been transformed to a museum featuring hundreds of imperial ceramic wares produced at the height of the Ming dynasty.

Local specialties like jiaoziba (sticky rice cake dumpling) and fried wontons can be found in the Dajianong area. Dajianong is home to a ceramic factory but is surrounded with food stands and local snacks.

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Ceramic History Museum is inside Jingdezhen’s Ceramic Culture Exhibition Area. Panlong Gang, Mable Hill, Jingdezhen 景德镇市枫树山蟠龙岗, +86 798 852 1594, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Dragon Pearl Pavilion, Zhonghua Bei Lu, Zhugan District, Jingdezhen 景德镇市珠杆区中华北路

8. Gulangyu, Xiamen, Fujian Province (福建省厦门市鼓浪屿)

Motor vehicles are completely banned on this 1.87-square-kilometer island south of Xiamen, which makes for a great stress-free strolling experience (a rarity in China).

Only accessible by ferry, the island was an international settlement in the early 20th century.

Today, it’s a major tourist hub complete with an aquarium and nightly piano concerts. The miniature oasis has extremely clean streets and is perfect for those looking to literally sit back and relax.

Spend an entire day strolling through the city alleyways and you’ll find yourself in a maze of restaurants, shops, hotels and a surprisingly large concentration of churches. On Sundays you can hear hymns being sung in churches throughout the island.

Nicknamed “Piano Island,” Gulangyu is known for its music and houses China’s only piano museum. Local households on the island contain more than 200 pianos, including rare collector pieces dating back from the 1800s.

Gulangyu’s cuisine is all about the sea. Shuyou Seafood Restaurant (舒友海鲜大酒楼) has one of the freshest seafood selections in Xiamen where you can take your pick of scallops, lobsters and crabs.

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Gulangyu Piano Museum, inside Shuzhuang Garden, Gulangyu 鼓浪屿菽庄花园内, RMB 30, 8:15 a.m.- 7 p.m. (summer); 8:15 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (winter)
Shu you Seafood Restaurant, 97 Hubin North Road, Siming District, Gulangyu 鼓浪屿思明区湖滨北路97号, +86 592 5338899, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

9. Lijiang, Yunan Province (云南省丽江市)

Escape to a timeless land known for its scenery but worth the visit simply because it has yak milk.

The Yunnan town was a major trading hub eight centuries ago due to to its extensive waterways and bridges.

A trip to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town is practically mandatory; bonfires are lit at night and people dance in the city square.

Also be sure to head over to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山), an iconic Lijiang attraction capped with snow all year long.

Lijiang is the home of the Naxi, an ethnic minority group and one of the few remaining people to still write using hieroglyphs in the world.

The local Naxi cuisine features dairy and beef products like yogurt, yak cheese, yak steak and yak butter.

The local beverage is yak milk tea (who would’ve guessed?).

And if you still haven’t had enough, you can take a day trip out to Yak Meadows (60 kilometers from Old Town) and ride on a yak.

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10. Hainan Province (海南省)

During winter, Chinese and Russian tourists alike flock to Hainan to escape the bitter cold.

Literally meaning “south of the sea”, around half of the island’s coastline is made up of beaches between 600 meters and 1,000 meters wide. The combination of tropical monsoon climate, beaches and luxury resorts has granted its title as “China's Hawaii.”

To experience five-star luxury at its height, stay at one of the many international resorts along Yalong Bay in Sanya (三亚亚龙湾). Most have private beaches where you can enjoy a variety of water sports, such as surfing, jet-skiing and yachting.

Last November, Mission Hills opened the world's largest spa complex in Haikou -- Mission Hills Volcanic Mineral Springs. The whole complex covers nearly 89,000 square meters.

Nanwan Monkey Island (三亚南湾猴岛), which is about an hour's drive northeast of Sanya, is also worth visiting for its state-protected macaques and its 2,000-meter transoceanic ropeway.

At the centre of Hainan island, Wuzhi Mountain (五指山) is known for its waterfalls and small villages of the Li and Miao minorities.

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Mission Hills, No.1, Mission Hills Blvd., Haikou, Hainan 海南省海口市观澜湖大道1号, +86 21 6868 3888, www.missionhillschina.com