There goes a saying that coconuts of Wenchang yield half of those grown in Hainan and the most famous is Dongjiao Coconut Plantation. ity in Hainan and is most well-known for its broad coconut plantation.

There goes a saying that coconuts of Wenchang yield half of those grown in Hainan and the most famous is Dongjiao Coconut Plantation. The plantation is literally a forest with over 500,000 coconut trees including the red, green, well-bred, short, tall and other varieties. Some short arecas are immingled among them, which quite resemble the coconuts, so the Hainan people call them ‘Trees of Lovers’, coconuts the heroes and arecas the beauties. The trees not only provide a scenic backdrop and savory fruit, but they also act as a shield against the frequent typhoons here.

Walking along the shady paths in the forest, special scenic spots provide a feast for the senses. Coconut Bayou, whose scenery is pictured on the famous series of stamps named ‘Seashore Scenery’, engenders a peaceful and idyllic feeling of nature. In the Coconut Park, you’ll be inundated in a sea of coconuts of different shapes and sizes, including the uniquely ‘King Three Branches of Coconuts’ named for the grotesquely large branches in the tree. Dongjiao is also home to a thriving fishing industry. Facilities have been established to ensure maritime safety including an ancient beacon to guide the passing boats. Also noteworthy is Shuiwei Shengniang Miao, a temple for praying to the believed goddess Shuiwei Shengniang to protect the fishermen.

Nanhu Lake is an ideal place to entertain yourself. In the park, you can fully appreciate the views of various plants, such as Pinang, Chinese fan palms, and other tropical trees. There is a garden with hundreds of precious flowers and bamboo, in which three inner gardens are very attractive places. There are Chinese herbal gardens with over 200 Chinese herbs, orchid gardens and bonsai gardens. A visit in the gardens will reward you with not only abundant knowledge but also the pleasures of nature’s beauty.

Above the lake, there is a nine-arch bridge, a scenic bridge, and a long bank where you can get a view of the lake. Fish eateries will also provide you delicious local food. Either boating on the lake or fishing at the shore can offer you an escape from the pressures of city life indeed.

What is worth else to visit in the park is the Baise Uprising Museums built in 1984 and in memory of Baise and Longzhou Uprising which broke out 1927 and was led by Dengxiaoping, one of the most prestige leaders of Chinese communist part.

Tickets: Free
Opening Hour: 8:30-11:30, 14:30-17:00;8:30-17:00 (on holidays)
Bus Route: 3,8,14,20,33,60,65,80,86,215

When traveling by steamboat along the river, Suojiang Pagoda is the first thing you see as you enter the district of Jiujiang, and thus is regarded as the symbol of Jiujiang City.

Suojiang Tower was firstly built in 1586 by an official of Jiujiang City, Wu Xiu, in the Wanli Reign of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was built because the low-lying city of Jiujiang, surrounded on three sides by the Yangtze River, was vulnerable to flooding. It took eighteen years for the tower, which was paid for by collections of money, to be built. Suojiang Tower has three stories and is surrounded by four iron oxen.

A pagoda was built at a later point near Suojiang Tower – Suojiang Pagoda, also known as Wenfeng Pagoda. Standing at a height of about 35 meters (about 115 feet), people can travel to the top of the Pagoda via a wooden staircase, where they can receive a view of Jiujiang City and Yangtze River. Suojiang Pagoda is built of stones and medieval thick bricks, making its seven stories very solid.

Suojiang Tower and Pagoda were built to protect people from disasters, but these structures don’t seem to have the same power over themselves. The ravages of earthquakes and wars led to Suojiang Tower being almost completely destroyed. In the Second World War, Japanese invaders shelled Jiujiang City with cannons. Suojiang Pagoda was caught up in a bombardment. Because of the shelling, the Pagoda now slopes northeastward; the top of the Pagoda has already strayed away from the centerline by about 76 centimeters (2 feet). The fact the Pagoda is still standing is an attestation to the wonderful skills of the ancient workmen.

In 2004, the local government rebuilt and restored Suojiang Tower and Pagoda in order to preserve these fantastic examples of ancient architecture. Both are well worth a visit while you are in Jiujiang.

In order to commemorate Tsong Khapa (1357-1419), founder of the Yellow Hat Sect, the Ta’er Monastery was built in 1577 more than 150 years after his death. Now the Ta’er Monastery is considered a sacred place in China.

In the Tibetan language, Ta’er Monastery is called ‘gongben’, which means ’10,000 figures of Buddha’. During its long 400 years of history, it has gradually become a place of interest for its distinct ethnic color and native style. The whole area covers more than 144 thousand square meters (about 36 acres) with mountains surrounding it. It has 9,300 rooms and 52 halls. Just judging from these figures, you can imagine what a splendid place it is. The Ta’er Monastery is a group of fine buildings in a combination of both the Han and Tibetan styles of architecture on the mountain slopes. It has lofty temples and halls rising one upon another. The palace buildings, Buddhist halls, sleeping quarters, as well as the courtyards echo each other and thus enhance the beauty of the whole area.

Among so many buildings, the Great Hall of the Golden Roof and the Great Hall of Meditation are the main parts.

As the center core building, the Great Hall of the Golden Roof is in the middle of the monastery. Its colorful gates, which are different in length, are carved into various flower patterns and painted with multifarious fresh colors. The surfaces of the walls are covered with green ceramic tiles and embedded with countless pearls, agates, and gems, making the whole hall sparkle.

Inside the hall, there is a silver tower built to commemorate Tsong Khapa. This tower is also embedded with many kinds of jewels and wrapped with ten layers of pure white Hada (raw silk fabric presented to exalted guests to express purity, honesty and respect) to show its grandness. In front of the tower golden and silver lights and old flasks are displayed with more than 5,000 small golden figures of Buddha surrounding them, which enhance the stateliness of the Tsong Khapa’s statue in the shrine. In the ark behind the hall, the treasures of the Yellow Hat Sect are stored. They are considered very precious relics of the Ta’er Monastery.

The Great Hall of Meditation is the authoritative institution for the religious organization of the monastery. It is the biggest structure and lies rightly in front of the Great Hall of the Golden Roof. Long and short pillars are carved with beautiful patterns and swathed with colorful felts on which there are embroideries and long narrow flags for decoration. Hanging from all four walls, there are lively and unique pictures of the story of Buddhism and religious life. A pure gold tower stands in the hall that contains the ashes of Tsong Khapa.

The Ta’er Monastery is rich in fascinating arts. The famous butter sculptures, the barbolas, and the murals are considered to be the three most unique arts of superb craftsmanship.

Tickets: CNY 80

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park has been described differently, such as, majestic, eccentric, tranquil, delicate and wild. The park features grotesque peaks, lucid brooks, abundant fauna and floras and hospitable climate. There are six main scenic spots and over 90 smaller ones in the park to date.

Main scenic spots:Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is endowed with many scenic spots, such as the Yellow Stone Stronghold (Huangshizhai), Yaozizhai, Yuanjiajie and the Golden Whip Stream.

Yellow Stone Stronghold (Huangshizhai)

Yellow Stone Stronghold (Huangshizhai), Yaozizhai is located west of the park. It is named after a story whereby Huang Shi saved Zhang Liang from misfortune when the latter isolated himself from society in this forest.

Occupying an area of 41 acres and 1,200 meters (0.8 miles) above sea level, this stronghold is the largest observing spot of the forest park. One cannot claim to have visited Zhangjiajie without visiting Yellow Stone Stronghold. The main scenic spots include Tranquil Trail in Fir Woods, Imperial Edict and the Precious Box, Needle Peak, the Southern Gate to Heaven, Five-Finger Peak and so on.

Golden Whip Stream

Sceneries along the Golden Whip Stream are most enchanting in the park. Named after the Golden Whip Rock that it flows by, this stream, 5.7 kilometers long (3.5 miles), joins the Lute stream in the west and Suoxi Stream in the east. A 300-meter (984 feet) walk from the gate of the park will lead you to the entrance of the Golden Whip Stream. Flanked by ridges and peaks, the crystal clear water makes it possible to observe every action of the fish in the water. Wild flowers are in abundance here.

On the way, girls from Tujia will present visitors traditional folk songs when requested. The main scenic spots here include: the Welcoming Guests Rock, Golden Whip Rock, Reunion Rock and the Purple Grass Pond.

Yuanjiajie

The northern part of the park is the essential tourist route. Yuanjiajie is a natural platform that faces giant rocks rising from deep valleys and surrounded by higher mountains. Unique in their shapes and covered with pine trees, these rocks resemble a vivid Chinese painting.

Main scenic spots include: Back Garden, breath taking Mihun Stage and the First Bridge under the Sun.

Climate:It belongs to the sub-tropical climate of Central Asia. Splendid mountains and luxuriant trees help form a favorable climate: warm in winter and cool in summer. The average temperature is 13C (55F), the highest 17C (62F ) while the lowest is 10C (50F) on average in winter. The charm of the park varies with the alternation of seasons; therefore, it attracts visitors all year round. Besides its pleasant climate, the environment and air quality also provide visitors a chance to breathe healthy air which is believed to be rich in negative oxygen. It is also believed that hypertension patient may have their blood pressure lowered if they stay in the park for a period of time. This is due to the fact that dust particles in the park are 88% lower and the air 10% mistier than outside.

Foliage:About 98% of the area is covered with vegetation. There are 720 species of the 102 families, including all the five most important floras, namely, the rose family, pulse family, grass family, composite family and orchid family. Some of these trees are rare and regarded as national treasure. For example, the Dove tree, known as living fossil, can be traced back as early as the Fourth Ice Age. The great variety of plants in the park takes up 82% of all the flora families in Hunan Province.

Animals :Zhangjiajie National Forest Park also boasts a variety of animals. Exuberant forests offer them ideal habitats to live in and procreate their own species. There are more than 149 kinds of chordate animals inhabitants in this park. Among them, 28 kinds are under national protection, amongst which, are the Golden Pheasant, Rhesus Monkey, Giant Salamander and Musk Deer. Visitors will be able to hear birds singing and see monkeys playing in the tree.

Ticket:
Zhangjiajie Forest Park: CNY 245
Huanglong Cave: CNY 80
Baofeng Lake: CNY 74

Chongqing itself has undergone many changes over the centuries, changes that have not been reflected in Ci Qi Kou with the consequence that the village conveys an impression of what Chongqing would have been like in the distant past. This fact has been recognized by the State Council and in 1998 Ci Qi Kou became a protected cultural site.

The history of Ci Qi Kou can be traced back for more than 1700 years. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911) it was famous for its production of porcelain. To date, over twenty old kiln sites have been discovered there. It is because of the importance of the porcelain industry that the name has been changed from Long Yin to Ci Qi Kou which being translated means Porcelain Village. However, the village was also an important supply post for shipping on the river, a fact that explains why there are so many shops lining the twelve lanes paved with their large flag stones that form the main routes. Here you will find many outlets for craftwork, groceries and the like as well as a horologist, photography supplies, drugstore and a tempting supply of roasted nuts and seeds. As one would expect there are also many teashops and restaurants to cater for the many visitors who come to see something of a way of life that has existed here for so many centuries.

The majority of the houses date from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, periods during which many masterpieces of Chinese architecture were created. Much of the two and three storey construction is of bamboo and timber. Blue bricks and pillars set off the snow-white walls that contrast in turn with vermilion doors and lattice windows. Black tablets and lanterns adorn the gates to complete the authentic and traditional appearance of the properties. The quietly flowing waters of the Jia Ling River pass by the front of the village and have been its lifeblood for as long as anyone can remember. For it was the river that brought goods and people here as well as carrying local products off to customers at home and abroad.

The three notable attractions of the village are the tea bars, the artists’ studios and the Shu Embroidery workshops. Surprisingly, there are more than a hundred tea bars each with their own particular characteristics. Here friends enjoy a chat or meet to discuss business. So the tea bars offer the opportunity for you to meet the locals and also become acquainted with the unique folk opera.

The ateliers, where you may see the work of the local artists will be of great interest. It has been said that the more beautiful a place may be, the more artists it will attract. You are sure to be amazed by the quality of the work on show and in progress as the many artists record the local scenes with skill and dedication. With so many artists working in Ci Qi Kou, you will be spoiled for choice when seeking a souvenir of your visit.

Artistic ability of another kind will sure to please your eye when you visit a Shu Embroidery workshop. The craft is famous throughout China and the skill of the women you will observe working in the village is unsurpassed. It will be difficult to decide whether to opt for a painting or a piece of embroidery as a reminder of your visit as the choice on offer is truly stunning.

Choice is no less a problem when it comes to deciding where to take a meal at one of the many restaurants. Local dishes include Mao Xue Wang, Qian Zhang Pi and JiaoYan Huang Sheng. All come very highly recommended. You may well ask ‘What on earth are they?’ It is our opinion that whichever you try, you will not be disappointed and will soon come to realise why they are so popular.

It is often said that a visit to China is a cultural experience. This is never more true than when you visit a place such as Ci Qi Kou where you will find the local residents dedicated to their traditional way of life, unaffected by modern influences to be found in the larger towns and cities. Above all, you will find a friendly welcome awaits you as the people of Ci Qi Kou share their special way of life with you for the duration of your visit.

Bus Route: 202, 220, 237, 467, 503,802(night), 808, 843

This street is composed of three parts each of which fully reflects its prosperous past and its important position as a transportation center: Ming Street, Qing Street and the Old Pier.

Ming Street was established in the Ming Dynasty (1271-1368) and is about 90 meters (about 295 feet) long and 3 meters (about 9.8 feet) wide. This arch-shaped street is paved with blue bricks, which are put together and arranged in the shape of turtle shells. From a distance it seems as if crowds of tortoises are creeping toward the pier from the village. The old buildings flanking the sides of the street are, like the rest of the street, very well preserved and have survived through more than 600 years of political and other historical changes. These Ming Dynasty buildings are now listed in the major protected heritage areas of Jindezhen because of their architectural and historical value.

Qing Street was established in the Qing Dynasty (1368-1644) and is much longer and wider than the Ming Street. It is 231 meters (about 758 feet) long and about 4 meters (about 13 feet) wide and is paved with long blue flagstones. The ruts on the stones were created by the old-fashioned wheelbarrows that were in common use in the past. This street was a very prosperous commercial area during the Qing Dynasty and the shops, teahouses and residences along side of the street are well preserved. In the 1990′s there was a rebuilding project which added some modern buildings to the street and they live side-by-side with the buildings of the past. Here is yet another place in China where the modern and the ancient come together to serve the present.

This charming Old Pier is made up of three layers of blue stones. Since the Ming Dynasty it has been an important pier for ferries. From here the exquisitely beautiful and fancy porcelains of Jingdezhen were transported to important homes across China and around the world. This is a pier that can meet the requirements of transportation during any season. While we take this as commonplace now, it was very uncommon 700 years ago. This pier was unique for its time and even now. Located on this ancient pier is the famous Sanlumiao Temple that was established to memorialize the great poet, Qu Yuan.

Finally, not to be missed on Jingdezhen Old Street are several well-maintained residences, most of which were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. These exquisitely designed and decorated residences were clearly the elite residences of their time and demonstrate the highest skills and architectural knowledge of Chinese artisans of their eras. Visiting these residences offers a unique view into the philosophical and artistic sensibilities of Chinese culture during their time.

Tickets: CNY 50
Opening Hours: 8:10 to 17:00

Among the many Orthodox churches and Russian style facades in this region, the St. Sophia Orthodox Church (Shengsuo feiya dajiaotang) is the most impressive, and imposing, structure.

In 1903, with the completion of the Sino-Russia railway, connecting Vladivostok to northeast China, the Russian No.4 Army Division arrived in this region. After Russia’s shameful failure against the Japanese in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), a plan to reconsolidate the confidence of the army by building a imposing spiritual symbol was proposed. Thus the magnificent St. Sofia Church was born, completed in 1907. Large scale expansion and renovation then started in 1923, and after a nine years’ intensive job, the biggest Orthodox church in the far east was finally completed and stood much as it does today.

The 53m tall church is a perfect example of Byzantine architecture: the main structure of the church is laid out as a Latin Cross with the main hall topped with a huge green tipped roof. Under the bright sun, the church, together with the square around it, reminds the Chinese, bizarrely, of the Red Square in Moscow. Although there are still several hundred Orthodox believers in Harbin, the religious activities are usually conducted in other smaller churches. St. Sofia Church is nowadays used as the Municipal Architecture and Art Museum with exhibitions of the architectural history of the city, a photographic survey with captions all in Chinese.

The Byzantine style church is so beautiful, it is said to look as if it had been made by God’s hands. In fact, St. Sophia means ‘God’s wisdom’. Having a Latin cross footprint, the church’s original shape was preserved during reconstruction. The church has four floors and is accessible by a door on each side. Until the 1960′s, the bell tower over the entrance housed 7 bells of different sizes and tones. When there were religious festivals in the past, a well-trained ringer would play musical progressions, tolling the bells with ropes tied to his hands and feet. The bells resounded to the skies.

By the 1990′s, St. Sophia had undergone considerable decline. The church no longer was in use, and residential apartments and office buildings surrounded it. Magnificent Russian painted murals that adorned the church’s arched walls were destroyed out of recognition. While in 1997, the Harbin government under took to undo the decades of deterioration. But as the original Russian murals were lost completely, they were replaced by topically new murals depicting the architectural history of the Harbin community. And crosses that were removed in six places were replaced. Now, the murals, pendent lamps, dome and the bell tower are restored to their original splendor.

Tickets: CMY 25
Opening hours: 9am-5pm
Address: On the corner of Toulin Street (Toulin jie) and Zhaolin Street (Zhaolin jie)
Bus Route: 1, 2, 13, 15, 64, 66, 113
Take bus No.101 from the Railway Station to the church or bus No.2 from Stalin Park
A taxi ride from the city center costs less than CNY15

Riding the longest oversea ropeway, which is 2138 meters (7014 feet) long at the speed of 6 meters per second, you will be delighted to find that you have a wonderful view of the ocean, the neatly placed fishing rafts by the bank and the thick chains of mountains on the island with the birds gently singing and the monkeys’ shouts reverberating around your ears. Soon the mythical monkey island unfolds his arms in front of you.

Passing through a vegetation corridor, you will be amazed to find seven or eight macaques standing in a line along the path holding triangular flags or saluting to welcome their honored guests. Some naughty ones are wandering with their flags in their hands, and even some are imitating their visitors’ odd ways of walking. How funny they are! Walking and laughing, you will see young monkeys chase and fight with each other, and a stout one jump into a pond from quite a tall tree with an excellent 360-degree turn in the air. What perfect spray he has made that only a master sportsman could make! Not only is their jumping skill masterful, but also their swimming technique is quite superb. In the pond, some of them dive, some swim freestyle, and even some do the breaststroke. While watching, you will be amused and amazed, and you won’t be able to help yourself applauding and clapping for them. In addition, you will enjoy yourself with the displays given by the monkeys in the circus performances. If you wish, you can take photos with these cute monkeys and play with them. However, one must remember not to wear red clothes in order to avoid the naughty monkeys who might be annoyed with you, and be careful when feeding them.

Built in 1965, the nature reserve has more than 2000 monkeys now. Because of the wild environment, the variety of plants and fruits, and numerous grottos, the island is regarded as the perfect paradise for monkeys. Also because of the good management, the island is very neat and clean. Guides all wear uniforms, and are always courteous. They offer the most circumspect, original, novel zoology free service and will guide you to play with the monkeys to experience the harmony between human beings and nature. It is certainly somewhere that could drive all your pressures and burdens away.

After admiring the wonderful vistas of the monkey island, you can reward yourself with a special seafood meal on the fishing rafts that is known as ‘the street on the sea’. Not only the delicious food but also the excellent service given by the local Hainan fishermen will leave you with an unforgettable impression.

Put the monkey island on your itinerary, and you will be rewarded with a lot of fun and pleasure. More than 2000 monkeys are waiting to welcome you at any time.

Tickets:

CNY 68
CNY 30 for One-way Ropeway
CNY 60 for Round-trip Ropeway

Unlike other temple architecture in China, in which the main halls and buildings are north-south axis, with the facade facing towards the south, the temple constructions in the Huayan Temple are on an east-west axis with the main halls facing to the east. This was due to the Qidan, (a minority tribe living on the northern border of China who built the Liao Dynasty,) whose tradition of praying for the Divinity of the Sun to the east, thus taking East as superior to everything.

The temple complex is divided into two parts, namely the Upper Huayan and Lower Huayan, both of which respectively have its own mountain gate and temple layout. The Upper Huayan, featured with a range of gorgeously decorated buildings, among which, Daxiong Baodian is the main hall. With an area of 1,600 square meters (14,400 square feet), the hall stands imperially throughout ages and boasts to be one of the largest of its kind in China.

Now, the upper and lower monasteries are connected together, but each has a main hall. The main hall of the upper monastery is the Hall of Sakyamuni. It was first built in the Liao Dynasty and renovated in the Jin Dynasty (1115 – 1234). Occupying an area of 1,553 square meters (about 0.4 acres) it is one of the largest Buddha halls of the Liao period still in existence in China. In the middle of the hall, there are five sculptures standing in a row at the bottom of a lotus flower. Another twenty sculptures of gods, standing bowing to show their respect accompany the five main gods. Paintings on the wall depict sutra stories. The total area of the well-preserved color frescos is 890 square meters (about 0.2 acres) which is rare in China. On top of the hall are color paintings from the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasties (1644 – 1911) portraying dragons, cranes, flowers, all of which are images often found in Chinese legends on Buddhism. The Lower Monastery is simple and unsophisticated. Its main hall is the Bhaga Repository Hall in which Buddhist sutra is kept. The wooden library containing the Buddhist scriptures is exquisitely and elaborately designed. There are thirty-one sculptures in the hall among which the Bodhisattva with a pious prayer pose is the most famous; it possesses a lifelike human likeness rather than that of a god.

Tickets:CNY 20 (Upper Huayan Monastery)

CNY 20 (Lower Huayan Monastery)

Opening Hours: 9:10 to 17:00

Bus Route:Take the direct tourist bus at Datong railway station