Hike to the Hot Springs

"At lunchtime, we stopped in Xiaozhai village, which was overflowing with ducklings and chicks and lovely sprawling, wooden houses that look like they don’t have one square corner among them. As our trail continued from the village, the vegetation grew denser, the houses sparser, and the trail narrower. We hiked for several hours without seeing any other people, houses, or cultivation. Who knew you could find such remote hiking so close to one of China’s favorite tourist destinations?

That night we stayed in an appealingly rustic local home: the beds were hard, the food simple, and the quiet a blessed respite from Shanghai! Our hosts were good-humored about our interest in their open-fire cooking, in the sparrow that nests in their rafters, and in the floor’s removable wooden plank - perfect for feeding the pigs that live under the house. After a breakfast including traditional Guangxi “oil tea” (better than it sounds!), our last hour of hiking was along a gorgeous, clear river. After two days on the trail, the swimming holes were a welcome sight!"

Christy Utter, America