WHENEVER Guangxi is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the saying that “Guilin’s scenery is the best in the world.” Guilin is Guangxi’s most-famous destination. However, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a place endowed with unique natural beauty at every corner, has more to offer than a single city.

Apart from the beautiful Guilin landscape, the spectacular Longji Rice Terraces, China’s biggest and youngest volcanic island Weizhou Island, and the famous transnational waterfall Detian Waterfall, there are other places in Guangxi that deserve a visit. The province is truly one of China’s greatest hidden treasures, unknown to and undiscovered by most people.

Gengwang Lake

A Shangri-La-like place

Gengwang Lake, a seasonal lake whose neighboring towns and villages have not caught up to speed with the rest of the country’s urgency to urbanize, dons a different sight for each season. It’s known for a celestial feel in rainy seasons, being surrounded by wheat fields in springtime, and hugged by green, rolling meadows in summer.

The water of the lake dams during the rainy season and then quickly disappears when the dry season comes. During the dry season, the villagers will plant buckwheat at the bottom of the lake. As the buckwheat blossoms, the dotting pale flowers turn the lake into a white sea. Cows and goats hidden among the buckwheat-laden lakebed can be seen venturing through the crop from time to time.

The talk show TV program “Day Day Up” also shot an episode here when buckwheat flowers were in full bloom.

Add: At the junction of Buquan Village, Nanxu Town and Pingshan Village, Guangxi 广西隆安县布泉、南圩、屏山三乡镇交界处

Best time for seeing buckwheat blossoms: March and April

Transport: Take a high-speed train from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Nanning East, then take a train from Nanning East to Long’an East, then take a taxi to the destination.

Sanmenhai Lake

More stunning than the Blue Hole

No matter how many amazing landscapes one sees in a lifetime, visitors to Sanmenhai Lake are always wowed by its stunning beauty. Rather than being a literal sea, Sanmenhai is a gathering of lakes interrupted by karst mountains.

There are currently three sinkholes (tiankeng) open, and selected caves can be entered by boat. Beneath many karst mountains are underground lakes. The water in the lakes is super blue and the environment is so quiet that you can hear the babbling sound of the water.

The cavern with jagged rocks of grotesque shapes, the old gnarled vines, and the shining emerald lake water all wait to present you another wonder of nature.

Add: Poxin Village, Paoli Town, Fengshan County, Hechi City, Guangxi 广西河池市凤山县袍里乡坡心村

Transport: Take a high-speed train from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Liuzhou, then take another train to Jinchengjiang, then take a bus to the destination.

Three islands of Jing People

The Sri Lanka of China

In Fangchenggang Village, Guangxi lives China’s only marine subculture, the Jing people, with every member good at fishing. The scenery here is comparable to that of Sri Lanka, making it a heaven for shutterbugs.

The three islands consist of Wanwei, Wutou and Shanxin, home to 18,000 native Jing residents. Among the three islands, Wanwei Island is counted as the top one with a reputation as an ideal place for photographers.

Every year from March to June is the golden period for fishing for the people living here. Traveling to Fangchenggang during this time, one can find views of locals fishing in the shallow sea with different kinds of fishing tools. The unique sight of stilt fishing and fishing net casting, which is the same as seen in Sri Lanka, is sure to be memorable.

Though the three islands of Jing ethnic group is not very big, it’s the place that gave birth to the Ha Festival, one of the nation’s first recognized national intangible cultural heritage items.

Add: Jiangping Town, Dongxing, Chenggang City, Guangxi 广西防城港市东兴市江平镇

Transport: Take train G6508 from Futian Railway Station to Guangzhou South, then transfer to train D3690 to Fangchenggang North, then take a taxi to the destination.

Weizhou Island

Almost the Maldives

Weizhou Island of Beihai City is China’s youngest volcanic island as well as Guangxi’s largest, known by all as one of the 10 most beautiful islands in China.

From above, the island looks like jade floating in the ocean. The vegetation covering the island is typical of that for a volcanic sediment-based soil.

The scenery is endowed with an abundance of natural marine life, the rich, fertile volcanic matter surrounding the island having birthed a brilliant and colorful plume of coral reefs.

Add: Weizhou Island of Beihai City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 广西壮族自治区北海市南面北部湾海域

Transport: Take a train from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Nanning East Railway Station, then take a train to Beihai. Then take a bus from Beibuwan Square to Yintan where you can take a boat to reach the island.

(Chen Xiaochun)