nikosk

Hi there!
I 'm planning a 3 week backpacking trip next month, between Guangzhou and Yunnan, and would be greatfull to hear your suggestions or experiences about that, to form an initial rough idea about places to visit around there and in between, so to balance time wisely over this big area
We 'll be 2 people travelling, without tourist package, just independently, mostly public transport (by train most of it, hopefully) plus a daytrip here or there with local travel agency, if necessary to get the most out of this time frame.
We don't speak a word of chinese language, so this is going to be a big obstacle, and slow us down a bit, I'm afraid...
Great interests would be traditional villages, temples, nature, hiking...
(I 've been to east China and Hong Kong - Macau over earlirer trip, so not going that way now).
All suggestions for a low cost sensible itinerary are very very welcome!!!
many thanks to all!
happy travels!

temppeternh

Kaiping and surroundings, not far southwest of Guangzhou (for the diaolou, or watchtowers, and much still-bucolic countryside.

Carry on west parallel to the coast, and stop at Zhanjiang. Former French treaty port on territory leased rather than conquered. Small-scale city that sees few foreign visitors, with several old French buildings still standing.

From Zhanjiang a train will take you to Haikou on Hainan island (the train goes on board a special ferry). More treaty port history, and beaches.

You can return to the mainland by ferry to Beihai (yet another failed treaty port), or from Zhanjiang cut across country to Longzhou in southwest Guangxi, near to the Vietnamese border. Just look at a map for a sequence of towns and take buses, spending the night wherever its convenient--a certain way to see parts of China little seen by others. You can go through Nanning if you wish, but it's not a city of much interest. All of this part of Guangxi has the same karst limestone famous around Guilin, but to which is is by no means confined. There's further French leftovers, some hiking and some riding on a river through karst at Longzhou.

You can go up to Nanning or cross country via Bose to get across to Mengzi, which once had several foreign consulates and has some ancient architecture, as well as ethnic minorities galore, and was on a spur of the French-built narrow gauge railway connecting Kunming to Vietnam. While there are no longer passenger services on that line, you may still find trains from Mengzi west to Shiping. (A new standard-gauge route from Kunming is under construction, paralleling the old line and may be complete by now.) Lots of stations that look airlifted from French villages, the odd bridge with unexpected arches. Jianshui en route is worth a stop.

From there buses will take you over to Simao, recently renamed as Pu'er and a major tea-growing area. Longstanding backpacker haven (I first went there in 1988) of Xishuang Banna is to the south. You can hop by bus though mountainous territory up to Baoshan and Tengchong, bringing you to the gorgeous Nujiang/Three Rivers Valley area. And of course backpacker favourites Dali and Lijiang are just east.

Language isn't an issue. Just have a map with characters on it to show at ticket offices. English speakers can usually be found at the receptions if not of your own modest accommodation, then at the nearest four-star. But usually every hotel has someone even if they have to call them up on the phone. Many have done this before you (right back to Marjory--although he had good Mandarin--and (rather overrated) Times' correspondent Morrison (who had none). Even Aleister Crowley came this way. But no dark arts are required.

nikosk

it is a really great insight info temppeternh, thank you very much!
you gave me a complete itinerary!
there is a lot to research now about all these places...
I was afraid about language being a problem at more remote places, also at bus connections - getting info about them... let's hope there are plenty of them out there!
this itinerary seems to pass from very off the beaten paths...
I'll keep an eye for dark forces anyway!!
thanks again, happy travels!

thursdaysd

Don't worry about the language. Take a phrase book with characters as well as/instead of pinyin and a guidebook with place names in characters. I copied out the place names to show at bus stations, but Peter's suggestion would work too. In hotels I showed the phrase book and pointed to "I want a single room" and the hotel would write down the price. (Bargain.)

Sounds like a great trip Peter outlines.

nikosk

the fodor's website was down for a couple of days, weird...
Thanks thursdaysd it's a good idea to have everything printed in chinese
At least what I can forsee to need, or if the phrase book has it
A simple information can make your day, or the lack of it can ruin it...
let's wish things will work!
The more I read, the more interesting this area seems...
happy travels!