China Guide
Guangxi and Guizhou
Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County
Just 100km north of Guilin, Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County is a fascinating region of mountains, terraced fields and ethnic minority Dong villages. The Dong people are renowned for their wooden houses, towers and bridges which dot the countryside hereabouts, and their homelands remain relatively unaffected by the modern world. There's a scattering of simple hostels and places to eat, and villagers will sometimes offer lodgings and sustenance – typically sour hotpots and a bitter, salty soup made from fried tea leaves and puffed rice). Sanjiang is the capital of Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, with transport and accommodation, but the traditional village of Chengyang makes a more attractive base.