Ping'an Village
Ping'an Village
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
355 reviews
Excellent
204
Very good
111
Average
33
Poor
6
Terrible
1
PaulaHM
Somerset, UK135 contributions
May 2020 • Couples
We walked here when visiting the rice terraces. Very interesting to wander around and get a feel for life here. Lots of photo opportunities. Some places are looking very closed but some are open and welcoming. We had a drink in a cafe with a great view and the people were very friendly.
Written May 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carlos M
London, England, United Kingdom16 contributions
Apr 2013 • Friends
This was our favorite place in China, where we spent 3 and a half weeks. We arrived on a tourist bus from Yangshuo that was taking people for a day, so we separated at PingAn.
The village is growing strongly and many of the wooden buildings are modern. However, the whole feeling of a village still remains. It is really nice to walk around and go to the scenic points. However, I was mislead by the trekking maps (I do not speak Chinese, so there may be better guides in Chinese but I could not find any proper trekking map anywhere).
We were told that the village of Dazai was easy to reach in 4 hours. However, when we asked Chinese people (pointing to the map) they sent us to the car park -as they believed we would like to go by car). Once we found another Chinese person better at sign language, we started the right path but then we got lost a few times as there are major logging operations with many different paths that are not signalized and leave to dead ends. At some point of the way you have to walk around a dam (with the water to your left if you are going from Ping An to Dazai), and at some point later you have to turn right to leave the asphalt and start an unpaved path. This was really not intuitive. Then most of the path to Zhongliu -a small village between Pingan and Dazai- is on stones, making it really really nice.
Zhongliu is a really attractive village (expect a long-haired lady asking you for money in exchange of a photo - but do not dismiss her if you want to get some water or food). There is no roads near the village, adding to the enchantment. But instead of the planned 2 hours to get to Zhongliu it took us 4 hours to get there. From there to Dazai, it is other 4 or 5 hours, assuming you doo not get lost. We couldn't do it in time, so we came back to Pingan.
I strongly recommend it though. Just make sure you get precise indications.
Other scenic points are accessible in much shorter times, like seven start with moon in about 10-20 minutes trekking from Pingan.
In the Hotel that we booked ahead we paid £40 per night for a room with stunning view. We thought it was well worth it, but then we found that people that came on the same day were paying half of that. Unless you go in high season you can avoid reservations and then bargain hard. Still, it was all well worth it.
The village is growing strongly and many of the wooden buildings are modern. However, the whole feeling of a village still remains. It is really nice to walk around and go to the scenic points. However, I was mislead by the trekking maps (I do not speak Chinese, so there may be better guides in Chinese but I could not find any proper trekking map anywhere).
We were told that the village of Dazai was easy to reach in 4 hours. However, when we asked Chinese people (pointing to the map) they sent us to the car park -as they believed we would like to go by car). Once we found another Chinese person better at sign language, we started the right path but then we got lost a few times as there are major logging operations with many different paths that are not signalized and leave to dead ends. At some point of the way you have to walk around a dam (with the water to your left if you are going from Ping An to Dazai), and at some point later you have to turn right to leave the asphalt and start an unpaved path. This was really not intuitive. Then most of the path to Zhongliu -a small village between Pingan and Dazai- is on stones, making it really really nice.
Zhongliu is a really attractive village (expect a long-haired lady asking you for money in exchange of a photo - but do not dismiss her if you want to get some water or food). There is no roads near the village, adding to the enchantment. But instead of the planned 2 hours to get to Zhongliu it took us 4 hours to get there. From there to Dazai, it is other 4 or 5 hours, assuming you doo not get lost. We couldn't do it in time, so we came back to Pingan.
I strongly recommend it though. Just make sure you get precise indications.
Other scenic points are accessible in much shorter times, like seven start with moon in about 10-20 minutes trekking from Pingan.
In the Hotel that we booked ahead we paid £40 per night for a room with stunning view. We thought it was well worth it, but then we found that people that came on the same day were paying half of that. Unless you go in high season you can avoid reservations and then bargain hard. Still, it was all well worth it.
Written December 4, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jensen_chua
Singapore, Singapore3,606 contributions
Aug 2019
One the "supporting" activity for visitors to the Longji Rice Terraces. This is the only place for a stayover for photographers looking to shoot sunrise and sunset pics of the valley and of course, for local cityfolk looking for a village life relax getaway.
Good for at least for a night stay and take of the porter fee should you need help by the hardworking porter (RMB20-70/piece/way). Its hard work to lug luggage up the hill...
Enjoy and have a chill-out at the village.
Good for at least for a night stay and take of the porter fee should you need help by the hardworking porter (RMB20-70/piece/way). Its hard work to lug luggage up the hill...
Enjoy and have a chill-out at the village.
Written August 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
supersimon001
Johannesburg, South Africa8 contributions
Dec 2013 • Family
Not very much to do in the village after you have walked through and seen all the timber buildings and allyways, but still something that you must do. Lots of vendors trying to lighten your wallet with "home made" goods, all of which they buy and are made in factories. Remember to negotiate hard.
Written January 4, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
parisfoodie1
San Jose, CA26 contributions
Sep 2016 • Solo
Many of these communities are the victim of their own charm. Tourists swarm the villages and they alter the character and cultural heritage. It's definitely become a popular tourist destination for both local and foreign visitors. See it before it is lost to commercialisation.
This village has only one direction in to it -- a steep climb up -- and the way out is an equally (somewhat treacherous) steep descent. Wear sensible shoes. I recommend a walking stick. The stone stairs can be slick when wet and in many places they are uneven and narrow without railings. You pass one guest house after another, interspersed with souvenir shops and restaurants. Definitely gears to the tourist trade. Hard to know where the authentic life remains. "locals" are all busily hawking wares to tourists. Most things they sell are readily available for much less in the cities. Bargaining is a must otherwise you will be taken advantage of.
The higher you climb the less commercial it becomes. Litter is everywhere. Tourists don't respect the surroundings. Discarded soda cups, plastic bottles and candy wrappers.
The views from the higher elevations are fabulous. We planned our early September visit to coincide with the rice harvest -- but the harvest was late so we missed it by a week or two at most.
The rice terraces are steep and narrow in unrelenting sun. No shade. So although it's a fabulous hike, it's steep in many places with little respite. We took a modest stroll for about one hour in each direction. Travel to nearby villages are a significant commitment of time.
We were told that this way of life is now subsidised by the government to attract local tourism. It's a hard life for these farmers -- they are now only cultivating to retain a cultural heritage and for the entertainment value. .
This village has only one direction in to it -- a steep climb up -- and the way out is an equally (somewhat treacherous) steep descent. Wear sensible shoes. I recommend a walking stick. The stone stairs can be slick when wet and in many places they are uneven and narrow without railings. You pass one guest house after another, interspersed with souvenir shops and restaurants. Definitely gears to the tourist trade. Hard to know where the authentic life remains. "locals" are all busily hawking wares to tourists. Most things they sell are readily available for much less in the cities. Bargaining is a must otherwise you will be taken advantage of.
The higher you climb the less commercial it becomes. Litter is everywhere. Tourists don't respect the surroundings. Discarded soda cups, plastic bottles and candy wrappers.
The views from the higher elevations are fabulous. We planned our early September visit to coincide with the rice harvest -- but the harvest was late so we missed it by a week or two at most.
The rice terraces are steep and narrow in unrelenting sun. No shade. So although it's a fabulous hike, it's steep in many places with little respite. We took a modest stroll for about one hour in each direction. Travel to nearby villages are a significant commitment of time.
We were told that this way of life is now subsidised by the government to attract local tourism. It's a hard life for these farmers -- they are now only cultivating to retain a cultural heritage and for the entertainment value. .
Written January 4, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gaia-son
Geylang, Singapore93 contributions
Sep 2014 • Solo
It is a very scenic trail walking among the rice terraces from Ping'an to the Ancient Zhuang Village. It takes about 1.5 hours and easily done without a guide.
Ancient Zhuang Village is the most traditional Zhuang minority village in Longsheng. Great for those who are interested in history and culture.
The village boasts the oldest and the largest stilted building complex in Guangxi Province, most of which are more than 100 years old. With a history of over 400 years, the village is home to 200 households of over 1,000 Zhuang people.
Ancient Zhuang Village is the most traditional Zhuang minority village in Longsheng. Great for those who are interested in history and culture.
The village boasts the oldest and the largest stilted building complex in Guangxi Province, most of which are more than 100 years old. With a history of over 400 years, the village is home to 200 households of over 1,000 Zhuang people.
Written December 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travelista2006
New York City, NY55 contributions
Dec 2013 • Friends
The village is nice - dating back about 600 years - as it is perched on top of rice terraces with stunning views. It still looks relatively quaint, however there is a lot of development and day-tourism from Guilin. So rush to visit! We came in low season which was great.
We did only part of the trek from Ping'an to Dazhai, because it seemed to take too long. It took us 2-3 hours to get to Zhongliu village which is somewhere 1/2 or 1/3 of the way. You can easily do this trek by yourself, no guide is necessary, there are occasional signposts to guide you. A prior guest has excellently described the path though, so no need to repeat. Zhongliu village was very rustic, we just walked around as it was very interesting to see how local people live. There is also a lot of construction too and even one hotel! Although I can not imagine this place will be too developed any time soon. Ping'an is becoming somewhat more touristy, so Zhongliu is a nice contrast.
It seemed that the road was getting more confusing after Zhongliu (you first need to get to another village before Dazhai), we could not find where that road was starting, but I am sure it is possible without a guide. Local (is it Zhang?) people are a bit more aggressive here bidding to be your guides.
We did only part of the trek from Ping'an to Dazhai, because it seemed to take too long. It took us 2-3 hours to get to Zhongliu village which is somewhere 1/2 or 1/3 of the way. You can easily do this trek by yourself, no guide is necessary, there are occasional signposts to guide you. A prior guest has excellently described the path though, so no need to repeat. Zhongliu village was very rustic, we just walked around as it was very interesting to see how local people live. There is also a lot of construction too and even one hotel! Although I can not imagine this place will be too developed any time soon. Ping'an is becoming somewhat more touristy, so Zhongliu is a nice contrast.
It seemed that the road was getting more confusing after Zhongliu (you first need to get to another village before Dazhai), we could not find where that road was starting, but I am sure it is possible without a guide. Local (is it Zhang?) people are a bit more aggressive here bidding to be your guides.
Written December 30, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roving_Bill
London, UK450 contributions
Oct 2017
A two-hour car journey from Guilin airport, this authentic old-world village is nestled in the heart of a protected region of Guanxi region.
On arrival at the village we were met by our porter - a lady who must have been 70 if she was a day - who promptly took our baggage and lugged it up 200m to the hotel (that's vertically up 200m, probably a 1km walk). At an elevation of 800-1000m above sea level we were quickly left behind while she, gazelle-like, deftly skipped up the steps. If your legs are no good you can even get a pair of male porters to carry you all the way.
Everything about this village seems wholly authentic and with a heavy heart i realised we might be the last generation to see it in this context - the elder generation tending the fields while the younger generation run the tourist operation. Free range chickens and ducks are everywhere, as are toilets and tourists. You climb the hillside for an hour or two, get to the most breathtaking viewpoint, and there is someone proffering tea & tat as well as a clean and convenient toilet adjacent!
I can't recommend this place enough and it is fully accessible to people of all abilities (courtesy of the porters, that is!!)
On arrival at the village we were met by our porter - a lady who must have been 70 if she was a day - who promptly took our baggage and lugged it up 200m to the hotel (that's vertically up 200m, probably a 1km walk). At an elevation of 800-1000m above sea level we were quickly left behind while she, gazelle-like, deftly skipped up the steps. If your legs are no good you can even get a pair of male porters to carry you all the way.
Everything about this village seems wholly authentic and with a heavy heart i realised we might be the last generation to see it in this context - the elder generation tending the fields while the younger generation run the tourist operation. Free range chickens and ducks are everywhere, as are toilets and tourists. You climb the hillside for an hour or two, get to the most breathtaking viewpoint, and there is someone proffering tea & tat as well as a clean and convenient toilet adjacent!
I can't recommend this place enough and it is fully accessible to people of all abilities (courtesy of the porters, that is!!)
Written October 24, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KissyJW
Sequim, WA3 contributions
Oct 2014 • Family
Just what any seasoned traveller looking for the real authentic experience is looking for. We found very comfortable accomodations and great food yet atmosphere you will not find anywhere else. This place is high up in the mountains, the air is fresh, the views breathtaking and the trails are very well kept. Great for hiking and photography buffs.
Written October 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MMTMDavis
Rome, Italy191 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
We spent two days in the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces area walking from Dazhai to Ping'an via Tian Tou Zhai. This was the highlight of our trip to China. Peaceful, spectacularly beautiful, few people, warm and welcoming places to stay and eat. I you like nature, beauty, peace and culture, go there and enjoy, we wish we had more time there, and it was a huge relief to get away from the massive, endless cities.
Written July 23, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi I am planing to check out from my hotel in Yangshuo, travel to Ping'an Village and then take a late flight from Guilin. Is all of this possible by bus in a day? Is there any place where to leave luggage in Ping'an? What time is the last bus from Ping'an to Guilin? If no busses available would it be easy to find a taxi in Ping'an?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
Written October 13, 2019
Hi, there is a bus from Yangshou to pingan. I believe there is a left luggage but you need to google it. I saw it in another village, Dazhai. Pingan is more commercialised n so should have such facilities. I believe the last bus to guilin is 5 PM. I took the 1 pm bus. You can consider arranging for private transport from pingan to guilin airport if cost is not a problem. When do u intend to go?
Written October 14, 2019
Does anyone know if there's buses that takes you from one village to another? We would like to go to Ping An from Dazhai Village but we don't have enough time to do hiking. Thanks for your response!!
Written October 5, 2017
I would like to take photographs of the terraced rice fields near the Ping'an Village. What are the 2-3 top ranked places to stay that will put me in close proximity to the best places to take photographs?
Written June 13, 2017
Hi
Ping'An is a very small village. Whatever accommodation you choose you will only be a few minutes at most from great views over the rice terraces. Walking to the two viewing platforms will give you a number of great views. We stayed in the Longji Ping'An Hotel and it provided great views from the rooms.
I hope this helps.
Regards
Alistair
Written June 14, 2017
bernhfx
Berlin, Germany
Gibt es eine zufahrtmöglichkeit per fahrrad nach ping'an oder ist der ort für privaten verkehr gesperrt? Ich komme aus richtung guilin
Written June 28, 2016
Bonjour
Rien n interdit le vélo mais pente très dure pour y accéder et une fois dans le village ce n est pas pratiquable
Mais c est à voir
Written July 21, 2016
How cold is Ping'an village in the winter? I'm studying in Shanghai in the 2016-17 year so I'm unsure about whether to go during the October national holiday, or around Christmas when I can tie it into my trip to Hong Kong. What would people recommend?
Written March 24, 2016
Hi , you can visit Ping An village around Christmas . The temperature could be 5 to 8 degree and night around 0 . Guesthouse are equipped with heater , less crowded and winter view is totally different . Hope this helps .
Written March 27, 2016
Hi All,
I am yet to book my flights into China, however looking at flying into the south, then making my way up north after visiting Ping'an Village and surrounds. I have a few questions where I would love some input.
a) closest airport/major city where it is easy to gain access to Ping'an Village?
b) Transport that is offered, bus system and estimated cost?
c) For those who have travelled much of China, any other tranquil destinations that you would recommend, either in the south or north?
d) Other areas close by that you would recommend?
Thanks in advance guys, I really appreciate your advice.
Katherine
Written August 9, 2015
all depends on how much time you have and WHEN you travel. stay away from Chinese public holidays!
a) Guilin which you reach from abroad via any major international airport, the closest major one probably is Guangzhou.
b) hotels do offer transport and booking with hotels is likely to be cheaper than with one of the chinese inbound agents who tend to rip you off. For example we had a Guilin-Yangshuo-Longshen (Ping'an) tour offer from the best online information page for China you can probably find but they'd rip us off with guide, car and driver for up to RMB 3500 per day. While online/e-mail consultancy was excellent we ended up researching our trip in more detail and organising it all ourselves including a brand new Mercedes Viano with a driver showing x times more effort to guide us for RMB 1200 per day
c) as stated above Yuangshuo is def a nice add on, amazing scenery. you might want to go via Guilin and take the Li River cruise down to Yangshuo. In and around Yanshuo is plenty to see and do. The Mountain Retreat above is a really nice place, most luxurious probably is Banyan Tree Yangshuo outside the city.
d) Guilin-Longshen (Ping'an) and Yangshuo will give you plenty to do and see for up to 2 weeks, if you really have more time and budget China can keep you busy for months eg Tibet, Yunnan, Zhangjie,...
Best source for travelling China is CHINAHIGHLIGHTS (just google it), shop there, book elsewhere. They'll rip you off as hard as they can. Although to be fair, their website is so good they should be allowed to charge for it which likely would make more money than their other business practices.
Written August 10, 2015
Is it possible to leave bulk luggage at the base of Ping An. Is it safe to do so? I believe it is a 20 minute walk up the mountain and not suitable to take suitcases.
Written March 15, 2015
There is no issue with taking cases up the steps, as this is done by a group of very strong ladies from the village who charge 40 Yuan for the service, and it is well worth it. I can't see any reason for leaving cases at the base unless they are really huge. Our cases were both around 18kg and posed no problem.
Written May 7, 2015
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