Special Interest Holidays in China

Since we are all limited in the amount of time we can take of for holidays it makes sense to try and combine a trip away with one or more special interests. This hub explores the opportunities for special interest holidays in China, where you could find your hobby enhanced by a visit.

Please excuse me if I have not listed your own special interest. Just drop me a message or add a comment and I'll see what I can find out.

China is huge and it is not surprising to find that it is home to a wide range of both resident and migratory bird species.

In the north, Zhalong Nature Reserve is home to the rare Red-Crowned Crane as well as 15 other species of cranes. Beidaihe is equally famous with Chinese birdwatchers, being THE place to be in May as migratory birds pass by on their way back up to Siberia.

In the east, the Yellow River Delta is a designated Important Bird Area (IBA) with more than one million birds passing through each season. In Fujian Province the Wuyi Shan (Mountain) Biosphere Reserve is a World Heritage Site important to many species of flora and fauna and the Min Jiang (River) Estuary is another IBA for wintering birds.

The forested slopes of the Nanling Mountains contain several threatened species making this one of south China's most important IBAs. The Mai Po Wetlands in the New Territories of Hong Kong are a vital wintering ground for 80 000 birds, including the Black-faced Spoonbill. It is estimated that about 400 of these rare birds visit Mai Po every year. That would be about one in five of the total population.

Sichuan Province contains a whole host of IBAs, especially along the fringes of the Tibetan Plateau where a wide range of habitats are to be found in very small areas. Further west, Qinghai Lake and Bayunbulak are the hot-spots; the latter attracting large numbers of elegant swans.

Chinese art is very different from western art, particularly in its composition. Travel in China can therefore provide inspiration for those seeking something a little bit different to add to their repetoire.

The 798 Art Zone outside of Beijing is growing in reputation as a site worthy of a visit for artists and tourists.

In Yangshuo and other tourist destinations it is possible to arrange lessons in Chinese style painting and Calligraphy. These can be tailored to your level and interests.

Writers may well find a gorgeous location conducive to their talents and can often arrange a long-stay in suitable accommodation at quite reasonable rates. Inspiration without distraction.

Many people associate the term Chinese food with the Cantonese Style that became a big hit when exported into Chinatowns around the world. Many will also recognise the Sichuan style (often called Szechuan) as a spicy variant. There are, of course, a whole host of styles throughout China. These can be classified by region but any serious student will soon learn that within each region the food styles and dishes vary considerably.

The best way to learn about the Chinese culinary arts is to eat at a variety of establishments and find out what dishes suit your own preferences. There are then several destinations where it is possible to arrange cooking classes from one half day through to several days.

For an idea of what is on offer see Yangshuo Cooking School

Until recently cycling in China meant a 'Flying Pigeon' and slow progress along bad roads. That has changed with improvements in both the bikes available and the routes that serious cyclists can choose for their adventures.

Bikes can be hired in many tourist locations for quite reasonable rates. These are perfectly adequate for day trips around those places. The choice can extend to mountain bikes, tandems and children's bikes but not everywhere (yet!).

In most cases, cycling allows the visitor to see a much more rural China, with the option to stop as you please. The effort is therefore well rewarded, though care must be taken in summer to cope with the heat and humidity that recent arrivals may find difficult. Sun protection, plenty of fluids and an early start are all necessary to make a bike ride enjoyable.

More serious cyclists will probably want to bring their own bike and equipment. This will give them the freedom to travel on a route of their choice. These could be inspired by old trade routes (Silk Roads, Tea Horse Trail etc), by literature or by some other theme.

Please note: Independent cyclists who are thinking about camping should be aware that they are required to register with the Public Security Bureau en-route. It is also advisable that they submit their plan to their own consulate ... just in case.

Festivals provide an interesting spectacle for visitors; they are times of celebrations and often include an abundance of colour, food and events. The Han Chinese have a calendar full of festivals, and each of the other 55 ethnic minorities have their own, making China one of the best destinations for a holiday if this is your special interest.

Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) celebrations are family affairs throughout much of China and therefore not really of much interest to visitors. The big exception here occurs in Guizhou Province (and some bordering areas of other provinces) where the local ethnic minorities hold great public events.

Summer-time can be a special time for livestock events. There are several horse festivals around the Tibetan Plateau (though not necessarily within Tibet, the Autonomous Region) where vast crowds gather to trade animals, gossip and much more.

The Dragon Boat Festival is one that has travelled well and recognised by many, even if not fully understood. The Mid-Autumn Festival is less well known but these two are now recognised as public holidays throughout China.

Festivals can be very photogenic but photographers should be careful not to intrude upon their subject.

China is not yet geared up for trekking in the same way that Nepal and some South American countries are. There are a couple of famous treks (Tiger-Leaping Gorge being the most famous) and potential in areas such as the Tien Shan but, generally, the infrastructure to support trekkers is still lacking.

Short walks are more popular and there are many mountains with trails that provide a worthy challenge for one day or perhaps even overnight. Mountains such as Hua Shan near Xi'an have become popular because of incredible images circulating on the Internet. These show chains and planks in frightening positions but in most cases the opposite is true. Mountain routes are concrete trails with less emphasis on harmony and much more on practicality.

Other popular mountains include:

• Tai Shan (Shandong Province);
• Emei Shan (Sichuan Province);
• Huang Shan (Anhui Province);
• Zhangjiajie (Hunan Province); and
  
• Wutai Shan (Shanxi Province).

Those seeking some hikes off the beaten path should look for areas such as Ziyuan, north of Guilin where the Danxia Landforms provide a wonderful backdrop to an extensive network of trails.

The Cloud Way from Dali is an example of what can be achieved with a little imagination. This has cable cars at either end and is therefore accessible to almost all levels of fitness and ability.

Chinese gardens are classified into three main styles:

1. Royal (or Imperial) Gardens being those found attached to palaces;
2. Temple; and
3. Private

The styles reflect the size, budget and purpose of each type. For the large Royal Gardens such as those found in Beijing the style is grand, almost without limit, although events since the heydays mean that not all of the grandeur remains.

Temple Gardens are often neglected by visitors as guides tend to focus on the more religious aspects and buildings. The green-fingered will find much of interest as monks often also have a keen interest in this 'natural' pastime.

Private Gardens could never compete with those of the court - or else they would risk suffering the wrath of the emperor. They tend therefore to be much more compact. In order to make the most use out of limited grounds the garden designers borrow many clever concepts from nature and these can be seen put to good effect, particularly in the noted gardens of Suzhou.

It is worth noting that Xi'an will host the 2011 World Horticultural Expo

The vast scale of China and the great cultural differences to be found there mean that photographers will never be short of subject matter. Perhaps the main issue for photographers is to ensure that they make the most of the time available to them.

Given that the best photography is often to be had at sunrise or sunset the dedicated photographer will need arrangements that can cope with early starts and late finishes. A standard package is therefore not suitable and a private trip may be prohibitive. A photography workshop could be the answer.

A trip will need to be well researched to ensure that it coincides with optimal conditions: weather, travel and other relevant factors. It therefore pays to begin looking early and to move into the detail as thoroughly as possible.

The mountains listed under Hiking & Trekking above offer great opportunities for landscape photography. Areas such as Qiandongnan in Guizhou and Xiangxi in Hunan are still have large ethnic minorities and offer delightful 'People' shots as well as opportunities for interesting architectural details and rural scenes.

For those planning on attending special events such as festivals it is essential to note that these are predominantly based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar not the Gregorian Solar Calendar. Dates therefore 'move' from year to year. For instance, the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) will fall on February 3 in 2011 and on January 23 in 2012.

It is also well worth noting that China is not all about the old. Much in Shanghai and other big cities such as Tianjin, Xiamen and Guangzhou is ultra new and would suit another style of photography altogether.

Only the Yangtse River is big enough and interesting enough to offer overnight river cruise packages within the Chinese mainland. The standard package takes in the section between Chongqing and Yichang, traditionally known as the Yangtse Three Gorges. These cruise generally include daily excursions as well as a visit to the site of the massive dam at Sandouping.

Some packages continue to the lower reaches of the Yangtse including Wuhan and even Shanghai.

Shorter day cruises are available on a number of rivers. Probably the most famous is the Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo.

It is also possible to cruise on the Mekong River between Jinghong in Xishuangbanna (Yunnan Province) and Laos/Thailand. Services are irregular so if you plan to travel this route it is worth contacting a local agency for advice.

The Silk Roads start in China, traditionally in Chang'an (now Xi'an) in Shaanxi Province - though much of the silk was originally produced elsewhere and much else was traded besides this one commodity.

Many visitors to China enjoy using this theme as a guide to their route planning such that they are taken to Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the far west via Gansu Province. On the way they will stop at cities such as Jiayuguan, Turfan, Urumqi and Kashgar.

Most will head to several of the many Buddhist Grottoes along the way. The most famous are the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang, but there are plenty of lesser ones that are still worthy of a visit (Yulin, Kizil, Kumtura, Bezeklik - to name just a few).

Since much has been written about journeys and explorers along the Silk Roads (various Chinese monks and then the 'Foreign Devils on the Silk Road' of Peter Hopkirk's telling) other visitors base their itineraries around sites mentioned in these texts.

Given the extent of China it is not surprising that it experiences solar eclipses somewhere within its borders quite frequently. Unfortunately for eclipse chasers the spate of solar eclipses in China is now over for a while. There is to be an Annular Eclipse on 20 May, 2012 and then no other until 21 June, 2020.

The Orient has long held a fascination for westerners seeking spiritual guidance. China is the homeland of Taoism and of the Zen (from the Chinese - Chán) branch of Buddhism as well as other esoteric practices. As such, it is a natural destination for those wishing to gain a deeper understanding of these enlightening ideas.

Most visitors interested in a Spritual Holiday will seek out a reputable school and look to take a particular course. This way they can expect to receive quality teaching as well as to meet other like-minded people.

Many of these courses are held in monasteries on sacred mountains adding to the ambience and the likelihood of harmonious feelings.