A Family Adventure in China

As Islam flowed along the Silk Road into China 1,300 years ago, its followers, both local and foreign alike, settled in a busy commercial area of the capital, Chang’an. After centuries of prosperity, the very same Muslim Quarter is still one of the most bustling areas of modern-day Xi’an, and a sensory feast of neon signs, exotic spices, and barbecued fare.

Xi’an claims to be the birthplace of Chinese dumplings, and whether or not that’s true, local chefs have elevated the humble staple to the most sophisticated culinary heights. Head to Xi’an’s most popular dumpling joint where these little hand-pinched dough parcels of ground meat and vegetables are crafted into all shapes and sizes, and have a go yourself at making everybody’s favorite Chinese snack.

Located about 1.5hrs outside Chengdu, the Dujiangyan Panda Base is the perfect place to get up close to giant pandas. The first wild pandas were first spotted in this area in 1953 and the bamboo-covered hills of the conservation centre replicate the iconic animal’s natural habitat. The ultimate goal of the Dujiangyan Panda Base is to boost the population and prepare the pandas for life in the wild. Be sure to look out for the keepers, who may well be hanging out with China’s national animal dressed as pandas themselves.

The mere mention of Sichuan to people from any other province is enough to see them quiver at the thought of their country’s fieriest food, but there is more to Sichuan cuisine than just heat. At the Sichuan Culinary Museum, you’ll learn to differentiate the peppery ma from the spicy la, and have a go yourself at cooking and serving some of the region’s favourite dishes, all under the guidance of a professional chef.

Hiking is the best way to access the dream-like landscape of Guangxi, a world of karst peaks and ponderous rivers immortalized in centuries of poems and ink brush paintings. So lace up your walking shoes and step into the Pomelo forest, a delightful one-hour trail that cuts through a rich vein of Yangshuo countryside. The path is mostly flat so you can focus on the sights rather than the strain, or push on for another hour to reach the shores of a nearby reservoir.

Snake through the makeshift maze of shops in Yangshuo’s bustling city market. The market is split into two main rooms: in the first, you’ll see vendors selling fresh produce and some dry goods from tarps or newspaper spread out on the ground. In the second, stroll down rows of vendors selling meat, prepared and semi-prepared food, and produce from stalls and carts

The ancient art of Chinese landscape painting has long focused on man’s insignificance in nature, and countless scrolls depict tiny human figures dwarfed by the sublime scenery of mountains and rivers. For an hour and a half, put brush to canvas and study the underlying philosophy of landscape painting with a local artist.

Embedded in the glorious Guangxi countryside and surrounded by karst hills, the village of Fuli offers more than just traditional rural charm. Fuli is the ancient hometown of the paper fan, and even today many of the locals still make their living with this time-honoured craft, so peruse their exquisite wares and have a go at crafting one yourself in this atmospheric and historical setting.

With its rural population and traditional ways of life, Guangxi province abounds with examples of humans existing harmoniously with nature, but there is no better illustration than the Yangshuo fishermen who enlist the help of their feathered friends to make ends meet. At dusk head out onto the river for a two-hour excursion in the boat of one of these ancient masters and get hands on as they use cormorants to pull fish from the inky waters below.