A visiter, à voir Southwest China

Timetable

Museums. There are few museums outside the big cities. They are generally open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 5 or 6pm, and close on Mondays. Some offer free admission on specific days.

Parks and natural sites. National parks are generally open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, although opening hours may vary according to the season. Hainan's beaches and reserves are often accessible later in the evening.

Temples. Famous temples such as the Temple of the Six Banians in Guangzhou or the Nanshan Temple in Sanya open between 7.30 and 8am and close around 5 or 6pm. Some Buddhist temples allow evening visits for special ceremonies.

Smart tip. To avoid crowds, it's best to visit on weekdays and at opening times, especially during school vacations and Chinese public holidays. These periods attract large numbers of local tourists, making some sites very crowded.

Public holidays. China observes several national holidays, some of which are based on the lunar calendar. Tourist sites may have modified schedules or apply restrictions on these dates. Fixed dates include New Year's Day (01/01), International Labor Day (01/05), and China National Day (01/10), which marks the start of a popular "Golden Week" for travel.

Moving holidays, meanwhile, depend on the lunar calendar and vary from year to year. The Lunar New Year, the most important festival, is celebrated between late January and mid-February, and gives rise to a full week's vacation. The Festival of the Dead (April 4 or 5), the Dragon Boat Festival (May or June), and the Mid-Autumn Festival (September or October). Hong Kong and Macau celebrate specific public holidays, such as the Anniversary of the Retrocession (01/07) or the Chung Yeung Festival in October.

Tourist seasons. Annual vacation periods turn China into a real headache for travelers. These busy times should be avoided wherever possible, especially as hotel prices soar and transport often reaches maximum capacity. Summer, from mid-June to mid-September, marks the peak tourist season, attracting a double wave of visitors: foreigners on vacation and Chinese enjoying their summer vacation. In southern China, sweltering temperatures and humidity can quickly make visits a real ordeal, especially at the most popular sites where crowds are dense.

Whenever possible, it's best to visit between seasons, in spring or autumn, when temperatures are milder and tourist numbers more moderate.

To be booked

Reservations are not required for museums. You don't need to book for nature sites either. If you wish to be accompanied by an English-speaking guide, remember to book a day in advance. Hotels, guesthouses and inns are often good advice for organizing and booking your visits. Although booking is rarely essential, queues can be long during vacation periods or at some of the most famous sites, such as the Shangri-La monastery.

Budget & Tips

Exploring Southern China can be very affordable. Parks, temples and certain natural sites are often free or very inexpensive. However, entry to national parks such as Zhangjiajie or Wuyishan is one of the biggest expenses of the trip (RMB 200-500, €26-66). Students, senior citizens and children often benefit from discounts on presentation of proof of age, making discoveries more accessible.

To buy an entrance ticket, simply say "One ticket, please", in Mandarin: 请给我一张票。(qǐng gěi wǒ yì zhāng piào.). If you want two, formulate it this way: 请给我两张票。(qǐng gěi wǒ liǎng zhāng piào.).

Free activities. In small tourist towns like Fenghuang or Furong, it's possible to enjoy free cultural activities such as shows offered every evening at no charge. You can admire musicians and dancers dressed in traditional costumes, evoking the heritage of the region's ethnic minorities. These open-air performances are often accompanied by the warm atmosphere of illuminated alleyways and crowds.

Main events

There are festivals everywhere and all the time in Southern China! For an overview of the main ones, go to the "Agenda" section of the guide.
Here are a few highlights of the year:

- Chinese New Year (January-February) is a major celebration, and cities like Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Xiamen light up with lanterns, fireworks and red decorations. In Hong Kong, the parade and fireworks in Victoria Bay offer an unforgettable spectacle.

- The Lantern Festival (February-March) is celebrated in style, especially in places like Fuzhou and Nanning, where parks and rivers are decorated with colorful lanterns. Performances of traditional dances and music add a festive touch.

- The Dragon Boat Festival (May-June) enlivens the rivers of regions like Guangxi, with impressive races in Guilin or Liuzhou, while coastal cities like Guangzhou, Macau and Hong Kong also take part in this tradition.

- The Mid-Autumn Festival (September), celebrated throughout the region, is an opportunity to sample traditional mooncakes and attend events such as the Tai Hang Dragon Dance in Hong Kong or the festivities around the East Lake in Nanchang.

Special events: China's southern provinces are among the most ethnically diverse in the country, home to more than half of the country's officially registered national minorities. Throughout the year, a wide variety of festivals reflect this cultural richness. It's difficult to draw up an exhaustive list, but the following are among the most important.

The seafaring people of Fujian celebrate a number of local deities, the most important of which is Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea (known as Tin Hau in Cantonese). The main festival dedicated to her takes place every year on the ^23rd day of the^3rd lunar month. While primarily a religious event attracting pilgrims from all over China and even Taiwan, it also features traditional song and dance performances and demonstrations of local crafts. The 15th^and final day of the Spring Festival, commonly known as the Lantern Festival, is particularly lively in Quanzhou, a beautiful city in Fujian.

In the coastal cities of Guangdong, the birth of Tin Hau is also celebrated on the ^23rd day of the^3rd lunar month. Every year in June and July, the city of Conghua vibrates to the rhythm of the Lychee Festival, while Meizhou organizes a festival of Hakka culture during the mid-Autumn festivities.

In Hong Kong and Macau, the Tin Hau temples are crowded on the birthday of the Sea Goddess. Usually held in May, the Cheng Chau festival (or festival of buns) is held on the island of the same name, and offers a colorful spectacle with its parade and the ascent of a mound of buns. Annual events such as Art Basel and the Macau Grand Prix also attract many tourists.

The province of Guangxi, with its many minorities, offers a packed festive calendar. Among the best known, the Zhuang, near Nanning, and the Dong, in the north, captivate visitors. On the^3rd day of the^3rd lunar month, the Nanning International Song Festival celebrates local vocal traditions.

Guizhou's Dong and Miao minorities display their customs at various times of the year. The Dong organize the Cai Ge Tang and Tai Guan Ren festivals, respectively on the^2nd and following two days of the^1st lunar month, with costumed parades and traditional singing. Among the Miao, the lusheng festivities, from September to April, see young girls dressed in silver outfits while the men play this wind instrument. The community also celebrates the Miao New Year over five days at the end of the ^10th lunar month.

Yunnan also abounds in ethnic celebrations. The Dai New Year, in mid-April in Xishuangbanna, culminates in water festivities. In Dali, the Third Moon Fair, a large-scale market, pays tribute to Guanyin, goddess of mercy. The Naxi of Lijiang celebrate Sanduojie in honor of their god of war, on the ^8th day of the^2nd lunar month. Finally, in Shangri-La, the horse-racing festival, held on the^5th and ^6th days of the^5th lunar month, brings together Tibetan minorities for equestrian events and traditional dances, while also serving as a market for the region's best mounts.

Guided tours

Guided tours are easy to organize through local tourist offices and travel agencies. In major cities like Guangzhou or Nanning, you'll easily find organized tours (in English, as French-speaking guides are extremely rare) on Trip.com that explore iconic sites, such as temples, markets and historic monuments. For a more authentic experience in the countryside or mountainous regions, small guesthouses or family-run hotels often offer personalized tours.

In Hainan, on the island of Haikou, it's not uncommon for local guides to offer scooter or tricycle rides to discover beaches and villages. Allow around 200 to 400 RMB (€25 to €50) for a full day. Beware, however, that prices for guided tours or organized tours rise very quickly.

Smokers

Smoking legislation has become stricter in recent years, particularly in major cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Kunming. Smoking is officially prohibited in public places, including parks and tourist sites. Some designated smokingareas can be found. However, enforcement varies from region to region. In rural areas or small towns, restrictions are often more relaxed, while in large conurbations, controls can be strict.

It should be noted that Hong Kong has adopted particularly stringent regulations, also banning the sale, import and possession of electronic cigarettes and vaping products. This ban does not apply to mainland China, where these products are still freely available, although restrictions are beginning to emerge in some cities. Fines can be steep, so don't play with fire: no ashtray, no cigarette.

Tourist traps

In Southern China, scams are rare, but a few pitfalls can sometimes tarnish a traveler's experience. For example, in busy tourist areas such as Guilin or Yangshuo, beware of street vendors or agencies offering cruises on the Li River at bargain prices. These cruises may be of inferior quality, with shortened itineraries or overcrowded boats. It's best to book with reputable providers or through your hotel.

A rare example of an anecdotal scam: in the old town of Dali (Yunnan), it's common to be told that there are no bicycles for hire, only scooters. If you're planning to take a scooter along Erhai Lake to Xizhou, be aware that this is not a feasible option. Scooters are not allowed on the picturesque road along the lake. You will be stopped in Caicun, about 5 km from Dali, and will either have to turn back, or rent a bike there (rental companies are available at the beginning of the lake road). To avoid this inconvenience, it may be wiser to take a cab directly to Caicun, a cheaper option than hiring a scooter. Alternatively, you can take the main road to Xizhou, but this route is less charming. Note, however, that self-service scooters, often available via local apps, are permitted on certain stretches of this road.

What's very local

Visits to tourist attractions are generally very well organized and intuitive. Explanatory signs and maps are ubiquitous, and increasingly available in English, which makes exploration much easier, even in vast natural parks. This removes a lot of stress, especially when you don't know where to start.

It is important to keep your passport with you at all times, as it is required for the purchase of entry tickets to most sites.

When you buy a ticket for a national park or nature reserve, a shuttle service is usually included. These shuttles make it easy to get from one point to another and access the most beautiful panoramas without having to walk long distances, making the visit accessible to all and far less tiring.