Ping An is a village of 800 people in Longsheng, about 2 hours from Guilin. Tourism there has only been allowed since 1998. This tiny village is tucked along the side of a mountain among rice paddies and bamboo forests. You get dropped off halfway up the mountain and then have to hike about 30 minutes the rest of the way up. We stayed at the Li An Lodge and was definitely the best place we've stayed so far. 16 room mountain lodge overlooking the rice paddies. Kinda cool, the lodge was built in an old traditional style and did not use one single nail. We did some great hikes, ate tons of rice and chilis, ran into some local Yao ladies, and the views from every direction were absolutely unreal.
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| Ping An |
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| View from our room at the Li An Lodge. Owner of the hotel took some pics from our room a few years ago and they were in National Geographic Traveller |
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| The red stuff on the roof of the white building are tons of chilis drying in the sun. They are everywhere and make the best chili oil. |
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| Local Yao ladies we saw on a hike. They cut their hair 3 times in their life. Once when they are 2 months old, 18, and when they die. It is so long they wrap it into a crazy hat-like shape on top of their heads. |
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| There was tons of corn, tarro, sweet potato, and chili in addition to all the rice. |
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| Street vendor making local bamboo rice. They put the rice in the bamboo and stick it in the fire. It is delicious. |
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| Bamboo rice when they crack it open. Little pieces of pumpkin in there sweetens it up a bit. YUM. |
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| Stir fried frogs. Qin's favorite and actually was really good. |
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| so cute |
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| Qin - our fabulous guide/Chinese brother from another mother. Mo already invited him to Thanksgiving. |
