XIZHOU
Sights
Natural Sights
Lake Erhai
A good place to sit still and just breathe. Especially beautiful during sunsets or sunrises, but beware of the giant mosquitoes that fly around during the afternoon. Can be visited by either roads that lead out of Xizhou towards the east.
Cang Mountains
A good place to hike, or to admire by afar. The mountains are a difficult climb if you are hiking, but multiple cable car systems are set up all along the bottom of the mountains. The view is definitely worth a hike, the Jade Belt is a good path to walk around and snap pictures of.
Crop Fields
Canola plants were grown here during my Microcampus trip, but different crops are grown in different seasons, so the view you get is different each time you come to visit. Definitely beautiful to see and walk past on the road.
Videos showing the canola fields, Lake Erhai on the south side, and the mountains as seen from a campsite.
Village Sights
Village Sights
Sifangjie Square
Explore the shops around here and enjoy the variety of restaurants. Sit in the middle of the square and watch people get along with their day, or venture off into the alleys to find some interesting souvenir shops or snacks to munch on. Sifangjie is a place you will find yourself returning to multiple times during your trip for food and souvenirs.
Natural Sights
The North Alley on Sifangjie, the Morning Market, the Walking Street, the Mosque, the Tie-Dye alley, and some architecture around town.
The Morning Market
Wander around the market during the morning before setting off for lunch to see all the local produce offered here. You can even catch sight of chickens and fresh fish offered, or buy a couple sweet carrots from Mrs. Li who sells her vegetables in front of a clothing shop. This is the hub of all produce offered in Xizhou and is probably the largest market of all the villages in the area. If you're early, you can catch sight of all the farmers carrying all their freshly harvested veggies into the market and setting up for the morning. Situated between the main road facing the fields and the Walking Street.
The Walking Street
Stroll down this street on your way to the Morning Market and keep your eye out for some fruits to bring back to the Linden Centre to eat, or try out some of the snacks offered there on the spot. The grocery store is located here, and the post office as well.
If you travel down the Walking Street towards the Sifangjie, you will find many clothing shops and some souvenir shops once you get closer to Sifangjie.
The Mosque
Relax here in the afternoon in this building or conversate with the Imam to learn more about the Muslim religion and the history of the building. You will find out about facts like how the building was constructed after the Cultural Revolution in the 1980s and how secret prayers had to be held back then. To get to the Mosque, stroll down the North Alley of Sifangjie and when you reach the crossroad, turn down onto the path on the right side instead of the left, which leads you back to the Dangerous Intersection and the Linden Centre.
The Tie-Dye Alley
Also seen as the South Alley of Sifangjie, you can travel down here to view the tie-dye pieces on the wall. The Yuan Zi Kou restaurant is also located in this alley.
Architecture Around Town
Admire the architecture around town, and walk into some homes (with permission from the owner, of course) to admire and observe the style. Look closely at the entrance of homes and notice the intricate paintings of flowers, lakes, and different scenes. More than 100 homes in Xizhou are certified relics, and it would be a shame if you do not take the time to admire the handicraft and construction of the buildings across Xizhou.