The Road to Abuji Brilliant trail and mountain riding during a cold and chilly but sunny day with awesome blue sky in the mountain ranges nearby Shangrila (Zhongdian), friendly mountain folk and welcoming monks at isolated monasteries....
Departing from Shangrila (Zhongdian) up to the Northern regions of Yunnan partly besides the Jinsha river direction towards Buka on a unmarked small country road to Benzilan, joining the famous G214 National Road near Benzilan / ZigenXiang via a short stretch on country road X041 and a bridge crossing the Jinsha river, great alternative twisty route parallel to the G214 National Road....
"Lost Horizon Ride"
The cruise up along China National Road G214 is somehow inspired by James Hilton's eponym novel recounting a place called Shangrila as a paradise on earth. Nobody can tell you where Shangrila is actually located. To Buddhists, it is "a land of beauty and harmony close to heaven" and I believe you can find it during a motorbike ride but who really knows....
White Horse Pass (4292m) – Northern Yunnan, near the Tibet border along the National Road G214 (Yunnan - Tibet Highway). In this region of North Yunnan, especially in the spring, you can experience four seasons in a day but lucky as had awesome clear but cold weather.
Some White Horse Pass region pictures above show sections on the mountains of the narrow old G214 Yunnan > Tibet Highway, the old road carved into the mountain sides is still visible, brings back some good old memories from many moons ago as I have been riding here before.... The China National Highway 214 (G214) runs from Xining, Qinghai to Jinghong, Yunnan. It is approx. 3,256 kilometres in total length and runs south from Xining towards Tibet, and ends in Yunnan Province. The approx. 720km stretch of the Yunnan–Tibet Highway (G214) goes from Dali to Markam, where it interlinks with the G318 Sichuan–Tibet Highway (G318 National Highway goes from Shanghai all the way to Kathmandu crossing the entire country East to West). The G214 Highway is the most scenic route to approach Tibet (TAR) in my opinion as the road runs through many minority areas and crosses the Hengduan Mountains and Jinsha River (the upper reaches of the Yangtze River).
Deqin (North Yunnan / Kham Tibet), the town itself is a terrible manifestation of the worst kind of modern Chinese architecture: dirty, white-tiled, and somehow soulless with not a whole lot to see around town itself they say ~ well, I find walking around quite interesting... However, if you love biking and exploring, Deqin is a superb base and had some great days staying in the area. So, if Deqin is so great, why is it not better known? The main reason for this is that there is not a lot of information available on the area, so the average traveller is left guessing whether it is worth visiting or not. The fact that most travellers will have to return the way they came also puts them off visiting (Deqin is the last town before Tibet >TAR< proper in Yunnan province).
Kham (Tibet) region has a rugged terrain characterized by mountain ridges and gorges running from northwest to southeast, and collectively known as the Hengduan Mountains. Numerous rivers, including the Mekong, Yangtze, Yalong Jiang, and the Salween flow through Kham. Under the modern administrative division of the People's Republic of China, Kham comprises a total of 50 contemporary counties, which have been incorporated into the Chinese provinces of Sichuan (16 counties), Yunnan (3 counties), and Qinghai (6 counties) as well as the eastern portion of the Tibet Autonomous Region (25 counties). It held the status of "special administrative district" until 1939, when it became an official Chinese province. Its provincial status was nominal and without much cohesion, like most of China's territory during the time of Japanese invasion and civil war. The natives of the Kham region are called Khampas.
Deqin prefecture is where the big mountains are to be found with impossibly steep valleys, mind-blowing vistas, remote monasteries. In fact the best time to trek up is during the winter months as summer is the rainy season. Many say, March is the worst month as the rains start but it's still cold enough so it comes down as snow. This is the month to get snowed in. Well ~ don't agree as during my March ride and multi day stay the sky is a deep ultramarine blue that make one think of outer space. It’s not simply something about a high elevation; the height at these latitudes creates an entirely different type of sky colour in my opinion....
Kawagarpo Mountain ~ it's not a place it's a special spiritual feeling....
Kawagarpo Mountain is the high point in a range of high peaks and one of the most sacred mountains for Tibetan Buddhism as the spiritual home of a warrior god of the same name. It is visited by 20,000 pilgrims each year from throughout the Tibetan world, many pilgrims circumambulate the peak, an arduous 240km trek. Although it is important throughout Tibetan Buddhism, it is the local Tibetans that are the day-to-day guardians and stewards of Kawagarbo, both the deity and the mountain.
The ancestral religion of the Kawagarpo area, as in much of Tibet, was Bön, a shamanistic tradition based on the concept of a world pervaded by good and evil spirits. Bön encompassed numerous deities and spirits which are still recognized today, and are often connected with specific geographical localities and natural features; the major mountain peaks in the Hengduan Mountains are thus all identified with specific deities. Kawagarbo is one of these. Since its introduction, Tibetan Buddhism has been the dominant religion of the Kawagarbo area, with followers of Gelugpa doctrine being the most common.Tibetans believe the warrior god will leave them if human sets foot on the peak of Kawakarpo, making the ground unholy. Disasters will follow as they lose god's protection. Tibetans have also established a centuries-old sacred geography around the peak, maintained by religious leaders from local monasteries in negotiation with local villages. This sacred natural site preserves the natural resources and ecological health of the mountain range.
The Kora, the clockwise trek around the Kawagarpo Mountain range is a spectacular adventure: The trail leads through different vegetation zones from blooming alpine meadows to thick and species rich forests. Plenty of breathtaking view points allow amazing sights of the snow-covered steep mountains. The trek (Kora) itself starts at a suspension bridge across the Mekong in the village Yangtsa (100km south of Deqen) and ends at the Mekong in the village Meilixi (70km north of Deqen). However, the trek requires good physical condition and self-confidence in walking in remote regions on lonely paths. It is recommended to tackle the Kora as 12-stage hike across six high passes with altitudes way above 3000 m. Most of the time, over-nights (average 10 nights) need to be planned ahead as staying in tents, sometimes in the simple settlements along the Kora trek it's possible to stay in private guest houses.
Kawagarpo Mountain climbing, the most prominent peaks of the mountain range are: Kawagarpo (6740m), Cogar Laka (6509m), Magai Laka (6400m), Nairi Denka (6379m), Godai Laka (6108m), Miancimu (6054m), Xaiunang (6000m), Gyalwarigng (5470m). The first attempt on Kawakarpo was made in 1987 by a party from the Joetsu Alpine Club of Japan. In the winter of 1990–91 a group from the Academic Alpine Club of Kyoto University attempted the peak in conjunction with a Chinese group. Their activity caused heavy protests from the local Tibetan community due to the mountain's cultural and religious significance. On 3 January 1991, a nighttime avalanche killed all seventeen members of the expedition, in one of the most deadly mountaineering accidents in history. The Kyoto club returned in 1996 to make another unsuccessful attempt. American expeditions, led by Nicholas Clinch, visited the range in 1988, 1989, 1992, and 1993, attempting other major peaks, but were unsuccessful. In 2001, local government passed laws banning all future climbing attempts on cultural and religious grounds. As of today, none of the significant other peaks of the range (Cogar Laka, Minacimu, Gyalwarigng) have been successfully climbed.
Up for a Kawagarpo Mountain - Yubeng village hike as the full Kawagarpo Mountain Kora is too much...[FONT=arial, sans-serif]???[/FONT]
Exploring the deep valleys and mountain roads around the Kawagarpo Mountain region working from pointers given by locals and with some Mingyong Glacier GPS co-ords provided by a friend and contact in the area. There is no real maintained trail to the actual glacier. However, you can find a few more or less prominent trails used by locals and try to hike in to the glacier, never tried. The trails unfortunately not accessible with a heavy motorbike for various reasons (ice / mud / narrow gaps). Reached the "official" entrance (checkpoint with a small parking lot) to the Mingyong Glacier area below Kawagarpo Mountain but somehow must have upset the two uniformed guards as coming down a steep mountain gravel road, the road had no gates (entry tickets / checkpoints) of any sort. Was informed rudely that the Mingyong Glacier is closed for visitors during the week as low season. Spot on ~ your just pissed I came over the mountains not using the designated tarmac roads, no further questions and discussions ~ cruising onwards really enjoying the ride and great weather....
Just as general info, no close up pictures, the Mingyong Glacier descends steeply from the east face of Kawagarbo into the Mekong River valley on the Yunnan side of the massif. Because it descends from near the summit of Kawagarbo, it is also considered sacred by Tibetan Buddhists and two temples are located along its lower edge. From those temples, the rapid retreat of Mingyong Glacier is obvious, especially to local people who observe it year in and year out.....
Some adventure bike owners love to ride to a Starbucks / Costa Coffee with their polished princess bike on a sunny day - no need to join the crowds as got my own travel espresso maker... nothing beats a steaming hot strong espresso and looking over the holy Kawagarpo Mountain range...
"Room with a View" at Songtsam Lodges Meili Hotel (Deqin / North Yunnan), my temporary home base while exploring the region around Kawagarpo Mountain for a few days... http://www.songtsam.com and https://www.facebook.com/songtsam5lodges/
Deqin town in the darkness has a totally different look and feel obviously with all the street-side restaurants and nightly activities going on in shops....
Well ~ time came around to hit the roads again to new destinations in the morning and departing from Deqin (North Yunnan / Kham Tibet).....
From the cobblestone back alleys in Shaxi, Deqin and Shangrila (Zhongdian), the water gushing through narrow canyons in the Kawagarpo Mountain region, awesome backgrounds of mountain peaks covered in eternal snow and ice made it over to Lugu Lake.
Lugu Lake ~ the forest lined lake overlaps the remote border between Yunnan – Sichuan provinces. The stunning scenery and ethnic cultures are two main features that attracts thousands of visitors each year to the area. A visit to the Lugu usually can be started from Luoshui. The lake, was formed by two sinking faults, and this high alpine lake sits 2,685m. Most people say it is shaped like a horse’s hoof – long from north to south, and narrower from East to West. The lake which is surrounded by hills is filled with inviting clear water, that makes it easy to see the fish swimming within. The forest that protects the lake if full of dense trees and fresh mountain. Lugu Lake is a place that has not been disturbed by the other economic developments and pollution; its’ natural beauty has been retained somehow but heavy tourist developments under construction around the entire lake might change that very soon. The made the entire Lugu Lake area a national park with two main entrance gates (tickets). Can't recall paying anything for Lugu Lake area entrance during my last ride around during May 2004. Lugu Lake has an airport nearby opened during 2015 (October) and them tourist hordes are coming in quickly thats for sure.... Ninglang Luguhu Airport (NLH) is an airport serving Ninglang Yi Autonomous County and Lugu Lake (Luguhu), in northwestern Yunnan province, China. It is located in Shifoshan, Hongqiao Township, 25km from Lugu Lake and 50km from the Ninglang county seat, at an elevation of 3,293 metres Construction began in April 2013, and the airport, the 13th in Yunnan, was opened on 12 October 2015..
Lugu Lake is home to several Tibetan, Yi as well as Mosuo minority villages. The most numerous of these are the Mosuo people (also spelt "Moso"), said to be a sub clan of the Naxi people (as per Chinese records of Minorities in China) with ancient family structure considered as "a live fossil for researching the marital development history of Human beings" and "the last quaint Realm of Matriarchy." It is considered as the home of the Moso Tribe. However, Mosuo have a separate identity from the Naxis, as it is said that the Chinese used the word Mosuo as a generic term for different ethnic groups, including the Naxi.
Lugu Lake is called the "mother lake" by the Mosuo people.The lake is also well known in Chinese travel pamphlets as the region of “Amazons,” “The Kingdom of Women” and “Home of the Matriarchal Tribe”, this last name highlighting the dominant role of the Mosuo women in their society. The marriage rites of the Mosuo people are known as “azhu marriage” ceremony and this unique aspect of their social culture has given the title “exotic land of daughters” to the area. It is also known as "A Quaint Realm of Matriarchy". The matriarchal and matrilineal society of the Mosuos is also termed the “Women’s World". The Mosuo are the last practicing (almost) matriarchal society in the world. Mosuo women never marry and never cohabit, instead they are free to choose as many lovers as they like throughout their lives. Children are brought up by women, and use the surname of their mothers. Families are composed of the members of the matrilineal kind. Women hold the principal positions in the society, forming a modern day ‘woman’s kingdom’, which adds mystique to this magical place.
The Yunnan Trail 2016 ride report is almost done and dusted and herewith saying a big thanks for the great tasty food to all the talented chefs along the way...,
Every great road trip ends one way or the other and while getting back to Shanghai, thought about my real last China group ride back in 2004 around Yunnan / Sichuan provinces. Won't ever happen again, group rides that is ~ anywhere, as really prefer heading out alone, no questions coming from anyone and basically no real commitments ~ thats the full on freedom I am after. If anyone tells me that it must be great being in the biking brotherhood, I tell them that it's comprises some of the most blinkered and ignorant people it has ever been my misfortune to encounter.... 'nuff said....
Wait ~ hold on, last Yunnan Trail Ride 2016 comments as traveled extensively before in the particular area of China. The whole region visited during the ride (Yunnan / Sichuan) has developed into several busy touristy commercial hubs. Some call it "progress" but personally feel historic places are being turned into full blown circus arenas and many historical sites being destroyed due to "rebuilds" and not preserved in traditional ways ~ thats just my personal opinion anyways.
Stay tuned as the TBR team has always something going motorbike related around the world, ride & rock on'....
Thanks for the comments, much appreciated as you have been there. Well ~ they are just compressed low resolution internet uploads, the original ones and 4K video footage are just absolute stunning. Actually becoming lazy as sorting through thousands of pics for online ride reports becomes a lot of work ~ rather go riding, more rewarding and great memories in the end anyways...
Noooooo!!!! These mountains are terrible! It's downright ugly in these parts! All the rivers are polluted! Everybody is high on Ganja! Every damn edible thing is smothered or dusted in red spicy chilli or other aromatic spices & marinades.Stay home in your air conditioned cities where you can be at a Starbucks in 2 minutes and turn around and be at another Starbucks in 3 minutes. It takes me at least 30 minutes to borrow my buddy's fully farkled GSA and ride to the closest Starbucks to look the part! 30 minutes! Just think about what you'd have to sacrifice!!! Stay home.....:-)
Hey ~ just kiddin' here, actually spot on, Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, TAR, Xinjiang, Nei Mongolia (Inner), have been my favourite riding regions in Mainland China with Kham / Amdo / U-Tsang taking the top three spots....Really enjoy the culture, love the people and entire Tibet region landscape, don't see or feel the to head to mountain ranges like India, Bhutan, Nepal just yet. Have been round the block multiple times and ridden past the last lights of various towns since my first Harley-Davidson bike arrived in Shanghai (December 1989). Have to say openly, things are changing all over very quickly and as mention earlier in the thread, some call it "progress", for myself many regions become a cheap tacky touristy zoo suitable for the tourist busloads.
You want to see the remaining stunning beauty of the country ~ its the right time to go now, don't wait any longer... 'nuff said'....
MOONCAKE DAYS ~ HAPPY MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL 2016 Nothing beats a long relaxed spirited morning ride around Diashan Lake (Shanghai + Jiangsu) with a special modded and well set up DUCATI Multistrada 1200S Pikes Peak in my humble personal option. You start the engine up and this fantastic roar starting to happen, you have to get the engine temperature up while putting the last pieces of gear on and once rollin' the MTS is just begging to be ridden hard and in anger taken to the red line in every single gear, anything I can ask of the machine, it can deliver in spades ~ absolute brilliant...'nuff said....
Graffitis popping up recently all over and not talking about the chairman, the spray-on artworks covering the otherwise boring and dull concrete walls around construction sides.
Mid-Autumn Festival and Mooncakes The festival is intricately linked to legends of Chang E, the mythical Moon Goddess of Immortality. According to "Li-Ji", an ancient Chinese book recording customs and ceremonies, the Chinese Emperor should offer sacrifices to the sun in spring and the moon in autumn. The 15th day of the 8th lunar month is the day called "Mid-Autumn". The night on the 15th of the 8th lunar month is also called "Night of the Moon". Under the Song Dynasty (420), the day was officially declared the Mid-Autumn Festival. Because of its central role in the Mid-Autumn festival, mooncakes remained popular even in recent years. For many, they form a central part of the Mid-Autumn festival experience such that it is now commonly known as 'Mooncake Festival'.
A mooncake is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhongqiujie). The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching, when mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the four most important Chinese festivals.Typical mooncakes are round pastries, measuring about 10 cm in diameter and 3–4 cm thick. Traditional mooncakes, eaten in China, a rich thick filling usually made from red bean or lotus seed paste is surrounded by a thin (2–3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea. Today, it is customary for businessmen and families to present them to their clients or relatives as presents, helping to fuel a demand for high-end mooncake styles. The energy content of a mooncake is approximately 1,000 calories or 4,200 kilojoules (for a cake measuring 10cm), but energy content varies with filling and size. During recent years non-traditional mooncakes are available in China from Starbucks (Starbucks Espresso Mooncake, Starbucks Green Tea with Red Bean Mooncake, etc...) and Häagen-Dazs (various ice cream fillings)....
DAYS IN THE DIRT (May 2016) Welcome to Moganshan (Zhejiang / China), our favourite "Hilly Training Grounds" for decades...
Refreshingly cool in summer and sometimes smothered in spectral fog, Moganshan, 60km northeast of Hangzhou, is famed for its scenic vistas, forested views, towering bamboo and stone villa architecture. It was developed as a hilltop resort by 19th-century Europeans living in Shanghai. Largely abandoned during the second half of the last century, it is now seeing a new buzz of activity and lots of construction / developments, reclaiming its reputation as a weekend bolt hole for expat tàitai (wives) and natives fleeing the simmering lowland heat.....
Above series of pictures actually show the real last F8GS offroad outing (May 2016) around the greater Moganshan Mountain region. The 2015 BMW F8GS "Rally Twin" is gone and sold on as boring & dull stock standard (low seat + suspension height) bike and the special parts went to a China based mate for modifying his 2015 F8GS. Well, people ask why I sold the F8GS. Well ~ think of the F8GS as a sort of swiss army knife or even a triathlete. It may not be the best off roader, interstate tourer ot canyon carver. But you'll have a great time doing all three stock and with a few mods, you can make it even better for the riding type you want to do. Back when I owned a first generation F8GS in Oz, was pure fun but in between the two F8GS got the Ducati MTS and the F8GS seems and felt "outdated" somehow as heavy and not enough power on tap for a large & heavy bike, got somewhat tired of it to be honest and straight forward, was about time to move on to more exciting projects and destinations as life is too short to own boring motor-vehicles....
KTM450EXC (2016) as the fun begins where the pavement ends, first street legal & legit special "China Compulsory Certificate" (COC) imported 450EXC registered in Mainland China was told during the complicated Shanghai (August 2016) registration and licensing process....
It's a lean and mean streetable Hard Enduro / X-Country motorcycle, it's not supposed to be comfortable, quiet or safe. The wind noise is supposed to hurt your ears, the seat should be hard and riding it should make you almost crap your pants every now and then. Raw ~ basic without any electronic aids (ABS / TC), totally analog is exactly how I'd describe it. Angry, visceral, and beastly - even the idle sound demands respect... I bought it because it was one of my bucket list bikes before they launched the sophisticated EXC 17's range with traction control, mapping switch, Euro 4 regulations, etc...etc... I rode it a dozen times to get the suspension settings, etc.. etc.. spot on after swapping parts supplied to my specs - it's a "scary & lovely" beast and handles amazingly, exactly what I wanted and instantly connected with the bike, similar as with the Ducati MTS Pikes Peak back during November 2011.
So, in many regards I've eaten crow and I am also rethinking the big bikes again. I even catched myself reading through the Honda Africa Twin online bike forum threads from time to time until the dirt devil on my shoulder slapped me in the ear hole over and over again. With that, I circled back and realise just how good a 450EXC is and how I kind of hate riding on the highways / national roads anyway after all them decades in China. The KTM450EXC, with its full on off-road capabilities and easy maintenance (easiest machine I've ever worked on) is the cornerstone of my perfect garage. Well everyone loves pictures, here we go and some special modification as usual for the TBR team but its a never ending story anyways with improvements and modifications ~ stay tuned...
Big shout-out to the companies listed below providing excellent outstanding customer service and brilliant parts....
KTM Powerparts = http://www.ktm.com Factory Racing Brembo SXS Brake Calipers (front / rear), Tank Cap, Venthose, Fuel Tank Outlet, Menlom Levers (brake / clutch), Swingarm Protectors, Airfilter Bracket
KTM450EXC, first oil - filter & screen change, valve check after the short break-in period outlined by KTM, all clear and within specs, no dramas ~ no worries.... All factory restrictors removed and ECU mapping loaded to full race mode (unrestricted) ~ ready to Rock n' Roll in the China Outback.
Moganshan (Zhejiang / China) testing the KTM450EXC "Hoonigan" setup during a few late summer / autumn 2016 weekends ~ calming the body and mind in the mountains as my ride plans are on so short notice and private, even I don't know when I'm on one!?!! Go fast ~ go light ~ go far ~ go mental and its really exhilarating, just before the bike hits the rev limiter ~ you really feel alive. What is not to like, super light, super agile, the 450EXC is a true Hard Enduro bike, perfect to take on the trails with minimal luggage, definetly ain't ending up as a ACB "Adventure Cargo Bike".... I guess in the end it all comes down to budget, service intervals, enjoying tinkering and working on bikes, so what if you have a few enjoyable hours more garage time per year than a boring bike, etc. I guess you cannot have it all ~ stay tuned for more..... 'nuff said....
Autumn Bamboo harvest all over the Moganshan - Anji (Zhejiang) mountain ranges, gives some scary monuments cruising on the roads with the bamboo hauling trucks and road side bamboo processing....
Moganshan truck roadside repair, lovely road block coming around a bend....
The gates were open and as the saying goes in Australia = Leave them gates the way you found em'......
Excellent testing trails, Land Rover Experience Moganshan, Shangxiazhuang Village, Paitou Town, Deqing County, phone (China) 4000050987, e-mail: 1024@landroverexperience.com.cn. Next to the Naked Retreats resort, Land Rover have an official experience centre where you go off road and see how far you can push a four wheel drive Land Rover. You will also see some of the remoter scenery of Moganshan mountains. Not particularly cheap, but an interesting experience nevertheless. ¥500 pp for tour, ¥2,000 for own drive a while ago but pricing might have changed ~ better check with the management.... http://www.landrover.com/experiences/find-a-centre/china.html and http://www.landroverexperience.com.cn
Few places are more fitting for a weekend break from the "big smoke" Shanghai than Le Passage Mohkan Shan, a hotel modelled after a French country home that sits half hidden in a valley surrounded by tea plantations and a bamboo forest. Founded by Frenchman Christophe Peres and his wife Pauline Lee in late 2012, Le Passage epitomises colonial chic. The hotel is a new build but it is sometimes hard to tell. The nostalgic decor and design harks back to Moganshan’s bygone days – when the area was a playground for the European jet set – with antique cement tiles, wooden flooring, chandeliers, and worn leather armchairs. Always tasty and yummy food available at Le Passage Mohkan Shan = http://www.lepassagemoganshan.com.cn
Lepassage Moganshan operates the Relais Cafe' in Moganshan village among a few other food + beverage outlets dotted over the mountain region, great stop for fantastic home made ice cream...
Insider Tip: craving for a great yummy burger and real thick awesome milk shakes while in the "Big Smoke" Shanghai, head to Al's Dinner in the former french concession...www.eatatalsdiner.com (owners + operators same as Le Passage Country Resort Moganshan / Zhejiang)
Moganshan - Anji Mountain ranges cruising ~ always very relaxing and refreshing for decades....
In closing, its just the beginning as more serious trail riding off the beaten path planned in the future, gettin' away from crowded spots and all them annoying people became way easier as the more time I spend around people, the less time I want to spend around people!!!! Stay tuned ~ to be continued....
"Wheels & Waves" Winter 2016 ~ back for some "COC = Chill Out China" over in the tropics enjoying moto adventures around Hainan Island (South China), from the mountains throughthe rainforest onwards to beaches as we really enjoy exploring the remote corners of China, looking for the perfect trail as one never knows what the shadows might hide....
LINGAO CAPE ~ feels somehow a little like Baja California and hanging around Coco's Corner enjoying some Mexican style snacks near the large concrete soldiers monument, snacksnot made from scratch but got the break pretty well covered...
Lingao is situated in the north-west of Hainan Island. Some quick runs along the beach rides with a different view during a stopover at the famous Lingao monument out at the LingaoCape, a large stone monument for the Hainan Island Invasion Campaign. On April 10, 1950, the XC Corps high command launched an amphibious landing in two waves in northernHainan. The first wave consisted of the main force, was aimed east and west, and included eight brigade-sized regiments: two from the 43rd Army and six from the 40th Army. They leftthe Leizhou Peninsula in three hundred fifty junks at 7.30 PM on April 16, 1950. The second wave consisted of five brigade-sized regiments of the communist 43rd Army. Units of the 40thArmy that landed earlier and the 1st Division of the Qiongya Column would strike the Nationalist coastal defenses to the north of Lingao, while the 3rd Division of the Qiongya Column andunits of the 43rd Army would strike the defenses in the Fortune Mountain (Fushan) region of Chengmai County to complement the landing forces in the east and west. The NRA did notdetect the departure of the enemy forces until hours after the enemy fleets left port, which prevented their navy from intercepting the crossing PLA troops in time.
During the crossing, the escort fleet of the 40th Army discovered that the Nationalist 3rd Fleet, with the destroyer "Eternal Peace" (Taipinghao) as its flagship, was approaching theCommunist landing forces from behind, in an attempt to intercept the fleet from behind. The escort fleet, consisting of armed junks, immediately took action and outflanked the pursuingflotilla. The NRA had gravely underestimated their enemy and did not expect the approaching junks to be armed, mistaking them for troop and cargo carriers. The Nationalist fleetattempted to capture them, which allowed the Communist junks to close the distance between them, at which point they fired their hidden mountain guns. Firing at close range and withthe Nationalist ships unable to depress their guns low enough in time to fire back, the junks' gunners badly damaged the enemy flagship early during the engagement and forced it toretreat.
The remaining nationalist ships continued to fight, but their efforts were largely ineffective. Not only were they hindered by the loss of their flagship, in their haste to prepare for the defenseof the island, they had also failed to change the ammunition of the warships. Most of the armor-piercing and semi armor-piercing ordinance, designed to be used against armored shipsand fortified bunkers, failed to detonate when hitting the wooden junks and simply flew through them. Coupled with the fact that their guns could not be depressed low enough to hit theenemy ships at such close range, this rendered the nationalist navy's guns nearly useless throughout the engagement.
As a result, the PLA was able to advance on the island, and despite the fact that all of the armed junks and the rest of the escort fleet were badly damaged, none of the junks had actuallybeen sunk. In contrast, the numerically superior mountain guns had inflicted considerable damage to the nationalist fleet.
Although the nationalists were unable to halt the communist transports, they could not back away, seeing as they were already behind the enemy landing forces. Leaving their positionwould leave the defenders on the beaches, who were being attacked on both sides, without fire support. They decided to stay and mingle with the enemy escort fleet, in an attempt toprovide support against the landing troops, but were forced to withdraw after several hours of fierce and chaotic battle, during which two more warships were forced to retreat. As a lastresort, they tried to sink the communist fleet holding the second wave of attack, but by that time, the bulk of the PLA forces had already landed.
Exploiting their enemy's dilemma to the fullest, the PLA kept intense pressure on the defenders at their beachhead. By 3.00 AM on April 17, 1950, the NRA defenders on both the easternand western flanks of Cape Lingao collapsed under the combined pressure of the landing forces, the Qiongya Column and the units that had landed earlier. As more troops landed, a firmbeachhead was established and advanced inland. Within the next two days, several regions, including Lingao, Fortune Mountain, Meitai and Jialai fell into communist hands.
Northern corner of Hainan Island, Mulantou Lighthouse also known as the Hainan Head Light, located in the province of Hainan, China, is the fifth tallest lighthouse in the world and the tallest in China. Built in 1995, this active lighthouse has a focal plane of 88m. It emits two white flashes every 15 seconds.The Mulantou Lighthouse is 72m tall. It is located on a sharp promontory at the northeastern tip of the province, and marks the south side of the entrance to Qiongzhou Strait.The structure is round cylindrical concrete rising from a 2-story circular base. It has a large circular observation room. This lighthouse is white in colour with red trim.
GPS: 20.158214 110.688965
December 2016, festive season during the last month of the year ~ fantastic detailed Xmas decoration and desert selection at the Haikou Marriott hotel, outstanding workman ship by the talented kitchen team....
Around 13,000 years ago, northern Hainan Island was the scene of extensive volcanic eruptions. The rich volcanic resources left by these eruptions gave the area its fertile soils, the strange shapes of its volcanic remnants, its lava caves, its valuable igneous rocks, and its abundant tropical ecology. This geologic event was critical in moulding the scenery and culture of the area today. Just to the south-west of Haikou City is a protected national geological and historical site several kilometers squared in size and a real busy "domestic tourist attraction".
The Hainan Volcanic Field is a 4,100 square kilometres volcanic field covering the northern half of Hainan, People's Republic of China. Although mostly Pleistocene-Holocene in age, minor eruptions have been recorded in the 19th and 20th centuries. The field is made up of 58 Pleistocene-Holocenetholeiitic cones. The two best preserved cones (Leihuling and Ma'anshan are on an East-West fracture line that contains 30 young cones in the Shishan and Yongzing regions. Historically, small fissure eruptions have been recorded from the Lingao and Chengmai areas.
There are several points of interest there outside the gated and fenced national park. The landscape is dotted with small volcanoes (hills), there are lava caves if one knows where to go, villages like Meishe / RongTan / Sishan that are built mostly from lava rock and scenic terraced tropical farmland.
The Rufu Pagoda was built in the Song Dynasty around 800 years ago. Today, just the base and a tower still stands. Apparently it is one of the oldest structures in Hainan. It was built entirely from volcanic rock and its style is rare in China. Somehow the design had influences from perhaps India or other south-east Asian countries as the saying goes.....
Haikou Volcanic Cluster Global Geopark, also known as Haikou Scenic-Shishan Volcano Cluster, Leiqiong Global Geopark, Haikou Crater Park, and Hainan Crater Park is a national park located approximately 15 km west of Haikou, Hainan, China. It is named for a crater, one of many extinct volcanoes on the island. The park has a total area of 118 square kilometres. It contains the two towns Shishan Town and Yongxing Town, and more than 40 Quaternary volcanoes. Part of the area is called Mount Maanling (Saddle) Crater Scenic Area. This area consists of the two major volcanoes, Mount Fengliung (furnace) and Mount Baoziling. Together they appear as a saddle, hence the name. Adjacent to these, there are another two volcanoes, one of which is called Mount Yanjinglin.
China AAAAtourist attraction, well ~ must stand for "Absolutely Abandon All Assumptions" as nothing special and seriously a waste of time and $$$'s for the entry tickets in my opinion....
Onwards to the Southern parts of Hainan Island, warmer and more pleasant climate this time of the year (December 2016)....
Houhai Bay has a simple village just near the ferries to Wuzhizhou Island. You can relax in one of the simple pubs / bars on the beach, have a drink, listen to the local music or have a jam session at JahBar – a place where plenty of "hipsters" come from mainland China to have a break and an exhibition in a tropical atmosphere. In this southern village of China, there are only about 1500 people and the bay is 2 km long. Sandy beaches and clean warm water are a given. There are also some famous diving spots to visit if you fancy the underwater world. The most famous of the area is Wuzhizhou Island, but it’s now very commercial and crowded. Houhai has seen plenty of development. In fact, many surf houses, surf clubs, diving centers and restaurants have opened in the last two years. China Surf Report, a daily surf publication, is also based there. The village is located exactly in the middle of a promontory. You can enjoy the waves and the ocean on both sides. There is also a nice kitesurfing center in the Haitang Bay side. Its English name is “Perfect Ocean”.... Houhai Bay Surf Report & Forecast = http://magicseaweed.com/Houhai-Bay-Surf-Report/4044/
Houhai Bay Love & Peace Bus ~ could be the starting step of a relaxed hippie island resort, eh?
Excellent "foodie" weekend as the Ritz-Carlton Sanya, Yalong Bay (Hainan Island / South China) hosted its second 'Nothing Ordinary' Food & Beverage Festival with eight international celebrity chefs presenting an extraordinary epicurean extravaganza for discerning diners and guests on China’s southern tropical island of Hainan from December 8 to 11, 2016. Star chefs from the United States, France, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam and Costa Rica converged on the exclusive beachfront resort for one of the highlights of the holiday island’s gastronomic calendar.
The star-studded lineup included French-American chef Hubert Keller, renowned for restaurant Fleur by Hubert Keller in Las Vegas and recognized by Food and Wine magazine as one of the Ten Best Chefs in America; Charles Phan, the inventor of modern Vietnamese cuisine in America and owner of San Francisco’s Slanted Door family of restaurants; South Korean celebrity chef and ‘Cooking King Korea’ judge Edward Kwon; dessert artist Andres Lara, a veteran of two of the World’s Best Restaurants, El Bulli in Spain and Noma in Denmark; and multi-award winning Peter Van Es, a protégé of 3 Michelin-starred Michael Roux at the UK’s top restaurant, the world famous Waterside Inn, Bray.
Celebrated Ritz-Carlton chefs joined the cook-out, including Andrew Yeo, Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island; Xavier Salomon, Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, San Francisco; and Andrés Jiménez, Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Sanya, Yalong Bay.
The guest chefs began their adventure haggling for premium seafood, local ingredients and fresh fruit and vegetables for their recipes at Sanya #1 Market – and guests were able to register and join the tour to learn the tricks of selecting and bartering like a professional. Highlights of the fine dining fiesta include a sizzling beachfront barbeque, complete with live DJ; a decadent afternoon tea paired with dessert and port wines by world famous dessert master Andres Lara; and wine-paired Tasting Dinners at both Italian restaurant Sofia and beachfront restaurant Sand.
Wanning district, hanging out for a relaxed Xmas BBQ and some "barrel of fun" beach riding along Shimei Bay and Riyue Bay with a quick visit to the "Ghost Hotel" atop the hill dividing the beach sections.... Sun and Moon Bay, also known as Riyue Bay, is located approximately 25 km south of Wanning, Hainan, China. It is around 4km long, and as been the site of numerous surfing events.
Might bore you but no Hainan stay without a few visits to famous Riyue Bay "Surfers Paradise" and some mor info about Hainan Island surfing = http://magicseaweed.com/Hainan-Surfing/319/ 2016 World Surf League (WSL) Jeep World Longboard Championships (WLC) Wanning Hainan Province Dec 02 – 12 (2016) World Surf League: http://www.worldsurfleague.com at Riyue Bay Surf Club = http://www.surfinghainan.com but unfortunately lots of changes in Riyue Bay (Wanning) as they started developing the area and this being China at it's best all over again brings major remodelling and construction.....
