For some people, mostly from the northern hemisphere, Christmas just isn't Christmas without sub-zero temperatures, icy winds and multiple layers of thermal underwear. But anyone who has overwintered in

Beijing will know that conditions in the Chinese capital during the festive season are often severe enough to challenge even the most die-hard of polar explorers.

So, if you're not a big fan of frostbite, and your boss is amenable, it's time to think about heading south to celebrate the end of the year in more temperate climes.

 

In recent years the Chinese have gone a little Christmas-crazy. While they may not be aware that they're technically rejoicing in the birthday of Jesus Christ (an ignorance shared by many westerners), China is a nation with a keen ability to assimilate the best aspects of other cultures and adopt them to their own tastes. At the very least, any excuse to let off a few firecrackers is not to be sniffed at. The relatively recent Christmas holiday frenzy has not restricted itself to big cities either; Santas are popping up like mushrooms in shopping malls and town centers all over the country, with Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer usually upgraded to a gaggle of attractive young Chinese females handing out goodies from a bulging sack.

 

Notwithstanding the good-natured Chinese willingness to embrace Christmas as their own, for westerners in China at least (especially the seasonally homesick), it's always nice to be in the company of at least a few people who understand what all the fuss is really about. As premier destinations on the Chinese tourist circuit, Yunnan's Lijiang and Guangxi's Yangshuo are two great places for Beijing residents to visit over Christmas, to enjoy the company of like-minded Yuletide revelers, flee the harsher weather of the north, and see the numerous sights minus the usual crowds of the Chinese holiday period.

 

Lijiang's southerly latitude makes for warm winters, despite the city's high elevation (2,400 meters). December to February is a dry season, and nearly every day sees strong, warm sunshine. Daily temperatures may scale the dizzy heights of 15 degrees Celsius, and although the peaks of nearby mountains have a coating of snow, the city itself rarely sees more than a couple of big falls a year. Travelers unaccustomed to altitude should plan a relaxing day after arrival to become acclimatized before heading off to higher elevations or engaging in more strenuous exercise.

 

Despite its increasing popularity, first-time visitors to Lijiang will welcome it as a break from the unfortunate over-commercialization of many of China's other tourist hotspots. Since a serious earthquake in 1996, which flattened much of the city, millions of renminbi have been invested in rebuilding and restoring the area using traditional local architecture. Lijiang Old Town, which is where most visitors rightly choose to install themselves, and which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, is an alpine, slightly kitschy maze of narrow cobbled streets, timber-frame buildings, stone bridges and burbling waterways. The use of neon has mercifully been limited, and there isn't a Starbucks in sight (touch wood).

 

Dance and music both have prominent roles to play in Naxi culture, and there are several music houses in the Old Town where traditional Naxi songs and dances are performed nightly. At other times, impromptu performances may be given in the old market square. The Me-Da-Tso and Ro-Ro-Tso are the two major folk dances of the Naxi community. They use no instruments; the dancers moving rhythmically to the sounds of some hauntingly beautiful chants and ditties.

 

Lijiang Old Town has a plethora of restaurants and bars catering to all manner of tastes and appetites; even those craving some roast fowl action come December 25 won't be disappointed. Many establishments have great locations next to fast flowing canals inhabited by small shoals of golden fish, darting through the current like liquid metal. Those looking to sample some local food should try the delicious baba-thick flatbreads of wheat served with savory or sweet fillings-a great breakfast alternative to jiaozi or baozi or the ubiquitous banana pancake. Across-the-bridge noodles (guoqiao mixian) are another local specialty, and a warming way to counter an energy-draining winter day in the mountains.

 

One must-see in Lijiang is the Black Dragon Pool Park (Heilong Tan). The early morning view of the wind-ruffled park lake, ornate pagoda and five-arched bridge, with the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan) forming a majestic backdrop, is a picture postcard panorama. Also located inside the park is the Five Phoenix Tower (Wufeng Lou), dating back to the Ming Dynasty, decorated with colorful images of flying phoenixes.

 

Outside Lijiang some incomparable scenery awaits the adventurous. The 5,500 meter Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, with its obligatory chairlifts, is only 35 kilometers from Lijiang, and offers breathtaking views over pale blue glaciers, steep-sided valleys and rocky, snow-clad pinnacles. The renowned Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Xia), where the mighty Yangzi River churns, surges and eddies between precipitous rock faces (one face formed by a side of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain), can be visited on a day trip from Lijiang or hiked over the course of a few days.

 

Like Lijiang, Yangshuo, in neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is a popular backpacker hangout, and another great place to spend your Christmas away from home in China. Although temperatures are cool, seldom falling below 10 degrees Celsius, and there are a host of sights and activities to keep winter visitors occupied. Located on the highly picturesque Li River amid an awesome cluster of limestone pinnacles, there's still enough of the town's charm remaining to make it a good base from which to sample some of Guangxi's finest karst landscapes.

 

West Street (Xi Jie), bisecting Yangshuo, is the pulsating heart of the town, alive with a huge range of cafes and bars. It is also lined with numerous small shops and stands selling souvenirs and street snacks, and cheap, comfortable hotels (even cheaper in the winter). Chinese teenagers mingle with a young laowai crowd in Internet cafes, feasting off apple pie, T-bone steaks, ice cream sundaes and other hard-to-come-by staples of the western diet.

 

Although years away from representing the real China, and scorned by many for its lack of authenticity, West Street is undeniably a good place to kick back, satisfy any cravings for high-calorie western dishes, and also sample some local Chinese food. Beer fish (pijiu yu) is a Yangshuo specialty, and tastes far better than it sounds. In such an "East-meets-West" environment, don't be surprised, if you're out strolling before Christmas, to see stallholders wearing Santa wigs, doorways decorated with colored tinsel and fairy lights, and even roving bands of Chinese carolers, belting out the classics into the still night air. For the homesick it might not compare favorably to years gone by, but it's a pretty fair second best.

 

Yangshuo is a place to enjoy the outdoors and soak up the natural beauty of the surroundings. Getting mobile is essential, but mountain bikes are inexpensive and available for hire at many hotels. After an essential check for roadworthiness, just pick up a map, fill a rucksack, find a trail and head off. There are also options for those who like to keep two feet on the ground. Its local geology makes Yangshuo the caving and climbing capital of China, with plenty of shops for purchasing or hiring equipment and picking up local guides. A cruise along the stunning Li River is recommended, and a bamboo boat ride along the smaller but equally scenic Yulong River is a quieter and more private way to appreciate the dramatic splendor of the environment.

 

Wherever you end up at Christmas this year, if you're in China, it will likely prove to be a festive occasion. And, according to a recent survey, China is now making the most Santas in the world, so there'll probably be at least one other white-bearded foreign guy attending your party come Christmas Day.

 

(Chinadaily.com via btmbeijing.com, December 4, 2006)