Introduction to China

It's unfortunate for visitors to China that however impressive the country's sights, they are often dwarfed by the hype surrounding them. The Chinese travel industry is determined to shuttle tour groups around a limited shortlist of both truly magnificent sights and merely wannabe jaw-droppers, selling a highly imaginary picture-book China so over-promoted that it can hardly fail to disappoint. And yet beyond the world of the carefully cropped photograph, the overcharging, and the tourist trap, there is a China where life goes on regardless of your presence, not staged for your pleasure -- where you, rather than just your wallet, are welcome.

While the first section features the best and truly worthwhile of the experiences that figure prominently in the itineraries of both independent and organized trips, many of the remaining recommendations will lead you off regular routes and onto do-it-yourself itineraries to small-town alternatives, regional foods, and small guesthouses in traditional Chinese buildings -- to a real China beyond both the brochure hype and the reach of other guidebooks.

The Best Small Towns and Villages

Xiàhé (Gansù): This delightful monastery town nestles in a mountain valley at an elevation of 2,900m (9,500 ft.). It's divided into two sections, primarily Huí (Muslim) and Hàn Chinese at its eastern end, changing abruptly to a Tibetan town as you climb westward to the gorgeous gilded roofs of the vast Labrang Monastery. Bent and walnut-visaged Tibetan pilgrims make you welcome on the 3km (2-mile) circuit around the monastery's perimeter.

Manzhouli (Inner Mongolia): A tiny town of 50,000 on the Russian border, lost in a sea of grass, Manzhouli is the East-meets-Wild West frontier outpost David Carradine should have used as the backdrop to the TV series Kung Fu. It stands on the edge of the Hulun Buir, an emerald expanse of grassland shot through with radiant patches of wildflowers.

Dàli (Yúnnán): This home of the Bái people, a backpacker's mecca for over a decade and recently gentrified for large numbers of tourists, remains a retreat from the world. You can hike part of the impressive 19-peak Green Mountains (Cang Shan) to the west, sail on the cerulean Er Hai Lake to the east, take a bike ride into any of the nearby Bái villages.

Gyantse (Tibet): Towered over by the spectacular 13th-century fortress of Gyantse Dzong, this is the only substantial settlement in Tibet to retain its vernacular architecture of sturdy two- and three-story farmhouses, offering a rare and beautiful glimpse of Tibetan rural life no visitor to Tibet should miss.

Yángshuò (Guangxi): Some decry it for being over-commercialized, but this small town on the Lí River, nestled in a cluster of spiny pinnacles, has retained enough of its laid-back charm to be a delightful alternative to Guìlín.

Shàoxing (Zhèjiang): The gondolas of this relaxed "Venice" are narrow craft with arched, black-painted woven bamboo awnings, propelled by wiry boatmen acrobatically using both hands and feet to work the oars. The inevitable rebuilding of the city center has at least showed some sense of scale and left intact a few areas of ancient housing, through which the boatmen cruise, passing under Míng-era bridges.

The Best Up-and-Coming Destinations

Yongdìng (Fújiàn): The magnificent multistory circular fortresses of the Hakka minority, known as "earth buildings" and home to hundreds (usually all with the same family name), are the largest and most striking examples of surviving domestic architecture in China.

Yùshù (Qinghai): Khampa areas within the Tibet "Autonomous Regions" are closed to the individual traveler, but here these fiercely proud Tibetan warriors trade in a traditional market town beneath a stern gray and red monastery.

Jiànshui (Yúnnán): This small Hàn-dynasty town boasts the third largest Confucian temple in the country, some exquisitely restored traditional Míng and Qing dynasty residences, and an unusual collection of old-fashioned wells. Jiànshui is also the gateway to some of the most beautiful terrace fields in the country.

Yánbian (Jílín): A lush, achingly pretty hilly region perched on China's border with North Korea, parts of which have only recently been opened to tourism, Yánbian is home to the largest population of ethnic Koreans outside the peninsula itself. Independent-minded travelers have the opportunity to explore one of the few truly bicultural societies in China.

Téngchong (Yúnnán): This charming overlooked town on the ancient southern Silk Route is poised to become an important tourist destination in the coming years as tourist authorities gear up to promote travel along the ancient trade route. For now, Téngchong is still a laid-back, friendly town with a surprisingly large number of attractions that include hot springs, volcanoes, waterfalls, temples, and some absolutely delightful traditional Chinese villages just outside it.

Píngyáo (Shanxi): Chinese tourists have discovered Píngyáo, but the numbers of Western tourists are still relatively few at what is one of the best-preserved Míng and Qing towns in China. An intact Míng city wall surrounds clusters of elegant high-walled courtyard residences, some of which are also guesthouses.

Quánzhou (Fújiàn): An overnight ferry from Hong Kong, a few days in Xiàmén, and a short bus trip to Quánzhou combine to make the perfect less-traveled start to a China trip. Quánzhou's rebuilt city center is more to scale than most, with hints of traditional style. The laid-back town has plenty of interest to see, at a human scale and pace.