Huangyao Ancient Town

Tucked into the limestone hills of northeast Guangxi, Huangyao developed as a prosperous river-trading town during the Song dynasty and retains its historic fabric virtually intact. Unlike many ancient towns that have become tourist theme parks, Huangyao still feels genuinely lived-in — residents dry laundry from wooden balconies, stonemasons chip at cobbled lanes and old women play mahjong beside streams shadowed by enormous banyan trees some 500 years old. The surrounding karst mountains and the pristine Babu River add to the timeless atmosphere, making Huangyao one of Guangxi's most rewarding and unhurried destinations.