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....
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....
Love the new KTM TB, enjoy the hell out of it! The longer I lived in China, the more time I spent in the dirt, it's the best way to get away from it all.
Thanks mate! Need to catch up in South China again during 2017. All started with a few witty funny comments and jokes during CNY 2016 and the KTM450EXC got into the country afterwards (legally) and the rest is history as they say. Well ~ back to the roots I guess, myself coming from them awesome Honda XR's in the old days... Well ~ I think the entire ongoing large adventure bike craze is like the marketing of large trucks and SUV / 4WD to soccer moms in SF/LA/SYD (those who will use the features at no time). A profit center for manufacturers and marketers, but from mountain bikes (we love em' too) to motorcycles, obviously weight is not your friend. Offroad to me they seem a cruel joke now and yes includes my gone but not forgotten 2015 F8GS. Why I avoided the Enduro 690R model completely, since I realised real fast, managing that much weight in the rough dirt made no sense ~ thinking loud once again. After 6+ months riding the KTM450EXC (my first orange bike), I don't want more than my approx. 130kg KTM450EXC offroad anymore, for speedy road riding kicks ~ got the Italian mistress anyways on standby... Must say, with all the China motorvehicle entry / exit border crossing restrictions in place for decades somehow feeling pretty privileged being able to cruise all over Mainland China legally for decades and will do so in the future years ~ just need to finish setting up the right bike (450EXC) for my planned upcoming trips... Your comment above ~ spot on, can't stand them big cities anymore for quite some time. Trying every possible day, to overcome my PMS (ParkedMotorcycleSyndrome). You know you're doing something right when the suit you put on to go to a business meeting is made by some adventure motorcycle gear company. It's just that some people can't stand to see other people having serious fun, especially in a way different than they do. If they have any fun at all in their lives anytime ~ anywhere?!?!
“Wheels & Waves” Winter 2016 ~ back for some"COC = Chill Out China" over in the tropics for more moto adventures around Hainan Island (South China), from the mountains through the 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, snacks not 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 Lingao Cape, 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 northern Hainan. 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 left the 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 40th Army 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 and units 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 not detect 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 the Communist 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 pursuing flotilla. 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 fleet attempted 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 with the 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 to retreat. 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 defense of 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 ships and 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 the enemy 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 actually been 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 position would 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 to provide 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 last resort, 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 eastern and 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 firm beachhead 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 AAAA tourist 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. Quite intimate. 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/ ********************************************************************************************************************************************** Sidenote for Hainan Island visitors, taking the regular (very busy with tourists) ferry, just opposite Houhai Bay / Haitang Bay lies the island called = Wuzhizhou Island, has an area of some 1.48 square kilometers (365.7 acres). With an irregular butterfly-like shape and a total coastline of 5.7 km, the island is about 30 km north-east of Sanya City. The island was known as Guqizhou Island in ancient times and the earliest records date from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when a temple was built to commemorate the originator of Chinese characters, Cang Jie. Following the Qing Government's fall from power, the villagers rebuilt the temple to honor the Goddess Matsu, who bestowed good fortune on the local fishermen. From 1949 this island became an important strategic defense zone. However, from the 1990s, the island began to enjoy a completely new role as a romantic place for holiday and leisure. As Wuzhizhou Island is in a tropical marine zone, the climate is temperate and pleasant all year round. It is an ideal place for vacation, winter swimming as well as entertainment. There are over 2,700 plant varieties on the island, including the tall trees and dense bushes. The eastern and southern parts of the island are hilly and two high mountains connect to form a peak about 79.9 meters high. In the west and north, the terrain is level. Soft white sand stretches as far as the eye can see beside a crystal clear blue sea, where protected coral reefs are rich in conches, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and tropical fishes of various colors. As well as Goddess Matsu Temple, there are many places of interest to visit including the Lover's Bridge, Sunrise Rock, the Gold Turtle Stretching toward the Sea, Lover's Island and the Life Well. The Sunrise Rock is the ideal spot from which to observe the sunrise. Apart from these natural sites, swimming pools, bars, gymnasiums and other places of entertainment are available in the northwest part of the island. For those who love extreme sports local facilities include surfing，gliding，sailing and canoeing. For relaxation there is sun bathing and sea water bathing. In addition, Wuzhizhou Island is famous for scuba diving as coral reefs and brightly colored tropical fish abound in the warm water. Currently, only a third of the island has been developed. In addition to the natural attractions of the island, tourists are certain to be pleased by the delightful catering facilities here. In the south of the island there are the Buffet Lunch Restaurant, the Pirate Bar, the Seafood Pool and the Chinese Restaurant all providing excellent food. The Summer Western Food Restaurant in the east corner and the Winter Western Food Restaurant in the west corner of the island also offer a choice of delicious food. Local caught lobsters, prawns, crabs, conch, sea cucumbers and jellyfish will make your mouth water! Furthermore, this island is rich in fruits; bananas, coconuts, mangos and other tropical fruits are plentiful and inexpensive. For those who want to spend a night on the island, Wuzhizhou Island Holiday Center offers 81 Guest Rooms with a choice of perfect facilities. Onshore Wooden Cabin and the Presidents' Villa on the southern seashore, and other rooms located in the inner island, such as Deluxe Mountain Room and Sea-view Wooden Building are all very pleasant. Furthermore, all the rooms have views of the fine scenery of the island....
Excellent and extraordinary "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 25km south of Wanning, Hainan, China. It is around 4km long, and as been the site of numerous surfing events.
The "Ghost Hotel" atop the hill (18.628075 - 110.229762) dividing the beach sections (Shimei Bay / Riyue Bay)....
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..... Riyue Bay Surf Club = http://www.surfinghainan.com new location across the road from the sandy beach.... Quite a few new basic hostels and guest houses opened up at Riyue Bay....
