Sanjiang, Liuzhou: Chengyang Bazhai and the Dong People’s Long Table Feast

👍🏻Reasons to visit: Want to immerse yourself in the unique culture and architecture of the Dong people? Then Sanjiang, Liuzhou is the place to be! Here, you'll find spectacular wooden buildings, such as the Sanjiang Drum Tower, known as the "No. 1 Drum Tower in the World," with its stunning and intricate wooden structure. There is also the grand Yiyang Bridge, perfect for taking beautiful photos. At the Sanjiang Dong Village, you might catch a parade performance and experience the joy of Lusheng music and roadside folk songs. As a 5A-rated scenic area, Chengyang Bazhai is the epitome of Dong culture, where you can stay in a guesthouse, watch performances, and enjoy the Long Table Feast, allowing you to fully experience the charm of the Dong people. 🗺Attraction introduction: - Sanjiang Drum Tower: Located in Duoye Square, it is known as the "No. 1 Drum Tower in the World." The tower has stairs inside, allowing you to climb up to the fourth floor. It is the central public building of the Dong village, where meetings, ceremonies, and song and dance entertainment take place. Although the drum tower is newly built, the internal wooden structure is exquisite, and it showcases a wealth of knowledge about the Dong people and drum towers, making it well worth a detailed visit. - Sanjiang Dong Village: Located opposite the Sanjiang Drum Tower, it includes the Dongxiang Bird's Nest, Yueye Dong Village, and Sanjiang Bullfighting Arena. If you're lucky, you might catch a parade performance with Lusheng music and roadside folk songs, which is very lively. The Dongxiang Bird's Nest is a theater where the "Zuo Mei" performance is held in the evening. During the day, you can enter for CNY 20. However, the commercial street atmosphere in other parts of the Dong Village is quite strong, so you can just stroll around. - Yiyang Bridge: This is the largest bridge in Sanjiang city. The bridge is new and has stairs to go upstairs, making it a great spot for taking photos. When we passed by on the way to Chengyang Bazhai, we stopped here to take photos. There is also a parking lot on the west side of the bridge, which is very convenient. - Chengyang Bazhai: Located in the northern part of Sanjiang, it is a 5A-rated scenic area with eight Dong villages, including Ma'an Village, Ping Village, and Yan Village. The core attractions are in Ma'an Village, Ping Village, and Yan Village, which are lively and crowded, so it is recommended to explore them on foot. In Ping Village's Yueye Opera House, there are "Yueye" performances at 11:00 and 16:00 during the day, as well as bonfire party performances in the evening. 🚗Attraction transportation: If you are driving from Guilin to Sanjiang County, it is very convenient to visit the Sanjiang Drum Tower, Sanjiang Dong Village, and Yiyang Bridge in the county town. To go to Chengyang Bazhai, the journey takes about half an hour. There are sightseeing buses in the scenic area that can take you to various attractions. 🗺Tour route: First, go to Sanjiang County, visit the Sanjiang Drum Tower in Duoye Square, then stroll around the Sanjiang Dong Village opposite it, and then go to Yiyang Bridge to take photos. After that, head to Chengyang Bazhai, take a sightseeing bus to the core attractions such as Ma'an Village, Ping Village, and Yan Village. If you have enough time, you can watch the bonfire party in the evening and experience a different atmosphere. 🍱Food recommendations: You can enjoy the Long Table Feast at the drum towers in various villages of Chengyang Bazhai, with Dong specialties such as sour meat and sugar cakes. When you eat, the Dong grandmas will also offer you wine and sing songs, which is very flavorful. 💰Cost: There is no entrance fee for Sanjiang Drum Tower, Sanjiang Dong Village (CNY 20 for daytime visits to Dongxiang Bird's Nest), and Yiyang Bridge. The entrance ticket for Chengyang Bazhai is CNY 80 + CNY 15 for the sightseeing bus, CNY 40 for the "Yueye" performance at Yueye Opera House in Ping Village, CNY 80 for the bonfire party, and CNY 80 per person for the Long Table Feast. 📌Other tips: If you are not in a hurry, it is highly recommended to stay overnight in a guesthouse in Chengyang Bazhai Scenic Area. When the lights of the drum tower, bridge, and streets are lit up at night, the photos are super beautiful, and it is also very pleasant to take a walk in the countryside. The sightseeing bus in the scenic area operates until 21:00 at the latest. If you want to return on the same day, you can also wait for the lights to come on before taking the sightseeing bus back.