China - advice?

[MurkeyChris]

So, slightly spontaneously, I've booked flights to Hong Kong for a week's time. I'm spending a few days in Hong Kong, then heading North to stay with my friend in Guangzhou. Other than that, nothing is planned, although my friend suggested I go to Yuangshou (sp?) and Guilin.

I'm frantically booking insurance, sorting out banks and phones etc. and haven't even had a chance to look at my guide book that came the other day.

So, you knowledgeable and globally-minded lot, any tips? Particularly on music, any festivals, places, venues I should check out to try and find some decent music? Any China-based artists that fRoots should cover that I should try and track down? I'm there for two weeks

[uiwangmike]

If you're going to be returning via Hong Kong, you may just be in time to catch something in the Hong Kong Arts Festival, which continues through March.
http://www.hk.artsfestival.org/en/
Anyway, it's worth checking out the local English daily,the South China Morning Post, which carries a pretty comprehensive listing section. I can't help much with Guangzhou. I was there last year, but can only report it's a good place for eating.
I was in Yangshuo in the mid 80s, when it was becoming a backpacker hangout, and China was a different country. It and Guilin are a long way inland, so you may be pushed to see them on a short trip, unless you fly.
Don't be too optimistic about finding interesting music, but good luck!

[MurkeyChris]

Thanks Mike, I'll definitely check out the festival and the newspaper listings. Just the kind of information I was looking for. I don't want to fly any further than there and back, so will try to stay reasonably local.

Chris

[EleanorT]

You could consider Yunnan province. I went to the quiet, historic town of Dali and the very touristy, very picturesque town of Lijiang. I have just found this blog that discusses the two, which makes me think that - unsurprisingly - since I was there in 2004 Dali has changed a lot: http://blog.chinatravel.net/destination ... ravel.html I'd have needed more time to explore the province any further. The distances are always considerable.