Tuojiang Things to Do

Other than visiting the town, Fenghuang would make a good base for exploring the many minority villages in the area, although one of my colleagues was told by the PSB that some areas are off-limits for foreigners, especially around Huaihua.
To the north of Fenghuang, the road crosses the southern Great Wall (separate review) and skirts a huge canyon, which would make great walking it only China made large-scale maps available for walkers!
To the west, the wall has been restored in several places, on the way to the Guizhou border.
To the south, the road to Huaihua passes through non-descript Maiyan before tracking the river, crossing it on an immense bridge and then plunging up a long, winding valley with simply beautiful sidevalleys. In March, the rice fields were just planted, and many higher plots had rape, colouring the landscape bright yellow. Midway between Maiyan and Huiahua there is a wonderful disused temple across the river, by a school. It looks like it is being restored. Hopefully they will get rid of the brightly painted advertisements adorning the walls.
Many of the villages here are made up of woodent buildings slightly different - bigger and longer - than the wooden structures to the south of Huaihua. Many houses are reached across the river by precarious narrow rope and plank bridges.