Location: situated between north latitude 254 - 260 and east longitude 10814' - 10945', in the north area of the Guangxi Zhuang Automomous Region; at the middle beaches of the Xunjiang River; in the joint area of the three provinces: Hunan, Guizhou province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Neighboring Areas: Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan and Guangdong provinces

Physical Features: surrounded by mountains with average elevation of 80 meters-100 meters

Nationalities: Dong, Han, Zhuang, Miao, Yao, Manchu, Hui, Maonan, Gelao and Yi

Climatic Features: subtropical humid monsoon climate; with enough sunshine of more than 1600 hours annually; mild; with long frost-free period of more than 300 days.

Average Temperature: annual average temperature of 17-19C

Rainfall: plenty of rain, concentrated in summers; annual precipitation of 1493 mm

Rivers: the Rongjiang River, Xunjiang River

Local Highlights: the building of the Dong nationality, March the third Festival, Fireworks and Firecrackers Festival

Best times to visit

May ~Oct.

Highlights

Dong buildings of houses, towers and bridges / multiplex Dong festivals / Ruralities

Tips & Reminders

Except national highway #209 & #321, the other roads within Sanjiang are in terrible situations, worse in rainy and snowy weather

Language can be problematic, as many locals can't speak Mandarin, let alone English; people are, however, very friendly.

Lodging

If you don't jump straight on a bus to Chengyang and need to stay in Sanjiang, there are tons of cheap accommodation just across from the south bus station

Baihuo Zhaodaisuo-singles Y25~30; doubles/triples/quads Y30-75);

Travellers' Guesthouse -Tel 0772-8615584; Y30-75),500m out along the Longsheng road.

Chengyang Qiao Binguan -Tel 0772-8613071; Y75-100- 100m from the bus station, whose restaurant is the best in town;

Dining

Try noodle and hotpot stalls around the bridge, or track down slightly more upmarket places surrounding the back street market square down past the Chengyang Qiao Binguan.