Getting There
Baise Tianyang Airport is located 1 1/2 hours away and currently has only two flights per day, one to Guangzhou and one to Guilin. The airport is 38km (24 miles) from Baise and a ¥15 shuttle bus runs from Baise Qichezhongzhan about 1 hour before each flight. The nearest train stations are Baise to the west, Hechi to the east, and Nanning to the south. The Fengshan Bus Station (Fengshan Qichezhan; tel. 0778/681-9033) now has three major routes in and out of Fengshan whereas up until 2006 there were only rutted roads and mountain tracks for goat herders. To the east, visitors can connect with the mainline railway at Hechi (4 hr.; ¥50) 8 times per day. To the south, the town has direct buses to and from Nanning (7 hr.; ¥100) at 6:10am, 7:50am, 9:20am, 10:40am, 2:10pm, and 3:40pm that also serve Bama, although this road is still regularly prone to landslides. An overnight sleeper service goes for ¥90 but the road is so twisty that you may not get much sleep and you may have to strap yourself into the bunk. The road west to and from Leye is probably best avoided (6.5 hr.; ¥39) with departures at 7:10am and 12:30pm at the moment. Untopped, it becomes a quagmire in late spring and you may find yourself, as we did, disembarking along with the rest of the passengers, to assist in clearing rockfalls. Until 2010 when the new road is scheduled to be completed, allow a good 6 1/2 hours for this tortuous journey. To reach the airport and train station at Baise, there are express buses that take 4 hours, cost ¥45, and depart four or five times a day. The most important local route is the minibus to Sanmenhai which leaves every 30 minutes and costs ¥5.
Getting Around
Motorcycle rickshaws (dian san lun) are slightly more expensive here than in Leye at ¥3 per trip, although most of the major sights are too far out of town for these bone shakers, and local buses and travel agencies are better options.
Taxis are a relative rarity, but red Xialis do exist and charge ¥4 for most locations in town. More common are the silver micro vans that serve as China's jeepney service. Always agree on a price first and be prepared for criminal overcrowding.
Tours
FZL Travel Agency (Feng Zhi Lu Lu Xing She) at 88 Yang Guan Da Dao (tel. 0778/678-8799; hxf1209@yahoo.cn) and Qing Nian Travel Agency (Qing Nian Lu Xing She) at 1st Floor, Fengshan Guest house, opposite the bus station (tel. 0778/681-2222), are able to arrange trips with English-speaking guides for ¥100 per person. Rather than mess about with local buses and their irregular, unreliable schedules, it is better to let these guys arrange trips to the out of town sights such as Sanmenhai and Monkey Mountain for around ¥50 per person or the Yao Village for ¥150 to ¥ 260 depending on the quality of lunch.
Visitor Information
The Chinese language Tourism Information Hot Line is at (tel. 0778/681-5399).
Fast Facts
Banks, Foreign Exchange & ATMs -- There is no Bank of China in Fengshan, only an Agricultural Bank and a Rural Credit Union, neither of which have international ATMs, only those designed for the domestic Unionpay system. Stock up with RMB at larger towns such as Nanning, Baise, and Hechi.
Internet Access -- Most hotels now have Internet access in their rooms although in this area it seems to be popular to offer dian nao fan (rooms equipped with PCs) for slightly higher prices. Try asking for a standard room and a wang xien to avoid any extra costs if you have your laptop with you.
Post Office -- The main post office (8am-8pm) is on Fengyang Lu.
Visa Extensions -- These are much more easily arranged at a popular package tour destination such as Guilin, even more so than Nanning, where the authorities ask for proof of funds of at least US$1,000.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
