Things To Do in Leye

Although Huomai (free admission; taxi ¥30 from Leye town center; ask at one of the nongjiale restaurants for a taxi back down to town) claims to be an eco-village, it is going to be many years before the words "eco" and China can be used in the same sentence. Even so, Huomai is genuinely impressive, and one of the best small villages that I have experienced in China despite the ever-present litter. Just 8km (5 miles) from downtown Leye, the entrance is marked by a fantastic wooden frame guesthouse with balconies overlooking the valley. Rooms are simple but acceptable, a bed, a shower and a Western toilet for ¥60 per night. Ornate panels carved by local craftsmen adorn the walls with intriguing images of legend: An outlaw of the marsh slays a tiger with his bare hands and a Sung dynasty physician helps a patient cough up a goldfish. Next door are a couple of farmhouse restaurants where a full table of hearty local fare costs only ¥20 per person. We like the second of the two best (tel. 138/7766 3302); make sure that you have a peek into the traditional kitchen to see how the same burning logs that boil the rice also smoke the ham.

Up towards the center of the village is a wall map showing the local points of interest. These include the pick-your-own fruit and vegetable patch (walnuts and pomegranates are local specialties) and Feihu cave, which contains a strange rock formation known as the "first trousers in the world." Bring your own torch for this one. The brave and the foolhardy can head out to Lost Souls Cavern (Mihu Dong). A resident explained that this cave got its name because so many people went in, but never came out.

Up past the small village temple, a path leads up the highest peak in the area, a spectacular viewpoint for Huomai's most famous sight, a magnificent sunrise over the clouds and karst peaks. The path back down is equally impressive with a chance to check out the Dacuo Tiankeng. We were given directions by a sweet young schoolboy who was wearing his oversized hand-me-down sneakers on the wrong feet. The locals here have not been corrupted by mass tourism and are still friendly and outgoing.

Tip: On the way back down to Leye, stop by the cave that was used as a base for the adventure race and clamber across the terraces to a second cave at the right, to the rear. For some bizarre reason, an eerie cloud stretches the full length of this dark and creepy cavern, a phenomenon that I have never before seen in any of the scores of other caves that I have visited.