Refreshed: Augus 2026
China has its famous sights — the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army and many others that attract visitors from all over the world. But some of my lasting memories came from places I knew very little about before I arrived.
Huanglongxi was one of them.
Located around 30 kilometres from Chengdu, this charming ancient town gave me a completely different glimpse of China. Instead of arriving to tick off another famous landmark, I found myself watching local families enjoying their day, wandering through old streets, investigating food stalls and simply soaking up the atmosphere.
A Colourful Welcome
We had barely arrived before we were greeted by people selling colourful flower head wreaths. Naturally, we couldn’t resist.
There were all sorts of colours and combinations to choose from and, naturally, I chose a very colourful one.
Suitably decorated, I was ready to explore.
Watching Locals at Play
One of my favourite things about Huanglongxi was seeing how much fun everyone seemed to be having.
Water runs through parts of the old town, with stepping stones and little bridges allowing people to cross from one side to the other. But plenty of people weren’t interested in staying dry.
Children and adults were splashing in the water, laughing and playing. Families had travelled there for a day out and the whole place seemed relaxed and cheerful.
I loved watching it because this wasn’t the China of monumental palaces and ancient emperors. This was everyday life, with people letting their hair down and enjoying themselves.
Old Streets and Chinese Heritage
Huanglongxi has a long history, with traditional streets and buildings reflecting architectural styles associated with the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Our guide explained that considerable restoration work had been carried out to help preserve the town’s heritage.
There were statues, carvings and historic details everywhere. Do I remember what every one of them represented? Absolutely not!
I’m sure our guide explained much of it, but there was so much to take in that eventually I stopped trying to remember every historical detail and simply enjoyed being there. Sometimes that is the best way to experience a place.
And Then I Found the Food
Now, some of you already know that I am a foodie and have the stomach of an ox, so naturally I investigated what was being sold.
There were plenty of snacks that might seem unusual to Western visitors, including roasted scorpions on sticks. I was tempted, but instead of trying to work out whether I could bring anything like that back into the UK, I settled on something much more useful — spicy chilli paste.
I had already tasted some wonderful spices in restaurants during my travels through China, and these looked too good to leave behind. They were delicious and didn’t last long in my pantry when I got home.
Ear Cleaning – Now This Was New!
Then I spotted something I had never seen before.
A gentleman was having his ears cleaned, and I was fascinated.
He didn’t mind me taking his photograph and appeared completely relaxed, with his eyes closed while the ear cleaner worked. Perhaps he was enjoying it. I, on the other hand, wasn’t tempted!
The whole procedure seemed to require an extraordinary amount of trust. I couldn’t imagine sitting there while someone put instruments inside my ears. No way José!
But that is one of the things I love about travelling. You come across ordinary customs and experiences that are completely unfamiliar to you and find yourself fascinated by something you hadn’t even known existed.
A Different Memory of China
I thoroughly enjoyed Huanglongxi. There wasn’t one enormous monument that defined the visit. What stayed with me instead were lots of small moments: wearing my colourful flower wreath, watching families splash around in the water, browsing the food stalls, buying my chilli paste and becoming completely fascinated by a man having his ears cleaned.
I stayed for hours, happily people-watching. Huanglongxi showed me another side of China — relaxed, playful and wonderfully ordinary.
And, of course, there was food. What more could I ask for?
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