Situated in the heart of the famous Longji Rice Terraces, Ping'an (Píng'ān, 平安) is a charming Zhuang minority village that serves as a traveler hub for the incredible scenery that surrounds it at every turn.

A hodge-podge of traditional wooden stilt structures nestled in the steep cleft of the valley's end, Ping'an has managed to retain much of its character despite every other building being a restaurant, shop or hotel. Narrow cobbled paths wind their way between buildings in a seemingly impossible fashion, roosters and chickens peck in the dirt while dogs loll lazily in the sun and while the tourism boom is evidenced in the onslaught of signage and souvenirs, the goodnatured locals and mind-boggling scenery more than make up for it.

On arrival at the entrance to the scenic area, you'll be beset by a gaggle of guides, hotel touts and porters, all jostling for your business and your bags. Be wary of agreeing to anything at this point—as with everywhere in China, prices are always negotiable (a room with shared bathroom will set you back around RMB 80 and for something with private facilities, anywhere from RMB 180-250).

If you do you allow one of the hardy old ladies to lug your backpack up the hill, they'll be expecting payment in the region of RMB 20. A guide is not necessary for the village or immediate surroundings though if you do plan to venture further afield it's advisable, particularly for hikes of a day or more that will take you well away from the tourist zone. Expect to pay RMB 50-80 per day for a guide.

Once you've found yourself a hotel (we recommend heading up as high as possible for the best views), then you can head out to explore. There are two main viewing points in Ping'an—Viewpoint 1, or "Nine Dragons and Five Tigers" (Jiǔ Lóng Wǔ Hǔ, 九龙五虎), and Viewpoint 2, "Seven Stars with Moon" (Qī Xīng Bàn Yuè,七星伴月), both of which are easily accessible from the main village in a loop that is well signposted and takes about 1.5 hours. At the summit of Viewpoint 2 is a small cafe where you can kick back and enjoy a coffee or a cold beer while taking in the view.

You'll likely also come across some Yao minority ladies in the fields who are keen to show you their impressive long hair, which can be up to 2 m (6.5 ft) long. Usually wrapped up in black turbans, they're more than happy to show it off to tourists and pose for photos in exchange for RMB 10-20.

A great way to enjoy the whole of Longji Rice Terraces is to start in Ping'an and then hike across to neighboring Dazhai (Dàzhài, 大寨), a Yao village about three hours away on foot. Dazhai is also home to a number of guesthouses and restaurants that it is at the moment much more tranquil than Ping'an. You can overnight there and then take the bus back to Guilin from the car park below the village the following day.

Even if you don't have the time to spend the night up in the rice terraces, it's also possible to do a day tour to Ping'an from Guilin.

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