Fabionodariphoto

30/08/2026

South Yunnan is one of my favorite parts of China, and in March 2027 I'm going back with a small group.

We'll spend 10 days traveling through rice terraces, villages, local markets and the ancient tea forests of Jingmai, meeting some of the Hani, Yi, Dai and Wa communities that call this part of Yunnan home.

This isn't a rushed tour through China's classic highlights. It's a journey through a very different side of the country, and I'll be there with you for the entire trip.

📍 South Yunnan, China
📅 March 2027
👥 Max 8 people

Want to join me? Full itinerary here:
https://www.fabionodariphoto.com/en/south-yunnan-group-tour/

30/08/2026

29/08/2026

🌾 Southern Yunnan is one of my favorite parts of China. Rice terraces, tea mountains, small villages and a mix of cultures that feels completely different from the rest of the country.

📸 It’s also a part of Yunnan where the journey itself is often the best part: local markets, villages in the mountains, unexpected stops and landscapes that change completely as you travel south.

🌿 Next year I’ll be back here with a small group, traveling through some of my favorite places in Southern Yunnan.

👉 Want to join me? You’ll find all the info about the 2027 tour here:
https://www.fabionodariphoto.com/en/south-yunnan-group-tour/

06/08/2026

🏮 Taiwan was the first place I moved to in Asia, and it still means a lot to me. Living in Kaohsiung changed the way I travel and take photos, pushing me away from rushed sightseeing and toward local life, night markets, mountain railways, and coastal temples. I’m probably a little biased, but I still think Taiwan is one of the most underrated places in East Asia.

🌴 The island is small, but the variety is impressive. In a single day, you can move from busy city streets to tea plantations, mountain forests, or quiet coastal towns.

⛩️ Taiwan is also very easy to explore. Public transport works well, people are welcoming, and travelling between Taipei, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and the mountains is quite simple. Still, the best way to enjoy it is to slow down and visit more than the usual tourist spots.

📍 How to visit:
• Main airports: Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) and Kaohsiung (KHH).
• Getting around: Use high-speed trains along the west coast and regular trains elsewhere. An EasyCard is useful for metros, buses, and small payments.
• Best season: October to December and March to April.
• How long to stay: At least 10 to 14 days.
• Bring some cash for night markets, temples, and small restaurants.

04/08/2026

🇨🇳 Qinghai’s salt lakes are almost unknown to most Western tourists but that doesn’t mean you’ll have them to yourself.

🧂 Chaka Salt Lake is one of the busiest attractions in the province, with boardwalks, shuttle buses, photo props and endless red dresses for rent. It’s commercial and often crowded, but the landscape is still worth seeing. The contrast between the white salt, turquoise water and huge plateau sky is incredible, especially when the surface is calm enough to create reflections.

⚠️ The more remote lakes farther west can be even more impressive, but there’s an important issue for foreigners. Some parts of Haixi, including areas around Dachaidan, aren’t always open to foreign passport holders. Don’t assume that every place shown on social media is accessible to foreigners.

🚗 The easiest option is to travel to Xining and hire a driver who has experience with foreign guests. A longer road trip can include Qinghai Lake and Chaka, but routes heading farther west should be checked before departure. You can also rent a car, but you’ll need a Chinese driving licence or a temporary Chinese driving permit.

☀️ June to September generally has the best weather and strongest colours, although this is also peak season. Midday light makes the water look brighter, while mornings are usually better for reflections and fewer people.

⛰️ Most lakes are above 3,000 metres, so don’t underestimate the altitude. For photography, bring a wide-angle lens and use a polarising filter carefully, since it can also remove the reflections you’re trying to photograph. Drone rules vary, so always check locally before flying.

📩 If you need more information about visiting Qinghai, send me a DM.

31/07/2026

Some of the pictures I took in Guangxi and Hunan. Here more info:

https://www.fabionodariphoto.com/en/yangshuo-xingping-guilin-travel-guide/

29/07/2026

🏞️ The Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟), just outside Datong, are one of China’s most important Buddhist sites. Carved mainly during the 5th and 6th centuries, the complex contains around 51,000 statues spread across hundreds of caves and niches.

🏛️ Some figures are monumental, while others are so small that you need to look closely to notice them. The details also reveal influences from different cultures that once travelled along the Silk Road.

🌸 Avoid visiting in summer, especially in July and August, when the site can be extremely crowded and hot. Spring and autumn offer better weather and a much more pleasant experience.

🚗 Planning a trip around Shanxi? Send me a DM if you need a reliable driver.

27/07/2026

In this article, you’ll find my travel guide to Shanxi Province, famous for its historic sites and sacred mountains.

In this article, you’ll find my travel guide to Shanxi Province, famous for its historic sites and sacred mountains.

26/07/2026

🏯 Shanxi is one of the best places in China to understand how architecture, religion and daily life have evolved over nearly a thousand years. From temples built into cliffs to wooden pagodas, Buddhist halls and old towns, each place tells a different part of the province’s history.

📍 Slides 1–2: Hanging Temple (悬空寺)
Built directly into a cliff near Hunyuan, the Hanging Temple is one of Shanxi’s most unusual landmarks. Its halls and narrow walkways appear to float above the valley, supported by a complex system of wooden beams inserted into the rock.

📍 Slides 3–5: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda (应县木塔)
Completed in 1056, the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is the oldest and tallest surviving multistorey wooden pagoda of its kind. What impressed me most was not only its size, but the fact that such a complex wooden structure has survived for almost a thousand years.

📍 Slide 6: Huayan Temple (华严寺)
Huayan Temple is one of the most important historical sites in Datong. Its architecture and painted sculptures preserve the artistic style of the Liao and Jin dynasties.

📍 Slide 7: Yuci Ancient Town (榆次古城)
Yuci Ancient Town combines traditional courtyards, temples and old streets. Some areas have been heavily restored, but it remains an interesting place to explore the architecture and urban layout of an old Shanxi town.

📍 Slides 8–9: Yong’an Temple (永安寺)
Yong’an Temple is much less famous than Shanxi’s major attractions, but its interior murals make it one of the most fascinating temples in the region. The detailed figures, colours and religious scenes cover large sections of the walls and create a completely different atmosphere from the temple’s simple exterior.

🚗 Travelling around Shanxi is much easier with a private driver, especially if you want to visit temples and historical sites outside the main cities. Send me a DM if you need a reliable driver contact.

22/07/2026

🏛️ Shanxi is one of the best places to understand how architecture developed in China.

Buddhism arrived from India and Central Asia, bringing new religious ideas, artistic styles and architectural forms. Local craftsmen adapted them to Chinese timber construction, local beliefs and the traditions of northern China.

The result is a unique mix of colossal Buddhas carved into cliffs, Tang Dynasty temple halls, wooden pagodas, ancient towns and sacred complexes where different traditions developed side by side.

📍 Slides 1 & 12: Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟)
Carved mainly during the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Yungang Grottoes show how Buddhist art from India and Central Asia gradually developed into a more distinctly Chinese style. The caves contain thousands of statues, from tiny figures to monumental Buddhas.

📍 Slides 2, 3 & 4: Foguang Temple (佛光寺)
Hidden near Mount Wutai, Foguang Temple contains one of China’s most important surviving wooden buildings. Its East Main Hall dates to the Tang Dynasty and combines powerful timber architecture with Buddhist sculpture and worship.

📍 Slides 5, 6: Jinci Temple (晋祠)
Jinci is not a single temple, but a large historical complex combining ancestral worship, local legends, sacred springs, gardens and traditional Chinese architecture. It reflects the mixed spiritual culture found across China.

📍 Slides 7 & 8: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda (应县木塔)
Built during the Liao Dynasty, this Buddhist pagoda is one of the greatest surviving achievements of ancient wooden architecture. Its structure uses interlocking timber elements and complex dougong brackets.

📍 Slides 9 & 10: Xinzhou Ancient City (忻州古城)
Xinzhou preserves the atmosphere of a traditional northern Chinese city, with gates, temples, courtyards and commercial streets shaped by centuries of local life.

📍 Slide 11: Yuci Ancient Town (榆次老城)
Yuci brings together defensive walls, government buildings, temples, courtyards and traditional shops, showing the structure of an old Shanxi town.

Shanxi’s architecture is not the product of a single religion or culture. It developed through centuries of exchange, transforming outside influences.