Food & Drink

Be prepared to have people staring funnily at you if you don't mix a mountain of chili flakes into every dish you eat. In South China, spice is the way to go, especially in summer. For breakfast, try the traditional hot noodle soup with beef stomach.

Guizhou is a tofu-lover's paradise. I was offered so many varieties that I lost count.

My favorite was liangfen ban pidan, a noodle dish mixed with century eggs and a rich tofu sauce. Its chou dofu, or smelly tofu, is also better than any I've tasted in Beijing or Shanghai. Fish fans can also enjoy the specialty suantangyu, or sour fish soup.

If you're into barbecue, don't miss out on luoguo, which is a hodge-podge of chicken, beef, pork, tofu and vegetables, all served together on a large, circular griddle. Delicious.

When it comes to booze, the obvious choice is Moutai, which is made in Guizhou and is arguably the most famous brand of baijiu. But, I was introduced to a mijiu called You'll Fall Down, a sweet liquor that is easy going but deceptively powerful.