The antidote to urban development, and the accelerated pace of life that goes along with it, lies to the south and through the western gate of China.

Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has been the inspiration for traditional Chinese landscape painting and poetry for hundreds of years for good reason. Its natural attractions have captured the imaginations of Chinese literati and made the region an integral part of China's classical art vista.

The Giggling Tree, a guest house in the shape of a renovated farmhouse, was founded by a Dutch couple after their experience leading tours throughout China for serveral years.

While the city of Guilin isn't the capital of Guangxi Province, it is the principal location for artists, naturalists and those seeking a quiet retreat. Guilin has been renowned as a source of creativity since the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), when Cao Ye and Cao Tang dedicated more than 100 poems each to the city in the Complete Collection of Tang Poetry.

To this day, artists flock to the city and its surrounding areas, lured by its limestone peaks covered with bamboo, set against tranquil horizons. Crowded with soft green hills and sectioned by the Lijiang River, Guilin offers prize photos for even the most amateur photographer.

"The people of Guilin take pride in their cultural heritage; the city has produced innumerable artists as a result of its surrounding environment," explains Professor Li Wen at the Guilin Art Museum.

A haven for artists and travelers alike, the area's economic development has depended greatly on its tourism industry. The popular route from Guilin to Yangshuo by way of the Lijiang River is full of floating merchants. Villagers whose families have lived alongside the river through the centuries support themselves today by selling crafts, carried upon bamboo rafts, to tourists.

Anchoring onto the ferries that cross the river on an hourly schedule, the bamboo sailors shout "Hello! Hello!" to greet prospective customers, and engage in hearty bargaining for scroll paintings, silk fans and figurines.

The magnificent mountain peaks of Guangxi's northeastern region have inspired more than art and poetry in recent years. Yangshuo has developed a reputation as the "rock climber's mecca" of China. The area has become a pilgrimage point for backpackers given the popularity of this adventure sport.

Currently, there are more than 200 climbing routes as recorded in Paul Collis' Yangshuo Climbing guidebook. Communities of rock climbers can be found throughout town, relaxing after a hard day's relay, in one of the many quaint pubs lining the brick-paved pedestrian alleys. The office headquarters for China Climb, one of the largest climbing communities offering package tours and programs, is actually set inside local favorite watering hole, The Lizard Lounge.

The region welcomes millions of visitors every year, some of them eventually becoming hosts themselves. Bicycling through the back roads of Yangshuo, just 5 km west of town, a modest guest house appears in the shape of a renovated farmhouse.