CITY · GUIZHOU
Guiyang
贵阳 · Guìyáng
Overview
Capital of Guizhou, gateway to the Miao and Dong ethnic-minority villages and to the Huangguoshu Waterfall — China's largest. Cool mountain climate, sour and spicy local cooking.
Guiyang is the gateway to one of China's most ethnically diverse regions. Guizhou hosts 17 recognised ethnic minorities, with the Miao (Hmong) and Dong as the largest. Villages like Xijiang Miao Village, Zhaoxing Dong Village and Langde have preserved a remarkable amount of traditional architecture and dress. Huangguoshu Waterfall, 3 hours west, is a 78m sheet of water that visitors can walk behind. Guizhou's cuisine is sour-and-spicy (suān là), driven by lacto-fermented vegetables and milder chilli than Sichuan.
What to see
- Huangguoshu Waterfall — day or overnight
- Xijiang Miao Village
- Qingyan Ancient Town
- Jiaxiu Tower on the Nanming River
What to eat
- Sour fish hot pot (酸汤鱼)
- Spicy chicken stew
- Glutinous rice cakes
Getting there
Guiyang Longdongbao (KWE) airport. Guiyang North HSR: Chongqing 2h, Guangzhou 4h, Kunming 2h.
Getting around
Metro and bus. Tour bus to the waterfall.
Where to stay
Around Jiaxiu Tower / Nanming River.
We list neighbourhoods, not specific hotels — we don't endorse hotels.
When to go
April–May, September–October.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥220 |
| Mid-range | ¥480 |
| Comfortable | ¥1100 |
Itineraries visiting Guiyang
- Guizhou minority villages — Guiyang, Anshun, Kaili, Zhaoxing and Xijiang, 7 days
7d · Seven days into Guizhou's minority heartland — Huangguoshu Falls, the Miao village networks of Kaili, the Dong drum-tower villages of Zhaoxing, and the vast terraced hillside settlement of Xijiang.
- Guizhou Minority Villages — Miao and Dong Country, 7 days
7d · The Miao silver-adorned villages of Xijiang and Leishan, the Dong drum tower villages of Zhaoxing and Dong Grand Bridge country — Guizhou's ethnic minority heartland.
Food of Southwestern China
- Baba Flatbread粑粑
Yunnan's daily flatbread — a thick wheat or rice-flour round cooked on a griddle and eaten plain or stuffed.
- Bang Bang Chicken棒棒鸡
Cold poached chicken shredded by hand, dressed in chilli oil, sesame paste and Sichuan peppercorn.
- Boiled Fish in Chilli Oil水煮鱼
Fish slices submerged in a deep pool of chilli oil and Sichuan peppercorns. Served bubbling.
- Chongqing Hotpot重庆火锅
The original mala hotpot — a simmering cauldron of beef tallow, Pixian doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorn for communal dipping.
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