Zhaisha Dong Village is not one of the more popular Dong villages to visit in Guizhou (usually people visit the Zhaoxing Dong Village). It may be small, but it didn’t lack spirit! I had a wonderful experience here after hiking Fanjingshan Mountain.

I’ll continue my story from part 1 at Fanjingshan Mountain! (Read part 1 here: The Magic and Mystery of Fanjingshan: My Experience Hiking The Buddhist Mountain of Guizhou)

In the center of Zhaisha Dong Village you can see immediately a giant tower: this wooden structure is a drum tower for the Dong people, where they have performances and gatherings. It’s a well known structure for every Dong village to have one of these.

There was a Dong traditional performance set for Friday evening, and there were people eating dinner around this village waiting for the show to start. If you plan to come here, I would try to research in advance which days and times they have performances here.

Before the show started, I met some of the performers. They encourage participation during the show, and asked me if I wanted to dress in traditional clothing. They gave me a Miao ethnic costume to wear, compete with a skirt, top, a neck ornament, and a giant headdress to wear. 

I’ve worn many Chinese ethnic clothes. I used to worry that it would be a bad sign, as appropriating their culture. But my Chinese friends, and people in these ethnic groups have all been enthusiastically encouraging me to wear it. Most places in China want to share their culture through this way. I usually check first still, making sure it’s coming from them and they are in support of it. But honestly, in my experience, they’ve all loved it. They love to see a foreigner embracing and sharing their traditions. 

So I wore this Miao costume while waiting for the show to start. 

The show kicked off with some traditional Dong songs and dances, in a very vibrant vocal style. The women and men would rally back and forth in their dance moves. The energy was palpable.

It started raining, and the audience moved to the sides under giant roofers and umbrellas to avoid the rain. 

Then they asked for a volunteer for an activity. I thought it would be a dance, so I raised my hand. One of the girls came over and pulled me up to the stage and sat me down next to another guy who volunteered. 

Then the girls came out, each holding a bowl, and formed a line. They connected their bowls in an overlapping way at a slant, with the girl farthest away from me holding hers the highest, and the girl right next to me hold her bowl next to my mouth. It essentially was a waterfall, but instead of water it’s was a kind of rice wine. 

And suddenly I found myself in a giant drinking game where I was the only competitor. The rice wine wasn’t baijiu thankfully but a sweeter kind of rice wine that wasn’t strong. They sang while they poured the creamy alcohol into my mouth.  

I’ve actually had this experience happen to me before in Zunyi, Guizhou, but it was quite hilarious to experience again.

The audience was clapping and cheering. The energy was amazing. They finally tipped the bowls away and then did the same to the guy next to me. He and I high fived and shared a laugh. They all clapped and thanked us, and then they moved to the next part of the show. 

Apparently every show ends with a giant bonfire and dancing. I thought the rain would discourage people from joining, but many people got up to make a circle in the center. So of course I too had to join. I walked into the center of the circle.

Then one of the guys handed me the giant stick with fire. He doused the sticks in the center with oil. And they counted down.

Oh, I’m the fire girl! I gleefully thought.

Everyone counted down together: “San, er, yi, (three two one)!”

WHOOSH!

I lowered the stick onto the oil sticks and a giant fire swelled up, even in the rain.

We all cheered, then fanned out to make a circle. We grabbed hands with each other and started moving around the fire, circling counterclockwise as the music played behind us in the rain. I was swaying along, my giant Miao headdress’s wobbling precariously as I moved trying to dance and balance it .

I couldn’t stop giggling, but it wasn’t because I was drunk on rice wine. Maybe I was just drunk on the music and the fire and the dancing. There was something about the energy, all of us moving together while the rain poured and the fire roared. It was something magical to me. Sure, they do this performance a lot for visitors. I’m not the first to participate. And I’m sure I certainly experienced some special privileges being the only foreigner walking into the village that night. But there was something so authentic and fun and freeing in that moment, especially after a day hiking Fanjingshan that didn’t quite go to plan. I was just so delightfully surprised to be dancing and feeling this lively spirit.

We moved around the area, making a kind of cha cha line and high fiving people around the circle. The audience was cheering loudly and so excited for high fives. In Chinese as they say, hi-qi-lai! It was very high energy. 

We moved back to a circle, and then I decided to take a break. But I wasn’t done yet. 

The guy who participated in the drinking game with me came over, and pulled me back to the bonfire. We held hands and and skipped around. Puddles had begun forming  from all the rain, and the dancers were sliding their feet and kicking up to spray each other while dancing, and we did the same. I caught the energy again.

My partner and I gleefully laughed at each other, kicking at the people around us and going round and round and round. I was giddy. My shoes and socks were soaked. The Miao headdress was lopsided on my head. I was so happy. It felt like such a release after the day.

After awhile the dancing began winding down with a goodbye song. We all took photos at the end, then said goodbye.

It was a magical ending to a mysterious day. Fanjingshan still holds an air of mystery for me, and one day maybe I’ll be back to see it more clearly.  But this evening at the Dong village was such a wild and wonderful night. It’s why I love living and traveling in China. Even after 8 years, there are many moments that will surprise and astound me.

Fanjingshan (梵净山) was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2018. It’s known for it’s iconic mountain top that has two temples on top, and is a famous Buddhist mountain.

I had an interesting experience hiking Fanjingshan, where the weather didn’t quite fit my expectations! Keep reading below for more details about how to visit Fanjingshan and what my hiking experience was like.

1. How To Get To Fanjingshan
2. Arriving at Fanjingshan
3. The Magic and Mystery of Fanjingshan: My Experience Hiking The Buddhist Mountain of Guizhou
4. My Hiking Time Schedule on Fanjingshan
5. Fanjingshan Instagram VS. Reality
   1. So, I hope you enjoyed this Fanjingshan experience and I wish you better weather on your visit there

How To Get To Fanjingshan

The best route to get to Fanjingshan is by first going to Tongren City in eastern Guizhou.

You can either take a high speed or regular train to Tongren, or take a flight into the Tongren Fenghuang Airport. The airport is about 87 kilometers from Fanjingshan and about 21 kilometers northeast of Tongren City, so you can then take a taxi into Tongren City, or go directly to the mountain area.

I took a train from Chongqing directly to Tongren City, stayed overnight in Tongren, then the next morning took a car to Fanjingshan (1 hour).

Arriving at Fanjingshan

First go to visitor center to get your tickets. (During the busy season you might need to reserve tickets 7 days in advance, so I recommend checking online in advance!)

The local center is becoming quite urban like most Chinese scenic sites. A Dicos was there, and a KFC is being built. 

Then you wait in line to take a 20 minute (9.5 km) bus ride to the base of the mountain. The road is windy and these drivers do not waste anytime getting you up to the mountain base. If you get carsick beware. Small vans that fit 15 not a large charter bus. 

From there you can choose to take a cable car up the mountain, or hike 3-4 hours. It’s cooler as you go up the mountain. Even in August it was 72 at the base 

There is plenty more hiking to do at the top so I recommend the cable car so you can have more time for photos and the other hikes.  (Others have recommended doing the hike up, so it depends on your time schedule.

The Magic and Mystery of Fanjingshan: My Experience Hiking The Buddhist Mountain of Guizhou

I must say I had high anticipation for Fanjing Mountain, as I have wanted to visit for years! I even had a trip planned to come here in January 2020 (which failed to happen for obvious reasons I need not get into) but I was highly excited to finally see this unique mountain. 

It was foggy and lightly raining when we arrived at the Tourist Center, but I told myself not to worry. I’ve visited many China mountains – Huangshan, Zhangjiajie, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Wudang Shan, Hengshan in Hunan. And most times it tended to be foggy in the morning, but then cleared by afternoon time.

Side note: Many Chinese people love foggy mountain scenery. They have a style of painting called Shan Shui 山水 that is devoted to these moody mountains. 

Also, I knew the odds were against my favor. The local tourism group said that more than 200 days of the year this area is quite overcast, if not foggy and rainy. 

After you enter the tourist site, you need to take a tour bus 20 minutes up to the cable car base. These drivers wasted no time zipping us up the winding mountain roads. (If you get motion sick beware).  Then we waited almost an hour for the cable car. (Alternatively you can hike up, which take about 3-4 hours.) 

Good, I thought, more time for the fog to clear!

But as we ascended the cable car it was still foggy, and raining more. We got off the cable car and started the first leg of the hike, a 30 minute walk up the mountain. It was still foggy.

And when we reached Cheng’en temple, a kind of base before hiking up the iconic mountain, it still wasn’t clear. 

Usually you could see the Fanjingshan mountain view right here, so it was at this point I started losing hope. But I still went to begin the ascent up the mountain.

There were so many people waiting in line for the climb up that it was a slow hike up. It is lots of stairs up, so usually you might be winded doing this part, but we had plenty of time to wait.

Nearer to the top you could see why people slowed down – it was narrow and steep, with steps carved into the mountain and a chain on the side to help you hoist yourself up. You had to be careful, especially with the fog and the rain. 

But I made it to the final stairs up to the top.

Fanjingshan is famous for its two temples atop the mountain, connected together by a bridge. You couldn’t see far from what was in front of you, creating an almost eerie look. Although I was a little disappointed by the weather, I still enjoyed the satisfaction of reaching this mountain and hiking to the top! It always feels amazing to reach a destination.

At the top a man and his daughter had even brought lottery tickets to scratch off to see if they would win anything!

After some time at the top, I descended. 

Back by Chengen Temple I had some Chinese snacks, and waited a little more. 

And then, briefly, the wind blew the fog, and I had a glimpse of Fanjingshan. It still wasn’t very clear, but I could see more of the outline than before, where previously there was only a cloud of white. 

It was like Fanjingshan was choosing to reveal only part of itself, a mysterious and ancient entity that has witnessed millions of years of change. Buddhist sojourners to the mountain probably experienced this same view where I was standing. Maybe they were also hoping for a view of the mountain on a foggy day. I’m by no means a pilgrim – I took a bus and a cable car to this site whereas they probably walked hundreds of miles up steep mountains. But I felt some kind of peace, resigned to not seeing the majestic mountain it’s entirety today. 

There are two other main points to hike to on Fanjingshan, the Mushroom Stone and the Old Golden Peak. I did both, first going to the Mushroom Stone.

From there, I went on to the Old Golden Peak which took about an hour in total to get to and come back to the Mushroom-like stone. It was also narrow, with chains at some points to hold onto. 

After a long day on the mountain, I went down the mountain, back down the cable car and bus. 

I learned there was a Dong Minority Village not 10 minutes from the base of the mountain. It’s not as well know as some other minority villages in Guizhou. It’s not very large or famous like Xijiang Miao village or Zhaoxing. 

I had visited minority villages before, and a fun experience that I really enjoy, but after an exhausting hiking day and not seeing the mountain, I was a bit spent. But on Friday nights this villages hosts a performance at 8:30, so after a local Guizhou dinner I went to check it out. 

Read my experience at the Dong Village in part 2!

My Hiking Time Schedule on Fanjingshan

• 8:30 Leave Tongren
• 9:30 Arrive at visitor center, pick up ticket 
• 10:00 Wait in line for the van
• 10:20 Get on bus 
• 10:40 Get off bus, wait in cable car line 
• 11:32 Cable car 
• 12:06 Hike up to Cheng’en temple 
• 12:20 Lunch
• 12:55 Begin hiking up the mountain
• 1:40 PM Reach the Mountain Top
• 2:30 PM Reach the bottom. of the mountain
• 4:00 PM Walk to the Mushroom Like Stone
• 4:25 PM Begin hiking to Old Golden Peak
• 4:56 PM Reach the top of Old Golden Peak (SO MANY STEPS!)
• 5:10 PM Hike down and head back to cable car
• 5:56 PM Take cable car down (note: beware. ofthe cable car closing time and having to wait in line)

Fanjingshan Instagram VS. Reality

I thought this experience was quite funny because of my expectations vs. the reality. And that’s how traveling goes sometimes right? So I made an Instagram vs. Reality video and post about it. I think most travelers can sympathize with the experience of bad weather messing with your plans!

This is all in good fun. Obviously these things happen, and I’m still really glad I got to visit Fanjingshan. I’ll just need to visit again sometime!

So, I hope you enjoyed this Fanjingshan experience and I wish you better weather on your visit there

Located in Anshun, Guizhou province, it’s a great location to combine with other Guizhou destinations. Check out my Guizhou, China: 7 Day Itinerary & Travel Tips to see more!

*Tip: Huangguoshu may be affected by the rainy season, so double check the day of to make sure it’s still open. If there is lots of flooding or water damage, some paths may be closed. The day before I went here, it rained a lot, causing the waterfall to be overflowing and more full than usual (it’s also why it has a more muddy yellow appearance in my photos than you may see online).

Here is my experience visiting Huangguoshu in late August 2023!

Guizhou is also home to the Miao and Dong ethnic minorities, with many ancient villages where you can witness their traditions up close! The Miao and Dong ethnic minorities have a rich cultural heritage, and their traditional costumes and festivals are a sight to behold. Additionally, Guizhou Province is famous for its stunning waterfalls, such as Huangguoshu Waterfall, which is one of the largest in Asia.

Here is a 7 day itinerary for Guizhou Province that includes some of Guizhou’s highlights including Guiyang, Huangguoshu Waterfall, the Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village, and Mount Fanjingshan.

1. Tips To Know Before Traveling Around Guizhou
2. Day 1: Arrive in Guiyang
3. Day 2: Huangguoshu Waterfall & Nearby Attractions
4. Day 3: Travel To Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Qiandongnan
5. Day 4: Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village 西江千户苗寨
   1. Optional: Zhaoxing Dong Village 
6. Day 5: Travel to Tongren City
7. Day 6: Mount Fanjingshan 梵净山
   1. Optional at Night : Zhaisha Dong Village 寨沙桐寨
8. Day 7: Travel Back To Guiyang
9. Other Places To Visit in Guizhou

Note: This map is just a help general resource to use. In China, Google Maps is not the most accurate, as some listings in English aren’t the most accurate Chinese location. I’ve included the Chinese names for locations in the itinerary below.

Tips To Know Before Traveling Around Guizhou

• Starting or Ending in Guiyang: Usually Guizhou’s capital city Guiyang is a popular choice to start and end a Guizhou trip because of it’s airport and train network, but as you can see there are other ways to navigate around from different cities too.
• Guizhou is not a large province, but it’s deceivingly big when traveling to some remote scenic spots and villages. Many sites require additional driving by car or bus to get there. For example, when going to Mount Fanjingshan you need to take a train to Tongren City, and then a 1 hour drive by car to the actual mountain.
• Much of Guizhou Province is best navigated by car and bus. A great option is to call a taxi or Didi when you want to go to some remote scenic sites, or to check the local bus schedules.

Day 1: Arrive in Guiyang

Depending on when you arrive, you can choose to stay overnight in Guiyang, or head directly by bus or train to Anshun.

Option 1: Arrive in Guiyang by plane in morning or afternoon, take a train to Anshun

Option 2: Arrive in Guiyang by plane in the evening, stay overnight in Guiyang and travel the next morning to Anshun.

Option 3: If you’re arriving by train, you can choose to directly go to Anshun by train.

Day 2: Huangguoshu Waterfall & Nearby Attractions

Morning: Huangguoshu Waterfall (黄果树瀑布)

Known as the largest waterfall in China, Huangguoshu Waterfall is a breathtaking natural wonder that attracts visitors with its powerful cascades and surrounding lush greenery.

Afternoon: Longgong Scenic Area 龙宫风景区

The Longgong Scenic Area, also known as the Dragon Palace Scenic Area, is famous for its stunning natural landscapes, including majestic mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and intricate cave formations.

*Note: These scenic areas will be affected by the rainy season, so double check these sites the day of. If there is lots of flooding or water damage, some sites may be closed. The day I went, Longgong Scenic Area was entirely closed because of flooding, and certain walking paths around Huangguoshu were closed as well for safety concerns. The main waterfall area was open though!

Optional: Tianlong Tubu Village 天龙屯堡

Explore this local village more than 600 years old. They hold local performances here.

Day 3: Travel To Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Qiandongnan

Take a Train from Anshun Railway to Kaili Railway. From there, you can either take a bus, or a private car to the Xijiang Qianhu Village.

By Private Car: It is highly recommended to use private car service from China Discovery. If by car, it takes less than 1 hour.

By Coach: Independent travelers can take direct bus from South Kaili High Speed Train Bus Station (凯里高铁南站公交站) to Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village Bus Station (西江千户苗寨公交站). Whole journey takes about 1.5 hours.

Day 4: Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village 西江千户苗寨

The Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is a special ancient village in the Guizhou Province of China. It is home to the Miao people, a minority group in China. Visitors here can not only learn about the Miao culture, but also enjoy the traditional wooden architecture and stunning scenic views of the ancient village. Read more here: The Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Guizhou.

Optional: Zhaoxing Dong Village 

If you want to extend your trip by a day and travel to more villages in Guizhou, Zhaoxing Dong Village is a popular choice. You can take a train from Kaili City to Congjiang, or go by bus.

Day 5: Travel to Tongren City

Take a train to Tongren City, in northeast Guizhou.

Where to stay in Tongren: You can choose to stay in Tongren City, or find a hotel by Fanjingshan mountain. It’s about an hour drive between them, so it depends on your schedule. I stayed in Tongren City, then drove and hour both ways to get to and from the mountain and Zhaisha Dong Village.

If you choose to stay in Tongren City, you can explore than Tongren Ancient City at night. It’s an ancient style town, but also has a Burger King inside

Day 6: Mount Fanjingshan 梵净山

Fanjingshan is the tallest summit of the Wuling Mountains, at an elevation of 2572 meters.  Fanjingshan (梵净山) was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2018. It’s known for its iconic mountain imagery that has two temples on top. You’ll need most of a day to visit the mountain.

Optional at Night : Zhaisha Dong Village 寨沙桐寨

I learned there was a Dong Minority Village not 10 minutes from the base of the mountain. It’s not as well know as some other minority villages in Guizhou, like Xijiang Miao village or Zhaoxing. But it was very charming, and they host performances on certain days!

Day 7: Travel Back To Guiyang

For your last day, travel back to Guiyang by train. If you have extra time, there are some things you can do in Guiyang!

Guiyang is really a huge foodie city, which I didn’t know about! These snack streets are often trending on Chinese social media, and it’s popular to go check them out for local snacks and delicacies. I also found Guiyang to be a really great walking and liveable city – if you are up for an evening stroll you can walk to these three sites in 1.5 hours.

Places to See in Guiyang:

• Minsheng Food Street 民生路: Great for very local Guiyang snacks
• Jiaxiu Pavilion 甲秀楼
• Qingyun Lu Walking Street 青云路步行街: Popular evening food and bar street
• Optional: Qingyan Ancient Town  青岩古镇 (one hour away by car)

Other Places To Visit in Guizhou

This is by no means a full list of all Guizhou has to offer! There is so much to do and see here. I’ve also visited Zunyi, which also offers unique natural landscapes and is a very historical city for China.

Take time to research what makes you excited about Guizhou, and happy traveling!

This past July I went on a special travel experience excursion with Ctrip to visit Zunyi as a foreign social media ambassador. It was an amazing trip and definitely put Guizhou high on my list of favorite provinces in China.

Read more about my trip to Zunyi: 7 Things to Do in Zunyi, Guizhou

Ctrip invited me to attend this promotional event in Shanghai to share about this travel  experience and make a presentation with photos and a speech.

The Evening Activities

The event was held on a Ctrip cruise ship on the Pearl River in Shanghai – honestly you couldn’t ask for a better location in Shanghai!

The evening featured many special Zunyi traditions, including a traditional song and a tea performance. There were also many speeches made by members from the Shanghai Tourism Board, the Ctrip Administration, and also the Zunyi Tourism Board. It was very enjoyable to be reminded of all the things I loved about Zunyi, and also learn even more about the city!

My Zunyi Travel Experience Speech

After the singing performance it was time for my speech. I shared my 7 Favorite Things About Zunyi, and really enjoyed talking about my experiences and remembering the fun experiences we had cave climbing, hiking, and also trying the many delicious Guizhou foods!

Video of my Zunyi Presentation

Zunyi Global Ambassador 

After the speech we were presented with certificates and became Zunyi Global Ambassadors. What a big honor!

Night Cruise on the River

After the presentations and photos ended we had a dinner banquet below the deck of the ship. The ship also left the dock to embark on a night cruise around The Bund.

Thanks to Ctrip and the Zunyi Tourism Board

The event was a wonderful celebration of the city of Zunyi, and it was exciting to reconnect with many Chinese friends I met when I visited Zunyi a few months ago. Thank you again to Ctrip and the Zunyi Tourism Board for inviting me to attend this event and giving me the honor of being a Global Ambassador for Zunyi. I hope to have the chance to visit Zunyi again!

Check out some of my other recent travel experiences: 

• Shangri-La: The Mystical Paradise in China
• A Fascinating Night of Huangshan: Ctrip and Shanghai Tourism Department Promotional Event
• Camping on the Great Wall of China: Mr. Chen’s Wild Wall Section

What to Know About the Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village

• In Chinese this village is called 西江千户苗寨 (Xījiāng qiān hù miáo zhài), which means the Miao Village of a Thousand Households.
• It’s the largest gathering place of the Miao people, with more than 6,000 Miao people living here
• Visitors can explore the village and surrounding scenic areas and learn more about local Miao culture
• There are traditional Miao song and dance performances here twice a day that you can see!

Check out my video from the Xijiang Miao Village and see more of what I did here!

How To Get To The Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village

This village is located in the south eastern side of Guizhou Province. You can go to the village from Guiyang or Kaili.

From Kaili:

If you’re coming from Kaili Train Station, take public bus number 1 right outside for 10-15 minutes to the Kaili Coach Bus Station 凯里客车站. Then transfer to a mini bus. The mini bus will say Xijiang Miao on the side so you’ll know you’re going to the right place.

The buses usually leave every 40 minutes but give yourself plenty of time in case the schedule changes. The bus took about 1 hour.

I was coming from Zhangjiajie and there was a train directly to Kaili, so it was better for me to go there and not Guiyang. However if you’re coming from a bigger city or a farther province, it may be more convenient to fly to Guiyang first and go from there. There is a bus directly to Xijiang from Guiyang, or you can take a train to Kaili first.

Arriving in Xijiang

Once you get to Xijiang the bus will drop you off at the tourist center. You’ll buy a ticket here (90RMB) and a bus ticket (5 RMB) to go to the actual scenic spot.

You’ll be greeted at the tourist center by the “Miao Welcome Ceremony”. The welcome ceremony for the Xijiang Miao people involves drinking their special wine. You’ll also see people dancing and playing traditional instruments.

Where To Stay in Xijiang

There are hotels all around the scenic area ranging from 90RMB and upwards. The area itself is pretty big, so check the location of your hotel before you book because you may have to carry your luggage a long way. I booked my hotel with Trip.com.

I booked a hotel near the entrance part of the scenic area, feeling so excited to find a good deal in a good location! I couldn’t find it at first because the hotel pin wasn’t accurate (this happens sometimes). A nice lady helped me call the owner and he met me and helped me up to his house. We climbed up and up and up and then I was met with this view from my room. It might be more of a trek than I planned but I’m so thrilled I got this place!

Walking Around the Xijiang Village 

There is so much to explore in this beautiful village! There are lots of streets and alleys winding around the town, and plenty of rivers and bridges to cross over. You can try the local Guizhou snacks, browse the many shops, and stop in the restaurants for dinner and a Miao show. You’ll see many people dressing up in the traditional Miao clothing and taking photos. There is also a show twice a day here (because of the timing I was too late for it when I arrived!)

I stayed for one day and one night here and found that was enough time to see everything. You could also stay longer to have more time to relax and also visit other nearby minority villages.

Follow me on Instagram to see more of my adventures in China!

Meeting Local Friends in Xijiang

One of my favorite things about traveling in China is not only enjoying the beauty and seeing new places, but also meeting the people here. While walking around the village a large group of friends called out to me from under a tent. I stopped and said hello, and they invited me to join their dinner! They couldn’t speak much English and I used the Chinese I could to communicate and it was SO fun. They share their spicy chicken and pork and watermelon with me and handed me lots of beer.

Turns out they were members of a band that played in a bar every night in the Miao Village, and they invited me to join them that evening!

I also met the cutest little girls while walking around. They saw me taking photos and wanted to join for a photo shoot! China’s next top models.

Take a Trip to Xijiang Miao Village

I’ve lived in China for 4 years and had many amazing moments here. Out of the many, there are some days that especially stand out in my memory – and this day is one of those days. This village was not only very scenic and beautiful with its traditional architecture and unique traditions, but also such an opening and welcoming place to visit. The people I met here made this trip so special and I’m glad I had the serendipitous opportunity to meet them all.

There are not many foreigners that travel here (though it is a bit touristy now for Chinese people), but I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here and highly recommend making the trip to get here. It’s not the easiest and you’ll definitely need a Chinese translation app to navigate a bit, but it’s so worth it!

If you’re looking for other scenic places to travel, check out my visits to these other stunning places in China:

• Furong Ancient Town: The Magical Waterfall Village of Hunan, China
• A Guide to Huangshan: The Yellow Mountains of China
• Hiking The Avatar Mountains in Zhangjiajie

See you on the next adventure!

I recently took my first trip to Guizhou as part of a Travel Experience with Ctrip and the Zunyi Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. I’ve been wanting to visit Guizhou for so long because of the beautiful scenery and also the many minority groups of people who live in this province, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to go on this Travel Experience.

I spent 4 days in Zunyi Guizhou, a city in the northern part of Guizhou. It is a city most Chinese people are familiar with, as it was the site of the historic Zunyi Conference in 1935 where Mao Zedong became the leader of China. Besides this famous conference, there are many other reasons to visit Zunyi and explore the areas around it.

Here are 7 things you should do in Zunyi! 

1. Eat Guizhou Cuisine

Guizhou Cuisine is one of the 8 different cuisines in China. It is somewhat similar to Sichuan cuisine because they are neighboring provinces and both have many spicy dishes, but Guizhou cuisine also features “sour” dishes as well that make it unique. Sour isn’t quite what you might think (don’t imagine sour skittles!)

Here are some dishes you should try in Guizhou:

Mutton Rice Noodles (Yang Rou Fen) 

Sour Fish Soup Hot Pot 酸汤鱼火锅

Spicy Sour Dishes

There are an assortment of other dishes to try in Guizhou! We had many colorful spreads at every meal and the chance to taste a bit of everything.

2. Explore the Caves

Guizhou has amazing caves that are still being explored to this day. I had the opportunity to go cave climbing inside one of them with my group and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in China!

I thought we would just be walking through a cave like usual, but instead they harnessed us up, gave us a helmet and gloves, turned our headlamps on, and guided us onto a climbing route. We navigated around ledges and up walls and over gaps by moving our harness along a steel cable. After more than an hour we emerged from the other side of the cave – I’m itching to try this again.

3. Drink Moutai

Moutai is a special kind of Chinese baijiu made locally in the Guizhou province and is a must try if you visit! It has a distinctly sweet flavor. You’ll see it sold everywhere, from the airport to shops around the province. You can visit the Moutai Culture Center to learn more about how it’s made and learn about it’s importance to Chinese culture.

At dinner one night we watched a performance by these Chinese ladies, and in the middle of the song they got off stage, grabbed a bottle of moutai, and started giving it to people to drink.

When Chinese ladies offer you moutai you can’t say no! I was a bit surprised at first but actually enjoyed trying it.

4. Bike Riding

We rode along a beautiful bike path next to the Chishui river for about 9km – it was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip!

5. Chishui Danxia Scenic Area

There are many Danxia landforms around China, which are steep red cliffs. This one in Guizhou is said to be the largest and most spectacular Danxia landform in China. There are more than 350 waterfalls here, and many routes to hike. I went to the Buddha Light Rock, a 30 minute hike up. The waterfall at the top is so beautiful!

6. Iron Flower Fireworks 打铁花

In ancient times the village people couldn’t afford the big fireworks, so they created their own form of it by sparking molten iron. It creates a blossoming effect that looks like fireworks. In Chinese it’s called “Dashuhua” which means “striking tree flower” because of this shape. It’s a special tradition not practiced many places, any I feel so lucky I got to see it here!

Photos can’t even do it justice, but you get the idea.

7. Zunyi Conference Site

Zunyi is a city most famous because of it’s historical significance to China. In 1935 it was the site of the Zunyi Conference, where Mao Zedong gathered with the Red Army to determine the next move. He became the leader of the people here. You can visit the famous building they met in, and walk around the museum to learn more about the meeting and the formation of modern day China.

We went to a performance for this as well called “The Turning Point.” This was a stunning performance combining the historical events with Chinese acrobatics and dance and I really enjoyed it!

It’s popular for people who visit Zunyi to dress in the Red Army uniform of China.

Visit Guizhou

We only stayed in the city of Zunyi itself for one night, and then spent two nights in remote areas outside Zunyi, in very small towns. It’s such a special experience to see these little villages untouched by foreigners. We met so many kind and curious people, and reminded me of my time visiting Chenzhou in Hunan.

The drives in Guizhou also never feel too long – I could stare outside the window all day. You see the most stunning mountains and green rice terraces. It’s similar to Yangshuo, but even more remote and not as touristy.

Go to Guizhou if:

• You want a unique local experience
• You’re avoiding touristy places and crowds
• You’re looking for outdoor adventures

I’ve lived in China four years and it amazes me that there are still so many places and traditions I have not experienced. China is so big and each province, city, and village has their own dialects and foods and customs. The cool thing about traveling in China is that you get to experience so many cultures within one country.

Thanks again to Ctrip and the Zunyi Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism for inviting me to join this experience! I had an amazing time learning about Guizhou culture and met some really fantastic people on my trip, as well. I look forward to returning to Zunyi sometime.

**Photos with the Zunyi and Ctrip logo do not belong to me.

Some of my other favorite trips in China: 

• A Guide to Huangshan: The Yellow Mountains of China
• Three Days in Inner Mongolia
• A Guide To Hiking The Avatar Mountains in Zhangjiajie