Guizhou
Guizhou (贵州; Gùizhōu) is a province in southwestern China.
Cities
- Anshun - tourist center and home of the Huangguoshu Waterfalls
- Guiyang - the capital
- Kaili - gateway to the Miao and Dong minority regions
- Zunyi - Communist pilgrimage site
- Pingba
- Xingyi - golden state in southwest China and typical karst topogrphy such as Maling Valley, Ten thousand peaks forest, etc.
- Weining - home of Cao Hai Lake, known for its 170+ bird species including the Black-necked Crane
Other destinations
- Zhaoxing (肇兴) - idyllic Dong minority town nestling in a valley
- Xijiang (西江) - large traditional Miao village located in LeiGongshan national park
- Site of Hailongtun Tusi Fortress, a castle ruin which is one of three Tusi sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List
Understand
Talk
The local dialect of Guizhou is similar to that of Sichuan. Few can understand English. Standard Mandarin can be understood by most although in the countryside and smaller cities most people may only be able to reply in their local dialect. There are some unique terms in the various regional dialects in Guizhou although the most noticeable differences are in pronunciation which differs widely from standard Mandarin.
Get in
By air from Shanghai the journey takes around two and a half hours and from Hong Kong one and a half hours. The journey is about 1800km. The airport for domestic flights was completed in 2013 and is brand new with all facilities. The international airport, however, is using the old facility which is small with only a few gates and no shops except for tobacco. Seems that there are only a few international flights to and from Guiyang, mainly Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao and Seoul.
Get around
Local roads in Guiyang city are in good condition and taxis are plentiful. However, to travel from one city to another and then further into the countryside, roads can be in very poor condition, or only under construction (travelling together with bulldozers...). Taxis in smaller cities tend to gather several travellers into one car in order to compensate for the very low fares (3 yuan as a start fare for the first 2.5km in 2013). In some smaller cities, the meter is hardly ever used and there are "fixed" fares from the station to the city, from the city to some center of interests.... So, be prepared to be flexible in that respect. Trains are quite reliable, although not as comfortable as the newest high speed trains in richer provinces.
See
The area is mountainous, and there are many opportunities for hiking. The paths can be slippery due to animal excrement and the bushes can be thorny. There is much beautiful scenery including valley views and distant horizons. One of the greatest attractions to Guizhou is the Huangguoshu Waterfall, known to be the biggest waterfall in China. The eastern area of Guizhou is very green and you can see many rice fields in terrace as well as go through numerous small charming villages where you can also rest in guest houses. The China Danxia landscape near Chisui are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Do
There are many walks and places to visit in the vicinity of the capital Guiyang. Guizhou is home to many ethnic minorities (mainly the Miao and the Dong) and festivals are held all year round, it is a great way to experience the local customs.
Itineraries
Hong Kong to Kunming overland passes through the southern part portion of the province.
Eat
There is a wide variety of foods available, with the local taste being for spicy dishes. The food can be very tasty. The hot pot can be excellent. Another specialty is the sour spicy fish soup that can be tasted in many cities in Guizhou. Barbecue on the streets is a local favorite as well as all sorts of rice noodles and pasta, mixed with ingredients such as pickled vegetables.
Drink
Moutai and home made rice wine made by villagers.
Stay safe
While hiking on the glorious mountains watch out for the narrow ledges and always remember sunscreen and water while enjoying the countryside and the wildlife which is out there
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