Getting around
Guiyang has an airport and is a major high-speed-rail hub for the southwest, with a metro in the city. Huangguoshu and Qingyan are day trips by tour, train or hired car.
Updated Apr 2026 All cities
The mild, green capital of Guizhou, ringed by karst hills — a relaxed base for the Huangguoshu Waterfall, ancient Qingyan town, and the province’s rich ethnic-minority country.
⏱️ First 24 hours
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay and add a foreign card.
- Buy a local SIM or activate an eSIM.
- Enjoy the cool weather — Guiyang is a summer escape from the heat.
- Plan a Huangguoshu Waterfall day trip and Qingyan old town.
Explore the guide
Connectivity
Good city coverage; weaker in the karst countryside. A local SIM is best for touring rural Guizhou.
Updated Apr 2026Where to stay
Base around Jiaxiu Tower and the river in the centre, an easy hub for the city parks and onward day trips.
Updated Apr 2026Eat & drink
Guizhou food is sour-and-spicy: sour-soup fish (suantang yu), “silk doll” wraps (siwawa), and changwang noodles. Bold, tangy and unlike anywhere else.
Updated Apr 2026Etiquette
Guizhou is one of China’s most ethnically diverse provinces — be respectful and curious about Miao, Dong and Buyi cultures, and ask before photographing people.
Updated Apr 2026Safety
Very safe and pleasantly cool in summer. Karst roads are winding and rain is frequent — allow extra travel time and watch your footing on wet stone.
Updated Apr 2026📜 History
A cool mountain capital, Guiyang grew as a garrison among Guizhou’s many ethnic peoples.
Ming
Grows as a garrison and administrative seat in the southwest mountains.
1598
The Jiaxiu Tower is built on the river as a symbol of scholarship.
Qing
A trading hub among the Miao, Dong and Buyi peoples.
Today
Capital of Guizhou and a popular cool-summer escape.
Top attractions
Qingyan Ancient Town 青岩古镇
Qīngyán Gǔzhèn
A 600-year-old Ming military town of stone walls, gates and flagstone lanes south of the city.
Why it matters
One of Guizhou’s best-preserved old towns — temples, churches and ancestral halls side by side, plus famous local snacks like rose sugar and braised pig’s trotters.
Good to know
- ✓Try the “Zhuangyuan” pig trotters.
- ✓Walk the old walls and gates.
- ✓About 30 km from Guiyang.
Show to driver: 青岩古镇
Huangguoshu Waterfall 黄果树瀑布
Huángguǒshù Pùbù
The largest waterfall in China and Asia — a thunderous curtain you can walk behind.
Why it matters
Over 70 m high and 100 m wide, with a “water-curtain cave” path running right behind the falls — a spectacular day trip from Guiyang.
Good to know
- ✓A 2–3 hour trip from Guiyang.
- ✓Walk the cave behind the falls.
- ✓Wettest and most powerful in summer.
Show to driver: 黄果树瀑布
Jiaxiu Tower 甲秀楼
Jiǎxiù Lóu
A graceful three-storey Ming pavilion on a rock in the Nanming River, Guiyang’s symbol.
Why it matters
Built in 1598 to inspire scholarly success, the floodlit tower and its old stone bridge are the classic image of the city.
Good to know
- ✓Beautiful lit up at night.
- ✓Cross the Fuyu Bridge beside it.
- ✓Central and free to view.
Show to driver: 甲秀楼
Qianling Park 黔灵山公园
Qiánlíng Shān Gōngyuán
A big forested city park with a Ming monastery, a lake, and bands of cheeky wild macaques.
Why it matters
Guiyang’s green lung — a Buddhist temple, hilltop views and free-roaming monkeys make it a beloved, lively escape right in the city.
Good to know
- ✓Watch your bags — the monkeys grab food.
- ✓Hike up to Hongfu Temple.
- ✓A relaxed half-day in the city.
Show to driver: 黔灵山公园
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Find a buddy🍜 Must-eat dishes
What to eat in Guiyang
Siwawa (Silk Dolls) 丝娃娃
Sīwáwa
Thin rice pancakes you fill with shredded vegetables and pour in a tangy-spicy sauce — like tiny wraps.
💡A fun DIY Guiyang snack; “wrap your own baby” and add the sour-spicy broth.
Order this: 丝娃娃
Changwang Noodles 肠旺面
Chángwàng miàn
Egg noodles in a rich red-oil broth with pork intestine, blood curd and crisp pork — Guiyang’s classic breakfast.
💡Bold and spicy; the name puns on “prosperity”.
Order this: 肠旺面
Sour-Soup Fish 酸汤鱼
Suāntāng yú
Fish simmered in a vivid red, tangy tomato-and-chili fermented broth — the Miao soul dish of Guizhou.
💡Sour-spicy rather than numbing; cook vegetables in the leftover soup.
Order this: 酸汤鱼
🏛️ Museums
Top museums in Guiyang
Guizhou Provincial Museum 贵州省博物馆
FreeGuìzhōu Shěng Bówùguǎn
A vivid introduction to Guizhou’s many ethnic minorities — Miao silver, Dong textiles, festivals and crafts.
💡Free with booking; great context for the province’s diverse cultures.
Search this: 贵州省博物馆
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