Things to do in Guiyang

I've visited Huangguoshu Waterfall Scenic Area three times over 30 years. It's considered one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Asia, and the town of Huangguoshu is also quite well-developed. Although the water flow was lower this year, it was still incredibly magnificent, powerful, and thunderous. This time, I had the opportunity to fully appreciate the unique features of the waterfalls in all three sections. If the main waterfall is the head of the family, powerful and imposing, then the upstream Doupotang Waterfall is the steady son, refined and elegant, while the downstream Yinlian Waterfall is the emerald green jade, endlessly captivating and always brimming with charm!

The scenic area is quite large. Even with VIP service, it was still tiring. Be prepared to walk for a long time. The scenery was beautiful when we visited, and there were also places suitable for children to play.

The oddly shaped stones were quite interesting. There weren't many people during the Chinese New Year, so the experience was good. However, many small shops were closed, and transportation wasn't very convenient. It was rather quiet due to the holiday.

Not far from Guiyang, this ancient town offers a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The "Defend Qingyan" activity immerses you in the atmosphere of the revolutionary war. While the main street is teeming with tourists, a stroll into the side alleys allows for a quieter appreciation of the century-old buildings. The pig's trotters in the food street are a specialty and definitely worth trying.

The scenery is nice, but it's very crowded. It's not worth queuing for two hours just to take a boat to that cave, where artificial lights illuminate the rock walls and tell mythological stories. Also, this scenic area is far from the city center; the subway ride there and back takes two hours, so half a day is enough to explore it.

Located at No. 187 Zaoshan Road, Yunyan District, Guiyang City, only 1.5 kilometers from the city center, the park was established in 1957 and is a national 4A-level scenic spot. Admission is free (reservations required), Hongfu Temple incense and flower tickets cost 2 yuan, and cable car/zoo services are charged separately. It integrates mountains, forests, springs, lakes, caves, temples, and monkeys, and is known for its "premium location in the city, beautiful in nature." 🌟Highlights & Must-Visit Spots 1. Wild Macaque Troops: A rare semi-wild urban macaque troop (over a thousand individuals) concentrated around the Jiuqu Path and Hongfu Temple. Great for photos, but please do not feed them and keep an eye on your belongings. 2. Hongfu Temple + Jiuqu Path: Guizhou's first temple (during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty). Climb the 383 stone steps of the Jiuqu Path, accompanied by cliff carvings and ancient pavilions; the temple features ancient Buddha caves and Buddhist scriptures, and is a popular place of worship. 3. Qilin Cave: A karst cave where Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were once under house arrest; it combines natural scenery with revolutionary history. 4. Qianling Lake + Kanzhu Pavilion: The lake is wide enough for boating; Kanzhu Pavilion on Daluo Ridge offers panoramic views of Guiyang city, with stunning sunsets. Visitors can hike or take a cable car up the mountain. 5. Zoo/Panda House: A long-established city zoo with a South China tiger breeding base, suitable for family-friendly educational activities; high vegetation coverage and abundant negative oxygen ions.

This is my second time bringing my kids here. As they are happy, I am happy too. During the rafting process, I found that the safety measures here are sufficient. My two kids floated ahead of me and I arrived safely at the destination.

The Taoyuan River rafting is excellent, offering plenty of excitement and being relatively safe, but it must be done on a sunny day because the water is extremely cold. Overall, it's all worth it.

I arrived 5 minutes early, and the lecturer, Keju, immediately started and continued until 3:05 PM without a break. He covered everything from ancient Guizhou to Qing Dynasty Guizhou, and the lecture was quite comprehensive. It seemed that Keju really enjoys reading and has a rich knowledge base. He was also quite experienced in interacting with children, and the kids listened with great interest. It was very good.

Jiaxiu Tower is arguably Guiyang's premier tourist attraction. Unfortunately, it was under renovation during my last visit for a conference, so I missed it. This time, on my return trip to Guiyang, I was finally fortunate enough to see the night view, which was truly beautiful. Jiaxiu Tower, located at No. 8 Cuiwei Lane, Nanming District, Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, sits on the Nanming River. Originally built in 1598 (the 26th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty), it was constructed on a large rock in the river. It underwent numerous repairs throughout history, and the current structure is a remnant of a reconstruction from 1909 (the first year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty). Jiaxiu Tower was initiated in 1598 by Jiang Dongzhi, then Governor of Guizhou, and Ying Chaoqing, the Imperial Inspector. The initial intention was for Governor Jiang Dongzhi to hope that Guizhou would produce outstanding scholars, and to provide a place for young students to study, thus addressing the shortage of talent in Guizhou. In 1776 (the 41st year of the Qianlong reign), Governor Pei Zongxi renovated it, inscribed the tower's name, and added the Hanbi Pavilion on the Fuyu Bridge. Destroyed by war in 1909 (the first year of the Xuantong reign), it was rebuilt by Governor Pang Shuhong. The existing building was renovated by the Guiyang Municipal People's Government in 1982, with a platform added to the east. The building covers an area of ​​365 square meters and is a three-story, three-eaved, four-cornered pyramidal roof structure made of wood and stone. Several pairs of couplets from the Qing Dynasty hang at the main entrance, the most famous being the long couplet by Liu Yunliang, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) of the Tongzhi reign (1861). To the south of the building is Cuiwei Garden, also originally built in the Ming Dynasty (approved by the Guizhou Provincial People's Government to be incorporated into Jiaxiu Tower in 1999), which includes ancient buildings such as Gongnan Pavilion, Cuiwei Pavilion, study rooms, and Longmen Academy. Jiaxiu Tower has three stories, all with white stone railings, each story receding inwards, reaching a height of about 20 meters from the bridge surface to the top. The Nanming River flows in front of the tower, converging into Hanbi Pool. A stone arch bridge, "Fuyu Bridge," connects the two banks to the tower, with a small pavilion called "Hanbi Pavilion" on the bridge. The entire structure features vermilion beams and green tiles, a three-story, three-eaved, four-cornered pyramidal roof. Jiaxiu Tower is a witness to Guiyang's history and a landmark in its cultural development. In 1982, Jiaxiu Tower was listed as one of the first batch of cultural relics protection units in Guizhou Province. On March 28, 2008, Jiaxiu Tower, as part of the "Wenchang Pavilion and Jiaxiu Tower" complex, was designated by the State Council as the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.