Lyn's 4-day Trip to Guizhou

Guizhou may not be so well-known to many people comparing with some well-developed tourist cities, but once you get there, you will never forget its beautiful mountains and waters as well as authentic villages and hospitable people. Speaking of Guizhou, most people may only think of "Huangguoshu Waterfall". However, located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau with such a complex and unique geographical environment, Guizhou can bring travellers lots of surprises other than Huangguoshu Waterfall.

Three years ago, my friend and I decided to join in a local group tour to Guizhou during the National Holiday. Everyone knows how busy it’s going to be during the famous Golden Week, so choosing a less popular place for the holiday was kind of our priority. I have to say chose Guizhou was probably the most brilliant decision we made. Of course it was still crowded sometimes, but it was definitely much better than some big cities like Xian and Beijing. The group tour we joined is a 4 day tour. During the tour, we have been to Libo Seven Small Arches, Xijiang Miao Village and Huangguoshu Waterfall. Each place has its own charms, and it would be a huge regret if you miss any one of them.

Recommended Guizhou Tours:

√ 6 Days Classic Guizhou Tour to Huangguoshu & Authentic Southeast Guizhou

√ 7 Days Best of Guizhou Tour with Nature & Culture Highlights

Libo Seven Small Arches

Libo Seven Small Arches, an Emerald on Earth, is also reputed as “Xiao Jiuzhai(Little Jiuzhai Valley)” for its blue water. This is a scenic spot that you can't leave unless you have visited each one of its scenic spots. The scenic area has two entrances, the West Gate and the East Gate. No matter which gate travellers choose to enter, normally they will exit from the other gate. Because the scenic area is very big and each scenic spot is far away from others, travellers need to take sightseeing bus inside the park. We entered the scenic area from the east gate, and visited Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge, Raya Waterfall, 68-level Falling Waterfall, Water Forest, and Yuanyang Lake as well as Wolongtan. I could tell why it has the name of the “Emerald on Earth” after the visit. No matter the deep blue lakes or cascading waterfalls, Libo Seven Small Arches fully unfolds the charm of nature’s ingenious workmanship. An episode happened during the visit made the visit more unforgettable. Due to the breakdown of a sightseeing bus on the road, the transportation system of the scenic area stopped for a long time. Therefore, we were forced to walk several kilometers inside the park. The unexpected hiking was exhausting, but we were also given more time to explore the park by foot. So I guess this incident could also be considered as a windfall!

Wolongtan in Libo Seven Small Arches Scenic Area

68-level Falling Waterfall in Libo Seven Small Arches Scenic Area

Xijiang Miao Village

Located in the southeast of Kaili, Xijiang is the largest Miao village in China with more than 1,200 families. It is a place where the authentic culture of the Miao nationality well preserved. Travellers can have a leisure walk inside the village, observe stilted buildings, and be immersed into the pastoral scenery. There are two things that cannot be missed here. One is getting a panoramic view of the village from the observation deck, and the other is enjoying the unique Long table feast. It was an easy hike to the observation deck, and shuttle bus is also available. We didn’t sleep overnight inside the village, so missed the night view. But the view in the daytime was also astonishing. The morning mist had not yet cleared when I got to the observation deck, and the village looked like a peaceful and far-reaching paradise in the warm sunlight. As for the long table banquet, it has a history of thousands of years. It is usually used for weddings, full moon wine, and village social gatherings, and it’s considered as the grand etiquette to welcome guests. The host and the guest usually sit opposite at the long table, making toasts and singing their songs. I can’t really recall the taste of the feast, but I can still remember the hospitality of the lovely people.

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village (西江千户苗寨)

Panoramic View of the Village from the Observation Deck

Huangguoshu WaterFall

There are three major scenic spots in Huangguoshu Scenic Area, Huangguoshu Waterfall, Tianxing Bridge, Doupotang Waterfall. Among them, Huangshuo Waterfall is the highlight part. The Huangguoshu Waterfall is 77.8 meters high and 101 meters wide. It enjoys the reputation of "China's No. 1 Waterfall" and is also one of the world's famous waterfalls. The best season to visit Huangguoshu is the rainy season in July and August. During this period, the waterfall is rich in water and very magnificent. There is a famous cave behind the water curtain of the Huangguoshu Waterfall named Shuilian Cave. There is a saying that if you come to Huangguoshu Waterfall without entering the Shuilian Cave, you cannot really appreciate the magnificence of Huangguoshu Waterfall. We visited Huangguoshu in Oct which was not during the best season, but I could already hear the roaring sound of waterfall from a far distance. I could feel my heartbeat when getting close to the waterfall. It was thrilling and exciting. There is also an elevator that brings travellers directly to the viewing platform, so it’s friendly to senior visitors. It was a pity that I missed the Shuilian Cave due to the limited time. If you have time, don’t miss it!

Doupotang Waterfall in Huangguoshu Scenic Area

"China's No. 1 Waterfall" - Huangguoshu Waterfall