I am a huge fan of China. It is so big, so affordable, technology is awesome and food is delicious and generous, people are great and not as rude as you think (I could go on and on…) I started falling in love with China when I went on a school trip to two provinces – one of which is Guizhou, a super underrated gem.
Guizhou is a mountainous province in southwest China. It’s known for its hilly geography and traditional rural villages inhabited by minority groups.
This waterfall of 67m in height is one of the largest waterfalls in China and East Asia. Being the first time I visited a waterfall of this size and height, I was easily impressed. Even standing from afar you can feel the water droplets on you simply because the waterfall is HUGE.
The best part however, is that you walk along the back of the waterfall, through a 134m naturally-formed cave named “Shuiliandong” (水帘洞 or Water-Curtain Cave). It is believed that this is the habitat of Sun Wukong, the protagonist of the Buddhist-fantasy literature Journey to the West (I got this from Wikipedia). You WILL get wet.
Another sibling waterfall nearby also worth a sight is the “Yinlianzhuitan” Waterfall (銀鏈墜潭瀑布).
The roaring waters really make you marvel at the wonders of nature.
2. “Qianhu Miao Zhai” (千户苗寨 or Thousand households Miao village)
Do you know there are 56 ethnic groups in China? The Miao ethnic group is ranked 6 in terms of population size, and about 50% of them live in Guizhou, so the Miao culture is best preserved in this area. The most renowned village is this one which, though touristy, still offers you a good glimpse of the minority culture in China. There are vantage points for you to see the houses, traditional performances, and you can even try their traditional costumes.
This ancient town (one of Guizhou’s top 4 ancient towns) was initially built for military reasons, but has now become a famous tourist attraction because of its long history and strong cultural atmosphere. One striking feature is its city walls made of rocks, resembling the Great Wall of China. It doesn’t look as tall or as steep, but will give you an equally good workout. There are many historical monuments within the town for you to appreciate its history, including monasteries, temples, cabinets, caves, courtyards and palaces – great for culture buffs!
Guizhou is by nature a very hilly province, its western and central parts have altitudes of one to two thousand meters above sea level. This is why I find that Guizhou’s beauty lies not just within its tourist attractions. It gave me good vibes overall because it was covered with greenery, and had relatively fresher air. I recommend you to go for morning strolls/runs so that you can fully appreciate its beauty. I enjoyed the views below when I went for morning runs with my trip mates!
Also, I always go to China in Spring/ Autumn, and I highly recommend these seasons for a better experience!
If you ever want to go Inner Mongolia, click here!
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