Name in Chinese: 贵州 Guì Zhōu [guei dzəu]
Location: Southwestern China, GMT+8
Population: 36.2 million
Keywords: Huangguoshu Waterfall, the Miao’s Village, Maotai Liquor
Overview
Guizhou is a province in Southwestern China, bordering some Chinese provinces, namely Sichuan, Chongqing, Hunan, Guangxi and Yunnan. It lies in the east part of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, covering an area of 176,167 square kilometers(68,018 sq.mi). The land is divided into 9 prefectures. Some of the popular destinations are Guiyang, Anshun, Zunyi, Tongren, Xingyi and Kaili. The topography of Guizhou features the high plateau landform. Its altitude ranges from 148 meters(486 feet) to 2,900 meters(9,514 feet) above sea level. There are many natural wonders in the province, such as Huangguoshu Waterfall and Zhijin Cave. Guizhou is notable for Maotai Liquor which is known as China’s Whisky. It is the national liquor of China. The liquor is made from sorghum and wheat. The distillery has a long history of over 800 years. The province is inhabited by many ethnic groups, such as, the Han, the Miao, the Yi, the Tujia and the Buyi. People from ethnic minorities maintain a strong cultural tradition. Their villages are picturesque. Xijiang-Qianhu Miao’s Village is one of the main attractions in Guizhou.
Attractions
Huangguoshu Waterfall
Huangguoshu Waterfall was designated as a national park in 1982. It is the largest waterfall in China. The main waterfall cascades down with a drop of 67 meters(220 feet) and a width of 83.3 meters(273 feet). The name Huangguoshu also refers to a group of waterfalls at the centerpiece of the park, which is a 78-meter(256-foot) drop and a 101-meter(331-foot) span. The widest waterfall of the cluster is called Doupotang. It is a 21-meter(69-foot) drop, is 105 meters(344-foot) in width. Tianxing-Bridge is one of the wonders in the park, is known as a beautiful natural bonsai. It lies some 6 kilometers(3.7 miles) downstream from the main waterfall and features the divers landscapes, such as stone forest, Karst caves and lakes.
Xijiang-Qianhu Miao’s Village
Xijiang Miao Village is a national four-star scenic area where visitors can learn a lot about the authentic Miao’s culture and folk custom. It is the largest and most typical Miao village in China. There are 1,432 households in the village at present. Therefore, it is also known as the Miao’s Thousand-Household Village in Xijiang. The population of the village is over 5,500. The villagers live in their stilt wooden houses, which are called Diaojiaolou by locals. The stilt house shows the special architecture of the Miao people. It must be a wonderful and unforgettable experience to wander around the village.
Fanjing Mountain
Fanjing Mountain is situated in Tongren Prefecture, about 340 kilometers(211 miles) to the northeast of Guiyang. It is the holy land of Maitreya Buddha, is a national nature reserve and a five-star scenic area. The scenic area attracts visitors with its magnificent mountain view. It was included in the list of world natural heritage sites in 2018.
Wanfeng Lake and Wanfeng Stone Forest
Wanfeng Lake is a four-star scenic area. It lies about 34 kilometers(21 miles) to the southeast of the county seat. The lake is surrounded by mountains and measures 50 square kilometers(19 sq.mi). It is known as the most gorgeous lake in Guizhou Province. As one of the top three South China Karst wonders, Wanfeng Stone Forest features the pinnacle Karst landscape. It is located about 12 kilometers(7.5 miles) to the south of the county seat. There are some picturesque villages in the park. One of them is called Nahui Village. It is inhabited by the Buyi people.
Climate
Guizhou Province is located in the northern subtropical zone. Its climate is mainly influenced by the monsoons from Southwestern Pacific Ocean which bring rain to the land. The monsoon in Guizhou lasts from June to July. Tourists need to avoid traveling to Guizhou during the monsoon. Sometimes, the roads are blocked by landslide in the rainy season. Generally, Guizhou is a mountainous region. It is cooler than the other provinces in the Yangtze River Basin. The average temperature in Guizhou Province ranges from 5℃(41°F) to 11℃(51.8°F) in spring, 16℃(60.8°F) to 24℃(75.2°F) in summer, 20℃(68°F) to 27℃(80.6°F) in autumn, and 8℃(46.4°F) to 15℃(59°F) in winter. Both spring and autumn are the best time to travel to Guizhou. The spring comes in February and goes in April, while the autumn lasts from September to November.
Local Specialities
Guizhou people love spicy and sour food. There is a tradition in Guizhou that the locals make pickles and chutney. The Pickle Soup is the their favorite dish. Some of the popular dishes in Guizhou are the Fish Soup with Pickles, the Fried Fish with Chilli Sauce and the Fried Chicken with Chilli.
How to Get to Guizhou
Guiyang is the capital city and the aviation hub of Guizhou Province. It is the most easily accessible city in Guizhou. Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport is located about 30 kilometers(19 miles) to the southeast of downtown Guiyang. Travelers can fly to Guiyang from many of the major cities within Mainland China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi’an and Kunming. The aviation network of Guiyang also covers Europe, Southeastern Asia, and Oceania with linked destinations in the regions, such as Paris, Milan, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne. People can also travel to Guiyang by bullet train from Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Kunming.
Author: Tina Luo
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