Guizhou Landscapes
Day 1
Landed in Guiyang in the afternoon. Since I had to catch a high-speed train to Anshun that evening, I only planned one stop for the day — the Long March Culture Digital Art Museum (Red Ribbon). After exiting the metro, I realized it was still quite a distance away, though shared e-bikes were available at the entrance. This was my first real taste of Guizhou’s mountainous terrain — the metro station sits isolated on high ground with nothing but empty land for hundreds of meters around. Very Guizhou.
The museum’s highlight was an immersive film called Red Ribbon: Colorful Flight, using holographic projection and 3D Mapping to showcase Guizhou’s famous scenic spots (sidebar: Beijing Universal Studios’ Transformers ride uses similar tech). For dinner, I had Guizhou sour soup hot pot, which absolutely blew me away. After returning to Beijing, I deliberately sought out chain restaurants serving it, but unfortunately the Beijing locations don’t pre-make the dipping sauce — the taste just wasn’t the same.
Day 2
Spent the entire day at Huangguoshu Waterfall. As one of China’s most famous attractions, the reputation precedes it, but the actual experience was just okay. The waterfall itself is quite spectacular with heavy mist, but the signage is absurd — one sign said “viewpoint 20 meters ahead” but it took 200 meters to get there. The trail design is confusing and easy to get lost on, plus the sightseeing buses charge extra, which felt a bit greedy. Worth a first-time visit to check off the list, but keep expectations modest — a classic “well, I’m already here” attraction.
Day 3
If I had to rank this trip’s attractions, Libo’s Small Seven Holes would absolutely take the top spot. I booked a hotel right next to the scenic area, so time was plentiful. Started the morning with the beef noodles and shaved ice that were trending on Xiaohongshu — tasty, though the beef was a bit chewy and my jaw ached after eating too much.
Small Seven Holes requires quite a bit of walking, but the water is genuinely crystal clear — so green it looks filtered. The best part was the transparent kayak ride: in shallow sections you can see straight to the bottom. Paddle into the shade of the trees, lie back, listen to the flowing water, and zone out completely — I nearly fell asleep. Big Seven Holes is accessed by boat, with towering cliffs on both sides and perfectly still water — a completely different feel from the small version, almost reminiscent of Jiangnan water towns. Both are highly recommended!
Day 4
Guizhou has no shortage of ancient towns. Since the next day’s plan was rafting, I picked Zhenyuan Ancient Town as a convenient stopover. It still has quite a few locals living there, so commercialization isn’t too heavy — comfortable to walk around. The core area is small; stroll along the Wuyang River and you can cover it in two or three hours. The old buildings have character, but accommodation is average — don’t make it a destination trip, just a transit stop before rafting.
In the evening, I took a night cruise. Lights reflecting off the river and old buildings casting their reflections — beautiful. The summer night breeze was wonderfully pleasant. Dinner was at a decades-old red sour soup hot pot place with self-serve small plates — properly sour and spicy, more authentic than chain restaurants. Note: the default dipping sauce includes “zheergen” (houttuynia); mention upfront if you want it excluded. Overall, a place meant for leisurely wandering — no need to rush.
Day 5
Gaoguo River Rafting was this trip’s primary objective, and it did not disappoint. Being Mid-Autumn Festival, it was busier than usual, but the queues moved quickly. Two people per raft, and you can pair up on-site (solo-traveler friendly). The rapids were intense but that’s what makes it fun — several drops with big elevation changes, plunging completely into the water. Absolutely thrilling.
Water gun fights are a highlight too — vendors along the river sell water guns everywhere. I recommend the type with a hose attachment (no pumping needed, instant double firepower). Be careful though — capsizing happens almost daily, and it happened to us too. Lifeguards are stationed along the river, but in rapids they can’t safely enter the water — they wait until you drift to calmer sections. Overall: incredibly fun! Highly recommended!
Day 6
Since both flights were through Guiyang, I returned a day early to rest and visited Qingyun Market and Qianling Mountain Park. Qingyun Market is a renovated commercial street with mostly snacks and creative shops — similar to trendy pedestrian streets in other cities, nothing special. Qianling Mountain Park is a regular city park plus lots of monkeys — not as exciting as the internet hype suggests.
