# Northern Guizhou travel guide (贵州北线) Guizhou Province · Southwest, China · 10 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/guizhou/northern-guizhou ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Loushan Pass → Zunyi Conference Site → Chishui - **Day 2:** Chishui → Yanzi Cliff → Shizhangdong Waterfall → Foguang Rock → Chishui - **Day 3:** Chishui → Hongshi Wild Valley → Sidonggou Waterfalls → Bing'an Ancient Town → Chishui ## The feel of the place The Zunyi Conference and the Four Crossings of the Chishui River, together with the Xifeng Concentration Camp, make this route a red-tourism journey through revolutionary history. Meanwhile, the world-famous Moutai liquor has earned Zunyi the title of “Home of Liquor.” Chishui, with its thousands of cascading waterfalls, magnificent Danxia landforms, and ancient tree ferns (sisi) that have thrived since the Jurassic, means far more than a single river. ### Preparation & Information ### Language Perhaps because of their close geographical proximity, the dialects of Zunyi and Chishui are quite similar to Sichuanese and Chongqing dialects. They are fairly easy to understand, with very few difficult words or expressions. ### Chishui River The Chishui River, formerly known as the Anle River, rises in Zhenxiong County, Yunnan Province, flows through Chishui City in Guizhou Province and joins the Yangtze at Hejiang County in Sichuan Province, stretching 500 km. Its narrowest and most perilous stretch is the Shili Changtan (Ten-Li Long Shoal) at Wugong Rock, where visitors can go rock climbing, rafting and exploring. The river has nurtured Maotai, Langjiu and many other famous liquors, earning it the nickname "River of Fine Liquor." During the Long March in 1935, the Red Army crossed the Chishui River four times, and the Four Crossings of the Chishui River Memorial Tower stands in Maotai Town on the riverbank. ### Climate and Best Travel Season Zunyi has a mild, humid climate, with no severe winters or scorching summers. Zunyi city can be visited year-round, with convenient food, lodging and transport, and its sights have no particular seasonal requirements. For the Chishui scenic area, May to October is best, as spring and winter are too cold. ## Getting there & around ### Getting In and Out There are two ways to enter and leave northern Guizhou: Guiyang → Zunyi → Chishui, or Luzhou → Chishui → Zunyi. ### By Air Zunyi Xinzhou Airport is now open. Alternatively, fly into Guiyang Airport, take the airport shuttle into central Guiyang, then transfer to a dedicated Guiyang → Zunyi bus (about 2 hours' drive). Guiyang also has an off-site Zunyi check-in terminal at Shiziqiao, Honghuagang District, offering off-site ticketing, flight information, check-in and waiting services. Dedicated airport shuttle buses are also available. The nearest airport to Chishui is Luzhou Airport in southern Sichuan, about 78 km away. From Luzhou, it is about 2 hours by road to Chishui. ### By Train Trains running between Guiyang, Kunming, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Beihai, Chengdu and Chongqing all stop at Zunyi. There are also short-distance trains Guiyang → Zunyi → Tongzi and Zunyi → Ganshui. Alternatively, take a train to Chongqing and then a bus to Chishui. ### By Road Long-distance coaches run to Shanghai, Chongqing, Guiyang, Chishui, Bijie, Renhuai, Dongguan and other destinations. Guiyang and Zunyi are linked by an expressway. Chishui is about 50 km north of Luding in Sichuan Province, about 200 km from Zunyi, over 70 km from Luzhou, 250 km from Chongqing and 460 km from Guiyang. Several coaches leave daily for Guiyang and other destinations. ### Long-Distance Bus Stations ### By Waterway Chishui is accessible by both waterway and road. You can take a passenger ferry directly to Chishui from Caiyuanba Wharf in Chongqing. ### Getting Around Town Zunyi's city transport is well developed, with plenty of buses and minibuses as well as taxis, so you need not worry about getting around. Getting around Chishui is convenient, with dedicated shuttle buses running to all the scenic spots. ### Zunyi Chili Peppers Zunyi is one of China's major chili-producing regions. Suiyang Chaotian chili is one of the country's seven famous chili varieties; it was already being exported to Southeast Asian countries in the 1950s and now also ships to Japan, the United States and other countries. Chili foods are also very diverse. A particularly local specialty is chili paste made from fresh small millet chilies and Chaotian chilies, ground on a stone mill with fresh ginger and fresh fennel leaves, seasoned with a little fine salt, packed into jars and topped up with brine, which is changed frequently. It keeps for a long time and only improves with age. ### Local Transport Fares In Zunyi, minibus fares are ¥1, and taxis cost ¥7 per 5 km by day and ¥9 per 5 km after 22:00. Sightseeing within the Chishui scenic areas is mostly on foot. - tip: 1. Nearby sights: The Huishui Temple grottoes beside the Xihe Power Station feature eight Buddhist cliff carvings in varied styles and are well worth a visit. 2. Local farmhouse dishes: Specialties include tongtong rice, tongtong bamboo shoots, cured bacon and tofu pudding. - **Zunyi Civil Aviation Ticket Office** — (No. 36 Beijing Road, Honghuagang District) - **Railway Station Inquiry Office** — (No. 1 Beijing Road, Honghuagang District, 0851-95105105) - **Zunyi Long-Distance Bus Station** — (Beijing Road) - **Maocaopu Bus Station** — (Shenzhen Road) - **Zhongzhuang Bus Station** — (Haier Avenue) ## Eat & drink Zunyi's food is similar to Guiyang's; see the Eating in Guiyang section of this chapter for details. Chishui is most famous for its "Full Bamboo Banquet," and also offers distinctive bamboo shoot hotpot, Chishui tofu pudding and pickled chili dishes. The snack street in Honghuagang District, Zunyi, is large and offers a complete range of snacks. Be sure to try the grilled fish, which is especially delicious. - **Zunyi Snacks** — Lamb noodles, tofu-pudding noodles, huang gaoba, Sanxiang steamed buns, big meat noodles, Tongzi beef jerky, square bamboo shoots, Bozhou liangfen, stinky tofu, hollow noodles, mung bean noodles, lily powder, etc. ## Shopping ### Recommended Shopping - **Zunyi** — Maotai, Dong liquor, Zhen liquor, Yaxi cellar liquor, Xishui Daqu, egg cake, bamboo wares, tangerines, longan, lychees, bamboo shoots, dried chilies, gallnut and lily powder. - **Chishui** — Chishui produces abundant moso bamboo, and bamboo handicrafts such as Chishui fans, bamboo fungus and bamboo shoots are local specialties. Sun-dried vinegar is one of China's four famous vinegars. Chishui lychees have thin skins, thick flesh and small seeds, with a fresh, sweet flavor, and are excellent. Traditional yulan pian (dried bamboo shoot slices) is also a local specialty. ## Where to stay ### Food and Local Specialties Chishui's Renmin North Road is a food street lined with restaurants serving tasty, affordable hotpots. Chishui's night markets are liveliest around Dongmen Wharf, the Roundabout and the city center. Chishui's Yanan Middle Road bamboo-craft street has everything from bamboo fans and bamboo-and-tea boxes to bamboo carvings. Shangjiawan Market, Lotus Pond and Kangjia Market are all hubs for local specialties. Miao Embroidery ### Pedestrian Street Zunyi's pedestrian street is near the Zunyi Conference Venue; one end is close to Gongyuan Road and the other leads out to Hongqi Road. The area has many small shops selling trinkets and local specialties at reasonable prices. - **Zunyi** — The city has many starred hotels, so finding accommodation is no problem. ## Things to see - **Chishui Great Waterfall Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥80; sightseeing shuttle bus round trip ¥20; Opening hours 11.1-Feb 28 of the following year 08:30-17:00; 3.1-10.31 08:00-17:30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chishui-great-waterfall-scenic-area - **Suoluo National Nature Reserve** (★★★★): Admission ¥35; Opening hours 08:30-17:00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/suoluo-national-nature-reserve - **Foguang Rock** (★★★): Admission ¥80; Opening hours 11.1-Feb 28 of the following year 08:30-17:00; 3.1-10.31 08:00-17:30; Time needed 4-6 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/foguang-rock - **Sidonggou Waterfalls** (★★★★): Admission ¥75; Opening hours 11.1-Feb 28 of the following year 08:30-17:00; 3.1-10.31 08:00-17:30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/sidonggou-waterfalls - **Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 8：30—17：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zunyi-conference-memorial-hall - **Bing'an Ancient Town** (★★★): Admission ¥10; Opening hours 8：00—17：30; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/bing-an-ancient-town - **Zhuhai National Forest Park** (★★★★): Admission ¥45; Opening hours 8:00–17:00 (March 1–November 3) 8:30–16:30 (November 4–February 28 of the following year); Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zhuhai-national-forest-park - **Wujiangzhai International Tourist Resort** (★★★★): Admission ¥80; Opening hours 9:00–22:00 (winter schedule) 9:00–22:30 (summer schedule); Time needed 1–2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wujiangzhai-international-tourist-resort ## Day trips & beyond - **Xifeng Hot Springs** (★★★): Admission ¥130; Opening hours 8：00—22：00; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xifeng-hot-springs - **Maotai Town** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours Open all day; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/maotai-town --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 508–518. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.