oOld Kǎilǐ Sour Fish RestaurantGUIZHOU$$
(老凯俚酸汤鱼; Lǎo Kǎilǐ Suāntāngyú MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0185 584 3665; 55 Shengfu Lu; 省府路55号 mains from ¥40; h11.30am-10pm)
This local institution has two branches, but the one on Shengfu Lu has superior service and atmosphere (both have Miao waitstaff in traditional garb). Everyone comes for suāntāngyú (酸汤鱼; sour fish soup), a Miao delicacy and Guìzhōu’s most famous dish. Choose a fish from the tank and point to the vegetables you'd like; your soup is made to order. Delicious.
Tree KitchenGUIZHOU$$
(树厨; Shù Chú MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0851 582 6853; next door to Novotel Hotel; 诺富特酒店旁 dishes from ¥28; h10.30am-9.30pm)
Next door to the Novotel is this homely restaurant set inside a courtyard of a former private residence. The modest menu considers the Western palate in dishes such as barbecued beef and leeks (火烧葱香牛肉; huǒshāo cōng xiāng niúròu) or the pork and sliced potato (软哨土豆片; ruǎnshào túdòupián).
6Drinking & Nightlife
Highlands CoffeeCAFE
(高原咖啡; Gāoyuán Kāfēi MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0851 8582 6222; Bao'ai Lu & Liudong Jie, No 1 Street; 博爱路六洞街1号 h10am-11pm)
An American-owned and -operated coffee shop in the heart of the city may not sound like cause for celebration, but this is a delightful place with comfortable seating (inside and out), superb cheesecake and a serious brew. All staff speak some English.
Hobo'sBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %150 0851 2834; 11 Shangyu Jia Xiang; 上余家巷11号 h7pm-2am)
The only cocktail bar in Guìyáng – no beer here. The bartenders were trained in Japan and really know their stuff. Reasonably priced drinks (cocktails from ¥45) and a fine collection of single malts, plus an amiable crowd. It's tucked down an alley off Qianlong Donglu's buzzing bar strip.
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Wenchang Beilu & Yan’an Donglu; 文昌北路 六東路 h9am-5pm)
Has an ATM and changes foreign currency. Other branches can be found near the corner of Dusi Lu and Zhonghua Nanlu (中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; near cnr Dusi Lu & Zhonghua Nanlu; 都司六中華 南路 h9am-5pm), and on Zunyi Lu (中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; Zunyi Lu; 遵義路 h9am-5pm) near Renmin Sq.
Civil Aviation Administration of ChinaTICKET OFFICE
(CAAC; 中国民航; Zhōngguó Mínháng GOOGLE MAP ; 264 Zunyi Lu; 遵義路264号 h8am-7pm)
Buy airline tickets at this office. The airport bus also departs from here.
Public Security BureauPOLICE
(PSB; 公安局; Gōng’ānjú %0851 590 4509; Daying Lu; 大英路 h8.30am-noon & 2.30-5pm Mon-Fri)
The staff don't see many foreigners here, but they seem pleasant enough.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Guìyáng Lóngdòngbǎo International Airport is around 10km east of the city. Destinations include:
ABěijīng ¥1300, three hours, 24 daily
AShànghǎi ¥730, 2½ hours, 14 daily
AGuǎngzhōu ¥649, 1½ hours, 11 daily
AChéngdū ¥690, 1¼ hours, 14 daily
AXī’ān ¥799, 1¾ hours, eight daily
AKūnmíng ¥355, 1¼ hours, eight daily
AHong Kong ¥910, 1½ hours, one daily
The Civil Aviation Administration of China office is around 1km north of the train station, on the corner with Qingyun Lu; airport buses depart every 30 minutes from here (¥10, 20 minutes, 8am to 7pm).
A taxi from the airport will cost around ¥65.
Bus
The Jīnyáng long-distance bus station (金阳客运站; Jīnyáng kèyùnzhàn) is in the western suburbs on Jinyang Nanlu, 15km northwest of central Guìyáng. Take bus 219 (¥2, 6.30am to 10pm) from the train station; a taxi will cost ¥50. Destinations include the following:
AĀnshùn ¥35, 1½ hours, every 20 minutes (7am to 9pm)
AHuángguǒshù ¥58, 2½ hours, every 40 minutes (7.40am to 12.45pm)
AWēiníng ¥132, six hours, two daily (9am and 12.30pm)
For Kǎilǐ (¥60, 2½ hours, every 20 to 30 minutes, 7am to 9pm) and Cóngjiāng (¥150, seven hours, 9am, 11am and 3pm), head to the east bus station (东客运站; dōng kèyùnzhàn) on the eastern outskirts of town. Bus 229 (¥2) runs here from the train station. A taxi is about ¥30.
Tour buses to Huángguǒshù Falls and Lónggōng Caves depart from the Tourist Bus Station (旅游客运站; Lǚyóu Kèyùnzhàn GOOGLE MAP ).
Train
Guìyáng’s train station (贵阳火车站; Guìyáng Huǒchēzhàn GOOGLE MAP ) is useful for reaching Kǎilǐ, Ānshùn, Wēiníng and Zhènyuǎn. Destinations include the following (prices are for hard sleeper berths):
AĀnshùn (hard seat) ¥16, 1½ hours, 27 daily (4.20am to 11.59pm)
ACǎohǎi (for Wēiníng; soft seat) ¥50, four to eight hours, six daily (7.50am to 4.54pm)
AChéngdū ¥238, 11 to 20 hours, seven daily (11.10am to 11.03pm)
AChóngqìng ¥130, nine to 12 hours, nine daily (7.10am to 10.50pm)
AKǎilǐ (hard seat) ¥59, 45 minutes
AKūnmíng ¥156, seven to 10 hours, 16 daily (4.20am to 11.59pm)
AZhènyuǎn (hard seat) ¥42, three to four hours, 14 daily (2.47am to 8.56pm)
The new Guìyáng North train station (贵阳火车北站; Guìyáng Huǒchē Běizhàn Beizhan Jie; 北站街 ) has fast trains to the following destinations:
AGuǎngzhōu (soft seat) ¥317, four to five hours, 23 daily
AShànghǎi Hóngqiáo (2nd-class seat) ¥735, nine hours, five daily
8Getting Around
Taxi flag fall is ¥9; late at night it increases to ¥10.
Qīngyán 青岩
%0851
With its winding, stone-flagged streets and restored city walls, Qīngyán (青岩) makes a pleasant diversion from modern Guìyáng. A former Ming-era military outpost dating back to 1378, Qīngyán was once a traffic hub between the southwest provinces, leaving the village with Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries rubbing up against Christian churches and menacing watchtowers.
Entry to the town costs ¥80.
Some of Qīngyán's places of worship are still active; make sure to visit the tranquil Yíngxiáng Temple (迎祥寺; Yíngxiáng Sì ), on a side street populated by fortune tellers; also compare the current, minimalist Catholic Church (天主教堂; Tiānzhǔ Jiàotáng ) with the now disused – but much more impressive – 19th-century original next door.
Note that you don't need the through ticket to see the major sights, but you do need it to access some places in town.
There are no places to stay inside the old town, but some options near the northern gate might save you heading back to the big city.
There are loads of cheap food stalls inside the city gates selling everything from pig-feet stew to fried tofu balls.
If you want to stay near Qīngyán the Qīngyán Yuèrán Wútóng Kèzhàn (青岩悦然梧桐客栈; Qīngyán Yuèrán Wútóng Kèzhàn %157 2210 8809; d ¥150; paW), a friendly place near the northern gate, is sufficiently clean and comfortable.
8Getting There & Away
Qīngyán is about 30km south of Guìyáng and makes an easy day trip. Bus 210 runs here from the left-hand side of Hébīn Park (¥2, 1¼ hours, every 30 minutes from 6.30am).
A taxi will cost around ¥100 one way.
Eastern Guìzhōu
Kǎilǐ 凯里
%0855 / Pop 139,445
The largest city in eastern Guìzhōu, Kǎilǐ (凯里) is a bustling industrial centre for the region with little to appeal to travellers. Still, it's a decent base – or at the very least a transit point – for planning your forays into the ever-popular ethnic minority villages in the gorgeous surrounding countryside.
Kǎilǐ
1Sights
1Minorities MuseumB3
4Sleeping
2C'est La Vie HotelB2
4Zòng Héng HotelB3
5Eating
5Night MarketB2
8Information
6China International Travel ServiceB1
Transport
7Local Bus StationA2
8Long-Distance Bus StationB1
9Small Local Bus StationB3
1Sights
Jīnquánhú ParkPARK
(金泉湖公园; Jīnquánhú Gōngyuán )
Known as the site of the Dongs' ceremonial Drum Tower, this park gets lively at festival time.
Minorities MuseumMUSEUM
(贵州民族博物馆; Guìzhōu Mínzú Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ningbo Lu, 宁波路 h9am-4.30pm)F
A small collection of local minority clothing and artefacts.
zFestivals & Events
Markets and festivals are one of Guìzhōu’s major attractions, and the profusion of them around Kǎilǐ makes this sleepy town the best place to base yourself for exploring them.
CELEBRATING WITH THE LOCALS, GUìZHōU-STYLE
Minority celebrations are lively events that can last for days at a time, and often include singing, dancing, horse racing and buffalo fighting.
One of the biggest is the lúshēng festival, held in either spring or autumn, depending on the village: a lúshēng is a reed instrument used by the Miao people. Other important festivals include the Dragon Boat Festival , the hill-leaping festival and the 'sharing the sister’s meal' festival (equivalent to Valentine’s Day in the West). The Miao New Year is celebrated on the first four days of the 10th lunar month in Kǎilǐ, Guàdīng, Zhōuxī and other Miao areas.
All minority festivals follow the lunar calendar, so dates vary from year to year. They will also vary from village to village and shaman to shaman. CITS in Kǎilǐ can provide you with a list of local festivals.
TTours
Wu MinTREKKING, CULTURAL
(Louisa; %158 8583 5852; [email protected])
Wu Min, also known as Louisa, a local Miao woman, runs treks to remote Miao and Dong villages that come highly recommended. She can also organise homestays, as well as arrange for visitors to study the Miao and Dong languages and learn local dances. She speaks good English.
4Sleeping
Sīlāwéi Business HotelHOTEL$$
(斯拉威商务酒店; Sīlāwéi Shāngwù Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0855 823 9111; 44 Yingpan Donglu; 营盘东路44号 d ¥218; aW)
Another agreeable option close to the bus station, the Sīlāwéi is clean and boasts excellent bathrooms, including high-pressure showers. The price comes with a rather paltry breakfast.
C'est La Vie HotelHOTEL$$
(斯拉威酒店; Sī Lā Wēi Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0855 823 9111; www.klslw.com; 44 Yingpan Donglu; 营盘东路44号 tw/d ¥228/248; aW)
Efficient staff, comfortable and sizeable rooms and a handy location close to the bus station make this one of the better choices in town, while the attached restaurant (with picture menu) is a solid and reasonably priced spot to eat.
Zòng Héng HotelHOTEL$$$
(纵横大酒店; Zònghéng Dàjiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0855 869 8299; 5 Ningbo Lu; 宁波路5号 d from ¥588; paW)
A well-established four-star hotel with questionable service, but the spacious, modern rooms make a good base for a family or small group. Carpets and communal areas are tired, but the restaurant cooks up delicious Chinese food.
5Eating
Liànghuānzhài Fish Soup RestaurantCHINESE$
(快活林亮欢寨; Kuàihuó Línliànghuān Zhài lhz.qcfs.com.cn; 98 Chengxi Lu; 城西路98号 soup ¥38-48; h11am-10pm)
The pick of the local sour soup venues gets the nod due to the high turnover of customers, the bubbly service and the sharp, tangy flavour. Take control of the chilli before someone else does! It's 2km west of the city centre.
Night MarketMARKET$
(夜市; Yèshì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; off Beijing Donglu; 北京東路 h5pm-2am)
Bustling night market with a wide range of shāokǎo (barbecue) places, as well as noodles and dumplings.
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; Shaoshan Nanlu; 韶山南路 h9am-5pm)
This main branch has all services and an ATM. A second branch on Beijing Donglu (中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; Beijing Donglu; 北京東路 h9am-5pm) will also change cash. Many other ATMs around town accept foreign cards.
Bóyǔ Internet CafeINTERNET
(博宇网吧; Wǎngbā GOOGLE MAP ; Wenhua Beilu; 文化北路 per hr ¥3; h24hr)
One of a number of internet cafes on Wenhua Beilu. The staff here will normally log you in on one of their ID cards.
China International Travel ServiceTRAVEL AGENCY
(CITS; 中国国际旅行社; Zhōngguó Guójì Lǚxíngshè MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0855 822 2506; www.cits.net; 53 Yingpan Donglu; 營盤東路53号 h9am-5.30pm)
Tucked just behind Yingpan Donglu, CITS has the most up-to-date information on minority villages, festivals, markets and organised tours. Staff are helpful, with some English spoken.
Internet CafeINTERNET
(网吧; Wǎngbā GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Wenhua Beilu & Beijing Donglu; 文化北路· per hr ¥3; h24hr)
On the 2nd floor, with 400 computers and comfy chairs.
Kǎilǐ People’s HospitalHOSPITAL
(凯里市第一人民医院; Kǎilǐshì Dìyī Rénmín Yīyuàn GOOGLE MAP ; 28 Yingpan Xilu; 营盘西路28号 )
The best place in town for medical care.
Public Security BureauPOLICE
(PSB; 公安局; Gōng’ānjú GOOGLE MAP ; %0855 853 6113; Beijing Donglu; 北京東路 h8.30-11.30am & 2.30-5.30pm Mon-Fri)
Deals with all passport and visa enquiries.
8Getting There & Away
Air
For departures from Guìyáng Lóngdòngbǎo International Airport, airport buses (¥70, 2½ hours, 7am to 6pm) leave every 30 minutes from the airport office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0855 836 3868; 73 Jinjing Lu; 進京路73号 h8am-7pm), where you can also check-in before your flight. You can also buy air tickets here.
Bus
Kǎilǐ's long-distance bus station (长途客运站; Chángtú Kèyùnzhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0855 825 1025; Wenhua Beilu; 文化北路 ) has departures to most destinations.
ACóngjiāng ¥110, five hours, five daily (9am to 4pm)
AGuìyáng ¥60, three hours, every 20 minutes (7am to 8pm)
AJǐnpíng (锦屏; for Lónglǐ) ¥91, four hours, 10 daily (8am to 4pm)
ALéishān ¥14, 50 minutes, every 25 minutes (7.25am to 7pm)
ALípíng ¥137, five hours, eight daily (7.40am to 4.30pm)
AMájiāng ¥17, one hour, hourly (8.20am to 5.50pm)
ARóngjiāng ¥77 to ¥90, 4½ hours, every 40 minutes (7.20am to 6.20pm)
AXījiāng ¥15.50, 80 minutes, hourly (8.40am to 5.40pm)
AZhènyuǎn ¥35, two hours, six daily (8.30am to 4pm)
For Chóng’ān (¥13, one hour, every 20 minutes, 6.40am to 6pm) and Huángpíng (¥20, one hour, every 20 minutes, 6.40am to 6pm) head to the Miáo Dū Bus Station (苗都客运站; Miáo Dū Kèyùnzhàn) on Huangcheng Beilu.
Train
The Kǎilǐ high-speed railway opened in late 2015, significantly reducing the journey to Guìyáng (¥59, 45 minutes), Shànghǎi (¥694, eight hours) and Kūnmíng (¥315, eight to 10 hours).
Kǎilǐ’s train station is a couple of kilometres north of town. Regular trains run to Guìyáng (¥28, two to three hours), Zhènyuǎn (¥14, 1½ hours) and Huáihuà (¥21 to ¥42, four hours). A handy train ticket office (火车票代售处; Huǒchēpiào Dàishòuchù GOOGLE MAP ; %0855 381 7920; 38 Wenhua Beilu; 文化北路38号 h8.30am-6.30pm) is on Wenhua Beilu.
8Getting Around
Bus fares cost ¥1 in Kǎilǐ and almost all of the buses departing from the train station follow the same route: up Qingjiang Lu, past the long-distance bus station, along Beijing Donglu and down Shaoshan Nanlu to
the Minorities Museum. For the train station, take bus 2. Other local buses leave from the stations on Shiyi Lu and Wenhua Nanlu.
Taxi flag fall is ¥6. A taxi to the train station from the centre of town will cost around ¥12.
VILLAGE-HOPPING NEAR KǎILǐ
If you are village-hopping into Guǎngxī, plan on spending about a week on the Guìzhōu side. Note that some of these villages charge entrance fees. An extraordinary number of markets are held in the villages surrounding Kǎilǐ. Check with the CITS in Kǎilǐ for the latest information.
Here are some lesser-known villages worth a visit:
Jītáng (基塘) Hike west out of Zhàoxīng from the bus station for an hour, up a steep hill and past some splendid rice terraces, and you’re in friendly Jītáng, which has its own drum tower.
Lángdé (郎德) Superb extant Miao architecture and cobbled pathways naturally draw loads of tour buses here, but there’s a terrific 15km trail along the Bālā River that will take you through several tourist-free Miao villages. About 20km outside Kǎilǐ.
Mátáng (麻塘) 18km northwest of Kǎilǐ is the home of the Gejia, renowned batik artisans. Mátáng has been dolled up a little for tourism – the inevitable performance square has materialised – but a worthwhile 30-minute walk from here brings you to the village of Shílóngzhài (石龙寨), populated by another sub-branch of the Miao called the Xijia.
Lonely Planet China Page 131