Gaoding Dong Village
高定侗寨
A deep-mountain Dong village in Dutong Town with seven drum towers surrounded by more than 500 wooden houses. It is known as one of the most authentic Dong villages, with little commercialisation.
Gaoding Dong Village lies in a valley in the northwest of Sanjiang, in Dutong Town near the Guizhou border. It is one of China’s first batch of traditional villages. The village is mainly home to the Wu family, with hundreds of fir stilted houses stacked up the hillside. It has seven drum towers, wind-and-rain bridges and a stage. The central drum tower in the village rises more than ten storeys, and during festivals there are lusheng reed-pipe dances and Dong opera performances. The village sees few tourists and has a strong sense of everyday life, making it ideal for panoramic village photos and morning mist. It can be combined with nearby Batuan Bridge and Dutong Town in a one-day trip. Free or with a small fee. Getting there: about 1.5 hours’ drive from the county town. The mountain roads have many bends, so hiring a car with a driver is recommended. Respect the villagers, and ask before taking photos inside their homes.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Batuan Bridge
- Mapang Drum Tower
- Buyang Xianrenshan Tea Garden
- Chengyang Eight Villages & Yongji Wind-and-Rain Bridge
- Heli Sanwang Palace & Renhe Bridge
- Sanjiang Wind-and-Rain Bridge
- Sanjiang Drum Tower & Dong Bird's Nest Theatre
- Danzhou Ancient Town