Central Guizhou

The central Guizhou region of Guiyang and Anshun is the starting point for travel in Guizhou, with Huangguoshu Waterfall and karst caves as its best-known sights.

The Central Guizhou region includes the provincial capital Guiyang City and Anshun City. Located in the middle of the Guizhou Plateau, it is the first stop on classic routes into Guizhou. Guiyang has a cool climate and is nicknamed 'refreshing Guiyang'. The Jiaxiu Tower, Qianling Hill Park and Huaxi Park in the city are good for a half-day stroll, and Qingyan Ancient Town in the southern suburbs keeps its Ming and Qing stone-slab streets and city wall, with plenty of night-market snacks. Anshun is where karst scenery is most concentrated. The Huangguoshu Waterfall scenic area consists of the Great Waterfall, Doupotang and Tianxingqiao. The Dragon Palace is known for its water caves and underground river. The Getu River in Ziyun has a through-cave and climbing displays. Tianlong Tunpu in the Pingba area preserves the clothing, dixi opera and stone architecture of the descendants of Ming garrison soldiers, a unique fortress-village culture. The classic trip is one day in Guiyang, half a day at Qingyan, then two days in Anshun for Huangguoshu and the Dragon Palace, three to four days in total. From here you can continue east and south to Southeastern Guizhou and Libo. Getting there: Guiyang Longdongbao Airport has many routes, Guiyang North Station is an important high-speed rail hub in the southwest, the Shanghai–Kunming high-speed railway connects Guiyang and Anshun, and there is also a dedicated tourist bus to Huangguoshu. From June to September in summer the waterfalls carry the most water and are at their most spectacular, but mountain roads are slippery after rain. In peak season Huangguoshu is crowded, so enter the park early in the morning and book the scenic-area shuttle in advance.

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