Guiyang Travel Guide

 Facts: 
Phone Code: 0851
Postal Code: 550000
Area: 8,034 square kilometers (3,101 square miles)
Population: 4.325 million (statistics in 2010)
Nationalities: Han, Buyi, Miao, Hui, Dong, Yi, Yao, Zhuang, Bai, Tujia and Gelao
Neighboring Areas: Yunnan, Sichuan, and Hunan Provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Location: It is located in the center of Guizhou province. The latitude is between 26°11′-27°22′N, and the longitude is between 106° 07′-107°17 ′E.

 Physical Features: The city is situated at the eastern edge of the Yungui Plateau (Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau). It is in the transitional area between the plains in east China and the plateau in west China. Dotted with basins and lakes of different sizes, the land in the city undulates from west to east. The karst landforms are distributed widely. The altitude of the central city is 1,071 meters (about 3,512 feet).

Guiyang Maps

 History: Being the capital of Guizhou Province, Guiyang is a city with a written history back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC). It was the place where the Yelang ancient nationality was located. It was once called 'Guizhou' in the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) and 'Shunyuan City' by governors of the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368). In the 11th year of the Yongle Reign of the Ming Dynasty (in 1413), Guizhou was set up as a province and Guiyang became the political, military, economic and cultural center of Guizhou Province. On July 1st, 1941, Guiyang County was upgraded to a city.

 Recommended Guiyang Tour Itineraries: 
China Tour with Guizhou: 15-Day of Beijing - Xian - Guiyang - Kaili - Rongjiang - Congjiang - Zhaoxing - Sanjiang - Longsheng - Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin - Shanghai
Yunnan Guizhou Tour: 15-Day of Beijing - Kunming - Lijiang - Kunming - Lunan - Xingyi - Huangguoshu Waterfall - Guiyang - Kaili - Guiyang - Shanghai
Guiyang Tour Package: 6-Day of Guiyang - Huangguoshu Waterfall - Guiyang - Kaili - Guiyang

 Attractions: With a typical karst landform, travel resources in the city are abundant. Hongfeng Lake and the Natural Ecological Park of Nanjiang Kaiyang Grand Canyon are the best places for sightseeing, with a confluence of mountains, rivers, forests and caves. Guilin is regarded as one of the most ideal destinations in China where you will not get sunstroke. Qianling Mountain Park, located in the northwest corner of the city, is also famous. In this park there are both natural treasures like medicinal herbs and cultural relics like Hong Fu Temple, the key Buddhist temple in Guizhou province. Huaxi National Urban Wetland Park has a peculiar landscape and it ranks highly in value of cultural interest. Tianhe Pool Scenic Area would be a good choice, since it is a combination of waterfalls, crystal springs, deep pools, stone bridges, unusual caves and strange rock formations. Other well-known tourist attractions are Qingyan Ancient Town, Jia Xiu Tower, and Yang Ming Cave.

 Transportation
 Air: Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport (Guiyang Airport for short) is located 11 km (6.8 miles) southeast from the city center. As an important hub in southwest China, the airport can process over 2,000 passengers departing and arriving per hour. There are flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other major cities in China, as well as foreign cities such as Bangkok.
 Train: From the city, visitors can take trains to most cities in China, such as Beijing, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Kunming, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shijiazhuang, Xiamen and Changsha. There are express trains to Guangzhou, Changsha, Kunming and Chengdu. 

 Subway: The city plans to build 4 subway lines with a total length of 139.3 kilometers (86.5 miles). The construction of subway line 1 starts on 20th September in 2011, and the whole project is expected to be finished in 2030.
 Bus: There are 4 bus stations in the city, and among them the Guiyang Tourist Bus Station operates buses to tourist attractions such as Huangguoshu Waterfalls in Anshun city. Visitors can go to most major cities in China by long-distance buses from the Guiyang Bus Terminal, such as Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zunyi, Fuzhou, Nanning, Tongren and Guilin. In the city, where there is road, there are mini-buses. Thus, mini-buses may be the most convenient and economic transport means for moving around the city.
 Taxi: The minimum fare is CNY8 during the day (CNY 10 at night) and CNY 1.6 per km exceeding 3 km (1.9 miles).

 Weather: Having both plateau and monsoon climate, the city has four seasons which are not very clearly demarcated, and the weather during most of the year is temperate and pleasant. From late August to the end of October is the best time to visit.

 Dining and Shopping 
Local food is mainly composed of Qian Cuisine and local snacks, with the former featuring cayenne flavor with several spices. The most famous dishes are La Zi Ji (Chicken with Chilli Pepper), Cui Pi Yu (Fried Crispy Fish), Gong Bao Ji Ding (Kung Pao Chicken), Qingyan Tofu, Zhuang Yuan Kao Ti (Braised Pig Trotters), Pao Jiao Ban Jin (Marinated Pig Tendon in Spiced Sauce), and Ba Bao Jia Yu (Soft-Shelled Turtle with 'Eight-Treasures'). As well, over one hundred mouth-watering local snacks should not be missed. Si Wa Wa (Sliced Vegetable Baby) is a thin cake made of flour and various vegetables, and should be accompanied with sour and spicy juice. Chang Wang Mian (Chang Wang Noodle) has long been highly praised by the locals. Other famous local snacks are Lian'ai Doufu Guo (The Bean Curd in Love), Spring Chicken, Rose Candy and barbecued food. These delicious foods can be easily found in both big streets and small lanes of the city.

Local products, especially crafts by the local minorities, are favored by tourists, such as wax printing, wooden crafts, embroidery, Miao silver ornaments, ox horn products and cross-stitch works. Local tea, herbal medicine, wild thorn pear and cayenne are also popular among tourists. Qiancui Hang on Beijing Lu is the best place for these local products. In addition, modern shopping centers are gathered in Zhonghua Road in the center of the city.