Highlights of Guizhou

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1: Guiyang

You will meet your guide on arrival, transfer and check-in to your hotel. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Guiyang, answer any questions you have, and make arrangements for the following day. Enjoy free time for the remainder of the first day.

Guiyang is the capital as well the largest city of Guizhou Province. Built during the Ming Dynasty, Guiyang follows all of the rules of geomancy – south of the mountain and north of the river – and is quite a lovely city. In 1913, it became the provincial capital, and was a centre of Kuomintang activities during the war with Japan. Today it is the cultural and educational centre of the province, with zoos, theatres, opera, markets, parks, and museums. It also boasts one of the few remaining statues of Chairman Mao Zedong in the People’s Square.

Day 2: Guiyang

In the morning, you will visit the ancient town of Qingyan, outside of Guiyang. In the early Ming period, Qingyan was a fort, but soon grew into a strategic town. Walls still encircle the perimeter, and remains of ancient monasteries and pagodas exist along the streets.

In the afternoon, you will visit Jiaxiu Tower, a landmark of Guiyang. Situated on Fuyu Bridge over the Nanming River, it is also called the First Scholar’s Tower. Originally built in 1598 in the Ming Dynasty, the tower is magnificent and unique, and of great culture significance in Guiyang. In ancient times, many intellectuals studied very hard for the scholarly honour or official rank in feudal China. In order to encourage them, the local majesty ordered a tower be built and conferred on it the name of Jiaxiu. The name Jiaxiu literally means getting the very best in imperial examinations.

Day 3: Guiyang – Kaili

You will travel southeast today to Kaili, capital of the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Prefecture, one of the most well-known areas of minority culture but least visited by Westerners. Most groups here have outstanding embroidery techniques and create superb silver work. You can admire the silverwork in the jewellery of the women; although, many Miao who are not so wealthy use white metal. Near Kaili there is a small village and here the Miao produce ‘silk felt’. The workmanship is superb as it is applied in very small geometrical pieces to their jacket sleeve pieces, aprons and gaiters. These Miao are also skilled weavers, making decorative pieces for their baby carriers as well as excellent ribbons. Of particular interest is their hairstyle. All Miao have very different hairstyles. Here, the villagers use traditional frame looms to weave cloth. Especially significant is the handpicked woven strip used to decorate the baby carriers.

Day 4: Kaili

Another Miao village nearby Kaili, famous for its folded silk work and use of the Peking knot in its elaborate embroidery styles, has been chosen for the morning visit. Old jackets are masterpieces and very expensive. One technique used is the making of fine braid on a special braiding stool. The braid is then stitched onto the sleeve piece, making evocative designs, often with butterfly and bird motifs. There will be an opportunity to see village life, learn about the vernacular architecture, and hopefully see local people in their traditional costume.

This afternoon, you will visit one unrecognized ethnic group in China till nowadays. This village is inhabited by the Gejia people, an unclassified minority group, that is known for their wax resistant batik. Some people have wrongly considered them a sub-group of the Miao, but their language and costumes are quite different. Gejia village was one of the first villages to welcome foreign visitors. It is a charming village and a new road has been built so access is easy. The one storey traditional wooden homes are tucked into the forested hillside and fronted with paddy fields. Bright red New Year pictures and poems are pasted over and on the doors. The villagers wear their stunningly embroidered costume, which is also decorated with wax resist. The itinerary is to visit the village and see the girls in their exquisite costume, which is a combination of wax resist and embroidery. The wax pen is called a ‘ladao’ in Chinese. It is quite different from the waxing tools of Indonesia.

Day 5: Kaili

Today you visit a Long-Skirt Miao village, which is the first to be opened to Westerners back in 1980s. Girls wear stunning silver ornaments, and often do singing and dancing show for visitors. Additionally, it is lovely to simply walk through the village itself. In the afternoon, we drive to Kaili to sit with an expert lady of ethnic group’s embroidery, who is a Dong nationality began collecting textiles in early 1980s. Her explanations of the culture and stitchery of the local people is an eye-opening experience to appreciate ethnic people’s treasure.

Day 6: Kaili – Guiyang

Visit another unique and beautiful Miao Village, famous for its ancient skill of papermaking. Here you can see how the local people use the “Goupi Tree” to make the special paper required for Chinese calligraphy. They also use another unique tree and a sap from the grass to make colourful paper. After visiting the village and watching the local people at work, you will drive back to Guiyang. In the afternoon, you can wander the Flower and Bird Market in Guiyang.

Day 7: Guiyang

The biggest waterfall in Asia, which is 234 feet high and 303 feet wide, will be visited today. In the afternoon, you can visit the “Dragon Palace”, an underground cave that was formed about 300 million years ago. You will take a boat into the cave to look at the interesting lighted stone formations.

Day 8: Guiyang

Enjoy the morning at leisure until you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.