Cycling in Guizhou

For most people, cyclist included, cycling in Guizhou is not their firstchoice. It is considered not to be very interesting. That is leaving the Longsheng,Sanjiang and Zhongdian area aside

To me, as having traveled and cycled in north and south Guizhou it seems again that Guizhou suffers from two problem: 1. Unknown makes unwanted and 2. it is not spectacular enough so it does not get a lot of attention.

True, some travelers go, so called "the hard way" to Yunnan using buses from Guilin to Longsheng, Sanjiang, Zhongdian and then all the way to Kaili and Guiyang before taking bus or train to Ashun and Xingyi.

Funny enough, using buses and trains is almost as fast as using a bicycle. This is because you won't always be able to get a bus for more then 100km. And that is exactly the distance I cycle average day.

But north Guizhou is relatively well traveled compared to the almost ignored south. And that is too bad. People who search for the so-called "real China" (whatever that means) should consider especially this southern route.

The roads are not in the best condition. although many are upgraded in the last few years. The landscape is not particular spectacular and the towns and villages are not all too much of interest. The minorities living here do no longer wear their traditional costumes too.

The trick in the south of Guizhou is that you are far away from the tourist areas, you will find places few tourist ever have been if any at all. You will find hidden valleys which might transform in time to tourist destinations (Libo).

Guizhou is a part of China which is mostly untouched and unspoiled by tourism and for that reason it is a perfect cycling destination. Outside the cities do not expect much luxury, western food of even people speaking a lot of English. You should expect a amazingly friendly people and the opportunity to interact with people who are genuinely interested in why you use your bicycle as a transport form. To me, Guizhou holds some of the most memorable memories of my 2 years stay in China.

The following pages give you some ideas about where to cycle and what to expect:

• North Guizhou
• South Guizhou
• Longsheng
• Cycling to Zhaoxing

Xingyi will be in most cases the entry/exit point for crossing the Guizhou - Yunnan border. Here is more about that part of the journey in Yunnan.

Guiyang

Guiyang is the capital of Guizhou province. The history of Guiyang goes back to 1283AD. At the time the city was called Shunyuan (obey the Yuan - the mongol rulers). The name Guiyang was much later given.

Nowadays Guiyang is a big city with more the 3.5 million people living. There's a few things to see. the Hongfeng Lake (Red Maple Lake), Huaxi Park and an several historical relics of the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as the Jiaxiu Tower, Wenchang Pavilion, Yangming Cave and the Qingyan Ancient Town.

For a big city, Guiyang is a very pleasant city. If you decide to stay here, check out our hotels in Guiyang offers.

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See also our Guilin and Yangshuo section

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