Southeast Guizhou Travel Guide

The Miao & Dong Autonomous Prefecture in Southeastern Guizhou (Called Qiandongnan in Chinese) is located in the southeastern part of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. The prefecture adjoins Hunan Province to the east, Guangxi Autonomous Region to the south, and Zhunyi and Tongren prefectures of Guizhou to the north.

Population

The prefecture has a population of 427.3 million, 80.7% of which are minority people. The prefecture administrates a city (Kaili, the capital) and 15 counties and is home to 38 minority groups, including Miao, Dong, Han, Buyi, Shui, Yao, Zhuang, Tujia nationalities.

Tourism

It is home to 38 minority groups, with Miao, Dong, and Yao People being the largest trends.  It is named by the United Nations as "a famous resort to return to nature" and is known as "the last ballad of the human kind and the homeland for the exhausted souls".  Despite the tough condition of the transportation, Southeast Guizhou is definitely an ideal area to experience the spectacularly distinctive folk-customs in every aspect of life and picturesque limestone hills.

Travel Tips

1. Traveling in winter, it can be quite cold, so travelers are advised to take good warm clothing, including a hat and gloves.

2. Some of the footpaths into several of the villages can be quite muddy and slippery, so good footwear is essential. A second pair of sport pants is a good idea, as there is a lot of mud, and the occasional slip is almost inevitable.

3. As the tour includes a fair amount of walking up and down steep mountain paths, a reasonable level of fitness is advisable

4. Hotels in small towns such as Rongjiang and Congjiang are of significantly lower standard. Heating is sometimes not available and western style toilets usually unavailable.