Some Honest Words About Zhenyuan

I just got back from wandering around Zhenyuan, Guizhou. Here's an honest guide! There are no suffocatingly commercial streets, only stilted buildings hanging over the Wuyang River and sour soup rice noodles sold at stalls in the early morning. Follow my guide to avoid the tourist traps 👇 🚄 [Must-Read Before You Go] ✅ Transportation: It takes 1 hr by high-speed train from Guiyang to Zhenyuan. It costs about CNY 15 to take a taxi from the station to the ancient town (don't take a black cab!). If you're driving, navigate to "Zhenyuan Tourist Center." Parking costs CNY 10/day. ✅ What to wear: The stone roads in the ancient town are slippery! Wear non-slip shoes and a loose-fitting cotton and linen dress (flowy and comfortable for photos). Bring a folding umbrella for the rainy season (it can rain anytime in May). ✅ Things to avoid: Don't buy silver jewelry in the scenic area! Many local grandmas on the main street of the ancient town sell handmade embroidery. Embroidery pieces for CNY 20 make great souvenirs. 📸 [5 Must-See Spots, Plus Hidden Gems] 1. Wuyang River Stilted Buildings (Beautiful All Day Long, But Best at Certain Times!) ✔️ 6am: When the mist hasn't cleared, watch the boatmen row their wooden boats past. It looks like an ink painting (wear white and stand on the stone bridge to take photos). ✔️ 7pm: After the stilted buildings light up, find an outdoor restaurant along the river, eat sour soup fish, and watch the lights on both sides reflected in the river 🌉 2. Qinglong Cave Ancient Architectural Complex (Tickets cost CNY 30, not too tiring to climb!) Focus on the "Hanging Temple" section! The wooden corridors connect Taoist temples and Buddhist temples. Standing at a high point, you can photograph the S-bend of the Wuyang River (the light is best at 3pm, avoid the tour group peak from 10am–12pm). 3. Ancient Alleyways Winding Streets (Free! Getting lost is the right way to explore) Enter through "Fuxing Alley." The bluestone road has a steep slope but short steps. Every courtyard is planted with hydrangeas and roses. If you meet a grandma drying peppers in front of her door, she will smile and say, "Take pictures as you like, just don't step on the threshold." 4. Shiping Mountain Summit Sunset (Tickets cost CNY 30, 40 min climb) It is recommended to start climbing at 17:30. The viewing platform on the mountainside offers a panoramic view of the ancient town, and the view from the top of the mountain is even more open! It will be dark when you go down the mountain, so use a flashlight to watch the steps (wear sneakers!). 5. Tiexi Scenic Area Longtan Secret Realm (Tickets cost CNY 40, suitable for hiking) Take the CNY 10 sightseeing bus to the end of the scenic area, and walk 1.5 hrs along the wooden boardwalk to "Longtan." The water is as blue as a gemstone! On the way, you will meet villagers carrying bamboo baskets selling freshly picked bayberries (CNY 15/basket, just the right amount of sweet and sour). 🍜 [5 Dishes Recommended by Local Aunts] ✔️ Sour Soup Fish: Choose an old restaurant by the Wuyang River, cook freshly killed rice paddy fish in red sour soup, and serve with a wood ginger dipping sauce. Eat the soup with rice! (Don't believe the "special fish" on the menu, just order the regular carp, it's the most tender). ✔️ Aged Daocai: Pickled by the grandmas in the farmers market, CNY 10/bag as pickles, super flavorful when stir-fried with meat or added to noodles (the packaged ones sold in the main street shops look nice but are expensive). ✔️ Ash Water Cake: CNY 3/piece at the breakfast stalls, the rice cake has an alkaline flavor, dip it in soybean flour or honey, it's best when it's hot~ ✔️ Red Sour Soup Hot Pot: In addition to eating fish, be sure to add "fern cake" and "blood tofu"! The fern cake is chewy, and the fried blood tofu is super fragrant when cooked. ✔️ Rice Tofu: A must-have for roadside stalls in summer! Pour red oil and pickled cowpeas over the green rice tofu, and remember to ask the boss to add more mint for a refreshing taste. ⚠️ [Tips to Avoid Tourist Traps + Practical Tips] • Stay on the "North Bank" instead of the "South Bank"! The North Bank is close to the core area of the ancient town, the South Bank is too quiet at night, and you have to cross a bridge to get back after shopping. • You can bargain for Shiping Mountain tickets! If you go after 5pm, you can sometimes buy half-price tickets for CNY 25 (depends on luck, don't bargain too hard). • When buying bayberries, don't choose the all-red ones! The ones with a little green will last longer, and buying them at the entrance of the scenic area is CNY 5/basket cheaper than on the main street. • Choose a "one-way" boat ride on the Wuyang River! CNY 30 to Zhusheng Bridge is enough, there's no need for the whole 1 hr trip (if you're rich, go ahead). 🌿 [3 Days and 2 Nights Itinerary for Lazy People] Day 1: Stroll around the ancient town → Qinglong Cave → Wuyang River night view (stay in a stilted building on the North Bank) Day 2: Shiping Mountain sunrise → Tiexi hiking → Eat red sour soup hot pot (stay in a homestay on the mountainside, the stars are super clear) Day 3: Stroll the ancient alleyways → Buy aged daocai → Return trip (the ancient town is quietest at 10am, perfect for taking pictures) Zhenyuan is really a place to slow down! Sit by the river and watch the clouds float by, learn to embroider sachets with the local grandmas, and even time seems to slow down~ Remember to click ❤️ and save this, and ask me any questions in the comments section. After all, I've filled in all the potholes for you! 👋