To some, Guiyang might seem like a pretty mundane place. It doesn’t have Pandas, like Chengdu, or Gardens, like Suzhou. It doesn’t have the glitz of Shanghai or the history of Beijing. But that certainly doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth visiting, and here’s why…
Abundant Beauty
Now, I know that there are certainly some run-down areas of Guiyang, but it’s undeniably pretty too! Downtown, by the river, is always a lovely place to take a walk.
The limestone mountains in the area also make the city beautiful. I’ve been going through a lot of my old blog posts recently, and found a great video in one of my last posts before we left Guiyang. You can watch it here.
There are a few things you can do in Guiyang too, like visiting the minority museum or popping by a Temple near the river.
The thing I find most beautiful about Guiyang isn’t its pagodas or temples though. What I love most is the abundance of trees in Guiyang. It’s the greenest city I’ve seen in China. I really hope this doesn’t change as it continues to develop.
Food!
For me, Guiyang is all about food! Hot pot, disc barbecue, street food, spices, fresh herbs…. Guizhou has it all! There are more varieties of hot pot than anywhere else I know of in China. Hot and Sour fish hot pot, fermented soybean Hotpot, creamy kidney bean hot pot…I cannot get enough of it!
Red bean hot pot!!!!! 
Andy was drinking it by the end! 
DouChi. Fermented soy bean hot pot. 
Halfway through 
The end result is delicious! 
Not the nicest environment, but tasty enough that we didn’t care 
Spicy soya sauce 
Fish hot pot!!! 
The tiny chairs and tables
And hot pot isn’t where it ends! One of the things that I love about Guiyang’s food scene is that there are still so many Mom and Pop type places all over the city. We never had to go to a single franchise restaurant the whole time we were there. In fact, we hardly see them! Great little craft beer places and independent coffee shops have opened in recent years too!
Our favorite noodle shop. Their prices have barely gone up in 6 years and the noodles are still EXACTLY the same 
Suan La Fen…my fave dish. You can get it in Suzhou too but they’re super plain there 
Dave’s favourite noodles from the same shop 
Tap Star, one of the many craft beer places that have popped up over the last 6 years. 
The restaurant where we usually plugged in our ebike. Nice owners. GREAT food! 6 years later they are still making deep fried kidney beans, just the way I like them!! 
Dave’s favourite dish from the same restaurant. Eggs, still cooking when they come out!
And of course, there’s street food! Glorious, delicious street food! It can’t all be trusted to be clean, admittedly, but generally, if there is a line up, it’s safe!!
Octopus balls. These are really commonly found in Taiwan 
Fruit stands! You can find fruit anywhere in Guiyang City! Whether it be in big stands like this, or in baskets, hanging from someone’s shoulders, they will have whatever is in season! 
This weird braised stuff is something we never actually get. 
Busy busy! 
The balls on the right are my favorite sweet pastry in guiyang. They’re basically empty, so they aren’t terribly filling. Really tasty!!! 
Spicy Tofu! They haven’t added the spice here yet. That’s the next step! 
You’ll see street food set ups like this all over the city
Monkey Park (Qinglingshan)
On this last trip to Guiyang, we didn’t make it to Qinglingshan, but we’ve been there many times in the past, so I thought I should include it in this post. Qinglingshan is home to hundreds of cheeky macaques who will steal your food, drink your water and try to take off with your bag.
It is a lovely place to spend a day visiting though, and you won’t regret making the trip, even if your water does get stolen.
On our last trip, actually, the bigger problem was the people, not the monkeys. For some reason, people seemed to think it was ok to throw garbage at the macaques. I told off two different people who were doing this and encouraging their kids to join in too.
The park is huge, so you can easily spend a day there. Honestly, I have been there half a dozen times and still haven’t seen it all! There are plenty of trails to follow, and all over the park you’ll find people dancing, playing traditional instrument’s, spinning tops, or maybe even fighting off a monkey. There’s never a dull moment!
If you’re looking for beauty, great food, and a laid back place to spend a few days, Guiyang is a great spot for you! The weather is comfortable and the cuisine is to die for… Make your way to Guiyang soon!
I’ll be back soon with some ideas for day trips in Guizhou province and even some suggestions for weekend getaways! Check back soon!!