Qiandongnan Travel Tips

Climate and Weather

In spite of locating in plateau, Guizhou is stable in temperature and it is safe to say that the weather here is pleasant. It is never too hot in summer with the average temperature of 22-25℃, neither too cold in winter with an average temperature of 3-6℃.

However, the monsoon climate is greatly affected by the monsoon, so much so that the climate is unstable. What’s more, the temperature will change with the altitude and it is “suffering” from cloudy and humid days almost half time in a year.

Local Festivals and Folk Customs

New Year of Dong
Like the Han people do in the Spring Festival, Dong people go to greet the relatives and friends on that day. By contrast, on the eve of the New Year, everyone has to take the congee that means fortune, and in the morning of the first day, women rush to the wells to fetch the well water as much as they can, the more the better.

Torch Festival of Bai
The Bai people have many traditional festivals to celebrate, among which the Torch Festival is most impressive. It is celebrated on 25th of the lunar June, on when families get together to worship the ancestors and all the villagers get together to erect a 15-meter-long torch. People will dance around the huge torch and stick paper with wishes on the torch for a good luck in the future.

Lusheng Festival of Miao
Lusheng is a Miao traditional musical instrument, which is said to be invented by Zhuge Liang, the smartest counselor in the Three Kingdoms period (181-234). Miao people celerate the one-week-long Lusheng Festival by dressing up and holding Lusheng competition. During the festival, generally in September, thousands of people from far and near will get together singing and dancing.

Song Festival of Zhuang
The Zhuang people are excel at singing and a longstanding traditional festival, "Ge Xu" (Song festival), is held on the third day of Lunar March every year, which is treated as significant as the Spring Festival.

Various cusomts and festivals are too many to list here, and it would be more meaningful and special  if you can "taste" them by yourself.

Other Odds and Ends

Useful Numbers
Phone Dialing Code: 0855
Postcode: 556000
Emergency Call
Fire: 119
Police: 110
Ambulance: 120
Weather Forecast: 121
Travel agency: 0855-8222547
Consumers' Complaint: 12315

Other Tips
1. Take umbrella with you, for the weather is changeable.

2. Take care of your belongings, when staying in the hotel or traveling.

3. Take more clothes in case of getting cold for the temperature difference.

4. Wear the slip-proof shoes for the many paths in the scenic spots are slippery.

5. Travel in such a multi-national place, please do as Rome does to show your respect.

6. Take medicine for carsickness with you for the roads in plateau are somehow zigzag.

7. Restrain yourself from the tempting snacks, never eat too much, or you will get a stomachache.