What Are the Best Guiyang Tourist Attractions and Things to Do?
Where is Guiyang and what is it known for?
Guiyang is the capital of Guizhou Province in southwestern China, set on the eastern side of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It is a city where forested mountains, traditional architecture, lively food streets and modern neighbourhoods sit surprisingly close together, making it easy to combine nature, culture and food within a single trip.
Unlike some of China's larger tourist cities, Guiyang rarely feels as though the entire destination has been built around sightseeing. The experience is more relaxed, such that mornings can be spent walking through a mountain park, afternoons exploring an ancient town or karst landscape, and evenings spent eating at a busy night market.
Guiyang is particularly known for its green surroundings and relatively comfortable summer climate. Local meteorological data cited by the city government recorded an average summer temperature of 22.9°C between 2014 and 2023, which helped establish Guiyang as a popular escape from hotter parts of China.
For travellers deciding which Guiyang tourist attractions to include on an itinerary, these seven offer the best introduction to the city.
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What are the best Guiyang tourist attractions to visit?
The best Guiyang attractions include Qianlingshan Park, Qingyan Ancient Town, Jiaxiu Pavilion, Qingyun Market, Tianhetan Scenic Area, Huaxi Park and the Guizhou Provincial Museum. Together, they cover the city's natural landscapes, historic architecture, local food culture and regional heritage.
1. Qianlingshan Park
Qianlingshan Park is one of the best places to experience Guiyang's greenery without travelling far outside the city centre. The park combines forested hills, walking trails, cultural sites and wildlife, making it an easy half-day addition to a Guiyang itinerary. The park has a forest coverage rate of about 88 per cent, according to the Guiyang government.
Part of the appeal is that Qianlingshan feels more like a proper mountain escape than a manicured city garden. Paths wind uphill through dense vegetation, and the higher sections provide a welcome break from the busy streets below.
The resident macaques are another memorable part of the experience and can frequently be spotted around the park. Give them space and keep food securely packed away rather than carrying snacks openly.
For those looking for active things to do in Guiyang, this is an easy choice. Comfortable shoes are worth wearing, particularly if the plan is to explore beyond the flatter sections of the park.
2. Qingyan Ancient Town
Qingyan Ancient Town is one of the best places near central Guiyang for historic streets, traditional architecture and local food. Located in Huaxi District to the south of the city, it is one of Guizhou's best-known historical and cultural towns and is recognised as a national 5A tourist attraction.
The town is best explored slowly rather than approached as a checklist of individual landmarks. Stone-paved lanes, old walls, courtyards, temples and traditional shopfronts create plenty of smaller scenes to discover while walking.
Earlier in the day generally works well for exploring the quieter lanes, while the town becomes livelier as more visitors arrive. Anyone interested in street photography, architecture or slower-paced sightseeing should allow enough time to wander away from the busiest main streets.
3. Jiaxiu Pavilion
Jiaxiu Pavilion is one of the city's defining historical landmarks and one of the easiest Guiyang tourist attractions to include in a short stay. Standing beside the Nanming River, the pavilion has been part of Guiyang's cityscape for more than 400 years.
Its location is what makes a visit particularly enjoyable. Instead of being isolated inside a large attraction complex, Jiaxiu Pavilion feels integrated into the surrounding city. Bridges, riverside paths and nearby traditional architecture make the whole area pleasant to explore on foot.
Late afternoon into evening is an especially appealing time to visit. The pavilion and surrounding buildings take on a different atmosphere once the lights come on, with their reflections appearing across the Nanming River.
Jiaxiu Pavilion also pairs naturally with Qingyun Market later in the evening, making the two stops easy to combine rather than dedicating separate days to them.
4. Qingyun Market
Qingyun Market is one of the best places in Guiyang for street food, nightlife and a more energetic look at the city's local culture. Qingyun Road has long been associated with night-market snacks, while the redeveloped market blends older Guiyang influences with food stalls, shops, cultural products and entertainment.
This is not a place that needs a complicated itinerary. Arrive hungry, walk through the different sections and choose dishes as they catch the eye.
The atmosphere becomes the main attraction: illuminated shopfronts, crowded food stalls, groups gathering for late-night meals and the smell of chilli and grilled food drifting through the market all give this part of Guiyang a noticeably different character from its daytime attractions.
Qingyun Market is particularly useful for travellers with limited time because sightseeing and dinner can be combined in a single stop. It has also become one of the city's recognised destinations for visitors looking specifically for local food.
5. Tianhetan Scenic Area
Tianhetan Scenic Area is one of the best Guiyang attractions for seeing the karst scenery that Guizhou is known for. Located in Huaxi District outside central Guiyang, the scenic area combines characteristic karst landscapes with natural and cultural sights.
Expect a much more nature-focused day than at Jiaxiu Pavilion or Qingyun Market. Waterfalls and waterways form part of the scenery, and boat-based sightseeing is one of the experiences highlighted by Guiyang's official tourism information.
Tianhetan works best when enough time is set aside to explore rather than squeezing it between central-city attractions. Since Qingyan Ancient Town and Huaxi are also south of central Guiyang, these destinations can be grouped together when planning several days in the city.
For travellers who prefer landscapes to museums or shopping streets, Tianhetan is one of the most worthwhile things to do in Guiyang.
6. Huaxi Park
Huaxi Park is a relaxed choice for riverside scenery, greenery and a slower break between Guiyang's busier tourist attractions. The park features hills, gardens and the Huaxi River, creating a landscape that changes noticeably with the seasons. Huaxi works particularly well as a quieter morning or afternoon stop when staying in the southern part of the city or travelling onwards to Qingyan Ancient Town.
The wider Huaxi area is also useful when planning a nature-heavy day. Huaxi's parks and wetlands provide a softer contrast to the dramatic karst scenery at Tianhetan and the historic streets of Qingyan. For a trip of three days or longer, including Huaxi makes the itinerary feel less rushed and adds another side of Guiyang beyond its best-known landmarks.
7. Guizhou Provincial Museum
The Guizhou Provincial Museum is the best addition to this Guiyang travel guide for travellers seeking more context on the province's history and ethnic cultures. Located in Guanshanhu District, the museum holds more than 80,000 items in its collection, including materials related to Guizhou's cultural heritage.
It is particularly worthwhile before travelling farther into Guizhou, where Miao, Dong, Bouyei and other cultural traditions become an even bigger part of the journey.
A museum visit also makes a useful indoor option if rain interrupts an outdoor sightseeing day. Rather than treating it as a substitute attraction, however, it works best as context for the landscapes, crafts, clothing and cultural influences encountered elsewhere in the province.
Where should visitors stay in Guiyang for easy access to tourist attractions?
Nanming and Yunyan are the most convenient areas for first-time visitors, while Huaxi is better suited to travellers prioritising attractions south of the city.
1. Nanming District
Nanming is a strong all-round choice because Jiaxiu Pavilion and Qingyun Market are both located in the district. Staying around the central Nanming area makes it particularly easy to head out for sightseeing during the day and still have plenty happening nearby in the evening. For a first visit with only two or three days available, this would be one of the most practical bases.
2. Yunyan District
Yunyan is another convenient central option, particularly for travellers who want easy access to Qianlingshan Park. It offers a good balance between city sightseeing and everyday neighbourhood life, without placing visitors too far from central Guiyang.
3. Huaxi District
Huaxi makes sense for travellers whose itinerary focuses heavily on Qingyan Ancient Town, Huaxi's parks and Tianhetan Scenic Area, all of which are located in the southern part of Guiyang. For a short first trip, however, staying centrally and dedicating one full day to Huaxi District will usually be more convenient than basing the entire stay there.
What food should visitors try in Guiyang?
The foods not to miss in Guiyang include sour soup fish, siwawa, rice noodles, tofu snacks and local pork dishes.
What is siwawa?
Siwawa, sometimes translated as a Guiyang spring roll or “silk doll”, is one of the city's classic snacks. Thin wrappers are filled with assorted vegetables and condiments, making it a useful lighter option between larger meals. It regularly appears among the local dishes highlighted in Guiyang's official food promotions.
When is the best time to visit Guiyang?
Late spring and early autumn are particularly comfortable for general sightseeing, while summer is ideal for travellers visiting Guiyang specifically for its cooler climate.
Guiyang has long been promoted as a summer escape because temperatures remain comparatively moderate for its latitude and the city is surrounded by extensive greenery.
For long days of walking between Guiyang tourist attractions, May and the period from late August into October can offer a pleasant balance of temperatures for outdoor sightseeing. Historical climate data also indicates that rainfall is more prominent around late spring and early summer, so carrying a compact umbrella is useful even when the forecast looks manageable.
Summer from June to August remains a good option, particularly when Guiyang is being combined with other destinations in southern China where temperatures may be significantly hotter.
What should travellers know before visiting Guiyang?
The most useful Guiyang travel tips are to group attractions by area, prepare for changing weather and leave plenty of room in the itinerary for food. Jiaxiu Pavilion and Qingyun Market work well together for a central-city afternoon and evening. Qianlingshan Park can anchor another morning, while Huaxi Park, Qingyan Ancient Town and Tianhetan can be grouped into the southern portion of the trip.
Carry a compact umbrella or lightweight waterproof layer. Guiyang's greenery comes with relatively frequent rainfall, and weather can change throughout the day.
Remember to wear comfortable footwear. Stone streets in Qingyan, walking routes through Qianlingshan and nature attractions such as Tianhetan are far more enjoyable when shoes are chosen for walking rather than appearance alone.
Save attraction names in Chinese before heading out. This makes it easier to show a destination to taxi drivers or search for it in local navigation and transport apps, particularly for attractions farther from the city centre.
Is Guiyang worth visiting?
Yes, Guiyang is worth visiting for travellers who enjoy combining food, nature and culture without the pace of China's biggest tourist cities.
The most memorable Guiyang tourist attractions are varied enough that the city never feels repetitive. Qianlingshan Park brings mountains and greenery into the urban landscape, Qingyan Ancient Town adds history, Jiaxiu Pavilion provides the classic city landmark, and Qingyun Market shows Guiyang at its liveliest after dark. Tianhetan and Huaxi expand the trip into Guizhou's natural scenery, while the provincial museum provides useful cultural context.
More importantly, Guiyang rewards a slightly slower style of travelling. For anyone planning a broader Guizhou journey, this Guiyang travel guide makes the city much more than just a stopover. With the right mix of attractions, food and unhurried exploring, Guiyang deserves several days of its own.
Scoot's Flight Schedule from Singapore to Guiyang
Flights from 26 Oct 2026
| Route | Flight No. | Departure | Arrival | Frequency |
| Singapore - Guiyang | TR130 | 1750 | 2215 | Mon, Wed, Fri |
| Guiyang - Singapore | TR131 | 2315 | 0420 (next day) |
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