Exploring the Secrets of Southwest Guizhou | A In-depth Travel Guide to Wanfenglin and Malinghe Canyon

In Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in southwestern Guizhou, there are two breathtaking natural wonders – Wanfenglin and Malinghe Canyon. There is no hustle and bustle of the city here, only the karst scenery carved by nature for hundreds of millions of years, making it an ideal place to relax and get close to nature. Whether you love the grandeur of layered mountains or the coolness of canyon waterfalls, you can find your desired experience in these two scenic spots. Next, this tailor-made guide will take you to fully appreciate the unique charm of Guizhou’s Wanfenglin and Malinghe Canyon and plan a perfect trip to southwest Guizhou.

Wanfenglin: A Pastoral Poem Among Standing Peaks

As one of China’s five most beautiful peak forests, Guizhou’s Wanfenglin covers a total area of over 2,000 square kilometers, with the developed area alone exceeding 200 square kilometers. Composed of thousands of conical karst peaks, its density is rare in the world. Xu Xiake, a traveler in the Ming Dynasty, visited this place twice and praised in his travel notes that there are so many peaks under the sky, but only here do peaks form a forest, which fully shows the grandeur of Wanfenglin. Walking into Wanfenglin is like walking into a three-dimensional landscape painting. The endless peaks are scattered in an orderly manner, setting off against the pastures, villages and rivers at the foot of the mountains, forming a vibrant pastoral poem.

Visiting Wanfenglin: Surprising Experiences from Different Perspectives

• Recommended visiting order: First climb the viewing platform to overlook the panoramic view, then go deep into the pastures for close-up experience, which allows you to fully feel the three-dimensional scenery of Wanfenglin.
• Best viewing location: The viewing platform next to General Peak Square is the best place to overlook the entire view of the peak forest. Standing on the viewing platform, thousands of peaks spread out like a vast army. The peaks are of varying heights and shapes, some like sharp bamboo shoots, some like round pagodas, and some are connected into a unique peak cluster landscape.
• Best viewing time: Early morning or dusk. When the sun shines on the peaks, the light and shadow are scattered, and the outline of the mountains is clearer. When surrounded by clouds and mist, it adds a touch of fairyland atmosphere.
• Highlights of pastoral tour: The pastoral areas at the foot of the mountains are rich in rape flowers, rice and other crops, showing different scenery in different seasons. From March to April in spring, thousands of acres of rape flowers bloom in competition. The golden flower sea sets off against the green ridges and grayish-blue peaks, which is gorgeous and dazzling, attracting countless photographers to take pictures. From September to October in autumn, the mature rice is golden, swaying in the wind, filled with the joy of harvest.
• Pastoral experience methods: You can walk in the fields, watch the Buyi villagers farming and watering up close, and feel the strong pastoral life atmosphere. In addition, taking an electric car to tour the 8-kilometer pastoral highway is also a good choice. It passes through many villages and scenic spots along the way, and you can get off to visit at any time.

The rapeseed flowers are in full bloom at Wanfenglin

Around Wanfenglin: Integration of Humanities and Nature

• Core cultural attraction: Nahui Village, the most representative Buyi village at the foot of Wanfenglin, is built against mountains and rivers. The blue brick and gray tile dwellings are scattered in an orderly manner, preserving the complete traditional architecture and customs of the Buyi people.
• Experience projects in Nahui Village: You can visit Buyi-style dwellings, taste local specialties such as cured meat, five-color glutinous rice, and chicken eight pieces, and also appreciate traditional Buyi handicrafts such as batik and embroidery.
• Supplementary cultural attraction: Wanfenglin Ecological Museum, which displays the geographical landforms, ethnic culture, folk customs and other contents of the Wanfenglin area, helping you to deeply understand the history and culture of this land.

Malinghe Canyon: The Most Beautiful Rift on Earth

If Guizhou’s Wanfenglin is a magnificent landscape painting, then Malinghe Canyon is a masterpiece of nature’s ingenuity. Located in Xingyi City, Malinghe Canyon is a deep rift formed by orogeny. The total length of the canyon is 74.8 kilometers, the narrowest part is only 50 meters, and the deepest part reaches 500 meters. Known as the most beautiful rift on earth for its numerous waterfalls and unique rock formations, the canyon is an ideal place for adventure, summer resort and sightseeing with its numerous waterfalls, lush green bamboos, and amazing karst caves.

Visiting Malinghe Canyon: Thrills and Coolness of Waterfalls and Plank Roads

• Core scenic spot: Tianxing Gallery Scenic Area, which is about 1.7 kilometers long, gathers the most exquisite scenery in Malinghe Canyon and is a must-visit place for tourists.
• Highlights of the visiting experience: Walking along the plank road built on the cliff, with waterfalls pouring down beside you and the surging Malinghe River under your feet, every corner is full of thrills and coolness.
• Famous waterfall landscapes: There are many waterfalls in Tianxing Gallery, with three key recommendations – Yinlian Zhuitan Waterfall is composed of dozens of small water flows, like silver ribbons falling into the pool, with splashing water and pleasant sounds; Wanma Benteng Waterfall is magnificent, with water pouring down like ten thousand horses galloping; Rainbow Waterfall is named for the gorgeous rainbow formed by sunlight refraction. When the sun shines, a colorful rainbow will appear above the waterfall, which is extremely beautiful.
• Rock and karst cave landscapes: The rock layers on both sides of the canyon have formed various unique landforms such as stone curtains, stalagmites and stone pillars due to long-term water erosion and chemical effects, with different shapes. In addition, there are many karst caves in the canyon, among which Tianxing Cave is the most famous. The stalactites in the cave are of various shapes, colorful under the light, like a fairyland.
• Safety tips for visiting: Some sections of the plank road in Malinghe Canyon are relatively slippery. You must pay special attention to your feet when visiting, especially on rainy days. It is recommended to wear non-slip sports shoes.

Malinghe Canyon

Outdoor Experiences in Malinghe Canyon: Dual Choices of Passion and Leisure

For tourists who love outdoor sports, Malinghe Canyon also has a unique outdoor experience project – rafting. Malinghe Rafting is known as China’s No.1 Rafting. The rafting section is about 13 kilometers long with a drop of more than 200 meters. It passes through many dangerous shoals and bends along the way, with rapid water flow, which is thrilling and exciting. During the rafting, you can not only feel the speed and passion, but also enjoy the magnificent scenery on both sides of the canyon. The peaks, waterfalls and green bamboos on both sides pass by quickly, making you dizzy.

Precautions for rafting projects: This project has certain dangers and is suitable for healthy adults aged 16-60. When participating, you must obey the command of the staff and wear good life-saving equipment.

If you don’t like exciting rafting projects, you can also take a leisurely walk by the river in Malinghe Canyon and feel the cool river breeze. The climate in the canyon is cool, with an average summer temperature of only about 23°C, making it an ideal summer resort.

Highlights of leisure experience: Spread a mat on the grass by the river, enjoy the breeze, listen to the roar of the waterfalls and the sound of the river, which is very comfortable. In addition, there are many rest areas and snack stalls in the canyon, where you can taste local specialties such as cold noodles and rice noodles to replenish your energy.

Practical Guide for Visiting Guizhou’s Wanfenglin and Malinghe Canyon

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Guizhou’s Wanfenglin and Malinghe Canyon is from March to April in spring and September to October in autumn.

In spring, the rape flowers in Wanfenglin are in full bloom, and the vegetation in Malinghe Canyon is more green, full of vitality everywhere;

In autumn, the weather is clear and the temperature is suitable. The rice fields in Wanfenglin are golden, and the waterfalls in Malinghe Canyon are abundant, with the best scenery.

Although it is hot in summer, the climate in Malinghe Canyon is cool, making it a good place to escape the heat;

The temperature is low in winter, but there are fewer tourists, allowing you to enjoy a quieter visiting experience.

Traffic Guide

• Core transportation method to reach Xingyi City: To go to Guizhou’s Wanfenglin and Malinghe Canyon, it is recommended to first reach Xingyi City for more convenient subsequent connection.
• Air travel: Xingyi Wanfenglin Airport has opened many domestic routes, with direct flights from major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The distance to the scenic spots after landing is relatively close.
• Railway travel: Xingyi Railway Station has EMU and ordinary train services, which can directly reach surrounding cities such as Guiyang and Kunming, suitable for tourists who prefer railway travel.
• Connection from Xingyi urban area to scenic spots: ① To Wanfenglin: You can take No.19 and No.21 buses to directly reach the scenic spot gate, with high cost performance; ② To Malinghe Canyon: You can take No.4 and No.6 buses; ③ Flexible travel choice: Take a taxi or rent a car to drive by yourself. Self-driving allows you to arrange your itinerary freely and adapt to the tour of multiple scenic spots in series.

Tickets and Internal Transportation in Scenic Spots

Ticket and internal transportation information of Wanfenglin Scenic Area:

Ticket and internal transportation information of Malinghe Canyon Scenic Area:

• Free Ticket (Ticket + Sightseeing Car): Applicable to children under 1.2 meters, the preferential content is free of charge for both tickets and sightseeing cars.
• 50% Discount on Tickets: Applicable to children over 1.2 meters and under 14 years old, and full-time undergraduates and below (valid documents required). The preferential content is 50% discount on scenic area tickets.
• Free Ticket (Admission Ticket): Applicable to the elderly over 60 years old, the disabled, active military personnel, and journalists (valid documents required). The preferential content is free admission tickets to the scenic area, and sightseeing cars need to be purchased separately.
• Accompanying Free Ticket: Applicable to the elderly over 80 years old, severely disabled people (valid documents required) and 1 accompanying person. The preferential content is free admission tickets for the elderly/disabled and 1 accompanying person.

Ticketing and Usage Instructions: It is recommended to book tickets online in advance through the “One Code Tour Guizhou” platform, which is more convenient and may enjoy discounts; tickets and sightseeing car tickets are valid on the day of sale and are non-refundable and non-exchangeable; corresponding preferential documents must be presented during ticket inspection, otherwise additional tickets need to be purchased; some scenic spots in Guizhou implement a “one ticket for multiple days” policy, allowing repeated entry within 5 days of purchase. Please refer to the scenic spot’s announcement on the day for details.

Accommodation and Food Recommendations

Accommodation: It is recommended to stay in Xingyi urban area or Nahui Village at the foot of Wanfenglin. There are various types of hotels in Xingyi urban area, from budget guesthouses to high-star hotels, with convenient transportation and catering; the homestays in Nahui Village are full of local characteristics, allowing you to experience the pastoral life of the Buyi people. Opening the window in the morning, you can see the magnificent scenery of Wanfenglin, which is very comfortable.

Food: In addition to the aforementioned cured meat, five-color glutinous rice, chicken eight pieces, cold noodles, etc., you can also taste Xingyi’s special delicacies such as Erkuai Baba, Shuaba Du, and Sanhe Soup. These delicacies can be found in restaurants in Xingyi urban area and snack stalls around the scenic spots.

Precautions

1. Dressing Recommendations: Guizhou has many mountainous areas, and the roads in the scenic spots are mainly slopes and stairs. Please wear comfortable sports shoes when visiting, avoid high-heeled shoes to reduce walking fatigue and potential safety hazards.
2. Safety Protection: Some sections of the plank road in Malinghe Canyon are relatively slippery. You must pay special attention to your feet when visiting, especially on rainy days. Walk slowly and steadily.
3. Rafting Notes: Rafting projects have certain dangers and are only suitable for healthy adults aged 16-60; when participating, you must strictly obey the command of the staff and wear life-saving equipment throughout the process.
4. Dietary Tips: The local diet in Guizhou is relatively sour and spicy. Tourists with light tastes can inform the restaurant owner in advance to adjust the taste of the dishes.
5. Environmental Protection Requirements: The ecological environment of the scenic area is fragile. Please take good care of the environment during the visit, do not litter at will, and jointly guard the natural secret realm.

Encounter the Natural and Humanistic Beauty of Southwest Guizhou

Guizhou’s Wanfenglin and Malinghe Canyon, one is a pastoral secret realm with standing peaks, and the other is a canyon wonder with flying waterfalls and flowing springs. Here, you can appreciate the ingenuity of nature, feel the strong customs of ethnic minorities, and spend a fulfilling and pleasant journey. Whether you are a nature-loving adventurer or a leisure-seeking vacationer, you can find your own fun in these two scenic spots. It is hoped that this guide can help you with your trip to southwest Guizhou, and wish you a memorable time in Guizhou’s Wanfenglin and Malinghe Canyon.