Zhaoxing Dong Village, Guizhou: Things to Do, Where to Stay & How to Visit (2026)

Last updated: June 2026

Zhaoxing Dong Village is the largest and best-preserved Dong minority village in China, in southeast Guizhou province near the Guangxi border. It's known for its drum towers, wind-and-rain bridges and the rice terraces around it, and most people spend 2–3 days here. You can reach it by high-speed train from Guilin or Guiyang, and it's one of the easier off-the-beaten-path places in China to visit independently. Zhaoxing today is a busy tourist destination rather than a quiet remote village, so it is important to set your expectations right.

Quick Summary

🗺️ Location: Guizhou Province, Southeast China
⏱️ Ideal Duration: 2-3 days
🎟️ Entry: Village ticket required (~¥80)
💲 Budget: $50-100 per day
🌡️ Best Time: March-May, September-November
🏠 Where to Stay: Creedside Inn

Zhaoxing for us is a true story of China‘s impressive transformation.

When my husband first visited this Dong village in 2008, you could only get there by a long bus ride through the mountains. Back then, it was a beautiful but very poor place - so poor that the Lonely Planet guidebook warned travelers about locals eating grilled rat meat.

When we visited the same village in 2023, it felt nothing like that.

The dirt paths are now paved streets full of tourists. Instead of a day-long journey, you can reach Zhaoxing by a quick one-hour high-speed train ride from Guilin. The traditional wooden Dong houses are still there, but now they're joined by new hotels with great views over the valley.

You can find all kinds of food here, from local Dong dishes to western meals.

We expected to find a quiet countryside village, and honestly, Zhaoxing feels a bit too touristy now. But it showed us something else instead - how quickly China can turn a remote village into a modern tourist spot, just by providing necessary infrastructure.

For us, it worked perfectly as a stop between Beijing and Chengdu, giving a comfortable place to rest while learning about China's village life.

Should You Visit Zhaoxing Independently or Take a Tour?

Short answer: Zhaoxing yes, but if you want to explore more authentic villages you would need local knowledge.

The village itself is one of the easiest "off the beaten path" places to do yourself (because it is off the beaten path only for foreigners). We went independently and never once wished we'd booked a tour.

The high-speed train drops you near the village, and the bus gets you right to the village entrance, and once you're there everything is walkable. Hotels book on Trip.com, you pay for everything with Alipay or WeChat, and the village is small enough that you genuinely can't get lost. If Zhaoxing is your only stop, plan it yourself and save your money.

However, Zhaoxing is a busy tourist town. What we found quite difficult in China is that there doesn't seem to be much between easily accessible tourist towns and authentic but remote villages.

If you are looking to explore beyond tourist trail, I recommend finding a travel agency, preferably one focused on specific regions of China, with deep expertise. I highly recommend services of Eastogo – a small travel agent from Chengdu. They offer custom small and self-guided tours and are keen to adapt the journey to your needs.

For independent travellers who want to explore China on their own terms — with a little help along the way.

Best Time to Visit Zhaoxing

Zhaoxing's weather and cultural calendar greatly influence your experience. We visited in the peak summer heat, and while still beautiful and worth visiting, the humidity was really taxing.

On top of that, Zhaoxing is a very popular destination for local tourism – it is very busy in the summer, especially on the weekends when local tourists from Guiyang arrive.

• Spring (March-May): Ideal time with mild temperatures and occasional rain. The spring rice planting season brings special ceremonies and songs.
• Summer (June-August): Hot and humid with frequent rain. While the rice terraces are brilliantly green, humidity can make hiking (or walking) uncomfortable – really uncomfortable.
• Fall (September-November): Another perfect time to visit. Clear skies, comfortable temperatures, and harvest festivals make this season special.
• Winter (December-February): Cold but dry. While chilly, this is when you'll see traditional New Year celebrations and fewer tourists.

🌟 Pro Tip: Try to time your visit with the Dong New Year (usually falls in November) to experience the grandest local festivals and performances.

Where to Stay in Zhaoxing

We stayed in Creedside Inn and I we loved that hotel, so I highly recommend it!

It is a bit off the main street at the end of the village. It is a small cozy hotel, with very good authentic breakfast and afternoon speciality tea and coffee accompanied by a snack.

If you are travelling with kids, they have a family apartment on the top, with a big terrace with a play tent, and 2 separate rooms. And AC (you will need it!)

And the views are spectacular!

One thing to pay attention to is to book a hotel within the historical village. While you might be able to find something slightly cheaper outside of the village entrance, you will lose the ability to freely walk in and out of the hotel, and outside of the village there is not really much to do.

🌟 Pro Tip: Look on the map if the hotel is actually inside the historic old village — there were huge developlments happening at the time when we visited all around the village, so some of the resorts might actually be outside of the village!

Top Things to Do in Zhaoxing

Zhaoxing is a small, but lively tourist village. So the actual "thing to do" is walk around the village at different times of day and evening, and seeing how it transforms at different times. Wonder just a bit of the main street, and you can catch a glimpse of the real life still happening out of tourist sight.

If you plan to spend more than 2-3 days there, I recommend to take small trips or hikes out of the village, to see real countryside.

Our favourite part of the trip was watching the traditional performance – while they are tourist attractions, and some people say they are not authentic enough, there is unfortunately no easy way to preserve culture in such a fast developing country.

Explore the Five Drum Towers

Cost: Free
Time needed: 2-3 hours

• Each tower represents one of the village's five clans
• Best visited early morning or late afternoon for photography
• Don't miss the Tang'an tower's traditional architecture details

Watch Dong Performances

Cost: ¥60 for evening shows
Time needed: 1 hour

• Traditional songs and dances near main square
• Try to catch both scheduled shows and open performances
• Evening performances are more elaborate

Hike to Tang'an Village

Cost: price of bus ticket
Time needed: Half-day

• 2-hour scenic hike through rice terraces
• Quieter than Zhaoxing
• Bring water and good walking shoes

Zhaoxing or Tang'an? Zhaoxing is the bigger, livelier base, with all the hotels, food and evening shows. Tang'an is smaller, quieter and more lived-in, with terraced-field views and fewer tourists. If you want to see how a Dong village feels without the crowds, it's worth the half-day trip, or an overnight.

Wind and Rain Bridges

Cost: Free
Time needed: 1-2 hours

• Visit all three historic bridges
• Best photographed early morning or late afternoon
• Look for local elderly playing cards and games inside

Travel like a Chinese – do a photoshoot in Hanfu

Cost: 30-60$
Time needed: 1-2 hours

Zhaoxing was the first place where we have seen people dressing up in hanfu and doing photoshoots. At the time I thought it was a bit strange thing to do in your holiday, and we didn't do it. But after travelling to China multiple times we realised that this is a major trend in China, and now I think is kind of fun (our daughter did a photoshoot like this in Lijiang).

So if you want feel like making your holiday even more Chinese, this is a way to go – and photos will make for a great memory.

Buy clothes painted with blue dye

Cost: 10-30$
Time: 15 min

Zhaoxing is a village known for its blue dye, so blue-dyed clothes are one of the most popular souvenirs. Walking down the streets you will see that half the people will be wearing blue dyed clothes they bought there.

Visiting Zhaoxing with Kids

While seasoned backpackers might find Zhaoxing a bit too commercial, the ease of travel and performances is a big plus for families. As a parent, I find seeing my kids sit still for one hour to watch a performance is very rewarding.

Kid-Friendly Activities:

• Try on traditional Dong clothing
• Visit a traditional cultural performance

Practical Tips for Families:

• Streets are not really stroller friendly, I recommend using a baby carrier
• Many restaurants have picture menus
• Local families are very welcoming to children
• Schedule rest breaks during hot afternoons

How to Get to Zhaoxing

From Guilin:

• High-speed train to Congjiang (40 min)
• Taxi or bus from Congjiang to Zhaoxing (30 min)

From Guiyang:

• Train to Congjiang (1.5 h)
• Taxi or bus to Zhaoxing (30 min)

🚗 Pro Tip: Both buses and taxis go only to the village entrance. If your hotel is far and your luggage heavy, there are golf carts that move poeple around the village, or you can arrange pick up/drop off with your hotel

What to Eat

Zhaoxing is a hot, buzzing tourist place. We really enjoyed eating grilled everything on the streets, much more than the restaurant food – truth is that tourist towns are not best place to try best of the region's offer.

But street BBQs, fresh watermelon juices and other fresh fruit were the highlight of our trip.

Tips for Visiting

Money

• Payment using WeChat and AliPay
• Bring only a little bit of cash just in case WeChat/AliPay doesn‘t work
• Many accommodations accept Western credit cards

FAQs

Q: Is Zhaoxing worth visiting?
A: Absolutely, especially if you're interested in authentic Chinese minority culture. It's one of the best-preserved Dong villages in China.

Q: How many days do I need in Zhaoxing?
A: 2-3 days is ideal to explore the village and nearby areas without rushing.

Q: Can I visit Zhaoxing year-round?
A: Yes, though spring and fall offer the best weather and cultural experiences. Summer is very hot and humid.

Q: How do I get to Zhaoxing from Guilin?
A: Take a high-speed train from Guilin to Congjiang station, then a bus or taxi for the last 30 minutes to the village entrance.

Q: Is it better to visit Zhaoxing or Tang'an?
A: Zhaoxing is the bigger, livelier village with the hotels, restaurants and evening performances, so it's the better base. Tang'an is smaller, quieter and more lived-in, with terraced-field views and fewer tourists, ideal for a half-day trip or an overnight if you want a calmer experience.

Q: Do I need a tour to visit Zhaoxing?
A: No. Zhaoxing is easy to visit independently as trains, hotels and mobile payments are all straightforward. A tour or local travel agency is only really worth it if you want to combine Zhaoxing with harder-to-reach minority villages elsewhere in Guizhou.

Ready to Plan Your Zhaoxing Adventure?

✈️ Book your flights
🏨 Find hotels
🚂 Reserve train tickets
🎫 Book activities
🚌 Book a tour

Note: Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.