Xingyi
Introduction
Xingyi is a county-level city and the seat of the Qianxinan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, in the southwest of Guizhou Province. It is best known for the landscapes and fossils that earned the surrounding area UNESCO Global Geopark designation in March 2024.
That designation covers three distinct attractions: the cone karst peak forest at Wanfenglin, the Maling River gorge, and the Middle Triassic marine reptile fossils known as the Xingyi Fauna. Together they make the city a base for travellers interested in geology, scenery and palaeontology.
Before you go
Xingyi sits in the Qianxinan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in southwest Guizhou, close to the borders with Yunnan and Guangxi. It has long been a Miao and Buyi area and an ancient transport hub, and it grew into a commercial and military centre during the Ming and Qing dynasties; today it is a regional transport and economic centre that blends tradition with modern life. Its ethnic culture and natural landscapes have made it a destination for travellers curious about a less-trodden part of Guizhou, and its mild climate has turned it into a centre of wellness tourism. The climate is a subtropical humid monsoon one, mild and humid with distinct seasons. Summers are warm and can occasionally turn hot, while winters stay mild and extreme cold is rare; spring and autumn are pleasant and well suited to being outdoors. Xingyi gets more warm, sunny days than anywhere else in Guizhou. Rain is abundant and falls fairly evenly across the year but concentrates from May to September, heaviest from June to August, when downpours and thunderstorms are frequent and humidity climbs. Rain eases markedly in autumn and winter, when conditions turn drier. Pack for damp weather and plan around the summer rainy season.Getting there
Xingyi Wanfeng Airport is the main air gateway to the city and the surrounding area, sitting roughly 10 kilometers to the northeast. Flights connect it with Guiyang, Kunming, Chongqing, Guangzhou and other places, but schedules are relatively limited, so confirm your flight before you commit to a plan. From the airport you can reach the city in about 20 to 30 minutes by taxi or airport bus.
Two railway stations serve Xingyi. Xingyi Railway Station on Baiyun Road handles regular-speed trains from Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Nanning and Kunming, and is reachable on bus nos. 82, 101, K29, ZK202, Xinglong 1, Xinglong 3 and Xingyi 83. The newer Xingyi South Railway Station, on Donghuan Road in Fengdu Subdistrict, opened in 2025 and sits on the west side of the airport terminal; it serves high-speed trains from Guiyang, Anshun, Tongren, Zunyi and most other cities in Guizhou, plus Chengdu and Chongqing. Special tourist buses link that station to the airport and to major attractions such as Wanfenglin Scenic Area, while bus no. 1 takes you into the downtown area.
Long-distance buses run from several stations in the city, with services from nearby cities. From Guiyang the journey takes about 4 to 5 hours, from Kunming about 5 hours, and from Chongqing about 6 to 7 hours. By car, the highway connects Xingyi with Anshun, Guiyang and Kunming; driving from Guiyang takes about 4 to 5 hours, and the scenery along the way suits a self-driving trip.
Getting around
Xingyi is a compact city, and walking works well for getting around the central areas. For anything beyond the immediate downtown, taxis, rental cars, or bicycles are usually more practical, since bus coverage is limited and the surrounding attractions are spread out.
- By taxi: Taxis are common and among the most convenient ways to get around. Flag one down at the roadside or book through ride-hailing apps such as Didi Travel. Fares within the urban area are generally low, but expect to pay more for trips to more distant attractions like Wanfenglin.
- By bus: City buses run on many lines and mainly connect the important areas of town, with cheap fares. Coverage is limited, though, so reaching some attractions by city bus may be less convenient than taking a taxi or driving yourself. Long-distance buses are often the main way to reach nearby attractions such as Huangguoshu Waterfall. Inside scenic areas such as Wanfenglin Stone Forest and Natural Bridge, dedicated scenic buses connect the sights for visitors who would rather not walk.
- By car: If you plan to explore the natural scenery around Xingyi, such as Wanfeng Forest and Natural Bridge, renting a car is a convenient option; local companies supply cars or SUVs. The region's highways also connect Xingyi with Anshun, Guiyang, and Kunming, making a self-driving approach a scenic option.
- By bicycle or electric vehicle: Bicycles and electric vehicles are handy for short trips in the city and around nearby scenic spots. Many hotels and rental locations offer them, suiting visitors who want to move at a relaxed pace.
Where to stay
For a comfortable stay in Xingyi, consider the Xingyi Century Hotel on Fuxing 1st Street. Though it holds a four-star rating, it offers a range of services including free Wi-Fi, smart room features, and on-site dining. Some rooms look out over the cityscape, and the hotel's meeting facilities suit business travellers. Its central location also puts you within easy reach of local attractions.
Food & drink
Xingyi's food scene is built on the bold, tangy flavours of Guizhou cooking, with sour soup and chilli featuring heavily. For a classic introduction, head to Old Street for sour soup fish, where the tangy broth is the main event, or try the sour soup small lobster. Miao cooking is well represented too: on Miao Ethnic Street you can order Miao sour and spicy fish and stir-fried dishes in a restaurant full of ethnic atmosphere, while downtown's Hot Pot Street serves spicy, numbing broths alongside grilled lamb, charcoal-grilled fish and small snack stalls - a good choice for an evening meal. If you want something simpler, downtown's old local restaurants serve traditional Guizhou dishes, with sour and spicy rice noodles, hand-pulled rice and Guizhou sausages standing out for those who like strong flavours. Near Wangmo Grassland, restaurants make the most of local produce, offering beef hot pot and wild vegetable stir-fries with meat. Finally, near the Lotus Pond Scenic Area, a tea house provides a peaceful spot for traditional Guizhou snacks, small dishes and tea.What to see and do
Xingyi's signature sight is Wanfenglin, the Forest of Ten Thousand Peaks: a karst landscape of emerald peaks rising above golden rapeseed fields and traditional villages where farmers still work the land. A tour bus loops the ridge-road viewpoints, while the valley floor below — villages, rice paddies and lanes among the peaks — sits on ordinary public roads with no gate, and can be walked, cycled or driven; bicycles, e-bikes and small electric buggies hire out along the valley road. A food market waits at the end of the circuit, though food inside the attraction is limited and outside options taste better. Elsewhere, Maling River Canyon is a deep, fast-flowing gorge with waterfalls at their fullest after rain, and a sightseeing lift saves the long walk down and back up; it is also a rafting resort, with a course running through dangerous beaches, deep pools and bays. You can also take in the Nidang Stone Forest, a provincial-level spot of maze-like rock formations, the vine-hung Lubuge deep valley lake, and Liu's Manor in the Xiawutun Sub-district, a Tunbao-style landlord and warlord complex of courtyard houses in a mix of Chinese and Western styles. For history and culture, the Qianxinan Prefecture Museum in the Ethnic Culture Center at Jushan Square covers the region's historical evolution, ethnic culture and natural resources, with displays on the Bouyei and Miao peoples and geological exhibits on karst landforms. Out in the countryside you can visit traditional Bouyei and Miao villages, many retaining wooden architecture and folklore, and experience dances, singing and ethnic costumes. The area's festival calendar is busy: the Buyi mark the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month with ancestral rites, singing parties, dance and bullfighting; the Miao hold the Flower Jumping Festival in January or February, with flower dances, Miao songs and sports such as cockfighting and climbing flower poles; the Yi celebrate the Torch Festival on the 24th of the sixth lunar month with torches, dancing around fires, horse racing and bullfighting; and the Buyi June 6th is marked with sticky rice, ciba and village singing and dancing. Modern events include the Xingyi Food and Culture Festival around National Day and the Guizhou Southwest Ethnic Culture Festival in mid-August, while the Spring Festival brings dragon lantern dances.When to go
Xingyi has a mild, humid subtropical monsoon climate with distinct seasons, and it sees more sunshine than the rest of Guizhou. Spring brings pleasant temperatures and humid air that suit outdoor activity, though rain builds toward the wet season, with May marking the start of heavier rainfall.
The rainy season is the wettest stretch of the year, heaviest from June to August, when frequent rain and thunderstorms raise the humidity and can disrupt local weather, so expect wet conditions. Autumn turns pleasant as the heavy rains taper off and rainfall decreases significantly, while the humid climate stays suitable for getting out. Winters are mild, with extreme cold rare, and rainfall drops off markedly, making this the driest time of year.
Festivals & events
Xingyi's festival calendar is built around the region's ethnic communities. The Hmong Flower Jumping Festival falls in January, while the Guizhou Southwest Ethnic Culture Festival takes place in August.
Three days in Xingyi
Day one: Arrive in Xingyi, the heart of the Qianxinan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Guizhou Province. It is a UNESCO Global Geopark, and the Middle Triassic Xingyi Fauna was found here. Begin by getting your bearings in the city itself, then head out to Wanfenglin, where the karst peaks rise from the fields. In the evening, look for local Miao and Buyi cooking.
Day two: Give the day to the Maling River, a gorge cut through the landscape. The area around Xingyi sits where Guizhou, Yunnan and Guangxi meet, and the scenery shifts accordingly. The city has a Ming and Qing past, so set aside time for its older streets and architecture.
Day three: Summers here are warm, and rain falls from May to September, heaviest in June and August, so pack accordingly. March is a good month to visit. Xingyi Wanfeng Airport has flights from Guiyang, Kunming, Chongqing and Guangzhou, and Xingyi Railway Station connects onward, with Baiyun Road among the routes toward Shenzhen. Two days would be rushed; three lets you see the geopark and the city without hurrying.