Anshun sits in the karst country of southwestern Guizhou, close to the Huangguoshu Waterfall and within reach of cave systems, Miao villages and Ming-era garrison towns. The elevation is high, rain falls on just over half the days of the year, and the wettest stretch runs from May to August, so where you base yourself matters as much as what you pack.
For a visitor, the practical geography is simple. The city proper holds the Wenmiao Confucian temple and the main rail and road connections, while the headline sights sit outside the built-up area: Huangguoshu to the southwest, Longgong Cave and the Getu River in the surrounding karst, and Tianlong Tunbao about 25 kilometres from downtown. This guide covers the areas worth considering as a base and the kinds of accommodation you will find in each.
Best areas to stay in Anshun
1. Anshun city centre
The city centre puts you within walking distance of the Wenmiao, the Ming dynasty Confucian temple, and gives you the widest choice of places to eat and stay. It suits first-time visitors who want the sights of the city itself on foot and a straightforward base for day trips out to the waterfall and caves.
Accommodation here ranges from basic budget rooms to midrange properties geared to Chinese tour groups, which tend to be plain and undistinguished. The centre is also where you find the western-branded properties, one of them set on the edge of Hong Shan Lake but still in the city centre, adjacent to the municipal government and within walking distance of the Wen Temple. A walk around the Hong Shan Lake waterfront brings you to locals swimming and exercising, and the Gu Fu Jie food street is a short trip away at night.
2. Around the railway station
The station area is the most practical base for budget travellers and for anyone arriving or leaving by train, with the cheapest rooms in the city clustered immediately around it. You will find twin rooms and small budget places on the streets just outside, alongside midrange hotels with cramped rooms and sparsely outfitted bathrooms.
This area connects directly to the Guiyang–Kunming railway, and Anshun West railway station serves the Shanghai–Kunming high-speed line, so it works well if your trip is built around rail travel. Expect noise and a functional rather than attractive setting; the trade-off is convenience and price.
3. Xixiu District
Xixiu District is the city district in which the centre and station area sit, and it appears as the address for accommodation in the city itself, including guesthouse-style places on Zhanqian 2nd Road. It suits travellers who want a local, unpolished base with basic rooms rather than resort facilities.
Staying here keeps you within the city proper, close to the Wenmiao and the rail connections, while leaving the outlying scenic areas as day trips. Rooms at this level tend to be simple, sometimes with Chinese-style toilets and small showers.
4. Huangguoshu Scenic Area
The national-level Huangguoshu Scenic Area, in Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous County, is the base to choose if the waterfall is the centre of your trip. Staying here means you are on the spot for the waterfall, which can be viewed from all angles, including from inside, rather than making a long return journey from the city.
Accommodation in the scenic area includes holiday-style hotels on Tianxing Road in the Xincheng District of the scenic area, near Yingbin Avenue. This suits visitors who prefer to trade the city's restaurants and rail links for proximity to the falls, and who are happy to organise transport for the rest of their sightseeing.
5. Near the airport and high-speed railway station
The area around Anshun Huangguoshu Airport and the high-speed railway station suits travellers passing through quickly, and families looking for resort-style facilities. One property here sits three kilometres from the airport and is convenient for the high-speed railway station, with family suites and a sky garden looking out on the surrounding mountain scenery.
This is the least central option for the city's own sights, so choose it if your itinerary is built around arrivals, departures and the hot spring and resort side of the trip rather than the Wenmiao and the old town.
6. Tianlong Tunbao
Tianlong Tunbao, the Ming dynasty town about 25 kilometres from downtown Anshun, is where many of the Tunpo people live and where residents still wear Ming dynasty clothing and keep houses from that era. Basing yourself here suits travellers more interested in the garrison-town culture and Tiantai Mountain, in the same tourist site, than in city conveniences.
It is a quiet, outlying choice, so you will depend on road transport for the waterfall, the caves and the city. Treat it as a stay for the atmosphere of the town itself rather than as a hub for the whole region.
Where to stay on a budget, mid-range or splurge
- Budget: twin rooms and small basic rooms, often clustered around the railway station or on city streets, sometimes with Chinese-style toilets and small showers; the cheapest and simplest option.
- Mid-range: a large supply of rooms geared to Chinese tour groups, generally plain and undistinguished, with some places offering doubles at higher rates but cramped sleeping areas and bathrooms that vary widely in size and fittings.
- Splurge: the western-branded properties, including one on the edge of Hong Shan Lake in the city centre and one near the airport and high-speed railway station with family suites, a sky garden and hot springs; lake-view rooms cost more than standard rooms.
Best area for a first visit
For a first visit, base yourself in the Anshun city centre. It puts the Wenmiao within walking distance, keeps you close to the rail and road links, and gives you the widest choice of places to eat and stay, including the western-branded properties. From there you can reach Huangguoshu, Longgong Cave and Tianlong Tunbao as day trips without committing your whole stay to one outlying sight.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I stay if I want to see Huangguoshu Waterfall?
Stay in the Huangguoshu Scenic Area, where accommodation sits close to the waterfall and its viewing points. The waterfall is about 40 kilometres from the city centre, so basing yourself in the city means a longer journey each way.
Which area is best for budget travellers?
The streets immediately around the railway station have the cheapest rooms, including twin rooms, along with basic guesthouse-style places in Xixiu District. Expect small rooms and simple bathrooms at this level.
Where do families tend to stay?
The area near the airport and high-speed railway station suits families, with family suites and resort facilities including a sky garden and hot springs. The city centre is the alternative if you would rather be within walking distance of the Wenmiao.
Is the city centre noisy or hilly?
The station area is the noisiest and most functional part of the city, while the centre around Hong Shan Lake is calmer and walkable, with a waterfront used by locals for swimming and exercise. The wider prefecture is mountainous karst, and some sights, such as Longgong Cave and the Chuangshang cave above the Getu River, require walking uphill to reach them.
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