Why go to Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village?
There is such a saying: "The Miao people in China look at Guizhou, and the Miao villages in Guizhou look at Xijiang".
As the largest Miao village in China, Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is a good place where you can not only see the beauty of nature but also feel the unique humanities.
Most of the Miao people in the Qianhu Miao Village in Xijiang still maintain a traditional way of life, and people in Miao costumes can be seen everywhere on the old streets.
Moreover, Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village (hereinafter referred to as Miao Village) has complete tourism supporting facilities, which is super suitable for my kind of travel that does not want to endure hardship, hahaha.
Now, Sarah is here to teach everyone how to go to Qianhu Miao Village in Xijiang.
Transportation: If you start from Guiyang, you can take the high-speed rail to Kaili first, and then get out of the Kaili high-speed rail station. There is a bus station next to it, and there are coaches that go directly to Miao Village. (This car is full of people. If the number of people is insufficient, it will start on the hour.) Fare: 35 yuan / person
It is strongly recommended that everyone take this regular tourist bus, which is safer and cheaper than a black car. Moreover, the car is also equipped with an official guide. During the 1-hour drive, the guide will tell you a lot about the history, geographical overview and customs of Qianhu Miao Village in Xijiang.
Accommodation: Accommodation in Miao Village is mainly homestay. Now the accommodation conditions in Xijiang Miao Village are much better than before, and there are all kinds of homestays. Most of them are stilted buildings in the village, which are very distinctive.
The hotel we stayed in this time is very good and worth recommending. The name of the inn is: Floating Life Like a Dream (Tujia can book it). The location of the inn is very good, in the center of the village. But because the location is relatively high, it will be a bit tiring to pull the box. But don't worry, if it's a girl, the boss will pick it up in person and help you carry the box (boys, it seems that you can't enjoy this service, hahaha). However, because of the high location, the landscape is particularly good, and half of the Miao village can be seen outside the window.
The boss is a young man with a poetic heart and a distant place. He loves Miao Village very much, and he also likes to share the strategy of Miao Village with guests. So our trip was very worry-free, and we didn't do any strategy. It was enough to just listen to the boss's recommendation.
The rooms are beautiful, the one I had was bohemian. Not much to say, just look at the picture.
Tickets: Tickets for Qianhu Miao Village in Xijiang are 90 yuan per person. When we went, there was a preferential policy. People from other provinces bought tickets at half price with their ID cards.
Traffic in the village: Private cars of tourists cannot enter the village, and the transportation in the village basically depends on tour buses. When we entered the village, we bought a package ticket for a tour bus, which can take four rides for 20 yuan (there is no limit to the number of stops each time). After exceeding, you can buy a one-way ticket, 5 yuan each time.
Food not to be missed
Long table dinner:
One of the must-experience items in Miao Village!
Long table banquet is the highest form of Miao banquet, which is said to have a history of thousands of years.
If you catch up with the Miao family to celebrate the new year, the long table banquet will be lined up in the ancient street, and there will be thousands of people dining at the same table at most. In the middle of the banquet, there will be Miao girls and boys in costumes singing and dancing to toast.
Now come to Qianhu Miao Village in Xijiang, and you can have a long table banquet without waiting for the Chinese New Year. The price is not expensive, and the fee is charged per person, ranging from a few dozen yuan to more than one hundred yuan.
If you have a good capacity for alcohol, you may wish to experience the "high mountains and flowing water" of the Miao family. Remember to take a short video, absolutely dominate the circle of friends.
Houjiazhuang: "Houjiazhuang" was recommended by the owner of the inn. It is said that it is a very popular restaurant in Miao Village. Many celebrities have been here and foreign leaders have been hosted. The restaurant focuses on the most characteristic sour soup dishes in Southeast Guizhou.
Because we ate fish in sour soup for several days in a row, we changed the name to beef in sour soup today. The thick cut beef is very fresh, with good quality and good taste. The two girls ordered a small portion of beef in sour soup + two bowls of rice, and they were full.
Address: Not far from the Miao Nationality Museum. Ask the locals nearby, they all know.
Per capita: 70 yuan
Snack Street: There is a river in Miao Village, and there is a snack street beside the river. Fruits, ice powder, skewers, edamame, a lot of delicious food...
Hairy tofu is long-haired tofu, which is also a local specialty. Um... Anyway, I didn't dare to try it. If anyone of you eats it, remember to tell me what taste it is.
Strongly recommend local specialties: grilled black pork skewers, so fragrant and delicious~~
things not to be missed
Gate wine:
Banmen wine is an ancient custom of the Miao people. This is the first scene I encountered when I arrived at Qianhu Miao Village in Xijiang, and it also made me feel the enthusiasm of the Miao people at once.
There are a total of 12 dishes for blocking the door wine, and each dish has different specialties and blessings. Although the sweetness of the rice wine is not high, if you really drink 12 dishes, it is estimated that many people will not be able to bear it. Therefore, the current bar wine is just a welcome ceremony, tourists can choose to drink or not, or just drink a few of them.
Xijiang Miao Nationality Museum:
If you want to know a place, go to their museum to see it.
The Xijiang Miao Nationality Museum is located in the center of the village, and tickets are free. There are not many exhibits inside, basically explaining the history and customs of Xijiang Miao Village.
Observation deck:
The viewing platform is the best place to overlook the entire Miao Village.
Be sure to go twice, once during the day and once at night. The scenery I saw was completely different.
During the day, there are rows of wooden buildings on stilts among the lush hillsides.
At night, when the lights of thousands of families light up on the ground, they complement each other with the stars in the sky.
Little Tip:
You can take a tour bus at No. 1 Fengyu Bridge to the viewing platform, and the one-way fare is 5 yuan.
Shops that rent Miao costumes in the stockade are also concentrated on the viewing platform.
"Beautiful Xijiang" Gala: It may be because the level of performances in domestic scenic spots is getting higher and higher, so that watching this performance, I really feel that it is average. I personally think that if you are not a check-in tourist, you can ignore this performance. In fact, there are many free performances in the Miao Village every day, just watch them and feel the atmosphere.
Wind and Rain Bridge: The village of the Miao family must be backed by mountains and have water under their feet. Where there is water, there must be bridges. There are seven wind and rain bridges in Xijiang Miao Village. Meaning: shelter you from wind and rain.
In order to facilitate the identification of tourists, Fengyu Bridge has code names, from No. 1 to No. 7. In fact, each wind and rain bridge has its own name. If you go to Miao Village, you might as well learn more about their nice names with the locals.
Small Tip: Wind and Rain Bridge is also one of the best scenic spots in Miao Village.
Terraced fields: Xijiang Miao Village has a large area of terraced fields, which is a rare sight for urban children. And it’s also a good location for filming~~
Small Tip: The location of the terraced fields is next to No. 1 Fengyu Bridge. Inquire with the locals, there is a small road at the back, leading to the highest point of the terraced fields, and the feeling of overlooking it is even better.
Miaozhai Old Street: There are brewery, batik workshop, silver jewelry workshop and Guzang hall in the old street. Don't miss it if you are interested in Miao culture.
In addition, there are many distinctive restaurants, teahouses, snack bars, handicraft shops, etc. on the old streets of Miao Village... just strolling leisurely, you will find it very interesting.
Take a group of Hmong photos:
Our original plan was to assemble a suit of clothes in the Miao Village, and then take a photo of ourselves. After all, we are quite confident in our photography skills. However, the owner of the inn recommended to me a studio that specializes in Miao village travel photography. After seeing the samples, I was very satisfied. There are traditional and modern styles, not rustic at all, so I ordered a set immediately.
Facts have proved: this choice is correct. The photographer is very good at framing the scene. It is very clear where the film can be produced, and the efficiency is very high. The makeup artist is also good, the makeup is not too heavy, it is quite fresh. Moreover, the clothes here are much better than the ones rented for tens of dollars outside. I took the cheapest package: 9 retouched photos for 398 yuan, including clothing styling. Please see the picture below, I am quite satisfied with it personally.
Sarah's thoughts:
Drums are sacred to the Miao people. The Miao people believe that there will be three souls after death, one of which lives in the drum. Therefore, the drums of the Miao family must not be played casually.
Because the stilted buildings of the Miao family are built on the mountain, it is inevitable to walk some mountain roads or climb stairs. It will be very slippery in rainy days, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.