Crossing over the valley floor at a height of over 625 meters, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou is the world’s highest bridge to date.
The bridge set a new record. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, acclaimed as “the world’s largest bridge both in height and span,” has not only set a new benchmark in global bridge construction but also marked a fresh milestone in Guizhou’s tourism development.
A new railway was launched. The Panzhou-Xingyi High-Speed Railway, connecting to the Shanghai-Kunming line, entered operations on November 28, 2025. This marks high-speed rail access to all cities across the province.
A village earned international praise. Huanggang in Liping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, was selected as a “Best Tourism Village” by the UN World Tourism Organization, once again showcasing the unique charm of Guizhou’s rural areas.
Many people from other regions settled in Guizhou. Tourists from Sichuan, Chongqing, Hunan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai have become “seasonal migrants,” drawn by Guizhou’s cool summers and warm winters. They have formed distinctive communities in cities like Guiyang, Zunyi, Anshun, and Liupanshui, living a comfortable life there.
These vivid snapshots attest to Guizhou’s increasingly extensive transportation network, its unique resources, and its growing popularity. They also sketch the trajectory of an upgrade from a tourism province to one which is extremely livable.
Sojourn in Guizhou
Lüju (travel-stay), a lifestyle that integrates living, tourism, leisure, vacation, and wellness, is redefining people’s pursuit of a better life.
Guizhou, with its vast mountain ranges and varied microclimates, boasts a floral kingdom with an extended flowering season. From China’s largest primitive azalea forest in Bijie City – renowned as the “Earth’s colorful ribbon” to the magnificent 1,600-hectare cherry blossom garden in Gui’an – hailed as the “most beautiful cherry blossom garden on the blue planet,” vibrant spring scenes and subtle fragrances are found everywhere.
Averaging 1,100 meters above sea level, an altitude considered beneficial for human health, and characterized by its unique karst landform and the Yunnan-Guizhou quasi-stationary front weather phenomenon, Guizhou enjoys a pleasant summer average temperature of just 23°C. In summer, with night rain followed by sunny days and refreshing breezes, the province becomes a natural “giant air conditioner” when heatwaves grip many other regions. Places like Liupanshui (19°C) and Anshun (21°C), offer optimum weather for well-being of migrants.
Autumn in Guizhou presents a spectacular display of colors, as forests transform into a magnificent tapestry across the mountains. In the Wumeng Mountains, red maple and yellow ginkgo leaves create a striking contrast, while the terraced fields of Wanfenglin, a scenic spot in Yingyi City, ripple with golden waves of rice plants. Strolling through these landscapes brings a feeling of inner and outer peace.
Influenced by factors such as latitude, altitude, and topography, winters in Guizhou are relatively mild. The southern sunny areas of Xingyi, Libo, Luodian, and Qinglong are particularly warm and pleasant, making them suitable for seasonal sojourning.
Guizhou is suitable for pleasant living regardless of the season.
The Village Super League, an amateur football tournament, has attracted 26 million spectators to Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, since it was launched in 2023.
Charm of Mountains and Rivers
Guizhou boasts exceptional air quality, with its nine major cities enjoying an average excellent or good air quality ratio exceeding 99 percent. The air is rich in negative oxygen ions, earning the province its reputation of a “natural oxygen bar.”
With over 330 days a year suitable for outdoor sports, Guizhou is a playground for adventure. It hosts well-known marathons and offers countless opportunities for rock climbing, drift boating on rivers, and trekking through the lush landscapes.
Also celebrated as a province of hot springs, Guizhou has 237 proven hot springs distributed across 77 cities, counties, and districts. The springs are noted for their high quality of water, rich in over 20 trace elements beneficial to human health, making them ideal for wellness.
The pristine natural landscape has nurtured Guizhou’s cultural diversity, forming a cultural archipelago where distinct traditions coexist harmoniously. In Guizhou, the red culture born out of China’s revolutionary past inspires the spirit of endeavor, while the Yangming culture, with a history of 500 years, encourages open-mindedness, ethnic cultures showcase unity in diversity, and the local Tenpu culture, with a history of 600 years, carries forward the devotion to family and country.
The province is home to 18 indigenous ethnic groups who live in harmony, celebrating over 1,400 ethnic festivals annually. Vibrant community-level sports events like Village BA and Village Super League brilliantly integrate basketball and football with local ethnic customs, creating a unique sports culture.
Traditional Chinese villages and ethnic minority communities are scattered across the land, offering serene soothing retreats. Qiandongnan has been listed by UNESCO as one of the world’s top 10 tourism destinations for “returning to simplicity and embracing nature,” acclaimed as “a home for the weary human soul.”
The one-of-a-kind ecological environment forms the backdrop for wholesome living. It also provides superior conditions for Guizhou’s digital economy. Empowered by technology, life becomes much smarter, allowing one to revel in the convenience of technology amidst encircling mountains and flowing waters.
The comprehensive immersive digital performances Red Ribbon and Historic Turning Point are “twin stars” of China’s Long March cultural display, created through upholding tradition while innovating with technology. They transport people across time and space, evoking reflections of epic historical moments. Other projects like Night Tour of Huangguoshu and Night Tour of Zhenyuan also reshape the modern significance of tourism via technology.
The China Sky Eye (500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope) rests quietly among the mountains, extending humanity’s gaze over 13 billion light-years into the depths of the universe. In addition, with technologies like mixed reality and virtual reality in the science center, visitors can take a virtual step into the vast cosmos, freely navigating among nebulae.
Thanks to technological innovations, Guizhou has constructed over 30,000 bridges amidst its towering mountains and rugged terrain. Nearly half of the world’s top 100 highest bridges are located here, with world-class bridge engineering projects providing their own beautiful landscape spanning natural chasms.
A corner of the city Liupanshui, the “Cool Capital” of China.
Natural Ingredients Everywhere
The mountains and waters of Guizhou are not just landscapes; they are also a garden of natural ingredients. Seasonal delicacies take turns to appear, with their sour, spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavors awakening the palate, allowing people to fully enjoy the refreshing delight of local food.
Guizhou has established six national standardized production bases for raw green food. It boasts 154 agricultural products with geographical indications, 558 green food certifications, and 1,596 organic product certifications. High-quality green food is produced throughout the region, offering nutritious and healthy delicacies to enjoy every day.
As the saying goes, “Guizhou abounds in potent herbs.” With 6,352 types of medicinal herb resources, the province is one of China’s four major production areas for traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. The therapies of Miao and Dong ethnic medicine are magical. The Yao herbal bath in Congjiang revitalizes body and mind, while the tea moxibustion of Fenggang promotes blood circulation and boosts vitality.
The ancient wisdom of “food and medicine sharing the same origin” has been passed down here for millennia. Gastrodia elata, reishi mushroom, and eucommia bark, hailed as the “three treasures of Guizhou,” have excellent nourishing effects. Meanwhile, prickly pears are the “king of vitamin c.” Fish mint is both a vegetable and a potent medicine for clearing body heat and detoxifying. Dendrobium officinale nourishes the stomach and protects the liver, while coix seeds are a fine remedy for combating the dampness of long summer and the spleen-weakening chill of autumn.
In every county town in Guizhou, from Lao Gan Ma chili sauce to sour fish soup, and from Su Gua Dou soup to Chang Wang noodle (noodles with pork intestines and blood curd), hundreds of flavors await you, each with its own distinctive taste.
Guizhou is also the world’s largest production cluster for sauce-aroma spirits and a production region for world-class high-quality green tea. A shot of fine spirits derives its mellow aroma from the unique qualities of the Chishui River, while a cup of fragrant tea gains its clear, elegant character from the nourishment of the mist and clouds atop the high mountains.
Owning a House in Guizhou
Today, Guizhou continues to enrich its tourism offerings, enhance service standards, build the new cultural tourism brand of “Colorful Guizhou,” expand and strengthen the local culture tourism industry, and promote the high-quality development of the residential tourism industry.
Leveraging its ecological and cultural advantages, Guizhou guides enterprises like the Guizhou Tourism Industry Development Group to turn urban and rural real estate resources into residential tourism properties around summer retreats, forests, and hot springs that are affordably priced. The government has also integrated public service resources in culture and healthcare, to provide high-quality services for long-term visitors.
As a transportation hub in southwest China, Guizhou has built a complete integrated transportation system of aviation, high-speed rail, and expressways. Connectivity to every township, village, and streets has made travel more convenient. Tailor-made tour services have made “fast travel and slow tourism” a reality.
Guizhou is focusing on building a one-stop service platform and implementing a multi-day pass system for state-owned A-grade tourist attractions. The government cracks down on all types of illegal business activities, and improves the service and support system, ensuring that every aspect of travels in the province is secure, convenient, and comfortable.
To vigorously develop residential tourism and build a nationally first-class residence-tourism destination, Guizhou is poised to introduce a series of guidelines to promote the development of residence-tourism real estate, foster a favorable business environment, and welcome capable and visionary market players to participate.
Today’s Guizhou not only unfolds a poetic natural picture, but also surges with golden opportunities for the development of the residence-tourism industry. This land, capable of nurturing both body and mind, awaits your arrival with the utmost sincerity! 
LU YONGZHENG is a member of the Standing Committee of the Guizhou Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and head of the Publicity Department of the Guizhou Provincial Committee of the CPC.
