Guizhou sits in China's south-west, a province of layered karst mountains, terraced fields and some of the country's richest minority cultures. In August 2026 it gained its first themed tourist train, Colorful Guizhou, a moving base for exploring the waterfalls, sacred peaks and Miao and Dong villages that most overseas itineraries skip.
Highlights
Huangguoshu Waterfall
Asia's largest waterfall, near Anshun, the centrepiece of the 'People' scroll.
Fanjing Mountain
A UNESCO sacred peak, the 'Spirit' scroll, with rare temperate flora and a sky temple.
Libo Karst
UNESCO karst forests, lakes and the 'Water' scroll in southern Guizhou.
Xijiang Miao Village
The world's largest Miao village: stilt houses, silverwork and living minority culture.
FAST Telescope
The Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Telescope at Pingtang, the 'Star' scroll.
Liupanshui & Wumeng
The cool-summer highlands of the 'Cloud' scroll, with the Yi Torch Festival and Caohai wetlands.
The train that explores Guizhou
Guizhou is served by Colorful Guizhou (Duocai Guizhou), the province's first themed tourist train, launched by the Guizhou Tourism Group in August 2026 around a 'rail plus mountain tourism' idea. Organised as the 'Six Scrolls of Guizhou' - Mountain, Cloud, Water, People, Spirit and Star - it packages the province's karst scenery, minority cultures and heritage into a series of short, comfortable rail journeys. From 1 September 2026 the same brand also runs an 18-day Guizhou-to-Xinjiang corridor, 'Splendid Rivers and Mountains, a Panorama of Xinjiang', linking the tropical south to the Silk Road west in a single booked journey.
Colorful Guizhou
Guizhou's first themed tourist train: six 'scrolls', sleeper cabins, an observation dining car and carriage butler service.
Best time to go
Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) are the most comfortable, with mild temperatures and clear light on the karst. Summer is warm but wet, and also the coolest escape in the highlands: Liupanshui, the 'cool capital', averages around 19°C, making the Cloud Scroll a genuine summer retreat. Winter is quiet and misty, best for the lowlands and the cities.
Practical notes
- Colorful Guizhou is positioned for the domestic market today; overseas travellers should book through an English-speaking channel that verifies inclusions and availability before departure.
- The province is mountainous and the journeys are short loops; pack for mild, changeable weather and some stair-climbing at villages and waterfalls.
- Minority festivals - Miao, Dong, Yi, Buyi - run through the year; ask which coincide with your sailing.
- Fanjing Mountain reaches 2,572 metres; the summit boardwalk is exposed, so pick a clear day and wear good shoes.