Guian

Guian (also written Gui'an) is one of China's newest and most unusual destinations. Established as a National New Area in 2014, it is a planned eco-city built in the mountains of Guizhou Province with ambitious sustainability targets. But beneath the modern infrastructure lies a landscape of extraordinary natural beauty and genuine cultural depth — the Huaxi River Scenic Area preserves pristine mountain streams, karst formations, and traditional Miao and Buyi minority villages.

The area is most famous in China for its spring cherry blossom displays — the mountain slopes surrounding Guian turn pink each March, drawing visitors from across the province. The Huaxi River Valley offers excellent hiking and cycling through a landscape of cascading streams, traditional stone villages, and terraced fields. The Tianhe Lake area provides a peaceful mountain retreat.

Guian represents an interesting window into China's approach to planned sustainable development — the new city districts showcase green architecture and urban planning, while the surrounding villages maintain traditional minority culture and agriculture. It is not a destination for those seeking well-trodden tourism infrastructure, but offers genuine discovery for adventurous visitors.

From Guiyang (Guizhou's capital): 30–40 minutes by high-speed train or expressway. Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport (KWE) has extensive domestic connections and some international routes. High-speed trains connect Guiyang to Chongqing (1.5 hours), Kunming (2 hours), Guangzhou (4 hours), and Shanghai (7 hours).

Accommodation in Guian ranges from modern eco-hotels in the new city area to traditional village guesthouses in the Huaxi Valley. Guiyang city (30 minutes away) has the widest range of international hotels and is a practical base for day trips to Guian.

Guian is most rewarding as part of a broader Guizhou itinerary that includes Guiyang, the Huangguoshu Waterfall (China's largest), and the extraordinary Miao and Dong minority villages of southeastern Guizhou. Allow at least 4–5 days to explore Guizhou Province properly.