7 Days in Qianxinan

Land at Xingyi's airport or HSR station; Wanfenglin and Malinghe belong to the xingyi pages, so this loop runs the rest of the prefecture. Pick up a car and drive an hour north to Xingren.

1. qianxinan xingyi hub

An alpine pasture at about 1,600 metres above the county seat, with walkways, horse lines and long views; winds are stiff, bring a layer even in summer.

1. qianxinan xingren fangmaping

About 1.5 hours north, the 1930s wartime road strings 24 hairpins across some 4 km of hillside; the upper viewing deck shows the full switchback and the film-set Annan Old Town waits below.

1. qianxinan qinglong 24 bends
2. qianxinan annan old town

An hour south to the two karst cones of Shuangrufeng, about 260 metres tall, then the Sancha River reservoir for walkways and a night under the same peaks.

1. qianxinan shuangrufeng
2. qianxinan sancha river

The stone causeway of 1694 runs about 300 m through lotus ponds peaking in July-August; the Tomb of the Eighteen Gentlemen records 18 officials killed in 1654 when the Yongli court sat here.

1. qianxinan zhaodi causeway
2. qianxinan eighteen gentlemen tomb

About 1.5 hours northeast, Ceheng's Bouyei villages open batik and embroidery workshops; festival dates such as the third day of the third lunar month bring the 'eight sounds' ensemble out.

1. qianxinan ceheng bouyei villages

Wangmo is the prefecture's far southeast corner, 1-2 hours beyond Ceheng — river valleys and Bouyei hamlets, honestly remote. Keep the evening free — Xingyi's airport is 2.5-3 hours back by expressway.

1. qianxinan wangmo bouyei country