Travel City Feature: Guiyang

The booming capital of one of China’s poorest provinces, Guiyang embodies many of Guizhou’s most enchanting attributes – friendly people, fine food, a passion for leisure, and an abundance of natural beauty – and ties it all together with urban finesse.

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The downtown of this “Forest City” may not quite be an Ewok paradise, but encircling forests earn Guiyang its evocative nickname. Just a few minutes from the urban center, tribes of wild macaques roam the mountains of Qianling Park 黔灵公园 (RMB 5) and barter photogenic monkey fun for snacks. The peak offers panoramic views of office towers rising amidst green karsts.

Cuiwei Ge 翠微阁 attracts tourists by day, but by night this Ming-era official’s mansion becomes a peaceful (and ticket-free) retreat. Relax over a cup of tea at Suihanyuan Teahouse 岁寒园茶舍 (+851 551 8250), where the tables are comfortably spread out, tucked into little pavilions or overlooking the Nanming River below. For a less serene take on the city’s nightlife, Guiyang’s bar street, Qianling Donglu 黔灵东路, is raucous any night of the week.

Shop
The ethnic minorities that make up almost 40 percent of Guizhou’s population work wonders with embroidery, silver, batik and more. Their bold, fanciful designs can be found at Qian Cui Hang 黔粹行, which also features other local specialties like beef jerky (143 Ruijin Beilu; +851 650 4769, http://qch.dcsq.cn).

Eat
For a singularly satisfying breakfast, start your day at Fat Sister Wu’s Douhua Noodles 胖姐吴记豆花面 (180 Guanshui Lu 观水路; 139 8411 8701). This old favorite has been making Guizhou province’s best douhua mian for decades. One must try it to understand the unique combination of flavors – wide noodles and delicate soft tofu served in warm soymilk, paired with a rich dipping sauce of peanuts, chillies and fresh mint leaves.

Siwawa (丝娃娃) is Guiyang’s interactive challenge to the ordinary spring roll and the Vietnamese summer roll. Roll up any and all of a dozen julienned vegetable fillings, from wild fern to sweet radish, in an impossibly thin Beijing duck-style wrapper, and finish off with a dash of tangy dipping sauce. Ten wrappers (RMB 6) are sufficient for a light meal at Auntie Yang’s Siwawa 杨姨妈丝娃娃 (214-2 Feishan Jie 飞山街; +851 528 9558).

A feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, Zui Miao Xiang 醉苗乡 (Kaifa Dasha, 88 Feishan Jie; +851 528 8088) woos diners with delicious suantang yu – fish simmered in a fragrant, tomato-based broth. Powerful Guizhou flavors emanate from every millimeter of this opulent restaurant, its divine dishes matched by colorful Miao tapestries and silverwork, as well as two actual Guizhou dinosaur fossils.

Sleep
Beds don’t come cheap in Guiyang, which prides itself on lavish hospitality. Reasonably affordable luxury (RMB 880-1,680; low season RMB 398-688), an outdoor swimming pool and free broadband Internet can be found at the four-star Regal Hotel 丽豪大饭店, near Qianling Park (115 Ruijin Beilu; +851 652 1888).

For those living lightly, Homytel 好美特酒店, has modern, simple rooms (RMB 168-368) and free broadband Internet (11 Ruijin Zhonglu; www.homytel.com).

Tips
With mild temperatures year-round, Guiyang is a great escape from Beijing’s intense winters and summers. But come prepared for frequent rain, especially in late spring and summer.

Walking everywhere is not only inexpensive and healthy but also a delicious way to explore the compact city, as street snacks abound.