Apart from Zunyi and Chishui, Northern Guizhou is not commonly frequented by tourists at large. It borders Sichuan, Chongqing, and Hunan provinces but has no major airport and only one main expressway.
The area around the town of Chishui in northwest Guizhou is the best part of northern Guizhou. It is a stunning region of waterfalls and otherworldly vegetation and comes with good hiking. Shizhangdong Falls in the Shizhangdong Scenic Area, which is about 40kms from Chishui, is the main attraction. These falls are massive in height, breadth and volume.
Sidonggou Valley is closer to Chishui and has the Sidonggou Nature Park, where there is excellent hiking amid Jurassic-like forest. Jinshagou nature area is another popular attraction in this region.
The main towns are Zunyi, with its old town; Chishui City on the Sichuan border with access to the nature areas; and Tongren, in central Guizhou and surrounded by many ethnic villages.
Getting There & Away
Zunyi is the main city in northern Guizhou and lies roughly in the center of the region. There is a small airport but trains and buses are the best way in. Zunyi is on the Guiyang-Chongqing rail line and the Nanning-Chongqing Expressway. The closest major airports are in Guiyang (the Guizhou capital) to the south and Chongqing (Chongqing Province) to the north. Guiyang’s airport serves Macau, Hong Kong and Beijing (2 hours, 40 minutes).