What to see in Zhaoxing and Tang'an: An authentic route through China's Dong villages (2026)

In this article we share everything what to see in Zhaoxing and Tang'an, two of the China's most authentic Dong villagesOn our second trip through China, we decided to include this stop between Chongqing and Guilin, and it was one of the best decisions of the trip. Zhaoxing is famous for its impressive Wooden Drum Towers, its wind and rain bridges, and terraced rice paddies that surround it. And right above it is Tang'an, which is reached after a Spectacular walk through rice paddies And it's even more peaceful and authentic. We'll share our experience and all the logistics so you can... travel to Zhaoxing independentlyDon't miss the video at the end!

To make reading easier, below is an index with the key points of this guide: entry logistics, what to see in the town, details of the route to Tang'an, the itinerary with our hoteland the links you need to Book trains and your eSIM at a discount.

How to get to Zhaoxing and inbound logistics

Zhaoxing is located in Guizhou province. Although it's in a very rural area, getting there by high-speed train is surprisingly easy. The nearest train station is Congjiang (从江站).

• Our journey: We came from Chongqing, so we took a direct bullet train which took about 4 hours to get to Chongqing station.
• From other cities: It's very well connected. It's less than 1 hour from Guilin (Our next stop). Remember to always book your tickets in advance through Trip.com.

Once you arrive at Congjiang Station, Zhaoxing is only about a 15-20 minute drive away. There are public minibuses outside the station, but in our case Our accommodation included round-trip transportation.which we highly recommend for convenience.

Entrance fee to Zhaoxing and the viewpoint

On the way to the village, our driver took us to the ticket booths (located before entering the grounds) where tourists wishing to stay overnight in Zhaoxing can purchase passes. Entry costs 80 yuan per adult (about €10) and is valid for 4 full daysTo access you need the passportSo always carry it with you. Once paid, you can move freely throughout the grounds and the town streets, as well as take the minibus to get around Zhaoxing that we show you in the video.

What to see in Zhaoxing: the village of the Dong minority

We organized our visit by spending just one nightThe first thing we recommend you do is go to Zhaoxing panoramic viewpointIdeal for getting your first visual impression of the valley. We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the village on foot. to immerse ourselves in the local atmosphere, get lost in its narrow streets and appreciate its traditional architecture.

The most distinctive thing to see in Zhaoxing are its Five Drum Towers (Drum Towers). They are impressive wooden structures, built without a single nail, which represent the five original families or clans of the village (Benevolence, Justice, Courtesy, Wisdom, and Trust). Also, don't miss the precious "Bridges of Wind and Rain" that cross the river that divides the village, where local elders often sit and chat.

As you stroll through the village, take a look at the hand-dyed fabrics in indigo blue hanging all over the streets, drying in the air. This The artisanal dyeing technique is an ancient tradition of the Dong ethnic group. and the most authentic souvenir you can take home from Zhaoxing.

Another element that caught our attention was the community wells which we find both in Zhaoxing, on the way to Tang'an, and also within Tang'an itself. They are a central element of Dong life: clan meeting points where neighbors gather to fetch water, wash, and chat. They are still in active use today, which speaks volumes about the level of preservation of traditions in this corner of Guizhou.

As you'll see in the video below, we were lucky enough to witness a completely spontaneous event performance by one of the clans playing bamboo instruments Under its drum tower. Without prior notice, without a stage set up: local musicians gathering as they have been doing for hundreds of years. If you're patient and wander around the town at different times, you might experience it too. Those are the moments that make a trip worthwhile.

Route to Tang'an through the rice paddies: trekking and buses

The next morning we got up early to do the highlight of the area: the visit to Tang'an Dong Zhai and its surroundings, The perfect place to see rural China among rice terraces. Tang'an is a village located higher up in the mountains, which can be reached by walking or by transport.

Route from Zhaoxing to Tang'an

We decided to do the walking trail from Zhaoxing to Tang'anThe route is approximately 6,5 km. We take a few 3h in doing it, going at a leisurely pace and stopping to take a thousand photos.

💡 Local Guide Tips for the Trail:

• Footwear: You need appropriate footwear (hiking boots or shoes) because you will be walking on wet and slippery ground.
• Signaling: The trail to climb Tang'an It's not very well marked.We recommend using a hiking app like Maps.me or Wikiloc to avoid getting lost crossing the rice paddies. The trailhead was very close to our hotel.
• You can do it uphill (like we did) or, if you prefer to avoid the positive elevation gain, take the bus up and walk down.

During the walk we discovered one of the most surprising curiosities in the entire area: Fish swimming among the rice plants in the rice paddies. It's no coincidence. The Dong have practiced for centuries simultaneous cultivation of rice and fish (稻田鱼, dàotián yú), an ancient technique in which Fish fertilize the fields, control pests, and feed on insects. The same fish you see swimming among the rice during the day appear at night in the typical local soup. a perfect symbiosis between agriculture and gastronomy that has been working for more than 1.300 years.

What to see in Tang'an

Tang'an village is absolutely worth a visit. It's much smaller and quieter than Zhaoxing, with hardly any tourism, and its Traditional wooden houses on stilts integrated among the rice paddies They make it especially photogenic. We saw its drum tower, the communal well right next to it, and the central square full of locals eating lunch. We sat for a while with a local old woman who played the Pipa Dong (侗族琵琶) for usThe traditional lute of the ethnic group. We also took the opportunity to have a coffee with a view and buy some freshly baked baozi. A priceless glimpse of rural Chinese life.

Zhaoxing – Tang'an bus schedule and price

If you don't want to walk (or if you prefer to only walk one way), there is an official bus service. There is a large main bus that takes you from Zhaoxing to a point in Tang'an, and then you have to take a minibus. A smaller one is available for the journey along the narrower road above. The minibus distance isn't very long, so if you'd like to walk that final stretch, that's perfectly fine.

Regarding the price: the main bus ticket costs 20 yuan per adult (about €2,5) round tripWe were told at the hotel, where we bought the tickets, that it's not possible to purchase just the one-way trip. The minibus for the final leg is separate. We recommend asking directly at your accommodation upon arrival, as they can arrange it for you without any problems.

Here are the times we photographed there (subject to change, but to give you an idea of ​​the frequency):

• Departures from Zhaoxing (Uphill): Buses run every half hour from 8:00 a.m. to 18:30 p.m. pm.
• Departures from Tang'an (Descent): Buses run every half hour from 8:30 a.m. to 20:00 p.m. (the last service). We took the bus back and the journey took less than 20 minutes.

Where to stay in Zhaoxing: Our recommended hotel

Something very important to know when planning this part of your trip to China is that You won't find many Zhaoxing accommodations available on Western platforms., so we recommend Book your room well in advance and make sure they accept international touristsWe stayed in a four-star boutique hotel. with views of the Drum Tower (around €85/night) and you'll find it We recommend it 100%. for many reasons:

• Strategic location: It's away from the noise and bustle of the main center (you'll appreciate the peace and quiet for sleeping).
• Views and coffee: From the hotel you have beautiful views of one of the Drum Towers. And they also have specialty coffee to gather strength before the trek!

• Ideal starting point: It is located very close to where the trail to walk up to Tang'an begins.
• Transfer included: They sent a car to pick us up at Congjiang station (they also drove us on our departure day) and accompanied us to buy our tickets to the village. A thoughtful touch that makes all the difference when you arrive in such a rural place.

💡 In this very rural accommodation The sockets were not compatible.as in the rest of the hotels in China, so Remember to bring your universal adapter. Incidentally, it doesn't have an elevator either, but we doubt that accommodations here have this type of technology.

Where to eat in Zhaoxing

Along the riverbank and main streets, you'll find dozens of restaurants and local food stalls that light their grills and lanterns as night falls. The star dish of Dong cuisine is... fish soup (酸汤鱼)and in Zhaoxing they serve it with the fish that are raised in the rice paddies Cooked in a sweet and sour broth with local spices. Simple, authentic, and absolutely delicious. It's what we had for dinner, and we highly recommend you order it.

In our YouTube video below, we tell you and show you in detail where we decided to have dinner so you have a reliable reference. The food is fantastic!

Video on what to do in Zhaoxing and Tang'an: our complete guide

In the following video of our YouTube channel You have the complete visual guide on How we got to Zhaoxing, what the hiking route was like, our hotel, where to have dinner, and all the corners of the villageSubscribe and don't miss the rest of our China trip list!

📱 Internet in China: eSIM with built-in VPN (a must)

To plan routes like Tang'an using GPS maps, to communicate with hotels, and to use the translator in Zhaoxing restaurants, you absolutely need a stable internet connection. We always use Holafly, which offers unlimited data with a built-in VPNThis allows you to bypass Chinese censorship and use WhatsApp, Instagram, or Google Maps normally. You have a 5% discount guaranteed with the code LOCALGUIDEGRANCANARIA or by accessing it from the following button:

🏥 Travel insurance for China (5% discount)

Healthcare for foreigners in China is not cheap, and above all, the language barrier in a medical emergency can be a huge headache. We We always travel with IATI medical insurance. When hiking through rice paddies like the 6,5 km route we described, we recommend the policy IATI Backpackingwhich includes specific protection for trekking. You have a 5% discount for being our reader:

We hope this This guide on what to see in Zhaoxing will encourage you to include this rural corner in your China itinerary.Here are some useful links to help you plan your trip.

By the way, we also have full articles about the other stops on our route through the country: