Welcome to Chongzuo, Guangxi's last hidden mountain and water paradise, experience the wonderful feeling of "stepping across two countries with one foot"

Chongzuo 3-day 2-night high cost-performance travel guide, budget precisely controlled within 2000 RMB (for two people), only 1000 RMB per person, featuring cross-border waterfalls, pastoral poetry, karst landscapes, and border customs. Suitable for couples, best friends, or families with children, with a relaxed pace and stunning scenery, allowing you to enjoy a high-end experience at the lowest cost!

📍 Destination Introduction
Chongzuo, the southwestern border gem of Guangxi, connected to Vietnam’s mountains and waters. Here you can find:
- 🌊 Detian Transnational Waterfall — Asia’s largest transnational waterfall, magnificent and imposing
- 🏞️ Mingshi Pastoral — "Little Guilin of the South," with poetic rice fields, peak forests, and small rivers
- 🐘 White-headed Langur Nature Reserve — the only place in the world to observe this rare primate up close
- 🏯 Tongling Grand Canyon (optional) — primeval forest + underground caves + hundred-meter waterfalls

The city is low-key, prices are affordable, and the scenery is pristine, making it a highly cost-effective short vacation destination in South China.

💰 Budget Overview (for two people, economical and comfortable)

| Item | Cost (RMB) |
|------|------------|
| Round-trip transportation (high-speed train + local transport) | 800 (400 RMB/person) |
| Accommodation (2 nights, boutique pastoral homestay) | 600 (300 RMB/night) |
| Meals (3 days, authentic southwestern Guangxi flavors) | 400 (about 130 RMB/day) |
| Attraction tickets + experiences + local transport | 180 (includes Detian + Mingshi + bamboo rafting) |
| Others (insurance, souvenirs, drinking water) | 20 |
| Total | About 2000 RMB |

✅ 1000 RMB per person, good accommodation, delicious food, beautiful photos, top cost-performance

🗓 Itinerary Overview (3 days 2 nights, relaxed pace)

| Day | Theme | Accommodation |
|------|-------|---------------|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Chongzuo → Mingshi Pastoral cycling + sunset | Mingshi Pastoral boutique homestay |
| Day 2 | In-depth tour of Detian Transnational Waterfall | Same as above |
| Day 3 | White-headed Langur exploration + return trip | —— |

> ✅ Suitable for: couples, families, best friends, photography enthusiasts

📅 Detailed Itinerary

✅ Day 1: Arrive in Chongzuo, step into the "mountain and water painting of the China-Vietnam border"

Transportation suggestions:
- Take the high-speed train from Nanning East Station to Chongzuo South Station (about 40 minutes, ticket price 50 RMB/person)
- Chongzuo South Station → Daxin County Mingshi Pastoral:
- Taxi/carpool about 80 RMB/person (1.5 hours)
- Or take a bus to Daxin County town, then transfer to a minibus to Mingshi

Recommended departure time: depart in the morning, arrive before noon

Noon: Check into pastoral homestay + lunch and rest
- Recommended homestays: "Mingshi Na’an" or "Shanshuiju Boutique Inn"
- Room type: pastoral view king room (with balcony, tea table)
- Price: 280-350 RMB/night, this trip chooses 300 RMB level (including breakfast for two)
- Advantage: window opens to rice fields, fall asleep listening to stream, great for photos

Lunch recommendation:
- Homestay restaurant or "Mingshi Farmhouse"
- Must-try: five-color glutinous rice, lemon duck, stuffed snails, banana leaf grilled fish
- Per person: 50 RMB

Afternoon: Slow life experience in Mingshi Pastoral
- Free area stroll: rice field paths, bamboo forest, small bridges and flowing water
- Recommended experiences:
- 🚴 Tandem bicycle rental (20 RMB/hour)
- 🛶 Bamboo raft drifting (60 RMB/person, about 30 minutes)
- Drift on the clear river, karst peaks reflected on both sides like a painting
- Kids’ favorite activity!

Evening:
- Climb Mingshi Pavilion viewing platform to watch the sunset, golden rice fields + distant mountain silhouettes
- Photo spots: couple holding hands crossing the rice ridge, bamboo raft silhouette, stilted houses under the sunset

Dinner:
- Homestay farmhouse feast, can add homemade rice wine or sugarcane juice

✅ Day 2: Detian Transnational Waterfall — Asia’s number one cross-border wonder

Theme: spectacular + border + culture

Transportation:
- Mingshi → Detian Waterfall: taxi about 60 RMB (30 minutes)
- Or join a local day tour carpool group (80 RMB/person, including pick-up and drop-off)

Ticket policy:
- Detian Waterfall Scenic Area: 115 RMB/person (10 RMB discount if purchased online in advance)
- Bamboo raft boat (must-try): 300 RMB/boat (8 people max)
- Close to the waterfall core, feel the mist on your face, maximum shock
- Recommended to share a boat, about 40 RMB per person
- Electric cart: 10 RMB/person (optional)

Tour highlights:
- 🌊 Experience the three-tier transnational waterfall up close, water rushing down from Vietnam
- 📸 Recommended photo spots:
- Front view looking up at the waterfall
- Photo with China-Vietnam No. 53 boundary marker (do not cross the border)
- Capture splashing water on the bamboo raft
- 🎒 Experience the "Vietnam Market" (outside the scenic area, selling coffee, slippers, dried fruits)

Lunch:
- Farmhouse outside the scenic area: "Detian Family"
- Recommended: Vietnamese spring rolls, sour soup fish, fried rice noodles, about 40 RMB per person

Afternoon:
- Finish tour before 3:00 PM, return to Mingshi or go directly to Chongzuo city

✅ Day 3: White-headed Langur exploration or easy return trip

> ⚠️ If time allows, recommend adding this stop; if you want to relax, return directly

Morning: White-headed Langur Nature Reserve (best for families/educational)
- Location: Fusui County, about 1.5 hours from Mingshi by car (taxi about 120 RMB)
- Ticket: 80 RMB/person
- Highlights:
- 🐒 The only place in the world to observe white-headed langurs up close (national first-class protected animal)
- 🌿 Walk along the plank road, listen to guides tell ecological protection stories
- 📚 Suitable for children: nature education + animal observation

Or alternative: Tongling Grand Canyon (nature lovers’ first choice)
- Ticket: 115 RMB/person
- Highlights: primeval forest, underground river, 188-meter waterfall, cave exploration

Return arrangements:
- Mingshi/Reserve → Chongzuo South Station: taxi or carpool
- Chongzuo South Station → Nanning East: high-speed train return (ticket 50 RMB/person)
- Recommended departure before 2:00 PM to avoid evening rush hour

🍽 Chongzuo must-try food list (recommended for two people sharing)

| Name | Specialty | Recommended place |
|------|-----------|------------------|
| Five-color glutinous rice | Plant-dyed, fragrant, sweet and soft | Mingshi Farmhouse |
| Lemon duck | Sour and spicy, lemon-flavored | Local restaurants |
| Stuffed snails | Snail meat mixed with pork, unique flavor | Night market stalls |
| Banana leaf grilled fish | Wrapped in banana leaves, fragrant | Homestay dinner |
| Vietnamese coffee | Rich and mellow, drip brewed slowly | Border market |

🎒 Pre-trip preparation checklist

- ID card, child household register (if any)
- Comfortable sports shoes (stone paths + light hiking)
- Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- Rain gear (disposable raincoat preferred, heavy waterfall mist)
- Waterproof camera bag (for waterfall photos)
- Small amount of cash (for villages, small stalls)
- Families with children can bring: small binoculars, nature exploration cards

📸 Photo tips (designed for couples/families)

- 🌅 Mingshi Pastoral: rice field sunset + holding hands silhouette
- 🛶 Bamboo raft drifting: sitting opposite at the bow + mountain and water reflections
- 🌊 Detian Waterfall: looking up at the water curtain + splashing water
- 🚣 Bamboo raft boat: photo with China-Vietnam boundary marker (follow rules)
- 🐒 White-headed Langur: telephoto lens to capture lively moments

✅ Why recommend Chongzuo?

- 🌄 Detian Waterfall = China’s version of “Iguazu,” but quieter
- 🏞️ Mingshi Pastoral = real-life “Wizard of Oz,” perfect for family fun
- 🐒 White-headed Langur = rare ecological resource, natural classroom for kids
- 💰 2000 RMB for a high-quality trip for two, unbeatable cost-performance
- 🚆 1 hour direct from Nanning, ideal for a weekend mini-vacation
- 🌏 Unique border customs, experience the wonder of "stepping across two countries with one foot"