March in Chongzuo｜The Right Way to Stay in a Landscape Painting

Visiting Chongzuo in March is totally worth it
Fewer people, cleaner scenery: avoiding the crowds of May Day and Qingming travel groups
Must-visit: no need to fight for bamboo rafts at Detian Waterfall
Cycling in Mingshi Pastoral to cover the entire karst peak forest
Every snapshot looks like a National Geographic aerial shot

Perfect climate: spring cool season with 20℃+, hiking without sweating, cycling without sunburn, and basically all the flowers that should bloom are blooming, no problem finding rapeseed flower fields like in The Journey of Flower.
Day 1: Relax at Lishi
The most anticipated Chongzuo Lishi on this trip, a 270° scenic bomb: floor-to-ceiling windows facing "Little Guilin," soaking in a black gold natural stone bathtub with karst landforms as a private backdrop.
Off-season with fewer people, the hotel offers a view at every step, every photo is a beautiful scene, it feels like living inside a painting, this is what it means to be a traveler in a painting.
Mingshi Pastoral cycling: covering the aerial pastoral scenery, rent a bike to shuttle through rice fields and peak forests, and encounter bamboo rafts like in The Journey of Flower.
Shanhe Scenic Coffee: take a break during cycling, order a cup of Vietnamese drip coffee, and shoot an Instagram-style masterpiece of "mountain reflection + coffee cup" at the viewing platform.
🍴 Food recommendations:
- Dinner at the hotel’s "Riverside BBQ Dinner," grilled black-haired pork with sour and spicy sauce, paired with Zhuang ethnic glutinous rice wine, tipsy under the starry sky is super healing
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Day 2: Border Adventure Day｜Waterfalls + Secret Spots
Charter a car to Tongnawan: row a transparent glass boat early morning to explore "Little Jiuzhaigou," with blue-green layered water and clearly visible underwater stalactites.
Detian Transnational Waterfall VIP experience: avoid crowds by booking the Lishi Hotel’s private waterfall-viewing tea room, enjoy afternoon tea while watching the rushing China-Vietnam border river.
Hidden bonus: head to Shuolong Town in the evening for the border folk market, hunt for Vietnamese coffee and rosewood crafts, full fun bargaining.
🍴 Food recommendations:
- Lunch at Detian Scenic Area’s "Bojie Banquet," sour bamboo shoot beef offal + five-color glutinous rice + lemongrass grilled fish, sour and spicy to whet the appetite
- Dinner back in the city with "Vietnamese Baguette Sandwich," crispy bread stuffed with pork and green papaya shreds, bursting with Southeast Asian flavor
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Day 3: Cultural Leisure Day｜Ancient Charm + Taste Explosion
Huashan Rock Art exploration: take a boat on the Zuo River to see thousand-year-old Zhuang rock paintings, the sacrificial scenes on the murals are full of mystery, wear Hanfu to shoot "ancient and modern dialogue" masterpieces.
Friendship Pass historical tour: climb the ancient China-Vietnam border pass, wear Qipao/Ao Dai to take vintage photos in front of the French old post office, pretending to be in Vietnam.
Chongzuo market street shopping: spend the last half day rushing to "Jiangzhou Farmers’ Market," buy sour snacks (pickled mango + plums), Longzhou betel nut powder, pack as souvenirs.
🍴 Food recommendations:
Breakfast must-have "rolled rice noodles + Vietnamese coffee," recommended Longzhou delicious rolled rice noodle shop, the sour and spicy sauce is exceptional.
Lunch check-in at "Zhuang-style roast suckling pig," crispy skin and tender meat dipped in sugar, paired with sour porridge to cut the grease, a local secret spot: Taiping Ancient City Zhuang Flavor Restaurant.