Unlock an immersive experience of thousands of lantern-lit households and Miao culture!

💡 【Quick Facts】
✅ Ticket Policy:
- Entrance: ¥90 (includes museum, Gage Ancient Alley, etc.)
- Sightseeing bus: ¥20/4 rides (extra rides ¥5/ride), covering key spots like viewing deck and wind-rain bridges
- Free entry: Children under 6, seniors over 65, active military/emergency personnel (ID required)

✅ Best Times:
- Dawn/dusk: Capture misty mornings or lantern-lit nights at the viewing deck (30 mins after sunset for "blue hour" magic)
- Festivals: Miao New Year (10th lunar month), New Rice Festival (6th lunar month) – try "12-blocking-door" liquor ceremonies and Lusheng dances

✅ Transport Guide:
- High-speed rail: Guiyang North → Kaili South (40min, ¥58.5), then shuttle bus (¥35/pax) or carpool (¥30/pax) to North/West Gate
- Drive: Navigate to "Xijiang Miao Village", parking ¥10-25/day

1. Must-See Spots & Experiences
① Viewing Deck: God’s-eye view of 1,000 glowing households
- Pro tips:
- Shoot at 6:00 AM for mist-clad stilt houses, or 7:00 PM as lights bloom like falling stars
- Avoid crowds: Terraces at nearby cafes (e.g., "Mountain House Café") offer same views with drink purchase

② Wind-Rain Bridges: Poetic corridors of Miao life
- No.3 Bridge (Youfang Bridge): Free nightly love-song duets (8:00-10:00 PM) across the river
- No.5 Bridge: Rent Miao costumes (¥50/set unlimited time) – red/blue embroidered silver accessories = photo gold

③ Cultural Deep Dive
- Miao Museum: Free (9:00 AM-5:30 PM), highlights "Drum Sacrifice" rituals & century-old bird-feather costumes – guides bring exhibits alive
- Gage Ancient Alley: Oil-paper umbrella lane + mural corridor, try batik scarf-making (¥80) or custom silver jewelry (from ¥200)

④ Hidden Hikes: Crowd-free trails
- Drum Hall → Dongyin Terraces: Stone-path climb reveals layered fields and stilt houses, summit views with zero crowds
- Farmland Zone: Dawn walks through rice paddies meet Miao grandmothers farming – pure documentary moments

2. Unique Activities & Festivals
🎭 Free Cultural Immersion
- "12-Blocking-Door" liquor: Daily 10:30 AM-12:00 PM/3:30-5:00 PM at gates – each horn-cup toast carries a blessing
- Folk dances: 2:00-2:40 PM circle-square performances (Lusheng + Golden Pheasant dances) – join the finale!

🎉 Paid Shows & Feasts
- "Beautiful Xijiang" show: 70-min epic of Miao creation myths (Zone A ¥150, VIP ¥190)
- Long-table banquet: Sour fish + bacon platter, ¥68 base package includes toast-song interaction – best value!

3. Itinerary & Stays
🔥 Classic 2-Day Plan
- Day1: Gate liquor → museum → Gage Alley (batik) → farmland → night views → stilt-house homestay
- Day2: Dawn views → Drum Hall hike → bridge love songs → Miao costume photos → depart

🏨 Where to Stay
- View chaser: Hillside "Painting·Ripple Lodge" (¥400/night, floor-to-ceiling windows frame galaxy of lights)
- Budget pick: "Miao Charm Inn" near North Gate (¥100/pax w/breakfast), 5-min walk to core area – no luggage haul!

4. Local Wisdom & Warnings
① Avoid scams:
- "Free photos" charge ¥20/print – bring Hanfu or rent Miao outfits instead
- Buy silver at museum-adjacent "Leishan Chunhua Silver Shop" for authentic hand-carved pieces

② Transport hacks:
- Forward luggage to homestay (¥35 for 28" suitcase) – stone paths are brutal
- Last sightseeing bus: Line 1 (Bridge → Viewing Deck) ends at 11:00 PM

③ Cultural respect:
- Never touch children’s heads or step over hearths; receive liquor horns with BOTH hands or drink triple!

When smoke curls over terraces, when starlight drips through stilt-house windows, when horn-cup liquor burns your throat—you’ll understand: Xijiang’s magic lies not in its thousand lights, but in the untold stories within that cup. 🏮