西江千户苗寨攻略：门票、交通与最佳季节

English

Xijiang Miao Village: Tickets, Transport and Best Season

Xijiang Miao Village sits in Leishan County, Qiandongnan, Guizhou, and is the largest Miao settlement in the world. Its terraced wooden stilt houses and the sea of lights after dark are the main draw. This guide covers how to get there, tickets and reservations, the best season to visit and practical payment tips for foreign travellers.

• What it is: Xijiang Miao Village is in Xijiang Town, Leishan County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou, 12 km from Leishan town and 20 km from Kaili. It has 1,468 households and more than 6,000 residents, 99.5 percent of them Miao. It is a national 4A scenic area and a national-level night culture and tourism consumption cluster.
• How to get there: take a high-speed train to Kaili South Station, then the scenic-area shuttle at about 35 yuan per person or a taxi at about 40 yuan per person. From Guiyang Longdongbao Airport, transfer to a high-speed train to Kaili South; Guiyang East bus station also has express buses to Kaili. By car, take the Shanghai-Kunming expressway, switch to the Kaili-Leishan expressway and exit at Xijiang (Liancheng).
• Tickets and opening hours: the adult entrance ticket without the shuttle is about 90 yuan, and ticket plus shuttle about 110 yuan. The shuttle costs 5 yuan one way or 20 yuan for unlimited rides within three days. The area is open from 07:00 to 01:00 the next day and uses real-name timed reservations, with entry slots at 8:00-12:00, 12:00-17:00, 17:00-20:00 and 20:00-23:59. Booking one day ahead is advised, subject to official announcements.
• Best season: April to May and September to October bring comfortable temperatures and the best layered views of the terraces. Summer is wetter but greenest, so pack rain gear. Winter is quieter and the night lights still run, but the mountains are cold and damp. During festivals such as Miao New Year, crowds and room rates rise sharply, so book early.
• Payment and practical tips: mobile payment is widely used inside the scenic area while foreign cards are accepted in few places, so carry some cash and set up Alipay or WeChat Pay in advance. Confirm that your hotel accepts foreign guests before booking. The scenic area information line is 400-153-8866, and on-site ticket enquiries can be made on 0855-3338866.
• Common questions from foreign visitors: passports can be used to buy tickets. The official route is to upload and verify your document in the AI You Xijiang or Yi Ma You Guizhou mini programs and book online, or to buy at the ticket windows at the North Gate, West Gate or Huoyanshan. Domestic visitors enter by scanning their ID card, while passport holders use manual verification. Commentary and performances are mainly in Chinese, so bring a translation tool.

A classic schedule is to walk the old street and see the stilt houses and terraces by day, then head to the viewing platform in the evening to watch the whole village light up. If you want the night view without a late drive, staying one night inside the village is easier, but the lanes are stone-paved with many steps, so keep luggage light.

Performances such as Beautiful Xijiang and Yang'ousang are ticketed separately, and prices and show times follow the scenic area's announcements for the day. The site has recently adjusted cableway operating hours and some folk activities, so check the official WeChat account or website before you go. Timed reservations apply during holidays, and entry may not be possible without a booking.