How to Travel Guizhou by Car? See Here! A 13-Day Grand Loop Road Trip Report

Why choose Guizhou?

Because it's cool. This summer has been unbearably hot. Originally, I planned to visit Gannan again, taking the Locke and Little Duku routes, but the Locke Road was closed due to construction. I've already toured the neighboring provinces around Shaanxi—Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Henan, Ningxia, and Gansu—so I decided to go to the refreshing Guiyang. This decision turned out to be mostly correct (eastern Guizhou wasn't much cooler than Shaanxi, but west of Guiyang it was quite cool). The driving distances between attractions were not too far, and best of all, there was hardly any need to climb mountains, which perfectly suited our needs.

Day 1: Xi'an - Langao, Ankang, 275km, 3.5h

Why Langao? Because I've taken the expressway to Dazhou several times, but never been to Langao. We set off in the afternoon and arrived at Langao as dusk fell. We planned to eat at Yang Family Courtyard near the county, but every restaurant in the entire scenic area had run out of food. It really showed how tough things were—people were flocking to the mountains to escape the heat even on weekends. It was the first time I'd seen a situation where there was no food during meal times.

I only found out after arriving that Yang Family Courtyard is not a single farm stay but an entire village of farm stays, specially developed into a scenic area of considerable scale.

In the evening, we strolled along the Lan River in the county town, eating and drinking at the small night market. The bright moon hung in the sky, a breeze blew, and it was pleasant to sit by the river and cool off.

Day 2: Langao, Ankang - Wanzhou, Chongqing, 298km, 5.5h

Why did a distance of less than 300km take over 5 hours? Because we didn't take the expressway for more than half the journey. The beauty of a road trip often lies not in scenic spots, but more on national roads, provincial roads, county roads, and even village roads. Starting from Langao, we took Yuecheng Highway, then turned onto Chengqian Road, and finally took the Chengkai Expressway from Chengkou County to Wanzhou District.

For the first time, we drove through the valleys of the Ba Mountains, whose scenery is no less than that of the Qinling Mountains. Opening the windows, the cool, fresh air rushed in. As the altitude increased, the temperature gradually dropped. When we set out in the morning it was 30°C, but by noon at the mountaintop it was only 23°C—very refreshing indeed.

There were several viewing platforms at the summit, offering a panoramic view that was truly refreshing and exhilarating. Along this road, apart from the Bashan Prairie, there were basically no other scenic spots. I didn't even go to the Bashan Prairie because the scenery along the way was just like being in a scenic area.

Wanzhou is called Little Chongqing because it is also built along the Yangtze River on the mountainside, with many steep slopes and many internet-famous photo spots. However, the temperature was 35°C that day, so we didn't do much sightseeing.

We had to eat Wanzhou grilled fish. The most famous local place was a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but since it was too hot, we chose another grilled fish restaurant with a slightly better environment. After all, in this weather, eating with air conditioning is the most important thing. The fish skin was crispy, the meat tender, but a bit salty—the taste was okay, not amazing. Since Wanzhou District is a Three Gorges resettlement area, if you have time, you can visit the Three Gorges Immigration Memorial Museum. When you come out, you can buy a trendy coffee at the cafe opposite.

Day 3: Wanzhou, Chongqing - Wanzhou Grand Waterfall - Youyang, 360km, 5h

The Wanzhou Grand Waterfall was not originally on our itinerary, because since we were going to Guizhou we would definitely visit Huangguoshu Waterfall. But seeing that it was not far from the city and claimed to be the largest in Asia, my rebellious spirit rose and I decided we must see it. Departing from Wanzhou city, it took about an hour to reach the Wanzhou Grand Waterfall scenic area. The parking lot was small, with only about a dozen cars. There was no shuttle bus; we entered the scenic area directly. In the end, it proved to be the right choice. The scenic area is not large, and can be explored in two to three hours. The mountain is not high, and you can take a slide; the river is not wide, but you can take a small boat. Inside the scenic area, there is a stone statue of General Gan Ning, said to be his birthplace.

Crossing the ancient bridge and seeing the grand waterfall for the first time made everyone pause for a moment, because the waterfall was indeed very wide, like a string of pearls hanging on the cliff.

Behind the waterfall, there was also a Water Curtain Cave. The last time I saw one was at the Colorful Flying Waterfall in Southern Sichuan Bamboo Sea, but this Water Curtain Cave was obviously much larger, even bigger than the one at Huangguoshu Waterfall which we visited later. Walking through it was a unique pleasure.

After leaving the Wanzhou Grand Waterfall, we drove along national roads, provincial roads, and county roads, going up and down mountains along the riverside. If it hadn't been so hot, I would have wanted to stop and play. We got on the expressway from Zhong County. Because the expressway passed through the Wulingyuan area, there were tunnels one after another. The Fairy Mountain in Wulingyuan is also a good place to escape the heat, but since we had visited it before, we went straight to the Taohuayuan (Peach Blossom Spring) in Youyang. Upon arriving at Youyang, we found that the scenic area is not far from the county town, which was quite lively at night. If you need to stay overnight in Youyang, you can choose to stay in the county town. I didn't have the experience, so I chose a homestay in the mountains between the scenic area and the county town. The advantage was that it was quiet, and we could see the stars at night. Some might ask, why didn't you book a hotel after arriving at your destination? Because traveling in summer vacation, popular tourist destinations are so crowded that not only do hotel prices double, but they also become fully booked by the time you arrive. So you have to book in advance.

Day 4: Youyang, Chongqing - Tongren, Guizhou, 160km, 2h

I had heard about the Peach Blossom Spring in Youyang from a travel expert before. This time, I truly felt it was a paradise away from the world. However, the signage in the scenic area was not very clear. To enter the Peach Blossom Spring scenic area, you need to drive to the south gate of Youyang Ancient City and take an electric car through this basically man-made ancient town.

Entering the scenic area, it really matches what Tao Yuanming wrote in "The Story of Peach Blossom Spring": "Suddenly he came upon a peach grove which, for hundreds of paces, covered both banks. There were no other trees in it; the fragrant grass was fresh and beautiful; the fallen blossoms lay in profusion. The grove ended at the source of the stream. There he found a hill, with a small opening from which seemed to come a faint light. He left the boat and went in through the opening. At first it was very narrow, barely allowing a person to pass. After going a few dozen paces, it suddenly opened out to a broad and level area. The land was flat and open, with houses arranged in an orderly manner. There were fertile fields, beautiful ponds, and mulberry and bamboo groves. The paths crisscrossed the fields, and the sounds of cocks crowing and dogs barking could be heard from one village to another. The people who came and went, and who were working in the fields, were dressed like people from outside. The old people and children all seemed contented and happy."

You can fully compare the scenery inside the Peach Blossom Spring to this passage. Every shot is a beautiful view. The free-range roosters looked like they had stepped out of a New Year painting—bright red combs, glossy feathers all over, tails held high with long feathers drooping down, strolling leisurely in the scenic area, eating and pecking, with a very proud and arrogant demeanor. However, Tao Yuanming had never been here; it was only because later generations found this place to be very similar to "The Story of Peach Blossom Spring" that they named it Peach Blossom Spring.

The difference is that there is a karst cave inside the scenic area called Taigu Cave. If you want to go to Taigu Cave, the scenic area regulations require you to enter before 3 pm. The cave is 3.5 km long and one-way. Outside the cave it was 37°C under the scorching sun, but inside I couldn't tell the temperature, but I had to wear a jacket and still felt cold—probably around 15°C. When we first entered, it was not just cool, it was freezing. Inside the cave there were hills, rivers, and stalactites of all shapes and sizes. It's no exaggeration to say that Taigu Cave and the Peach Blossom Spring offer new views at every step.

After leaving the Youyang Peach Blossom Spring scenic area, we took the expressway all the way into Guizhou. The popular tourist destinations in Guizhou are very interesting: except for the provincial capital Guiyang in the center, visiting the rest of the places forms a full circle—that is, the Guizhou Grand Loop. Originally, I planned to enter Guizhou from Tongren, climb Mount Fanjing, and finally exit the province from Zunyi after visiting the Four Crossings of the Chishui River. In the end, I visited neither of those two places. Mount Fanjing was skipped because there were too many people and climbing in the heat was discouraging; Zunyi was missed due to COVID-19, so I'll have to visit another time. Our first stop in Guizhou was Tongren City. We had dinner at a popular Guizhou cuisine restaurant near the city government, Shuchu Authentic Guizhou Cuisine. Friends, it was explosively delicious; I can't remember exactly what dishes we ordered, but I do remember we cleared the plates very quickly. At night, we stayed in Wanshan District of Tongren. We originally chose this place because there was a water park opposite the hotel, but we found out that the water park closed at 8 pm?! I thought water parks were meant for summer nights? As a supplement, Mount Fanjing is quite far from Tongren city center. If you plan to climb Mount Fanjing, it's best to stay near the East Gate of Mount Fanjing. Remember to buy a ticket for the East Gate, because there is also a West Gate, and the two gates are in different counties and far apart. If you don't plan to go to Mount Fanjing, you can drive another hour or so to Zhenyuan Ancient Town and stay there.

Day 5: Tongren, Guizhou - Zhaoxing Dong Village, 314km, 3.5h

We passed by Zhenyuan Ancient Town along the way but didn't visit, mainly because we thought that the Dong village we were heading to was even more characteristic. So why didn't we go to the famous Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village? Too crowded. We came for a happy trip, so why would we want to squeeze in crowds?

Zhaoxing Dong Village: tourist cars are not allowed to drive inside; they can only be parked at the tourist parking lot, and you take the scenic shuttle bus, or the homestay owner sends a car to pick you up. We stayed two nights in the Dong village. Due to the peak season with too many tourists, we couldn't book the same homestay for two consecutive nights (yes, it was still crowded here, because of summer vacation and the tourist peak season, everywhere was packed with people). So we booked two different homestays, one night each. One had a window overlooking rice fields; the other was in the center of the Dong village, convenient for shopping. The homestay owners were mostly locals and very hospitable.

In the evening, we took a bus from the east side of the village to another village on the hilltop to watch the sunset. Maybe we were lucky, because we actually saw a rare sight of rain on one side and clear sky on the other at the same time.

After a while, the rain passed and the sky cleared. Wisps of smoke rose from the village chimneys, and we marveled at the beauty of nature. Returning to the village at night, the main street was filled with tourists wearing Dong ethnic costumes, taking photos and jostling each other. Enjoying some grilled meat by the roadside—this is what a vacation is all about.

Day 6: Zhaoxing Dong Village

We spent the whole day in the Dong village. In the morning, we went to the west side of the village, where there was a small street lined with shops renting Dong ethnic costumes. It cost 30 yuan for a set, enough for an hour or two of photo-taking. The shop owner could help arrange a professional photo shoot, prices ranging from 300 to 500 yuan.

At noon, we had sour fish soup in the village, which has a unique flavor. You could also try Liao Pangzi's rice noodles with crispy pork, or buy a grilled meat wrapped in rice on the street—all explosively delicious. By the way, when ordering dishes in Guizhou, if you can't eat houttuynia cordata (fish mint), be sure to ask in advance whether the ingredients contain it. You must say "No" to houttuynia cordata ahead of time.

There are many fun activities in the Dong village, such as trying tie-dye. In the evening, you can also catch fish in the rice paddies. Roll up your pants and step into the muddy water of the paddy to catch fish. Don't miss it if you have kids.

On the way back to the village, a child covered in mud from fishing walked excitedly with his parents, saying, "This is so much fun! I want to come catch fish again next time."

Day 7: Zhaoxing Dong Village - Libo Xiaoqikong, 193km, 2.5h

Libo Xiaoqikong is known as the Green Belt of the Earth. As a popular scenic spot during summer vacation, there were extremely many tourists. We chose to stay directly at the Rui Jing Hotel inside the East Gate. The price was not cheap, but the room came with tickets, and it was very convenient for sightseeing.

Since tickets for Libo Xiaoqikong Scenic Area are valid for two days, we went straight into the scenic area after arriving at the hotel in the afternoon. Libo Xiaoqikong Scenic Area has two gates, east and west, with various attractions far apart. However, you can take the scenic area shuttle bus at any time, which is very convenient.

Most group tourists enter from the West Gate and exit from the East Gate. We entered from the East Gate around 3 pm, just meeting the large groups of tourists who were finishing their tours. The first attraction, Xiaoqikong Bridge, was already overcrowded, so we didn't linger much and walked uphill about 1.6 km, passing Laya Waterfall and 68-tier Waterfall. With mountains, waterfalls, and changing scenery at every step, it was very satisfying. Little did we know that Cuigu Waterfall would be even more impressive.

The waterfall flows out from the mountainside, passes through big trees down to the mountain lake, and the overflowing lake water forms a huge play area. The water flows over your feet, and children engage in water gun fights—a natural water park. After Cuigu Waterfall, we took the shuttle bus to Yuanyang Lake. The main activity there was rowing, in 4-6 person iron boats. Due to the low water level in summer, many places were not passable by boat.

There were many people rowing, even though we arrived at Yuanyang Lake at 5 pm, our boat still bumped into other boats frequently. If you like rowing, I suggest going to Wolong Beach for rafting.

Day 8: Libo Xiaoqikong - Qingyan Ancient Town, Guiyang, 270km, 3.5h

There are many attractions inside Libo Xiaoqikong Scenic Area, so it's hard to finish in one day. Early the next morning, since our hotel was inside the scenic area, we arrived at Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge by 8 am. At that time, the tour buses were still at the West Gate, so the Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge, which is close to the East Gate, was basically only occupied by hotel guests. We could take good photos under the morning sun.

At Laya Waterfall, we no longer had to queue for photos. It was very comfortable. However, be careful: the river surface has some bridges with holes. I witnessed a girl accidentally fall into the river through a hole in the bridge at Laya Waterfall. I, along with a few tourists and a lifeguard, pulled her out. Fortunately, it was a close call and she was unharmed. Similarly, at Shishang Forest Station, we took a shuttle bus to Shuishang Forest (Forest on Water). We had skipped this stop the day before due to crowds, so we took advantage of the few people today to go through it.

There is a wooden walkway in the forest, with a small stream beside it. Possibly due to low water levels, many tree roots were exposed. Fortunately, the walkway was mostly shaded, and it was quite pleasant to stroll among the gurgling water and the forest when it wasn't crowded.

After exiting Shuishang Forest, we went back to Cuigu Waterfall at the request of our child to play in the water again.

Then we went to Wolong Pool, which is closest to the West Gate. It is the highest point of the Xiaoqikong scenic area. Although the water flow was not strong, the emerald green lake water was very beautiful.

After leaving Libo Xiaoqikong, the traditional route would be to go to the China FAST telescope in southern Guizhou—the world's largest radio telescope. But after reading reviews, I found that although the FAST is famous, the touring experience was mediocre, and it was a bit far. So we went directly to Qingyan Ancient Town in the south of Guiyang.

A friend had recommended Qingyan Ancient Town to me before, saying it was very comfortable. But when I arrived in the evening, I found that it is a scenic area that requires an entrance ticket.

Qingyan Ancient Town was originally a military fortress, with many historical sites. However, most of its streets are no different from other ancient towns today, selling the same cheap souvenirs from Yiwu. A specialty is braised pork trotters; I didn't find them particularly special, but if you come, you can try them.

Day 9: Qingyan Ancient Town - Guiyang City - Huangguoshu Waterfall, 165km, 2.5h

Guizhou is located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, a typical mountainous karst landform with 90% mountains. Along the expressway, there are nothing but tunnels and bridges, with various super bridges everywhere. Several of the world's top 10 bridges are in Guizhou. It's truly a good place to see mountains and rivers. Guiyang is the capital of Guizhou, so there are naturally many fun places. But since we had booked tickets for Huangguoshu Waterfall the next day, we only had one day for Guiyang. Following the conventional tourist route, we visited Jiaxiu Tower in the morning, Qianling Park in the afternoon, and had lunch at Qingyun Market.

Jiaxiu Tower is mainly about history. Built on the Nanming River, it was first constructed in the 26th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1598 AD), using a large rock in the river as its foundation. It has been repaired many times throughout history; the current building is a reconstruction from the 1st year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1909 AD). Jiaxiu Tower is a witness to Guiyang's history and a symbol of its cultural development.

We had lunch at the nearby Qingyun Market, which is a bit like Xi'an's Yisu Society, with many local foods. We chose a laoguo (iron griddle), similar to teppanyaki. The dipping sauce was very Guizhou-style—super spicy, and it was great. However, later when we went to buy cuishao (crispy lard), we discovered that Minsheng Road is where locals usually go for food, including the famous Danjia Crispy Duck and Dingjia Crispy Lard.

Qianling Park was originally a random choice for a leisure spot after lunch, but it turned out to be a treasure. Located within the city, it has mountains, water, and monkeys. The entrance fee is 5 yuan, and a one-way cable car costs 20 yuan. From the top, you can overlook Guiyang. Oh, and monkeys accompany you the whole way—yes, the entire way. When we were still about a hundred meters from the west gate driving, our child spotted monkeys in the trees. The number of monkeys on the downhill paths was countless: some sitting idly, some waiting to be fed, some fighting and playing, others sleeping in the trees.

It is said that there are thousands of monkeys in Qianling Park. They are not as aggressive as the ones in Emei Mountain. If you have food in your hand, they will come up and wait to be fed. Occasionally, if they get impatient, they might climb onto your shoulder, but most of the time they are quite tame. We went in the afternoon and found that most monkeys were already full and not very interested in food, but they would stare intently at water bottles. With familiar skill, they unscrewed the cap and gulped down water or drinks.

Day 10: Huangguoshu Waterfall - Ziyun County, Anshun, 100km, 1.5h

Huangguoshu Waterfall goes without saying—it is the most popular scenic spot in Guizhou. We bought tickets in advance and stayed near the scenic area the night before. The number of tourists at Huangguoshu Waterfall is always high, especially during summer vacation. The scenic area actually contains three smaller attractions: Grand Waterfall, Tianxing Bridge, and Dupotang Waterfall. All are waterfalls but with different characters. To avoid the crowds, we entered the scenic area early in the morning and went straight to the Grand Waterfall.

Before we even saw it, we heard the rumbling sound of water. Up close, it was magnificent: 77.8 meters high and 101 meters wide (the main waterfall is 67 meters high and 83.3 meters wide), ranking third in the world and first in Asia. The greatest traveler in history, Xu Xiake, marveled after seeing it: "Among all the waterfalls I have seen, some have been several times higher and steeper, but none have been as wide and large as this one."

White foaming water plunges straight down from the top of the cliff into the Rhinoceros Pool below, with water and rocks striking each other, creating a spectacular scene. The water in the middle section splits into four streams, spreading across the entire cliff face, showing its beauty in width. Next, we went to the lower half of Tianxing Bridge. Why only the lower half? Because Tianxing Bridge is very long, taking about 3 hours to complete the entire circuit. The lower half is more interesting, featuring a bridge on a bridge and a karst cave.

The final part was Yinzhuidui Waterfall. This waterfall is only about ten meters high. Its upper part is funnel-shaped, and its bottom is a trough-like dissolution pool. The raised rocks on the edge of the pool look like overlapping lotus leaves flipped downward. The river water spreads evenly over each leaf, flowing freely like thousands upon thousands of silver chains, gently and noisily falling into the dissolution pool endlessly. The water of Sancha River is divided into strings of pearl-like chains by travertine terraces and falls into the deep pool, making it the most beautiful waterfall among the Huangguoshu Waterfall group.

That's not all. Although Dupotang Waterfall is not large, you must go there because it was the filming location for the ending scene of the 1986 TV series "Journey to the West."

Around Huangguoshu Waterfall, there are actually many other popular scenic spots, such as Dragon Palace and Zhijin Cave. But both are mainly karst caves. Since we had already visited the 3.5 km cave in Youyang, we resolutely turned to a lesser-known scenic spot, Getu River. We stayed overnight in Ziyun County. Not far from the hotel, on Getuhe East Road, there was a small restaurant called Pingba Quan Niu (Pingba Whole Beef). The environment seemed ordinary and the shop was not big, but the food was explosively delicious.

We ordered a "mandarin duck pot," which I thought was a regular hotpot. However, it turned out to be a combination of a dry-fried beef pot and a clear broth pot. The dry-fried beef was more spicy, cut into small pieces, fragrant but not dry, tender with a bit of chewiness, savory and spicy, very appetizing with rice. The clear broth beef was fresh, with alternating lean and fatty parts. After blanching, it was shiny and full of texture. Dipping it in sauce or not, it was full of delicious meat aroma without any gamey taste. I ate to my heart's content, praising every bite. After finishing the beef, don't miss the rich beef broth. Drinking a bowl of the soup was an absolute delight, warming from the throat to the heart.

Day 11: Ziyun County, Anshun - Getu River - Zigong, Sichuan, 613km, 6.5h

The most famous feature of Getu River Scenic Area is two beams of light: Heavenly God Light and Earthly God Light, formed when sunlight enters through huge caves. However, due to the angle of light, they can only be seen in the morning.

But when we rushed to be the first batch into the scenic area early in the morning, the sky was overcast. The staff lady said, "I'm afraid you won't be able to see it today." We decided to try anyway. When we reached Swallow Cave, both inside and outside the huge cave were filled with swarms of swallows—no wonder it's called Swallow Cave. Just as we were about to leave, the Earthly God Light appeared.

Sunlight shot through the gaps in the clouds into Swallow Cave. It was an amazing spectacle, well worth the trip. Afterwards, we took a boat to a primitive Miao village. Most of the villagers couldn't understand Mandarin. Although this small village is inside the scenic area, it still maintains a traditional lifestyle, raising pigs and chickens. Probably not many tourists come, and only a few households have turned into farm stays. When we returned by boat to Swallow Cave, it was already noon, and the swallows had gone back to their nests. But inside the huge cave, there was a person in red clothes climbing the rock face.

This is an activity of the scenic area called Spider Man, performed every hour starting at 11 am. The height he climbed seemed to be about 10 stories, and he was barehanded and barefoot, without any safety equipment. It was thrilling to watch. After reading the introduction, I learned that in ancient times, the Miao people migrated to the Getu River area to avoid war. Their ancestors, in order to one day return their coffins to their former homeland, thought of hanging coffins. After death, descendants would place the coffins high in caves along the Getu River, thus giving rise to the so-called "Spider Men."

It is said that the initial task and mission of the "Spider Men" was to send the coffins up to the cliffs for storage. They worked in teams of six, with different tasks: some climbed the cliffs to select the location and set wooden stakes or chisel holes for the coffin; some used vines or ropes to hoist the coffin parts piece by piece to the cliff face for assembly; some carried the body up and placed it inside the coffin. The six of them collaborated until the coffin was sealed.

At that time, the Miao who settled in the Getu River area still yearned for their "old home." On one hand, they wanted to return home; on the other hand, to hunt and defend against foreign invasions, they sought self-defense weapons. By chance, they found natural saltpeter in Swallow Cave, a good raw material for gunpowder. So, in addition to placing the coffins on the cliffs, the "Spider Men" had a second mission: to collect saltpeter on the rock faces to make gunpowder. It can be said that bare-handed rock climbing was a survival skill developed by the early Miao people to adapt to their harsh environment.

Originally, our last stop in Guizhou was supposed to be Zunyi, to visit the site of the Zunyi Conference, the Four Crossings of the Chishui River Memorial Hall, and Maotai Town. Unfortunately, there was a COVID outbreak in Zunyi, so we took a detour to Zigong, Sichuan. We reached Zigong at dusk, just in time for the China Lantern World in Zigong. I had heard that the lantern exhibition there was on a grand scale, with lifelike displays. But unfortunately, they required a nucleic acid test report at the entrance, and our results hadn't come out yet, so we had to come back the next day.

Day 12: Zigong, Sichuan

I had been to Zigong once before with the family, when my child was 4 years old and loved dinosaurs. Zigong has a large dinosaur fossil museum. Now, leveraging the dinosaur museum IP, Zigong has built a new dinosaur-themed Fantawild Dreamland next to it.

Entering the park, you are instantly transported back to the Jurassic world. Enthusiastic dinosaurs greet you at the entrance. There are a total of 39 rides, all included in one ticket. You can soar with pterosaurs over Dinosaur Island in "Flying," follow "Light of Life" to explore the origins of species, watch the magical ball performance in "Fly to the Blue Sky," discover the mystery of Sanxingdui in "Bronze Sacrifice," or search for traces of dinosaurs in "Journey to the Center of the Earth" for an immersive experience. If you have kids, I recommend watching "Boonie Bears: Return to Jurassic." It has a warm and funny story that children will love.

For thrill-seekers, there are attractions like the giant pendulum, drop tower, Triceratops tank, or Volcano Coaster for an adrenaline rush. The largest water ride in the park, Dinosaur Valley Adventure, is a must-do. It and the nearby Jungle Rafting both require raincoats; you can bring your own to save money. Children under 120 cm have a kiddie play area with parachute tower, carousel, mini roller coaster, etc. There are also dinosaur interaction activities where children can participate. If you want to play in the water world, remember to bring swimwear; it's suitable for younger children. There are many food options, all authentic Sichuan cuisine, plus creative ice cream and unlimited refill drinks. However, it was extremely hot in Zigong that day, with a maximum temperature of 41°C, so after finishing all the outdoor major rides, we left. We'll leave some things for next time.

Zigong is also famous for its cuisine. Some netizens jokingly say that no rabbit leaves Zigong alive. Zigong is a city with a salt industry culture, and its unique cuisine is called Salt Gang Cuisine. We chose to stay at a hotel in the city center that night. Although it wasn't a new hotel, the service was really nice. The faint scent of osmanthus in the hotel was very pleasant. 200 meters downstairs, there was a famous Salt Gang restaurant. The food was delicious and generous in portion. The waiter knew we were from out of town and recommended excellent dishes, constantly checking on us. The overall experience was great. In the evening, we went for the second time to China Lantern World. At the entrance, there was no one and all lights were off. A notice at the gate said the park was closed from that day on, likely due to the recent power shortage in Sichuan. Well, we'll leave that for next time.

Day 13: Zigong, Sichuan - Xi'an, Shaanxi, 830km, 9h

The entire trip was truly tiring but joyful. With the persistent high temperatures, visiting any attraction required extraordinary patience and perseverance. But sticking to the principle of "since we're already here," I tried to enjoy myself as much as possible, eating local specialties, enjoying the scenery, and experiencing the local history and culture.

Traveling and observing mountains is nothing more than letting you see more rivers and streams, and realize how shallow your own knowledge is. Letting you calm down and understand people is nothing more than letting you experience more of the good and evil in human nature, and understand right and wrong in your own heart. The roads you travel and the people you meet—these are experiences in themselves. Every journey is beautiful, and every journey is a unique experience in life.

The total mileage of this trip was about 4000 km, crossing mountains, bridges, water, catching fish, eating rabbit, slurping noodles, watching waterfalls, walking through caves, riding roller coasters, and taking nucleic acid tests. If it weren't for the summer crowds and the need to book hotels and tickets in advance, the whole journey could have been more comfortable and freer. Some people ask: why drive? Isn't high-speed rail or airplane better? Actually, you'll know once you try driving yourself. Road travel may be about enjoying the freedom on the road; maybe it's the thrill of driving over mountains and ridges; maybe it's the joy of following your whims and seeking fun.