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Voykit pocket guide · China
Liannan
连南
Half a day to one night: see the Yao Museum (free, closed Mondays) and Nangang Yao Village (¥98, 25 km south). Not a base — pass through on a Northern Guangdong loop.
Liannan is a small, clean mountain town in Northern Guangdong, home to the Yao minority. Its main draws are the Guangdong Yao Museum (free, largest Yao collection in China) and the scenic Nangang Yao Village (¥98, 25 km south). Most travellers stop for half a day or one night between Qingyuan, Shaoguan or Lianzhou. English is scarce; plan ahead.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 连南
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (hot and humid), Jan–Feb (cold, some rain)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥200–350 excl. bed · Mid ¥350–600 excl. bed · High ¥600+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire 119 · Ambulance 120
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus Liannan → Nangang Yao Village | ¥15–20 |
| Taxi town centre → Nangang Yao Village | ¥80–120 |
| Simple meal (noodles, rice) | ¥15–30 |
| Hotel double room (mid-range) | ¥200–400 |
| Yao cultural performance (Panguwang Garden) | ¥40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CAN · Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
- About 3.5 h by bus or car; nearest major airport.
- HNY · Hengyang Nanyue Airport
- About 2.5 h by car; limited flights.
Typical fares
- Liannan Bus Station → Nangang Yao Village
- about ¥15–20, 40 min (check)
- Taxi town centre → Nangang Yao Village
- ¥80–120 (check)
- Bus Liannan → Qingyuan
- about ¥60–80, 2 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walking covers the town centre. Buses from Liannan Bus Station go to Nangang Yao Village (25 km (16 mi), about 40 min). Taxis are available but scarce; negotiate the fare in advance.Walking covers the town centre. Buses from Liannan Bus Station go to Nangang Yao Village (16 mi (25 km), about 40 min). Taxis are available but scarce; negotiate the fare in advance.
See and do
Known for
- Guangdong Yao Museum
- Nangang Yao Village (Millennium Yao Village)
- Yao minority culture and performance
- Mountain and karst scenery
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nangang Yao Village | Bus from Liannan Bus Station, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Lianzhou | Bus or taxi, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Qingyuan | Bus from Liannan Bus Station, about 2 h | About 2.5 h |
| Shaoguan | Bus via Lianzhou or Qingyuan, about 2.5–3 h | About 3–3.5 h |
Sleep
- Town centre (near Liannan Bus Station)
- Most hotels, including Lin Nan International Hotel (¥288/night, 4–5 star standard). Walkable to a few restaurants.
- Near Nangang Yao Village
- Guesthouses in the village area; basic but closer to the main sight.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 你好nǐ hǎo |
| Thank you | 谢谢xiè xiè |
| How much? | 多少钱？duō shǎo qián |
| Where is the bus station? | 汽车站在哪里？qì chē zhàn zài nǎ lǐ |
| I don't understand | 我不明白wǒ bù míng bái |
| Please write it down | 请写下来qǐng xiě xià lái |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Very little English spoken: have your destination written in Chinese.
- Nangang Yao Village is 25 km south; confirm the bus schedule at the station.
- Yao Museum closed on Mondays; no entry after 16:30.
- ATMs may be limited; bring enough cash.
Liannan is a safe, quiet town. The main risks are language barriers and limited transport options after dark. Carry cash and have your destination written in Chinese.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Liannan yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Guangdong Yao Museum
- Nangang Yao Village (Millennium Yao Village)
- Yao minority culture and performance
- Mountain and karst scenery
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Liannan, revision 5328495 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5328495
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Liannan连南
请带我去这个地址
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most foreign embassies are in Beijing or Guangzhou. The nearest consulate is in Guangzhou (about 3.5 h by bus).
Carry cash; cards are rarely accepted outside hotels.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/liannan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.