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Voykit pocket guide · China
Libo County
荔波
Give Libo two nights: one full day for Xiaoqikong from the west gate at opening, and a half-day for Daqikong or the canyon before you leave.
Libo is a karst county in southern Guizhou, about 1.5 hours by high-speed rail from Guiyang and 1.5–2 hours from Guilin. The draw is Xiaoqikong, a UNESCO-listed gorge of green water, waterfalls and a Qing stone bridge, plus the quieter Daqikong valley. Sights sit outside the county town, so most travellers sleep in Libo Ancient Town or near the scenic gates rather than in the centre.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 荔波
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heavy rain and peak crowds), Chinese New Year and the first week of October
- Stay
- 2 nights
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 |
|---|---|
| Noodle or rice-noodle breakfast | ¥8–15 |
| Sour-fish hotpot, per person | ¥60–90 |
| Two-person set meal at a town restaurant | ¥70–120 |
| Beer in a night-market stall | ¥8–15 |
| Scenic-area shuttle bus, one day | ¥40 |
| Taxi, Libo Ancient Town to Xiaoqikong | ¥60–100 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LLB · Libo Zhangjiang Airport
- Regional feeder airport about 12 km (7.5 mi) from the county town; airport bus from the Mengtueli service centre at Libo Ancient Town, ¥20 and 30 minRegional feeder airport about 7.5 mi (12 km) from the county town; airport bus from the Mengtueli service centre at Libo Ancient Town, ¥20 and 30 min
Typical fares
- No. 11 bus, one ride
- ¥7, every 15 min from 07:00¥7, every 15 min from 7:00 AM
- Airport bus, Libo Ancient Town to LLB
- ¥20, 30 min
- Taxi, Libo Ancient Town to Xiaoqikong
- ¥60–100 (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
The No. 11 bus links the bus station, Libo Ancient Town and the Xiaoqikong tourist distribution centre, every 15 min from 07:00 for ¥7. Scenic areas run their own shuttle buses inside the gates and charge separately. Taxis and ride-hailing cover short hops; agree the fare or use the meter before you set off.The No. 11 bus links the bus station, Libo Ancient Town and the Xiaoqikong tourist distribution centre, every 15 min from 7:00 AM for ¥7. Scenic areas run their own shuttle buses inside the gates and charge separately. Taxis and ride-hailing cover short hops; agree the fare or use the meter before you set off.
See and do
Known for
- Xiaoqikong (Seven Small Arches) scenic area
- Daqikong (Seven Big Arches) and Tianzhong Cave
- Karst water forest and Wolong Pool
- Buyi, Shui, Miao and Yao villages
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaoqikong scenic area | No. 11 bus or taxi to the west gate; shuttle buses inside | 40–60 min from Libo Ancient Town |
| Daqikong scenic area and Tianzhong Cave | Shuttle or taxi to the Daqikong gate, then the in-park shuttle | About 1 h from Libo Ancient Town |
| Shuichun River canyon | Taxi or tour shuttle to the canyon trailhead | About 1 h |
| Yaoshan and Shuiyao ethnic villages | Local bus or taxi, often combined with a scenic-area transfer | 1–1.5 h |
| Guiyang | High-speed rail from Libo station | About 1.5 h station to station, plus transfers |
Sleep
- Libo Ancient Town
- Restored riverside town with the densest cluster of guesthouses, night-market food and the No. 11 bus; best for a first visit without a car.
- Xiaoqikong east gate area
- Walk or short shuttle to the gate; the trade-off is fewer eating options and higher peak-season rates.
- County town (Yuping / Zhangjiang East Road)
- Local hotels, banks and the bus station; cheapest beds, but 30–40 min from the scenic gates.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 你好nǐ hǎo |
| Thank you | 谢谢xiè xie |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？duō shao qián |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗？kě yǐ shuā kǎ ma |
| Where is the toilet? | 洗手间在哪里？xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ lǐ |
| I do not eat chilli | 我不吃辣椒wǒ bù chī là jiāo |
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
- Scenic-area entry is a dated ticket plus a separate shuttle-bus fee; buy in advance on peak days and keep the QR code.
- Summer downpours can close trails or turn the water brown; check the local forecast the night before.
- The county town and the scenic gates are 30–40 min apart — do not book a bed in the centre if you plan a 07:00 start.
- Card and mobile payment work in hotels and larger restaurants; carry some cash for village stalls and small buses.
Low street crime; the real risks are wet, slippery karst trails, flash rain in summer and long unlit stretches between the town and the scenic gates after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Libo County yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Xiaoqikong (Seven Small Arches) scenic area
- Daqikong (Seven Big Arches) and Tianzhong Cave
- Karst water forest and Wolong Pool
- Buyi, Shui, Miao and Yao villages
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: Libo County, revision 5263101 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5263101
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Libo County荔波
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)
No embassies in Libo; your embassy is in Beijing, with consulates-general in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Chongqing. US citizens can use the American Citizen Services unit at the Chengdu consulate (check).
Screenshot your booking address in Chinese and keep the scenic-area QR code offline.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/libo-county). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.