Guiyang,Beautiful, but Full of Surprises

Guiyang was the first stop of my 183-day journey.

It’s not a typical nomad destination, and it’s rarely mentioned in travel guides or expat circles.
But to me, that makes it even more interesting. It’s familiar and unfamiliar at the same time — a soft landing spot before heading further out.

The landscape is the highlight here.
Surrounded by mountains and mist, Guiyang feels calm and green.
When it rains, the clouds roll through the city like rivers. It’s quiet, and sometimes surprisingly poetic.

But once you move around the city, you’ll notice the infrastructure is far from perfect.

Many pedestrian tunnels are poorly designed, especially downtown.
Some underpasses don't connect to all four directions of an intersection.
There are no clear signs, so you often have to guess, go down, come back up, and try again.
It’s like a game of trial and error — one step at a time.

English is rarely used.
If you need directions, look for a high school student — they usually speak the best English in town.
Most public staff — at airports, metro stations, bus terminals, malls, or street stalls — don’t speak English at all.
Simple tasks like buying tickets, asking about buying metro tickets, or finding a bathroom can become frustrating.

Guiyang isn’t the easiest city to travel in.
But it’s green, calm, and full of surprises.
If you like beautiful views and unexpected challenges, it might be your kind of place.