Qingyan Ancient Town Guide: Food, Night Views & Where to Stay

Some destinations come with extremely high expectations. Then there are places like Qingyan Ancient Town where you barely intended to stay overnight but remember the vibe more than the things you did.

We stayed overnight here because the drive from Chongzuo to Chongqing was too long to do in one day and stopped in Qingyan Ancient Town, Guizhou for the perfect half-way point. I actually visited Qingyan years ago, but Qingyan had changed…

It was definitely more refined. More touristy. More coffee shops, milk tea shops, and photography studios. However, even after Qingyan has polished itself into a little shopping mall, there are hidden gems once night falls and the tourists go home.

Here is what Qingyan is really like if you’re looking to plan a Guizhou itinerary or need a cool cultural stop near Guiyang, complete with food recommendations, atmosphere, tips on how to get in, and where we stayed.

Where Is Qingyan Ancient Town?

Qingyan Ancient Town is located around 30 kilometers south of Guiyang, the provincial capital city of Guizhou, China. Qingyan Ancient Town is one of the best preserved ancient towns in Guizhou with history that stretches over 600 years to the Ming Dynasty.

Highlights include stone paved roads, traditional style architecture, red lanterns, Guizhou local snacks and its laid back pace compared to big cities in China.

Day trips to Qingyan Ancient Town are common for China domestic tourists since it’s a short drive from Guiyang. However, if you have the time I recommend staying overnight because it’s not fun unless you experience it at night when most people head home.

First Impressions: Beautiful but More Commercial Than Before

What struck me first is how touristy Qingyan Ancient Town is now than when I visited years ago.

There are so many cafes, boutique stores, souvenir shops, milk tea places and studios that offer taking photos in traditional costumes till late at night. There were even some spots that felt like they were straight out of a movie set for instagram.

Nevertheless I did enjoy strolling about. Old stone walls, wood built structures, lantern light alleys with mountains in the background are instagram worthy for sure.

Architecture is also nice especially in the smaller less crowded side alleys away from the entrance.

The Strange Ticket Situation

One thing I honestly did not understand was their entrance fee system.

There is a small fee for entering the town. Once you’re inside there are a few historic homes and courtyards that require you to pay for another ticket. It just seemed a bit greedy since parts of the town are commercialized enough as it is.

Fortunately our guesthouse owner had given us a helpful tip.

Once the sun goes down (approximately 6: 40) the ticket booths shut down for the night and no one comes to collect fees anymore. As we lived close by we just walked in at night and explored at our leisure.

Best of all though, it honestly was nicer to come at night anyways.

Qingyan Ancient Town at Night Is the Real Highlight

By day Qingyan is bright and bustling with tourists.

By night it turns magical.

Warm lights flicker on under the old archways, the cobblestone alleys reflect the lanterns perfectly, and people are nowhere near as packed. Some areas are eerily empty.

Something I noticed was there were A LOT of travel photo shoots going on super late at night. Tourists walking around in hanfu would stop underneath lanterns while friends dragged DSLRs and diffusers down the alleyways.

The town had this almost movie-set ambiance to it.

Some of my favorite experiences were just getting lost aimlessly wandering. The warm lights, ancient stone walls, and jazz music leaking out from random cafes gave the town an atmosphere photos don’t quite do justice.

Food in Qingyan Ancient Town

Food is another big aspect of Qingyan.

Guizhou food is known for bold flavors – sour, spice, fermented.

Some hits. Some misses.

Guizhou Chili Chicken

We tried a local specialty dish – Guizhou style chili chicken.

The taste was powerful. Salty. Spicy. Drenched in chili oil.

To each their own. I just wasn’t the biggest fan of this because I felt it tasted more salty than flavorful.

If you’re a fan of bold Chinese regional dishes, then you might like this more than I did though.

The Tofu Was Surprisingly Good

The tofu was AMAZING.

Plain ole’ soft tofu. But the kind that’s flavorful and comforting after a long travel day.

Sometimes the best things you eat on a trip aren’t the well-known dishes. They’re the surprisingly good simple ones.

The tofu soaked up all the flavoring without getting oily.

Guizhou Sour Soup Fish Tastes Like Tom Yum Soup.

We also tried another popular dish – sour soup fish which is a Guizhou classic.

My husband turned to me immediately after trying it and said “it kinda tastes like Tom yum soup.” The broth had that same sour spicy flavor with major aromatics.

If you’re a fan of Thai, Laotian or other Southeast Asian foods – you’ll probably like Guizhou food more than you think!

Staying Overnight in Qingyan Ancient Town

If you have the time, I would definitely suggest spending the night.
Tourists only really come during the day time from Guiyang, so you get to experience the calm after dark and before sunrise.

Our accommodation was at Qishe Inn (栖舍客栈) just outside of the West Gate district.

The guesthouse was pretty retro local style with wood features and traditional courtyard vibes. It felt authentic compared to a bland hotel in the city.
We got a room for five people for less than RMB 500 all together, and honestly it felt like a steal.

The owner was very nice and helped us with our luggage. This was super appreciated as Qingyan’s cobblestone streets aren’t exactly suitcase-friendly.

Why Qingyan Ancient Town Works Well as a Stopover

I wouldn’t personally put Qingyan Ancient Town on my list of ancient towns you absolutely must visit in China (things like Lijiang or Pingyao)

That being said, if you’re looking for a one night cultural stopover, Qingyan definitely checks all the boxes.

Why?

• Small and walkable
• Nightlife is actually cute
• Cheap eats
• Cheap hostel
• Good for breaking up road trips
• Architecture still looks intact in many areas

If you’re driving through Guizhou anyways, Qingyan offers a chill, scenic place to spend the night without deviating too far off course.

Is Qingyan Ancient Town Worth Visiting?

Yep. Especially if you’re already passing through Guizhou / planning a road trip around Southwest China.

Don’t go into it with high expectations.

Qingyan these days is VERY touristy. Commercialized. Built up around visiting and taking photos. Underneath that… there’s still plenty of history, amazing architecture, and character to enjoy.

The attractions weren’t really my highlights anyway.

It was walking around at night and seeing all the lanterns glow.

It was wandering empty alleyways once all the tourists cleared out.

It was the mountain air.

It was walking on stone streets.

It was slowing down for one night on a long drive home.

Final Thoughts on Qingyan Ancient Town

Qingyan Ancient Town may not be China’s most untouched ancient town anymore, but it still has moments that feel genuinely atmospheric and memorable.

If you approach it less as a historical deep dive and more as a relaxed cultural stop with beautiful night scenery, local Guizhou food, and traditional architecture, it becomes much easier to appreciate.

For families, road trippers, photographers, and casual travelers passing through Guiyang or Guizhou, Qingyan remains a worthwhile stop, especially once the lanterns light up and the ancient streets quiet down after dark.