Hechi Travel Guide

Chinese Name: 河池 (hé chí)
Population: 4,290,000
Area: 33,500 square kilometers (12,934 square miles)
Location: in the northwest of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southwestern China
Administrative Division: 2 districts (Jinchengjiang, Yizhou); 4 counties (Nandan, Tian'e, Fengshan, Donglan); 5 autonomous counties (Bama Yao Autonomous County, Du'an Yao Autonomous County, Dahua Yao Autonomous County, Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County, Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County)
Area Code: 0778
Zip Code: 547000
GDP (2019): CNY 87.81 billion (USD 12.73 billion)
Nationalities: Zhuang, Han, Yao, Mulam, Maonan
 

Hechi is endowed with great natural and breathtaking sceneries. At present, the city has four tourist regions: the Yizhou region that include Yizhou City, Luocheng County; the Hechi region that include Jinchengjiang District, Nandan and Huanjiang counties, Hongshui River dam area and alpine lake region, including Dahua, Bama, Donglan and Tian'e counties; and finally, the Panyang River region that include the Donglan, Bama and Fengshan counties.

Lihu, a Yao Nationality Township in northeast Nandan County, is inhabited by nine ethnic minorities and neighboring the Libo County of Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, well known for its natural beauty and strong ethnic presence.

Sanmenhai Ecological Tourist Zone in Fenshan County is the core area of the World's Karst Landform, combining grand karst doline and cave groups and underground rivers. The scenic spot is definitely a karst geopark.

Xiajian River in Yizhou is said to be the home town of Liu Sanjie, the greatest folk singers of the Zhuang ethnic minority. This is the place with full-bodied local ethnic culture. Anyone will be satisfied with songs drifting over the river. 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the downtown Hechi, Hechi Jinchengjiang Airport operates flights to/from Chongqing, Guilin, Guiyang and Huizhou.

Hechi also has convenient railway and highway transportation to Nanning, Guilin, Liuzhou and Guizhou Province. In the city, there are three railway stations that trains to Nanning and Liuzhou pass by. They are located at Jinchengjiang District, Nandan County and Yizhou City respectively.

Additionally, the central bus station of the city is situated at 40, Jincheng Dong Lu, Jinchengjiang District. Nowadays, it is only a two hours' drive from Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi, to Hechi. The distance between this city and other big cities like Guilin, Liuzhou and Guiyang, has also been shortened to a little more than three hours.

Hechi has a subtropical monsoon climate at low altitude, featuring a long and torrid summer but a short and warm winter. It has abundant sunshine and rich in rainfall, with an annual average temperature of 17-22℃ (62.6-71.6℉).   

 When to Go:  Any season throughout the year but April to October is recommended.

 History: Before the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC) brought it into the domain of Guilin Shire and Qianzhong Shire, Hechi was inhabited by many ethnic groups in Southwest China. During the early 1960s, it belonged partly to Liuzhou, Baise and Nanning special zones. Hechi Special Zone was then set up in 1965, and it was promoted to a regional city by year 2002.

 Physical Features: The city is varied and complicated in landforms. It has widely distributed Karst Landform which makes up sixty-six percent of Hechi's territory. Mountains are usually found in the fringe areas, and the terrain basically declines from the northwest to the southeast.

 Special Local Products:
Food: dried beef, musk pork products, Bama camellia oil, chestnut, wild grape wine of Du'an County
Handicrafts: brocade of Maonan ethnic minority, ornament of Yao ethnic minority

 Local highlights: Ethnic minorities make up over eighty-three percent of Hechi's total population. Zhuang, Yao, Mulao, Maonan, Miao, Dong, Shui lived together with the Han people for generations. Zhuang is the largest ethnic group in the city, making up more than sixty-seven percent of the citys population. Where ethnic minorities lived in compact communities, local festivals and folk customs must be the most attractive factors in luring visitors.