National park · China
Chengyang程阳
Give Chengyang half a day to a full day: walk the 1912 wind-and-rain bridge and the eight Dong villages before 10:00, add the 1.5-hour climb from Jichang village into the tea slopes, and come in late September–October for yellow rice fields; weekends and Chinese holidays are the crowded times, so walk 15 minutes past the three main villages to lose the groups. Gate fee: check on arrival.Give Chengyang half a day to a full day: walk the 1912 wind-and-rain bridge and the eight Dong villages before 10:00 AM, add the 1.5-hour climb from Jichang village into the tea slopes, and come in late September–October for yellow rice fields; weekends and Chinese holidays are the crowded times, so walk 15 minutes past the three main villages to lose the groups. Gate fee: check on arrival.
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Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
1 km² (0 sq mi)0 sq mi (1 km²)
approximate
Established
1912
Best months
Sep–Oct
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 9
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
- China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
- China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
- China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
- China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.
- North Guangxi ↗WeChat Pay and Alipay are widely accepted in cities; carry some cash for rural markets and small stalls.
- North Guangxi ↗A VPN installed before arrival is essential for Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook.
At a glance
- Country
- China
- Area
- 1 km² (0 sq mi)0 sq mi (1 km²)
- No official area is published for the Chengyang scenic area; the eight villages and their surrounding rice terraces and tea slopes cover only a few square kilometres (check).
- Established
- 1912
- Best months
- Sep–Oct
- Permits
- For some areas
- Base
- Sanjiang
Chengyang is a cluster of eight Dong villages in the north of Sanjiang County, Guangxi, built around a wooden wind-and-rain bridge finished in 1912. Drum towers, stages and covered bridges sit among paddy fields, fish ponds, tea and timber plots on gentle valley slopes. It is a well-known stop for Chinese travellers and much less visited by Western ones; the villages are small enough to cover on foot.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 1912.
Size and age
1 km² (0 sq mi)0 sq mi (1 km²) · national park since 1912
No official area is published for the Chengyang scenic area; the eight villages and their surrounding rice terraces and tea slopes cover only a few square kilometres (check).
This page covers the park itself. Nearest base: Sanjiang.
Why go
- The 1912 wind-and-rain bridge (Panlong Bridge) is the best-known covered wooden bridge of its kind in the area, and the villages hold eight drum towers in total.
- Eight villages — Ma'an, Pingtan, Pingzhan, Yanzhai, Dazhai, Dongzai, Jichang and Pingpu — sit within walking distance of each other, so you can see Dong architecture, stages and houses in a single day.
- Easy walking on gentle slopes: paddy fields, aquaculture ponds, small tea and timber plots, greener and less steep than the Longji terraces.
- Quiet on ordinary weekdays; the crowds that arrive at weekends and holidays thin out as soon as you walk past the three main villages.
When to go
- JanGo
- FebGo
- MarGo
- AprGo
- MayGo
- JunCaution
- JulCaution
- AugCaution
- SepBest
- OctBest
- NovGo
- DecGo
- JanCool and quiet; bare fields
- FebCool; few visitors
- MarMild; spring green returns
- AprPleasant; some rain
- MayWarm; fields flooded and planted
- JunHot; heavy rain spells
- JulHot and humid; holiday crowds
- AugHot and humid; holiday crowds
- SepEarly autumn: fields turning yellow, comfortable weather
- OctYellow fields, mild days; National Day week is packed
- NovCool and clear; harvest done
- DecCool, quiet, grey
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birds and butterflies around the fields and pondsMar–Oct · Common species only; no survey data for the area (check). | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Fish and aquaculture ponds between the valley sidesAll year · Working ponds, not a visitor attraction. | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map
How to get there
From Guilin
High-speed train to Sanjiang South (about ¥26 (≈ US$4), 35 min), then a bus towards Guyi, walk across the bridge to the He Xi stop, and take a Linxi-bound bus that drops you at the Chengyang entrance.
2–3 h
Open the page →
From Sanjiang
From He Dong bus terminal walk about 10 minutes across the river to He Xi terminal, then a Linxi bus (¥6 (≈ under US$1)) or a minivan (¥10 (≈ US$2)) to the Chengyang gate.
30–45 min
Open the page →
From Guangzhou or Guiyang
High-speed rail to Sanjiang South, then the local bus or minivan as above.
Several hours by rail
Open the page →
From North Guangxi plan
Where Chengyang sits among Sanjiang, Longji and Guilin.
Open the page →
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance and ticket office | Gate, ticket office and the 1.5 km (0.9 mi) walk or ¥5 tuk-tuk ride to the bridge.Gate, ticket office and the 0.9 mi (1.5 km) walk or ¥5 tuk-tuk ride to the bridge. | Open with a ticket. |
| Wind-and-rain bridge (Panlong Bridge) | The 1912 covered wooden bridge over the river, the reason most people come. | Open with a ticket; busiest mid-morning. |
| Three main villages | The core villages around the bridge with drum towers, stages and guesthouses. | Free walking access. |
| Outer villages and slopes | Ma'an, Pingtan, Pingzhan, Yanzhai, Dazhai, Dongzai, Jichang and Pingpu, plus paddy fields, ponds and tea plots. | Free walking access; paths are uneven. |
Sketch map
- 1Chengyang wind-and-rain bridge (Panlong Bridge) · Viewpoint≈25.901, 109.638Map ↗
- 2Ticket office and entrance · Gate≈25.906, 109.643Approximate; about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from the bridge.Approximate; about 0.9 mi (1.5 km) from the bridge.Map ↗
- 3Ma'an village · Village≈25.902, 109.640Approximate.Map ↗
- 4Jichang village trailhead · Trail≈25.905, 109.650Approximate.Map ↗
- 5Hilltop pavilions · Viewpoint≈25.907, 109.641Approximate.Map ↗
Take the points offline
5 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.
Site coordinates from Wikidata; the bridge position comes from the source. Village and trail points are approximate, for orientation only.
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Show Top experiencesHide
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrance ticket at the gate (includes a mug of oil tea) | Free | person | No official price is published in the sources; the ticket includes a mug of oil tea and a fee is collected at the gate — check the current amount on arrival. |
| Tuk-tuk from the gate to the wind-and-rain bridge | CNY 5 (≈ under US$1) | person | About 1.5 km on foot if you skip it. |
| Bus from Sanjiang He Xi terminal to Chengyang | CNY 6 (≈ under US$1) | person | Pay on board; buses run about every 30 minutes to Linxi. |
| Minivan from Sanjiang He Dong terminal to Chengyang | CNY 10 (≈ US$2) | person | Departs when full; useful after 17:00 when the last public bus has gone. |
| High-speed train Guilin to Sanjiang South | CNY 26 (≈ US$4) | person | About 35 minutes. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Scenic-area entry ticket permit or guide
What would our group pay?
People
Nights or days
- CN¥5≈ under US$1
- CN¥6≈ under US$1
- CN¥10≈ US$2
- CN¥26≈ US$4
Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.
A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Check with the park or your operator before you go.
Park rules
- Drum tower donations
- If you enter a drum tower, leave a few coins; the money goes to the village.
- Litter
- Carry out all rubbish; the villages are residential.
- Fires
- No open fires; timber houses and granaries are close together.
- Photography
- Allowed, but ask before photographing people at work or children.
- Souvenir sellers
- Sellers at performances and near the bridge are persistent; a clear refusal is normally respected.
Where to stay
In the park
Yang's Guesthouse, Ma'an village
Basic rooms with fan and internet, ¥50–60 a night with discounts for longer stays; food, bar, bicycle hire and ticket booking. No air conditioning, so summer rooms are warm.
In the park
Dong Village Hotel
Family-run hostel across the larger of the two bridges, then left; rooms with air conditioning, about ¥80 a night (check).
Near the park
Sanjiang town
County-town hotels about 18 km (11 mi) away, for late arrivals or early trains.County-town hotels about 11 mi (18 km) away, for late arrivals or early trains.
Safety
Heat in July–August medium
Minivan driving medium
Unlit paths at night low
Uneven stone and field paths low
How much daylight do you have?
Time out
Finding the local time zone…
Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.
Accessibility
- The bridge area and the main village lanes are reachable by car with a short walk from parking.
- Village paths, the bridge steps and the Jichang trail are uneven and not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility.
Visiting lightly
- Buy from village stalls and guesthouses so the Dong communities keep the income from the ticket and the visits.
- Skip souvenirs made from protected timber or advertised as village antiques.
- Walk between the villages instead of hiring a car; the whole cluster is no bigger than a large city park.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Chengyang?
No official price is published in the sources we hold. A ticket is collected at the gate and includes a mug of oil tea, but the amount is not confirmed — check at the ticket office on arrival and keep small notes ready.
What are the best hikes in Chengyang?
Two stand out. First, the flat walk between the eight villages and across the wind-and-rain bridge, which takes 2–3 hours. Second, the climb from Jichang village: about 1 hour to reach it, then 1.5 hours up through tea plantations and rice terraces on the upper trail, backtracking the same way because the path fragments in the forest.
When is the best time to visit Chengyang?
Early autumn, roughly late September to October, when the rice fields turn yellow and the weather is comfortable. Weekdays are quiet; weekends and Chinese public holidays, especially National Day week in early October, bring crowds to the three main villages.
How do I get to Chengyang from Guilin?
Take the high-speed train to Sanjiang South (about ¥26, 35 minutes). Then a bus towards Guyi, walk across the bridge to the He Xi stop, and board a Linxi-bound bus that drops you at the Chengyang entrance. From Sanjiang town the bus costs ¥6 and minivans ¥10.
Where can I stay in Chengyang?
Yang's Guesthouse in Ma'an village is the best-known, with basic fan rooms at ¥50–60 a night, food and bicycle hire. Dong Village Hotel is a family-run hostel across the larger bridge with air conditioning, around ¥80 (check). Sanjiang town, 18 km away, has more conventional hotels.
Do I need a guide?
No. The villages are close together and the walking is easy. A guide only helps if you want to talk with residents, since most people here are Dong and speak little English.
Is Chengyang crowded?
It is a well-known stop for Chinese travellers and quiet for Western ones. Weekends and holidays fill the three main villages; walking 15 minutes further out, towards Jichang or the outer hamlets, usually leaves the crowds behind.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go
Show the detailsHide
Sources
Ask about Chengyang
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