Explore the Dong villages of Dimeng in Guizhou and embark on an immersive journey through the Dong region.
Hey everyone! 👋 Are you tired of the hustle and bustle of the city and yearning for a peaceful place to experience the simple folk customs and ancient culture? Today, I'm going to share a hidden gem of a travel destination with you – Dimeng Dong Village in Guizhou! ✨ It's like a corner forgotten by time, preserving the most authentic Dong ethnic customs. Let's step into this paradise together!
📌Preparations
●Documents: Bring your ID card; it's essential.
●Clothing: Guizhou's climate is changeable, with large temperature differences between day and night. Except for summer, bring a thick jacket. In summer, prepare light and breathable clothing, plus a light long-sleeved shirt for mosquito repellent and sun protection.
●Medications: Prepare common medications such as cold medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, and motion sickness medicine in case of illness.
●Others: Bring an umbrella, sunscreen, charger, camera, and of course, don't forget your heart full of anticipation for the trip! 💕 🚗Transportation Guide
●External Transportation: ○ First arrive in Liping County, Guizhou Province. Liping has an airport, or you can take the high-speed rail to Congjiang Station.
○From Liping County to Dimeng Dong Village, you can take a bus from the county bus station to Maogong Town, and then transfer to a bus to Dimeng; alternatively, you can hire a car, the price of which can be negotiated with the driver.
●Internal Transportation: Dimeng Dong Village is small and can be easily explored on foot. There are also traditional Dong tricycles in the village, which are worth experiencing 😉.
🏡Accommodation Recommendations
●Dong Family Homestays: Staying in a local Dong family homestay is highly recommended. Not only are they affordable, but you can also experience the Dong people's way of life up close. Homestays usually have courtyards where you can listen to birdsong in the morning and see a sky full of stars at night. Homestays like [Homestay Name 1] and [Homestay Name 2] are well-reviewed, with hospitable owners who will share local stories and travel tips.
🍱Food Guide
●Gathering Feast: A must-try is the Dong ethnic group's gathering feast, where everyone sits together to enjoy their unique cuisine. Sour soup fish is a must-order; the tender fish is cooked in a flavorful sour broth, bursting with tangy goodness with every bite. Also recommended is Dong-style salted pork, whose unique curing method gives it a distinctive flavor.
●Oil Tea: This is a traditional Dong drink made from tea leaves, glutinous rice, peanuts, and other ingredients. It has a fragrant aroma of tea and grains and is also refreshing. You can buy it at the food stalls in the village.
●Glutinous Rice Cakes: Soft, chewy, and sweet glutinous rice cakes, available plain or with fillings like sugar and sesame, offer a rich texture and are a favorite among local children.
🎈Itinerary
●Day 1: First Impression of the Dong Village, Experiencing its Ancient Beauty
○Morning: Upon arrival at Dimeng Dong Village, check into your guesthouse and drop off your luggage. Then, visit Ganlu Hall, Dimeng's iconic landmark. This is an ancient Dong drum tower, where villagers gather and discuss matters. Standing beneath the drum tower, gazing up at the layered eaves, you can almost hear the voice of history.
○Noon: Find a restaurant in the village and savor Dong cuisine.
○Afternoon: Stroll through the alleys of the Dong village, admiring the traditional Dong dwellings. These wooden houses are arranged in a charming, staggered pattern, their blue tiles shimmering in the sunlight. You can also visit a Dong embroidery workshop to see how the skillful Dong girls meticulously embroider beautiful designs.
○Evening: Participate in a Dong bonfire party, sing and dance with the villagers, and experience the warmth and hospitality of the Dong people.
●Day 2: Immersive Experience, Exploring Cultural Mysteries
○Morning: Stroll through the rice paddies of Dimeng. The paddies present different beautiful scenes in different seasons. In spring, they are a vibrant green, while in autumn, they are golden waves of wheat. You can also participate in the villagers' farming activities, experiencing the fun of planting and harvesting rice.
○Lunch: Enjoy a meal at a farmhouse restaurant by the fields, savoring fresh local cuisine.
○Afternoon: Visit the Dong Ethnic Culture Museum in Dimeng. This museum houses many Dong artifacts and handicrafts, offering a deeper understanding of Dong history and culture.
○Evening: Relax in the courtyard of your guesthouse, listening to the sounds of insects and chatting with your travel companions, ending a wonderful day.
💡Travel Tips
●Respect Dong customs and traditions. For example, be mindful of your posture when entering the drum tower and avoid stepping on the threshold.
●When purchasing Dong handicrafts, you can bargain with the seller, but don't ask for an exorbitant price.
●The signal in the village might be weak, so download an offline map beforehand.
My darlings, Dimeng Dong Village is like a living history book, every page filled with stories. Come and start a unique journey here; I'm sure you'll love this place! 💕