2026 Napo Travel Guide: must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transport & travel experiences (updated in February)

Before reaching the transnational waterfall, I passed through the beautiful, picturesque "Hena Expressway" surrounded by karst landform mountains. Upon arriving at Naxin Village in Napo County, Chongzuo, I saw local elderly women and men drying corn at the public service center parking lot. We exchanged brief greetings, and they told me they don’t eat rice noodles much hhh (🍚). Along the country road were vast fields of sugarcane. After yesterday’s rain and cooling, this morning a gentle cool breeze blew, making the sugarcane leaves outside the car window sway like a spontaneous little countryside tune ♪. On the Vietnam 🇻🇳 side, a group of Western young people with a Southeast Asian background were gathered in a circle, entertaining themselves. The subtle sense of incongruity in this scene couldn’t be precisely captured by this rookie’s camera (hair tousled!¿). Many plants in the south have very unique appearances 🍃. GR + rookie = dead end _:(´ཀ`」 ∠):

Take the kids to Napo Black-Clothed Zhuang Village, where they see for the first time an entire ethnic group dressed in black clothing. The child curiously asks, "Why do they all wear black clothes?"! A 3-day itinerary where kids learn to weave Zhuang brocade, sing Zhuang songs, and eat Zhuang cuisine. This guide helps you unlock the unique ethnic charm with your kids～ 🖤 Must-Experience Black-Clothed Zhuang Features (Family-Friendly) Learn to Weave Zhuang Brocade (1 hour): At the "Zhuang Brocade Experience Hall," Black-Clothed Zhuang aunties teach kids how to weave Zhuang brocade! First, they tell the story of Zhuang brocade ("This is a craft passed down from Black-Clothed Zhuang grandmothers, weaving beautiful patterns with colorful threads"), then teach kids to use a simple loom to weave basic patterns (like small flowers or stars). Kids hold the small shuttle, slowly threading the yarn. Although slow, they are very focused. The finished small Zhuang brocade can be made into a small wallet (free zipper included). The kids use it every day to hold their pocket money. Wear Black-Clothed Zhuang Costumes: Choose mini versions of the Black-Clothed Zhuang costumes (sizes for ages 1-10), black tops + black pants (skirts for girls), plus silver headpieces and belts! After dressing up, the Black-Clothed Zhuang aunties help tidy up and teach kids the "Zhuang etiquette" (hands clasped, slight bow). The photos taken are very distinctive. Experience fee is 30 RMB per person, including costume and photo guidance. Listen to Black-Clothed Zhuang Mountain Songs: Every day at 10 AM and 3 PM in the village square, Black-Clothed Zhuang grandpas sing mountain songs (in Zhuang language with Mandarin translation). The lyrics are about life and nature, very beautiful! Grandpa also teaches kids simple mountain songs (like "Sister picking tea busily, song floats over the mountain"). Kids hum along, off-key but super cute, and grandpa applauds them. 🏡 Accommodation Recommendations (Family-Friendly) We chose the "Black-Clothed Zhuang Style Homestay," run by a Black-Clothed Zhuang family. The rooms are decorated with Black-Clothed Zhuang elements (Zhuang brocade murals, black wood carvings). The owner prepared "Black-Clothed Zhuang small gifts" for the kids (Zhuang brocade pendants, 15 RMB each). In the evening, in the homestay courtyard, the owner plays "Zhuang ethnic small games" with the kids (like "throwing embroidered balls," tossing colorful embroidered balls into small baskets, with small snacks as prizes). 🍜 Must-Try Black-Clothed Zhuang Food (Authentic) Black-Clothed Zhuang Sour Meat: Pork marinated into sour meat, stir-fried with green peppers, sour and salty, very appetizing. Give kids a small amount (a bit sour). Served with white rice, kids can eat about half a bowl. Zhuang Sticky Rice: "Colorful sticky rice" made with black, red, and yellow glutinous rice, wrapped in leaves, sweet and delicious. Kids love it and ask, "Why is the sticky rice colorful?" (You can explain, "The colors come from plant dyes, very safe"). Corn Porridge: Free corn porridge provided by the homestay in the morning, cooked thick with a little salt. Kids can drink a bowl, warm and soothing for the stomach. 🚗 Transportation & Tickets Transportation: It takes 50 minutes by car from Napo County to Black-Clothed Zhuang Village. The mountain road is a bit winding, so remember to prepare motion sickness patches for the kids. There is also a shuttle bus from the county (15 RMB per person, kids free, 3 trips daily). Tickets: Free! Experience activities (weaving brocade, wearing costumes) require payment, prices are transparent with no hidden fees. 💡 Tips for Traveling with Kids Do cultural prep in advance: Show kids a short video about the Black-Clothed Zhuang (about 5 minutes), telling them "This is an ethnic group that likes to wear black clothes and has many amazing crafts," to build anticipation. Bring a small notebook: Let kids draw the Zhuang brocade patterns they learn and the mountain song lyrics they hear, making a "Black-Clothed Zhuang journal," which is very meaningful. Respect local customs: Tell kids "Don't touch the Black-Clothed Zhuang aunties' headpieces casually, and listen carefully when they sing," to cultivate respect. After 3 days, the kid said, "The Black-Clothed Zhuang grandmothers are amazing, they can weave such beautiful Zhuang brocade"～ This kind of trip that lets kids experience a lesser-known ethnic culture really broadens their horizons. Highly recommend it to families wanting to feel a different ethnic vibe with their kids!

Napo County is under the jurisdiction of Baise, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is located in the southwest of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, bordering Jingxi City to the east and northeast, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's Cao Bang and Ha Giang provinces to the south and southwest, and Funing County, Yunnan Province to the west and northwest. It stretches 38 km from Zhaoyang Pass in Pohe Township in the east to Baiyun Mountain in Baidu Township in the west, and 67 km from Tangna Mountain in Pingmeng Town in the south to Kala Mountain in Chengxiang Town in the north. The county has a 206.5 km long border, making it one of the counties with the longest land border in Guangxi.

There are many cultural relics along the border of Guangxi. One of them is located in Napo County. It is located at the foot of Longshan Mountain in the north of the county. It was discovered in the late 1950s and in the late 1990s. Large-scale rescue excavation, found three tombs and ash pits, in addition to many fire sites, and known as "priceless treasure" iron, enamel, stone, pottery, bone and other appliances reached more than 1,000 pieces . The southern part of the cavern of the sensation rock is the remains of the Qing Dynasty Tusi Department. The entire sensation rock is currently a state-level cultural relics protection unit. The cultural relics unearthed from the Neolithic Age to the Warring States Period are important historical materials for studying the history of the border area of Guangxi. . The cultural relics unearthed from sensational rocks are mainly divided into the early Qing dynasty culture, the late Neolithic period, and the cultural relics of the Iron Age. The unique gums and charcoal millet are major discoveries of prehistoric archaeology in Guangxi. The Napo area is a karst landform, and some of the bare parts of the mountain are not born, and some of the mountains are lush, which is a spectacle. There is an ancient temple under the sensational rock, but the incense is not strong, but the mural paintings on the outer wall are exquisite, and some of the walls are painted and stripped due to the wind and rain. Throughout the ages, the sensational rock is a tourist attraction. Today, the rock carvings of different periods are preserved on the rock wall. The stone carvings such as Yuyan Dicui, Sucking the Sky and Don't Have a Cave are calligraphy treasures.