Chongzuo (崇左; Chóngzuǒ) is a city in Central Guangxi.
Understand
Chongzuo is among the Karst mountains, and near rivers and sugar cane fields. It is home to one of China's largest Zhuang populations.
Get in
By bus
There is a regular bus service to Nanning (¥48), Pingxiang, and Longzhou.
By train
Chongzuo is approximately in the middle of the railway line between Nanning and Pingxiang with two to three trains each day from each of the cities and a travel time of around 1hr 40min.
Get around
You can find most things you need in the area near the bus station. Local buses are ¥2 and can take you to the train station or the Leaning Pagoda.3-wheeler taxis abound, a ride from the bus to the train station is ¥3.
See
- Leaning Pagoda (斜塔, Xiétǎ) (bus 3 from the bus station, make sure you tell the bus driver you want to go to the pagoda, it is 500m walk from where to bus stops). The whitewashed pagoda stands on top of a large rock in the middle of the river. When you get to the riverbank, a small boat can take you across to climb the pagoda for around ¥5. It is not possible to cross when the water is too high, mostly during the rainy season in spring/summer. ¥5.
- Chongzuo Ecology Park (崇左生态公园, Chóngzuǒ Shēngtài Gōngyuán) (a minibus from the bus station (1hr, ¥10) can drop you off at the park). Open all day, go before 7:30AM or after 6PM to see the monkeys. A research center by Beijing University on the white-headed leaf monkey (白头叶猴, báitóu yèhóu), of which around 500 individuals live in and near this reservation. Every morning, they leave their caves to spend the day on the hilltops, then return in the evening around sunset. There are observation points around the caves. During the daytime, you most likely won't be able to see them. There are rooms to stay and a restaurant in the park, but as of July 2011 the park was virtually empty and these facilities out of service. Things may be different in the main season (Sep/Oct to Mar), when more tourists come to the area. Admission is ¥80, but you may get a reduced ticket for ¥40 if you ask nicely.
- Stone Forest (石景林). This park is arranged around some natural carst stone formations that form a landscape somewhat similar to a forest made of stone. Smaller than similar parks near Yunnan's Kunming, this park is nevertheless a pleasant spot, and much less visited. 35 RMB entrance.
- Chongzuo Zhuang Nationality Museum (崇左市壮族博物馆). Contrary to its name, this large museum is only partly on the customs and culture of the Zhuang ethnic group, but dedicates the majority of its three floors to a well-designed exhibition on the Huashan rock paintings that were painted along the nearby Zuojiang River some 2,000 years ago and are today a UNESCO World Heritage site. Free entrance.
Do
Buy
Eat
There are various small restaurants around the bus station, offering rice noodles (the regional specialty is 老友面, lǎoyǒumiàn) as well as ready-made dishes to point at.
To reach a large food market, walk to the right when you exit the bus station, about 200 m past the intersection under a large blue roof.
Drink
Sleep
There are several cheap hotels near the bus station, offering simple but clean and spacious rooms from ¥50.
Go next
- Nanning - to the east
- Baise - to the north
- Fangchenggang - to the south
- Pingxiang - to the west by train
Outside of China: