# A 5-day adventure in Chongzuo with my parents! Complete details

Taking my parents on an off-season trip to Chongzuo – less crowded and cheaper! **Day 1: Nanjing → Nanning → Friendship Pass → Taiping Ancient City (Car)** - Arrived in Nanning at noon. Renting a car during the off-season is such a great deal! Prices are practically off the charts! - Our first stop was **Friendship Pass** 🏯, about a 2.5-hour drive. You can book a one-day Vietnam tour with just your ID card (perfect for those who want to cross the border). Even without crossing, the red gate tower offers great photo opportunities and a fantastic atmosphere! - In the afternoon, we ate Vietnamese food in Pingxiang: spring rolls, pho, false bamboo leaves, and roasted pig's trotters. My parents were very satisfied! After lunch, we strolled through **Taiping Ancient City**. The lanterns were lit up, creating a wonderful atmosphere 🏮. We heard there's a metal flower performance at 8:30 pm. We stayed in Chongzuo city center, about a 10-minute drive from the ancient city. **Day 2: Ningming Huashan Rock Paintings → Detian Transnational Waterfall → Mingshi Pastoral Area ⛰️** - Headed straight to **Ningming Huashan Rock Paintings** 🖼️! Important: The rock painting boat tour has fixed schedules daily, so be sure to book in advance and arrive on time. We chose the 10:15 AM departure, which takes about 3 hours round trip. - Dry season perk! We could go ashore to see the rock paintings up close. The ancient murals are absolutely stunning 😲, and the karst landscape along the waterway is breathtaking—every shot is wallpaper-worthy! - In the afternoon, we went to **Detian Transnational Waterfall** 🌊. Taking a bamboo raft is highly recommended! Experience the power of the waterfall up close! The mist on your face is incredibly refreshing. With a Vietnamese waterfall on the left and a Chinese waterfall on the right, the experience of seeing both countries at a glance is truly unique! - We stayed at Mingshi Pastoral Garden that night, surrounded by lush green pastoral scenery 🌾. My parents said it felt like living in a paradise! DM me if you're interested! **Day 3: Tongling Grand Canyon → Dongnayu Bay → Mingshi Pastoral Garden 🌿** - Because we were traveling with my parents, we hesitated for a long time before finally choosing Tongling Grand Canyon. The off-season advantage was obvious; we could drive directly to the entrance without waiting for the shuttle bus. - There's a bit of hiking in the canyon, but it's not difficult. The most surprising part was being able to walk inside the waterfall, like hiding in a "water curtain cave" 💦. Remember to bring a waterproof jacket, or you'll get soaked! - In the afternoon, we went to **Dongnayu Bay** 🚤. There was a recent flood, so the land attractions were under repair, but the boat ride on the water was completely unaffected! **Day 4: Chongzuo → Nanning (Museum + Night Market) 🏙️** - Drive back to Nanning in the morning, first stop: the museums! We visited both the Guangxi Nationalities Museum and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Museum. Each has its own unique features, offering a great understanding of Guangxi culture. If I had to choose one, I'd recommend the Nationalities Museum. - The **Pingxi Night Market** in the evening was a wonderful surprise! A huge variety of Guangxi snacks were available: grilled sausages, pickled vegetables, rice noodle rolls, and sweet soups—the choices were endless 🍧, and the prices were reasonable. - Our accommodation was near Chaoyang Square, making transportation super convenient; you could basically get around by shared electric scooter. **Day 5: Nanning → Nanjing (Local Breakfast + Off-the-Beaten-Path Spots) 🥞** - In the morning, we found a rice noodle roll stall at a market near the hotel. They had various fillings to choose from, and adding a yellow pepper sauce made it incredibly delicious 😋. My parents said it tasted like a local breakfast! - We rode shared electric scooters to **Tingzi Wharf** 🚲. Honestly, it's not worth making a special trip; just take some photos and check it out. Don't have too high expectations!