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Explore the region
About Kaili
Within the city, the prefectural ethnological museum provides context before visiting villages, while Luohanshan Forest Park offers a wooded urban outing with a temple. Keep the city visit and rural excursions distinct: places such as Langde and Xijiang require their own road transfers and time. A focused museum visit is more useful than treating Kaili merely as an overnight transport stop.
The name 'Kaili' derives from a Qiandong-dialect Miao term meaning 'the fields of the Mulao people,' from 'Kai' for the Mulao and 'Li' for field. The area held a Kaili Pacification Office (凯里安抚司) under the Yuan dynasty; in 1390 Qingping Guard (清平卫) was established, becoming Qingping County under Duyun Prefecture in 1494. In 1529 the Kaili Pacification Office was transferred from Sichuan to Guizhou's provincial administration. After 1732 reforms, a Kaili post was placed under Danjiang subprefecture, and in 1914 Qingping County was renamed Lushan County (𬬻山县) to avoid duplicating a county name in Shandong.
Kaili sits on the terraced eastern slope of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, with a subtropical humid monsoon climate and an average annual temperature of 16.1 degrees Celsius. By the end of 2014 the city covered 1,616.51 square kilometers, with a built-up area of 67 square kilometers that exceeded Zunyi's 2013 built-up area of 61 square kilometers, making Kaili the second-largest built-up area among Guizhou's cities, and a total population of 656,100, including 480,000 urban residents.
Kaili is home to 136 ethnic festivals, giving it the name 'Home of a Hundred Festivals' (百节之乡). The city is also known for a range of ethnic handicrafts, among which cross-stitch embroidery, brocade weaving, batik and silverwork are the most notable.
What to look for
- The Qiandongnan Prefecture Ethnological Museum introduces the region’s communities.
- Luohanshan Forest Park combines woodland paths with a Buddhist temple.
Background & history
Kaili (simplified Chinese: 凯里; traditional Chinese: 凱里; pinyin: Kǎilǐ, Hmu: Kad Linx) is a county-level city and the prefecture seat of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, in southeastern Guizhou province, China. It is the center of Miao culture, hosting more than 120 festivals every year.
Excerpt from Wikipedia: Kaili City · Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected introductory sentences; formatting simplified. Background information, not current visitor-service advice.
Location & getting there
Getting to Kaili
For a city-centre start, use the ethnological museum at 5 Guangchang Road in Wanbo Civic Square. Luohanshan Forest Park has a separate entrance at 1071 Huancheng East Road; arrange a local transfer between the two.
Combine your visit
Suggested order for the visit:
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Ethnological museum
Begin with the cultural background of Qiandongnan.
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Wanbo Civic Square
Orient yourself in the central public space.
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Luohanshan Forest Park
Make a separate outing to the wooded park.
This is an editorial sequence of named spaces or places. It does not imply a verified walking connection or promise opening, ticket availability or a journey time.
Find Kaili
凯里 · 黔东南州
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
Langde Miao Village 郎德苗寨
13 km awayLangde’s upper village is a compact settlement of stone-paved lanes and houses above a tributary of the Bala River. The main square provides a natural focal point, while the edge of the village opens towards rice fields and the…
View guide →Xijiang, Guizhou 西江千户苗寨
20 km awayXijiang’s dark timber houses climb two adjacent hillsides above a river, creating a dense layered roofscape. The riverfront and main street are developed visitor areas, while the hillside lanes also contain residents’ homes…
View guide →Zhenyuan County, Guizhou 镇远古城
70 km awayZhenyuan’s old town follows a bend in the Wuyang River, with traditional streets on the banks and religious buildings climbing the nearby cliff. Zhusheng Bridge provides the approach to Qinglongdong, a complex that brings…
View guide →Sources & visit information
The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors, “Kaili City” · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1357859983.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikivoyage contributors, Kaili · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 5285747.
Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "凯里市", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 90895286.