Things to see and do Southwest China

We understand why the name of the name is seen by the strange pond in the clear waters, but it is tinged with black because of the aquatic herbs that grow at the bottom. At the end of the pond, a beautiful arched bridge and a Chinese pavilion on water make up a beautiful array of mountains.

Kunming's most curious attraction is the stone forest, a fantastic rock chaos with strange shapes. Seen by far, these stone formations resemble a huge forest. It is a magical place, a true natural museum that is part of the world's largest karst formation. They stretch from the famous sugar breads of Guilin through Guizhou province to Kunming, which, here with its ruiniform relief, becomes the stone forest. It was originally part of the sea bottom, formed by calcareous layers shaped by a 270 million-year-old submarine erosion, which was deformations of the earth's crust to become this large set of stone columns.

The strange formations of this labyrinth of rocks of sometimes 30 m span over 27,000 ha. Only 80 hectares are open to tourists with trails arranged over 5 km. It's an age-old landscape, a maze of petrified shapes where it's easy to get lost if you get out of these paths in rock. In these landscapes of another planet with tiny peaks, small cellars, small ponds between columns and stone walls, rocks sometimes in unstable equilibrium, we have the strange feeling of walking in a maze of stones. Some Chinese pavilions built on raised points allow to kiss some of these rocks with bizarre shapes. China's imagination finds this to be a vagrant, and poetic and evocative names abound: the Epouse waiting for her husband, the Stone Bell, the Two Birds giving each other one to eat, the Stairs that climb into Heaven, the Phoex smooth his wing…

We arrive at Crown Cave, a cellar of stalagmites and stalactites (not provided for in the program), involving a 2-hour visit for a supplement of RMB 60. The trail on the bank is kept by young Miao in traditional costume welcoming visitors and by rainforests access to others… To access the entrance of the cave, you have to climb a long steep climb (under overwhelming heat in summer). Crown Cave is a very long cave (3 km) of stalagmites and stalactites lit with colour adore green, yellow, purple… On the bottom of the cellar flows a small river that you need to go down into a narrow hallways.

The last part is done by train. Back on the Li River, the landscapes are becoming increasingly magical with spurs mountain balls in form of sugar breads to evocative names such as Embroidered, Meunier at work, White Tiger Hill, the Grand-Father looking at an apple, the Lion is the sum of the Five Fingers Hill, the Turtle climbs the Hill Hill Hill Hill, The Eight Supernatural crosses through the river, the peak of the Tail of the Fish, the hill of the Nine Horses fresco, the Lion who looks at the hill of the Nine Horses mural, the Hill Hill, The Yellow Fabric in the river, the Camel crossing the river, the Carpe Hill, the Dragon heads hill… Apparently, Lijiang is shallow, and the water so clear that sunlight makes these aquatic grasses grow in the bottom of the bed of the river. As one moves down, the banks are lined with large bushes of bamboo from emerald green on deep blue sky and sugar bread. The surface of calm waters reflects these poetic landscapes sung for millennia by the greatest Chinese poets. They have such serenity that we want to stop to live here…

From Yangshuo, you can do the same cruise by going back the river to half way towards Guilin for much cheaper: 110 RMB (Guilin having the monopoly of operation of the entire Lijiang River, the Yangshuo organizations have the right only to go back to the village of Yangdi). So, for those who want to make savings, take the bus to go to Yangshuo and go up half the river from there. In any case, the most beautiful karst formations border the last half of the river.

After the temple of Confucius, this is Jianshui's second main attraction. The residence was built by Zhu Weiqing and his brothers, the 31 st year of the Emperor Guangxu's dynasty under the Qing dynasty (late nineteenth century). The ensemble covers nearly 2 ha and consists of flags of different sizes, gardens and kiosks… Each flag embodies the typical Jianshui architecture. Even though the Zhu family gardens suffered some degradation during the Cultural Revolution, they retain all their authenticity. The last flag at the bottom of the garden has a very nice exhibition of photographs that tell the extraordinary story of the Zhu family.

Originally from the Hunan province, the Zhu family has been enriched by industry and trade by opening shops in Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hong Kong. The Zhu were great notable notables in southern Yunnan. Both brothers, Zhu Chengzhang and Zhu Chengzao, purchased with their children several hectares in the city of Jianshui, where they began to build their residence. It took them thirty years to complete it completely. The Zhu brothers subsequently decided to invest in mines. In a few years, they became the most famous capitalists in the mining industry in southern China and their wealth continued to grow.

From 1903, the glorious fate of the Zhu family began to fail. In 1903, their mines were confiscated, and a decade later the two brothers were forced to flee, their shops being looted by bandits. In 1916, their property was seized because of their support to General Yuan Shikai. The city of Jianshui fell into the hands of the army, and the property of the Zhu was confiscated. In 1927, both brothers were imprisoned. The tragic fate of this family generated many polemics. Since 1999, the Zhu family gardens are open to visit: a walk that will plunge you into China's history and make you discover one of the country's best preserved traditional residences.

During the crossing, countless breads of sugar with blue tones are wandered, enchanting the traveler by their beauty. There is an atmosphere of serenity, fullness, at the heart of this China, which seems to have remained the same for millennia. Very pure water strikes through its transparency. Landscapes reveal impressive karst ensembles. There are majestic bamboo bamboo. At the heart of these exceptional panoramas are the scenes of everyday life: Buffets on the banks or coming refreshing in the river, villagers washing their clothes, fishermen picking their nets. Asian buffaloes, with very special skin, need these daily water baths or mud in summer to cope with heat. Chinese children bathe in water or sail on fortune rafts.

In the eyes of the Chinese, these karst emitters, who inspired both painters over the centuries, sketched very specific forms such as «the mountain to the Nine Horses». We must have a very seasoned eye to distinguish them; if so, a life of happiness opens up to you, as the Chinese tradition wants!

Despite the admission price that is considered exorbitant for a natural site, if you have to visit at least one cave in Guilin, it is this one that must be chosen. Located north-west of Guilin on the south slope of Guangming Mountain, this limestone cavern measures 240 m long and contains 500 m of interior corridors. In front of the entrance of the cave, boulders were made with which flutes were made, hence the name straight from a fairy tale. Inside, erosion cut stalagmites and stalactites into columns, curtains and stone flowers, giving instead magical beauty and impressive diversity.

Already fascinating by its proportions, the cave becomes even more so thanks to the highlights, which recreate in each gallery a different atmosphere, but above all detach ensembles, forcing our imaginations to perceive particular shapes. Hence the interest, if you are large enough, to request an English guide for the visit. For in any case, the group visit and the guide will be imposed on you. Please note that the floor can be slippery, so we advise you to get in bed…

You'll probably hear the water growling before you get to the site! With its 71 m height and 80 m wide, the Huangguoshu waterfall is the most impressive in Asia. Take the small trail that takes you to the entrance of the cave behind the water curtain. The trail goes down and takes you to the Rhinoceros basin. According to the season, the show can be radically different. Only one regret too often in China, the prohibitive cost and the mass tourism side.

Falls over the seasons

During the rainy season (May to October). The village of Huangguoshu is filled with a cloud of water vapor. The site is transformed and offers you a spectacular foam show. The place is invaded by Chinese and Western tourists especially the months of July and August.

During the dry season (November to April). At some times water flow can decrease. The site welcomes fewer tourists at that time. Although the show is less impressive, the walk is more pleasant. You will not be allocated by one of the many souvenir merchants…

The Lamasery Monastery is the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. It is located about 5 km from Head centre, in the middle of the barley fields and mountains. If the price of the ticket is quite exorbitant, the place is beautiful and is worth a detour. During our passage, the main building was undergoing renovation. Already rebuilt for the first time in 1982, the structure was not robust enough and threatened to collapse. Around 500 monks occupy the scene today. During your visit, you will be prompted to cross several. They are very open, and it is easy to engage in conversation with them. Covered with sumptuous thangkas, the prayer room is impressive. The kitchen is visited, but it is accessible for men only… After visiting the building, we advise you to walk around the monastery. The sites are peaceful and the life of the village at the foot of the monastery seems to follow its ancestral course.

The rushing waters force a passage through these gorge of 17 km long and a difference of 196 m forming a series of falls. The gorges are divided into upper, medium and low gorges. The lowlands are the most frightening of the three. The width at some places above the precipice is only about metres away. Legend tells us that a hunted tiger escapes on the opposite shore by a big leap (hence name).

In bad weather, the Tiger gorges are deemed dangerous (and time is quite capricious in these mountains). Sometimes we have to wait several days for the return of the nice weather to go on expedition. Take a few days of margin in your travel schedule if you want to take trekking in the region.

Trekking in the gorge: Trekking is not necessarily difficult, but is still asking for essential precautions in mountains: do not leave alone, provide water and food, hot clothing, good walking shoes and flashlight. Count 2 good days of walking (about 8 hours walk per day) but you can of course stay longer…

Two hikes are offered, we recommend you take the oldest path known as the "24 turning trail trail". The most adventurous, from Qiaotou to join Daju, will successively cross the villages of Nuoyu, then Yacha, Yongsheng, Bendiwan and finally Dabai. You will be able to admire on your road great rapids. For those who are not fans of hiking, you will be able to take a tour of the sea by bus (approximately 250 RMB). Des take you to discover the landscape!
The gorges are accessible from Qiaotou or Daju. You have to take the bus.

For Qiaotou, buses leave Lijiang in the morning and early afternoon (about 15 RMB).

For Daju, take a bus directly at Lijiang long distance station (approximately 4 hours drive - 30 RMB).

You can also reach Head (several buses per day).

The church built in 1927 reflects the colonial past of the city. They were former French missionaries who erected the building.

Located in the northeast of the city, Mount Hill, or the "Vagues de Waves", stands isolated, forcing the Lijiang River to slow down its race and form a deep pond. Apart from the pleasant panorama, we come to see the cave of the Restored Pearl, which is carved in the stone of Buddhist bas-reliefs.

On the other side of the lake compared to Dali, this market is the most authentic of the lake, because the least frequented by tourists. The inhabitants of the surrounding mountains «garent» their horses at the entrance to the market, the hens and pigs run between the legs of the traders, and the general agitation becomes a festival of colors when the different ethnic minorities mix in mid-morning. Most of the guest houses organize departures to Wase, including boat crossing, for 50 RMB.

This famous hill, at the confluence of the Lijiang and Yangjiang rivers, evokes an elephant plunging its cheater into water: It is the symbol of the city. A circular cave called «the Cave of Water and Moon» was formed between the cheating and the hill. On the full moon days, we can go by boat contemplating the reflection of the moon in the water. On the inner and outer walls, 50 sculptures in the stone of different dynasties. A small trail leads to the top of the hill where the Puxian pagoda stands, built under the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

The Longrui reserve is a completely wild place where you can discover a monkey species endemic to the karst regions of southern Guangxi: the langour langour. The reserve brings together about 400 individuals, timid but charming with their long white ring marking their face. The reserve also has a very rare species of camellia: Camellia with golden flowers. The amateurs can admire them in full bloom between October and November. The walk in the reserve is worth a detour. The location is feasible and takes you away from the large Chinese cities. Possibility to spend the night on site: contact your guide or the village of Panlong.

This site covers 110 km ². The landscapes are sublime. It is one of the largest karst pitons forests. We recommend you take a minibus to visit the site. The most courageous will do it on foot (it takes 4 hours of walking). Xu Xiake, a famous Chinese writer and geographer, describes the forest landscapes at the ten thousand summits in his notes. He was particularly fascinated by the sunset of the sun on limestone peaks.

Situated in the south-west of the city, Caohai's "Herbue sea" is named because of the forest of reeds which covers nearly 70% of its surface. Shallow (about 2 metres), the place is often compared to a swamp. The lake is among the natural jewels in Guizhou province. Bordered by rice fields, it covers about 20 km ² and was classified as a national natural reserve by the Chinese government in 1992. This reserve hosts many bird species that can be observed throughout the year, including the black-collar crane, which is in the process of extinction.

Water is at a natural temperature of 60 ° C. According to specialists, Longsheng's spring water would have many virtues: fighting cancer, ageing and helping to get blood moving. The decor is paradise. A hotel (Longsheng Hot Spring Hotel, 龙胜温泉度假中心酒店) offers several formulas including treatments and baths. A little pleasure that has a cost: from 500 RMB the double room, not counting the care.

In a sumptuous setting, the hot springs of land as by magic. A little diving? You would be wrong to deprive you of it. Some sources are too hot so you can put a foot on it. A place where you can relax! Accommodation opportunities on site.

The park offers a beautiful walk in the middle of pines and ginkgos, far from urban turmoil. It houses the temple of Laifeng, a small Buddhist building to discover.