Zhijindong Cave

Zhijindong Cave National Geopark, located 152 kilometers from Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province, boasts the tallest and thinnest stalactite and the densest concentration of cave chambers in the world. With its tallest stalactite more than 150 meters taller than the any other stalactite, and a maximum width of 175 meters, it was approved by UNESCO as a world geopark on Sep 19, 2015, becoming the first world geopark in Guizhou province.

The cavern has been found to be a vast underground palace featuring a superb array of karst formations in various colors and sizes, including stone curtains, stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars and stone flowers. The amazingly fantastic deposits are mind-blowing since they are shaped like mushrooms, flowers, bamboo, rice fields, mountains, animals and fair ladies. Some of the most spectacular sights include the mysterious "Silver Rain Tree", a 17-meter-tall rare flower-like transparent crystal; the gold silver tower; the unusual and rare moonstones; and the mysterious goose-neck growths.

Tips

Best time to go: All year

Admission: 120 yuan ($19.61)/person in peak season (March 1-November 30), 100 yuan/person in low-season (December 1-February 28)

Hours: 8:00am-5:00pm

How to get there: You can take a long-distance bus to Zhijin county at Guiyang Jinyang Bus Station, and then take a taxi to Zhijin Cavern. You can also get off at Sanjia township near Zhijin, and then transfer to a mini-bus headed for Zhijin Cavern.