Simple pleasures

Fengshan is roughly two hours' drive from Donglan, on a road that spirals up and down a mountain.

We stopped halfway down the mountain to view Yuanyang Lake and visit Yuanyang Cave.

The lake is far from the cave of the same name, but we can see two pools of blue on a stretch of grassland in the distance. Modern scientific methods have yet to fathom the depth of the two parts that make up the lake, a local official told us.

Inside the entrance of Yuanyang Cave, a dimly - lit tunnel stretches 119 meters to end in a wonderland grotto that covers 29,000 square meters.

The cavern is home to stalactites, stalagmites, stone columns and stone curtains of various size and shape, formed by minerals in the water that slowly drips from the roof of the cave.

It takes roughly an hour to tour the entire cave. No overcoat is needed, despite the season, as the cave maintains a steady temperature of around 20 C year - round.

The highlight of my trip was a sightseeing voyage on the waters of the Sanmen Sea in Fengshan. This lake, thus named because of its sea - like tides, is surrounded by spectacular mountain cliffs with many natural caves and rock arches through which you can sail aboard a raft.

On the 45 - minute trip, the breeze caressed my skin as the raft glided along, and the green water I trailed my fingers in had a silky texture.

Passing through each naturally formed rock arch, some running as long as 90 meters, one is first enclosed beneath an unknowable weight of solid rock, before the light ahead becomes a view of blue skies overhead and green - clad mountains on all sides. The air is intoxicating and makes you spontaneously take a deep breath.

Wanshou Valley, which is actually another cave, is just several minutes drive from the Sanmen Sea, and shuttle buses are available to carry visitors between the two.

The cave was discovered and opened after Yuanyang Cave, and is endowed with similar karst terrain. Wanshou is much bigger than Yuanyang and it takes about one and a half hours to walk through it.

The middle section is a huge cave well - lit by sunshine streaming from a natural skylight high above. Once used as an arsenal for a red army division, the cave contains a natural stone bridge that spans 150 meters and is 75 meters above the ground. The vastness of the cave made me feel the full force of nature, against which I seemed insignificant.

Fengshan's tourism resources are relatively close to each other, making it convenient for tourists to savor the essence of the local culture.