Things to do in Lingyun

No. 4 of Best Things to Do in Baise

Haokun Lake

Haokun Lake is a tourist attraction in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, located along the road from Baise to Lingyun. Formed by damming the Chengbi River system, it lies just 5 km from Shenyun Dragon Palace. The lake spans 500–1,000 meters in width and serves as a scenic area centered around natural landscapes and ecotourism. Surrounded by mountains with crystal-clear waters, Haokun Lake resembles a sparkling gem embedded in the earth. Its tranquility and pristine beauty attract numerous visitors seeking relaxation and an escape from urban noise. Visitors can take a cruise to leisurely explore the lake, admiring the green mountains, clear waters, and stunning reflections along the shores. The Haokun Lake Scenic Area features multiple viewpoints where you can pause to capture breathtaking moments of the picturesque landscape. For hiking enthusiasts, the trails around the lake offer opportunities to explore nature—stroll through the woods, listen to birdsong, and immerse yourself in the tranquility and harmony of the surroundings. Haokun Lake Scenic Area is a paradise for fishing enthusiasts, boasting abundant fish resources where you can enjoy the pleasure of angling. Additionally, the surrounding ethnic minority villages offer visitors opportunities to experience local culture, savor authentic ethnic cuisine, and participate in traditional folk activities. Whether you're seeking nature exploration, leisure vacation, or cultural immersion, Haokun Lake Scenic Area provides a rich and unforgettable travel experience.

Guangxi Lingyun Haokun Lake National Wetland Park - Viewing Platform

Haokun Lake - Zhulong Cave

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Hechi

Sanmenhai Area

Nestled among the karst peaks of Fengshan County, Hechi, Guangxi, the Sanmenhai Area is a cluster of collapsed skylights connected by an underground river. The cave ceilings collapsed and linked with the surface, leaving seven skylights arranged like a string of beads resembling the Big Dipper, with three currently accessible by boat. The journey begins on a bright lake before entering a dark cave, then emerging back into the light, with the scenery of mountains, water, caves, and sky alternating before your eyes—creating the illusion of "seas within mountains and gates above seas," which inspired the name Sanmenhai. Geologists and cave researchers call this skylight cluster the "Window of the World" and the "Karst Geology Museum," as it remains largely untouched by human development. During the boat tour, the first stretch of water forms a lake encircled by cliffs, its surface a deep blue. The second skylight, known as the "Half-moon Skylight," reveals a rock opening resembling a crescent moon hanging above. The innermost skylight passage is deep and maintains a constant temperature—warm in winter and cool in summer. When sunlight slants through the opening onto the water, the turquoise lake and submerged rock walls reflect like a piece of jade immersed in water. The tour is primarily by boat, alternating between bright lakes and dark caves. Each passage through shadowy waterways is met with light from the skylights, offering perfect photo opportunities on sunny days when the water displays distinct layers of color. Due to its remote location, a round-trip to Fengshan town requires planning for travel time. The experience is boat-centric and pairs well with other karst views in the county on the same day.

2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do

Detian Transnational Waterfall Scenic Spot

Detian Transnational Waterfall Scenic Spot is located on the Guichun River along the China-Vietnam border in Guangxi. Here the border river meets a cliff, and the water drops in three tiers with a fall of about 60 m, facing Vietnam's Ban Gioc Waterfall across the cliff. In the rainy season, when the water is abundant, the two waterfalls almost merge into one, with a combined width of more than 200 m, and the roar can be heard across the valley. This is also one of the filming locations for the TV drama The Journey of Flower. The highlights of the visit mostly unfold around this border river: after passing through the Detian Archway, you can take a bamboo raft from the bank toward the foot of the waterfall, look up as the curtain of water crashes down from the cliff top and mist hits your face, and experience up close the unique atmosphere of two countries just a step apart on the border river; on the river, you can often encounter Vietnamese border residents rowing small bamboo rafts to sell coffee, dried fruit, and other small goods, and the bargaining has much of the fun of a cross-border market. After coming ashore, follow the waterfall-viewing boardwalk and the multi-level viewing platforms to look back at the full panorama of the waterfall from different heights. The No. 53 boundary marker, erected in the Qing Dynasty and inscribed with "China Guangxi Boundary," is a popular photo spot. The waterfall view changes noticeably with water volume: during the summer wet season, the water is surging and visually stunning, while in the dry season it is relatively delicate; bamboo raft docks have long queues during peak season, so if you want to view the waterfall up close, it is recommended to plan an early start; there is heavy mist on the bamboo raft, so remember to protect your phone and camera from water.

Naling Valley Scenic Area

The Naling River Valley Scenic Spot is located in the longevity belt of the Duyang Mountains in northwest Guangxi, 1 km north of Yinghui Mountain, the county seat of Lingyun County, Baise City.

2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do

Huangguoshu Scenic Area

The Huangguoshu Scenic Area is located in Anshun, Guizhou, centered around the Huangguoshu Waterfall. Surrounded by deep gorges, dense vegetation, and dotted with limestone caves and stone forests, it is a typical karst landscape area. The waterfall's name originates from the locally abundant "Huangguoshu" (Ficus virens). Ming Dynasty traveler Xu Xiake visited and documented this site, contributing to its fame. The scenic area primarily consists of three main sections: the Great Waterfall, Tianxing Bridge, and Doupotang. Most travelers follow the sequence of Doupotang, Tianxing Bridge, and finally the Great Waterfall, saving the most spectacular view for last. The grand waterfall has a drop of nearly 80 m and a width of over 100 m. The Baishui River plunges from the cliff top into Rhinoceros Pool, creating a vast mist. Multiple viewing platforms around it allow visitors to experience its grandeur, wonder, steepness, and beauty from different angles—above, below, front, back, left, and right. A particularly unique experience lies behind the waterfall: a 100 m long Water Curtain Cave runs horizontally through its midsection, featuring cave windows and halls. Reaching through a window, one can touch the cascading water. The cave served as the filming location for the Water Curtain Cave in the 1986 TV series Journey to the West. Due to the heavy humidity inside, bringing a raincoat in advance is recommended. Tianxing Bridge is renowned for its harmonious blend of rocks, water, trees, and caves—where rocks rise from the water, caves hide within rocks, and trees stand beside caves. The stepping stones along the path are engraved with dates, allowing travelers to find their own "birthday stone." The attraction is divided into upper and lower sections. Many travelers turn back after completing the upper section, missing the Silver Chain Waterfall in the lower part—where water cascades like silver chains into a funnel-shaped pool, the highlight of Tianxing Bridge. The Doupotang waterfall is located approx. 1 km upstream from the grand waterfall. With a width of over 100 m at its crest, the water spreads out smoothly like a beaded curtain. During the high-water season, its deep roar earns it the nickname "roaring waterfall." The scene of the four pilgrims leading their horse across the river in the 1986 TV series Journey to the West was filmed here. In summer and fall, the waterfalls are full and powerful, while in winter and spring, the flow becomes gentler, offering different viewing experiences. Nearby, visitors can also enjoy local snacks like sticky rice, love tofu, and Anshun spring rolls.

2026 Global 50 - Spring Outings

Qingxiu Mountain

Qingxiu Mountain is one of the famous scenic spots in Nanning and is located on the banks of the Yongjiang River. Qingxiu Mountain has more than a dozen foothills such as Qingshan and Fenghuangling. Here, you can visit the Longxiang Pagoda, look out over the landscapes. Or you can stroll through the park and admire different kinds of flowers. In springtime, this is a great place to enjoy flowers blooming, especially peach blossoms on Peach Blossom Island.

2026 Global 50 - Cool Water Escapes

Libo Xiaoqikong Scenic Area

Libo Xiaoqikong Scenic Area is located among the peaks in the southern part of Libo County and is named after a seven-arch stone bridge built during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty over the Xiangshui River. Set against a karst landscape, the scenic area brings together mountains, waters, forests, caves, lakes, and waterfalls, and is known as the "emerald on the Earth's belt." The Xiaoqikong ancient bridge is the attraction's signature view. The seven-arch stone arch bridge, built of bluestone, spans the Xiangshui River. Beneath the bridge, the water of Hanbi Pond is deep blue, and ancient trees tower on both banks, making it a classic photo spot. Following the Xiangshui River downstream, the 68-tier waterfall cascades in overlapping layers, with the river water dropping step by step over the karst rock surface with a roaring sound. Nearby, the Laya Waterfall pours down from the cliff beside the path, and visitors can feel the mist on their faces up close. The water forest is another unique view in the attraction, where trees take root among the streams in the water. Visitors walk along the stone stepping path through the forest, with babbling water beneath their feet and a canopy of green shade overhead. Mandarin Duck Lake is formed by two large lakes, the Male Mandarin Duck Lake and the Female Mandarin Duck Lake, connected with several small lakes. The lake surface is emerald green and serene, and boats can pass through the trees growing in the water. Wolong Pond is the surface outlet of an underground karst river. An arc-shaped stone embankment encloses the underground river water into a deep pond, and the water is as green as jade. Where the water overflows the stone embankment, a rolling-water waterfall forms, creating a striking contrast between the still pond and the moving waterfall. The area around the attraction is home to ethnic minorities such as the Bouyei and Yao, and villages like Yaoshan Ancient Village retain traditional dwellings and ethnic customs, adding cultural richness to the natural scenery. The attractions are distributed along the Xiangshui River; touring from Wolong Pond and Yuanyang Lake all the way down to the Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge, walking along the stream is relatively effortless.

2026 Global 100 - Night Attractions

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is a collection of over ten natural villages built along the mountainside, inhabited by the "Xi" clan of the Miao people. The village features layers of wooden stilt houses on the slopes, with coffee-colored old houses nestled against lush green mountains. The Baishui River divides the village in two. The side of the river (to the left after entering the Xiaobei Gate for travelers) is mainly a commercial pedestrian street, while the opposite side (to the right after entering the Xiaobei Gate for travelers) is primarily the viewing platform overlooking the village. Upon arriving at Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village, you'll see a gate with the plaque "Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village" after getting off at the parking lot. From this gate to the village is a 1.5 km walk, which you can cover either by electric bikes or on foot. After this 1.5 km stretch, you'll encounter another gate similar to the one at the parking lot, also bearing the "Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village" plaque—this marks the true entrance to the village. First drink the welcoming wine, then enter the village. The first thing you see is the commercial pedestrian street, selling a dazzling array of Miao ethnic specialty products. The most eye-catching are the Miao silver ornaments. Kongbai in Xijiang town of Leishan near the Miao village is a well-known silversmith village, where almost all the men master the silver ornament making techniques, and the craftsmanship of Miao silver is exquisite. The performance venue in the pedestrian street area offers Miao ethnic song and dance shows. You can also visit the Xijiang Miao Ethnic Museum and the Drum Head's House (the Miao king's residence, where a bronze drum is enshrined). Alternatively, take a stroll along the Baishui River to see the wind-and-rain bridges with roofed eaves sheltering from the elements, or the low, narrow wooden plank bridges. At the end of the village lies a pastoral landscape, where even during peak season few visitors come. Across the river is a station for electric bikes to the viewing platform, but walking there isn't far, and several spots along the way offer excellent views. Upon reaching the viewing platform, wait for nightfall—the grand spectacle of Xijiang is just beginning. Thousands of lights illuminate from beneath the eaves of wooden stilt houses, dotted like stars to outline the entire Miao village in the shape of an ox head. It's hard to imagine such a brilliantly lit scene in a mountain village. Returning to the viewing platform at dawn, the Miao village is shrouded in mist as the first sunlight gilds the wooden houses golden. Smoke curls up from chimneys, marking the start of a new day. In Miao villages, you can often see Miao women with their hair buns coiled on top of their heads and adorned with large flowers. Just looking isn't enough—you can also rent a few sets of Miao costumes to dress up as a Miao woman yourself. It's especially beautiful and very popular among young women. Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village has mature tourism development, with no worries about food and accommodation. For dining, the famous option is the long-table banquet. Restaurants in the village will often ask if you'd like to try it—simply joining tables to make them longer counts as a long-table banquet, serving as a fun experience. The authentic long-table banquet is held outdoors, with dozens of tables connected end-to-end, sometimes so long that you can't see from one end to the other. These are set up during important festivals or when significant group tours visit, so don't miss the chance if you encounter one. The cuisine of southeastern Guizhou tends to be sour, and the village's specialty dishes include sour fish soup, pickled vegetables, and cured meat.