A Journey Through the Dragon's Teeth: Exploring China's Karst Wonderland
It is a landscape born of water and time, a surreal world where limestone mountains rise vertically from the earth like giant, green-draped dragon's teeth. This is the karst scenery of southern China, a geological wonderland that stretches across provinces and offers some of the most iconic and beautiful scenery on the planet.
Your journey through this world can take many forms. In Guangxi, you can drift down the famous Li River near Guilin, surrounded by towering, mist-shrouded peaks that have inspired Chinese painters for centuries. In nearby Yangshuo, you can rent a bicycle and pedal through a fairy-tale countryside of rice paddies and dramatic limestone hills. In neighboring Guizhou province, you can explore giant, cathedral-like underground cave systems, like Zhijin Cave, filled with bizarrely shaped stalactites and stalagmites. It’s a landscape that constantly surprises you, whether you are above ground or below.
Insider Tip:
While Guilin and Yangshuo are the most famous destinations for karst scenery, they can also be the most crowded. For a different, equally spectacular perspective, consider visiting the Wanfenglin (Forest of Ten Thousand Peaks) area near Xingyi, Guizhou. Here, you can get a stunning view from above, looking down on countless karst hills stretching to the horizon like a stone army.
