Dragon Palace Cave Scenic Area in Anshun

Why is Dragon Palace Cave so Special?

When you enter in those various caves, you will feel like that you are going to visit the palace for Dragon King living under the water in Chinese tales and myths. It is also why it is named Dragon Palace. With its grotesque structure, the Dragon Palace Cave Scenic Area presents colorful scenery of underground wind tunnel which can be toured by boat.

Where is Dragon Palace Cave

Dragon Palace Cave is located in Xixiu District, Anshun City, Guizhou Province, 35km away from Huangguoshu Scenic Area, 27km away from Anshun City and 116km away from Guiyang.

Geological Landform of Dragon Palace Cave

It belongs to the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau, with many mountains in the territory, and most areas are between 1100 and 1400 meters above sea level. Geological structure is complex, weathering is strong, water erosion and dissolution are serious, and karst development conditions are good. Dissolved and eroded landforms coexist, mainly dissolved landforms, forming peculiar karst landscapes such as karst caves, rivers and waterfalls, depressions, whirlpools, and the Stone Forest on the mountain peaks.

Main Attractions of Dragon Palace Cave

The dragon palace cave covers an area of nearly 60 square kilometers (about 23 square miles) and has four main areas, namely rape lake, whirlpool, leech pass and dragon palace itself. Among them, the dragon palace is the most famous and wonderful scenic spot, including various karst (limestone) landscapes, solemn steep cliffs and jagged stone forest. China’s longest underground river, about 5,000 meters long (over 5,468 yards), flows through more than 30 hills and connects more than 90 limestone caves in this scenic area.
The dragon palace can be divided into five groups of limestone caves connected by underground rivers. The depth of the river can reach 28 meters (about 15 feet) and the width can be extended to 30 meters (about 32 yards). Therefore, when you go deep into the cave by boat, it is a fascinating adventure for tourists to float beside the magnificent and changing scenery.

Apart from the gate of the dragon palace, a waterfall cascades down the dragon palace from Tianchi lake. The waterfall is 34 meters high (over 37 yards) and 25 meters wide (over 27 yards). Locals describe it as a white dragon leaving its cave, or Longmen Waterfall. Geologists and tourists both believe that this spectacular waterfall is one of the three natural wonders there.

The underground water channel in the dragon palace forms two chambers: the outer chamber and the inner chamber. In the inner chamber, there is a flat place as a dock where tourists can go ashore to visit. In the outer room, there is a platform of about 1000 square meters. Get off the boat and climb some stone ladders. You will soon come to the Tiger’s den. From the Tiger’s den, a 5,400-meter-long stone ladder will take you through Shilin Park again and back to the gate. There are many kinds of natural plants in this park. The natural stone structure and lush green trees stand side by side and complement each other in the sun. The last item of the project is to visit Longmen Waterfall, which is a cave entrance. Water from Tianchi Lake rushes down the cliff from here, forming a unique landscape with a width of 33 meters and a height of 37 meters. People describe it as a white dragon coming out of a cave. Therefore, Longmen, in Chinese, means Longmen.

Best Time to Travel Dragon Palace Cave

The best time to pay a visit is all year round.

Guizhou is located on the edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau, surrounded by mountains. Miao village has been an amphibious transportation center since ancient times. This is rich in tourism resources. Guizhou has a subtropical humid climate with an annual average temperature of 16.4 degrees and four distinct seasons. Therefore, it is an ideal tourist destination all the year round.

How to Get There

Go to Anshun first. There is a bus to Dragon Palace Cave at Anshun bus station. Because it is close to Huangguoshu Waterfall, it can be reached in one day. It takes only half an hour to drive from one to the other.

Useful Travel Tips

Admission Fee: CNY 130
CNY 55 for the elevator
Opening Hours: 08:40 to 17:00
Recommended Time for a Visit: One hour

Nearby attractions

Edited by Doreen/张洋