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| Caohai Lake
Located in the outskirts of Weining County of Guizhou Province, Caohai Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in Guizhou Plateau. Usually, the lake occupies an area of about 30 square kilometers (about 7413 acres) with an elevation of about 2,200 meters (about 7217 feet). The whole lake is surrounded by green mountains, therefore it forms a unique natural environment - warm in winter and cool in summer.
In the lake, there are plenty of aquatic animals and plants, waterfowls and fish. All of these add more color to the lake. For example, every year from March to April, Caohai Lake is decorated by numerous flourishing flowers which live under water; while large areas of azalea will cover the fields around the lake in autumn. For this reason, autumn is considered to be the best season to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Caohai Lake. In addition, visitors can take boats to enjoy the lake in closer proximity. There are also some aquatic animals living here such as bitterns, wild geese, wild ducks and long-tailed pheasants.
With its rich aquatic plants and mild climate, Caohai Lake is one of the best habitats for birds. In early spring and late autumn every year, more than 100,000 birds will migrate here. These include the black-necked crane, the red-crowned crane, the white stork and the white-tailed sea-eagle and so on. So Caohai Lake also called “the Kingdom of Birds”. The black-necked crane is the only plateau crane left in the world, and the best time to admire the black-necked crane is in winter.
There are two ways to get there. One is taking a train to Guiyang and then taking a bus to Weining County. The other one is taking a train to Liupanshui City and then traveling further by bus.
Jiudongtian Scenic Area
The Jiudongtian Scenic Area is located on the border between Nayong and Dafang counties in Guizhou Province. It is situated about 228 kilometers (around 142 miles) from the Guizhou provincial capital of Guiyang. The Jiudongtian Scenic Area covers an area of about 10 square kilometers (around 2471 acres). It has rare features which are to be found both above and below ground. These include both @,@u@,@ and @,@v@,@ shaped valleys, limestone caves and underground streams. Some geologists consider that Jiudongtian is a marvelous natural phenomenon which outshines any other limestone region in the world.
The Liuchong River runs under the earth at the Jiudongtian Scenic Area. At this point the river is named the Guazhong Underground River. Downstream the underground river runs across mountain ridges and comes to the surface at nine points. This gives the appearance of nine pearls threaded onto a pearl necklace. Tourists who travel along the underground river are amazed when the darkness under the earth is suddenly broken by bright daylight as the river momentarily surfaces. The nine caves have various shapes; some are like gourds whilst others, for example, are shaped like the leg of an elephant. Each cave contains spectacular karst features. Furthermore, located in the second cave, there is the Jiudongtian Hydropower Station which is the only natural limestone cave power station in China. Other features to be found in the caves include a large natural bridge, an extensive underground lake and several waterfalls.
Tourists can travel in the Jiudongtian Scenic Area either along the underground river or on foot via a cement road.
One-Hundred-Li Azalea Belt Scenic Spot
One-Hundred-Li Azalea Belt is situated between Jinpo in Dafang County and Pudi in Qianxi County. With an altitude ranging between 1200 and 2000 meters, this belt is 1 - 4 kilometers in breadth and more than 50 kilometers in length with a total area of 100 square kilometers.
This scenic area consists of 30 attractions, in which Huangping Ten-Li Azalea Belt, Jinpo Azalea Belt, Duizui Cave, Huadi Cave are most famous.
Inside this area, more than 23 kinds of Azalea have been identified. Each year, during the joint period of Spring and Summer, all the Azalea bloom, just like rosy clouds showing off their charms to make tourists intoxicated.
This area is inhabited by Han, Miao, Yi, Bouyei, Gelao and other ethnic groups. Once you enter, you will be attractive by the unique cultures and customs.
Zhijin Cave Scenic Spot
Zhijin Cave Scenic Spot is located in Zhijin County, Guizhou Province. The spot has four parts: Zhijin Old Town, Zhijin Cave, Jiehe Gorge and Hongjia Ferry among which the Zhijin Cave is the most attractive and famous.
Zhijin Cave is also called Daji Cave (Hit Rooster Cave). Historically, young Miao boys and girls often played shuttlecock here, hence the Daji Cave name. Its enormous area spans 307 square kilometers (about 118.5 square miles), with a length of 12.1 kilometers (about 7.52 miles) and a width of 175 meters (about 0.11 miles). Because of the huge bizarre stalactite in the Zhijin Cave, it is called the @,@Museum of Karsts@,@. In this cave are more than forty kinds of karst formations, like those in caves in other parts of the world. The Zhijin Cave, which boasts many unique features, is called @,@King of Caves@,@. For example, 350,000 square meters (about 3,767,491 square feet) of the cave have been explored. Halls in the cave are extremely long and wide. One seldom sees so many varieties and such high-grade karst accumulations, such as the rare curlstone (a kind of stone). The cave feels like a huge underground palace. Here a variety of stones and rock -- prehnite, bloodstone, and curlstone – have formed stalagmites, stone flowers, drums, pillars, and so on. Karst formations create different scenes such as the following:
Reception Hall (Yingbin Ting)
Owing to the sunshine from the mouth of this cave, moss grows in the hall. At the top of the hall is a circular ventilated opening through which sunshine penetrates to the bottom of the hall. Under the sunlight, remaining beads around the opening glisten tremulously like myriads of crystal coins falling from heaven.
Longevity Palace (Wanshou Gong)
At an early period in history enormous rocks collapsed from the summit and then accumulated into a mountain now called Mt. Longevity (Mt. Wanshou Shan). Later, karst accumulations covered the mountain. Beside Mt. Longevity the crimson bloodstone glitters like a peacock spreading its tail to display his fine feathers.
After seeing the natural cave wonders, you can visit the local minority villages of Buyi, Miao and Yi ethnic groups.
Zhijin Cave Scenic Spot is located in Zhijin County, Guizhou Province. The spot has four parts: Zhijin Old Town, Zhijin Cave, Jiehe Gorge and Hongjia Ferry among which the Zhijin Cave is the most attractive and famous.
Zhijin Cave is also called Daji Cave (Hit Rooster Cave). Historically, young Miao boys and girls often played shuttlecock here, hence the Daji Cave name. Its enormous area spans 307 square kilometers (about 118.5 square miles), with a length of 12.1 kilometers (about 7.52 miles) and a width of 175 meters (about 0.11 miles). Because of the huge bizarre stalactite in the Zhijin Cave, it is called the @,@Museum of Karsts@,@. In this cave are more than forty kinds of karst formations, like those in caves in other parts of the world. The Zhijin Cave, which boasts many unique features, is called @,@King of Caves@,@. For examp |
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