Yangshuo Caves
The bizarre limestone karst towers that form the landscape
in the area were formed by the erosion caused by the gradual
retreat of inland seas. This process also created many caves
and underground rivers and lakes. Most of these formations
are not open to tourists, but many in Yangshuo can be explored.
The following are the caves open to the public.
All tickets to the caves can be reserved through Yangshuo
Village Inn
Dragon Cave
Location: From the Village
Inn head out of Moon Hill Village and turn right on the
main road. The Cave is about 1 km down the road on your right.
Length of cave tour: 45
minutes
Features: The cave is easily
explored for all travelers with a concrete path throughout.
The stalagmites and stalactites are illuminated with colored
lighting giving it an other-worldly feeling that children will
enjoy. There are several ponds that are pristine and reflect
the light like a mirror. At the end of a path you board a boat
as an extensive underwater pool stretches into the depths of
this cave.
Real Water Cave
Location: From Yangshuo
Village Inn head out the door down the street to the left about
100m. The ticket office to the Real Water Cave is at the other
end of the village on the right hand side.
Length of cave tour: Short
tour: 1.5 hours, Full length tour: 3 hours
Features: This cave is for
the more daring and extends deep into the mountain. You enter
by a small boat which drifts with the current of an underground
river past through stalactites and other interesting formations.
The cave has massive cathedral ceilings and giant glimmering
mineral structures. Midway through the cave is a mud pond that
is great to splash around and float on. Near the end of the
cave are a number of freshwater streams that are a refreshing
way to enjoy a swim and rinse off all the mud.
Note: Bring a swimsuit, towel and sturdy shoes (Tiva-type adventure
shoes) that can get wet and muddy!
Buddha Cave
Location: From Yangshuo
Village Inn head out the door down the street to the left
about 50m. The ticket office to the Buddha Cave is at down
the street to the right.
Length of cave tour: Short
tour: 1.5 hours, Full length tour: 3 hours
Lotus Cave
 Location:
Ticket office in Xingping - please ask at reception for
details
Length of Cave Tour: 1
hour
Features: The Lotus Cave
runs for nearly 600 meters with a maximum height of almost 40
meters. Within are hundreds of glittering mineral structures
including the famous lotus formations. The stone lotus features
appear very similar to actual lotus leaves and range from 30cm
to two meters across.
Crown Cave
Location: Caoping - please
check with Yangshuo Village Inn reception for details
Length of cave tour: 1-2
hours
Features: The publicly open
Crown Cave is another popular adventure for families with children
and is located near Caoping Village on the Li River. It is part
of an extensive underground river system that stretches 12 km.
The tour only explores the first three km but is an very enjoyable
experience, particularly because of the many choices of how
you can explore it. There are boats, lifts, trams and theme-park
type cars that make the Crown Cave a great option for kids.
The cave is listed in the Guinness book of World Records for
featuring the greatest variety of way to explore a cave.
Butterfly
Cave & Spring Park
 Location: From Yangshuo Village Inn, head out of the village to
the main road and turn right, toward the direction of Yangshuo.
When you reach the main road head straight on towards Yangshuo.
The cave is approximately 2.5km on the left side hand side of
the road. Although there is space at the side of the road to
walk it is busy and much better to go by bike.
Length of cave tour: 30
min
Features: The karst tower
that looms over the entrance to Butterfly Spring Park features
a giant Monarch Butterfly affixed to it. The cave is relatively
short, winding for around 400m. Streams of water gurgle from
the cavern to form the pools of Butterfly Spring. The cave is
just one of the park's features, and it is also the largest
spot for viewing Monarch Butterflies in China. Within the park
you can view some nice waterfalls on Butterfly Hill, sample
wild honey in the Honeybee Garden or check out the 10,000 samples
of various types of butterflies in the Butterfly Exhibition
Hall.
The Silver Cave
Location: 25 Kilometers
from Yangshuo - please check with Village Inn reception for
specifics
Length of cave tour: 1.5
hours
Features: The Silver Cave
meanders through 12 limestone towers and the full tour explores
nearly two km. Known for its astonishing formations, including
thousands of stalactites and stalagmites, Silver Cave is made
up of three distinct segments that have unique features that
are not common to other caves in the area.
For more cool pictures of these caves, please visit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yangshuomountainretreat/sets/72157603689752017/
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