Jiuxiang Scenic Region


Jiuxiang Scenic Region (九乡风景区) is located in Jiuxiang Yi and Hui Autonomous Township of Yiliang County 90 km away from central Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.

It is famous for its caves, mountains, rivers, deep valleys, minority customs and cultures.

Jiuxiang Scenic Region consists of 5 major scenic spots:

  • Diehong Bridge  (叠虹桥)

  • Sanjiao Cave

  • Dasha Dam

  • Alulong

  • Mingyue Lake.

Diehong Bridge itself includes six major scenic spots: the Green Shady Valley, the White Elephant Cave, the Goddess Cave, the Lying Dragon Cave, the Bat Cave and the Tourist Cableway.

Brief introduction

Located 47 kilometers from Yiliang County, 90 kilometers away from Kunming city, only 22 kilometers from the famous stone forest, Jiuxiang Scenic Area is a famous tourist destination in Yunnan Province encompassed by karst caves, deep valleys, and Yi ethnic minority’s cultural landscapes. Jiuxiang Scenic Area has a cluster of karst caves within an area of 20 square kilometers, known as the most in number and the largest in scale in China. Together with the Stone Forest, Jiuxiang scenic area formed the three-dimensional karst landscape of "see Stone Forest on the ground and Jiuxiang caves underground". Juxiang Scenic Area consists of five scenic spots: Diehong Bridge, Sanjiao Cave, Dasha Dam, Alulong and Mingyue Lake. Only the Diehong Bridge Scenic Spot is open to public now. Diehong Bridge itself includes nine major scenic spots: the Green Shady Valley, Grand Underground Valley, the Lying Dragon Cave, the Goddess Cave, the Fairy Fields, the Lion Hall, the Bat Cave, Yi Ethnic Group Village and the Sightseeing Cableway.

Attractions in Jiuxiang Scenic Region

Lying Dragon (Wolong) Cave

The Lying Dragon Cave is featured by the Twin Waterfalls. Once entering the cave, your attention will soon drawn by two silver waterfalls. Twin waterfalls pour down from 30- meter-high cliffs in parallel creating splashing water and deafening sound, a gorgeous scene. In rainy season, twin waterfalls fuse together, making it hard to tell which is which.

Goddess (Xianren) Cave

The Goddess Cave looks like a crystal palace with crystal stalactites. It is the typical landscape of karst landform. Stalactites sitting or lying here and there just look like a crowd of fairies who are singing and dancing, like a fairy land.  

Lion (Xiongshi) Hall

The Lion Hall is a vast cave formed by stalactites covering an area of 15000 square meters which can hold thousands of people.

The Fairy Field (Shentian)

The Fairy Filed is a natural wonder resembling a terrace. Curbing Dams are scattered in graceful disorder with a total area of 100 square meters. And each dam has a depth of 10 meters. The unique karst landform is called curbing dams in geology and the smaller one curbing basin.

Yi Ethnic Group Village

It is an underground world displaying culture of Yi ethnic group. Mi Zhi Lin is a dense forest where men of Yi ethnic group worship the ancestors on festival day and women is forbidden to enter, which show the unique custom of ancient Yi ethnic group.

Bat (Bianfu) Cave

Legend says that there are ten thousand bats inhabited in the cave in the past, hence the name. Bats gradually moved away when the cave was developed into a tourist destination. The bat cave is famed as "Dangling Stone Forest Underground" with dangling stalactites.

Sightseeing cableway

The sightseeing cableway stretches across mountains and valleys with a span of nearly 1000 meters. Visitors can enjoy landscapes of different seasons in several minutes via cableway.


Client’s Reviews

  • QuahEC

    Reviewed 12thJuly2016

    This is a place for nature lover. The view is so nice. But when you walk around, must be very careful, as the walking path is slippery.

  • Felix3105

    Reviewed 6thMay2017

    The cave is very large with underground waterfalls. It is different from other 'dry' caves I have visited. The caves have been set up by various colours of lights making them look beautiful. It is cool inside the caves. There are a lot of steps...More

  • markpN2403RI

    Reviewed 23rdFebruary2015

    The caves were interesting, but to enjoy more, I suggest that you don't go in peak Chinese holiday periods, otherwise you will experience a "people river". I suggest you go early and link with a visit to Stone Forest. You need to be aware that...More

  • rich z

    Reviewed 19thJanuary2018

    The waterfalls and light displays were very nice. Walking along a narrow path through the caves was a good experience. The cable car at the end to take you to the beginning was quite spectacular, dangling 20m up looking at the forests below. Path is...More

  • bitterblau

    Reviewed 6thOctober2016

    To get there I took the intercity bus to Yiliang from Kunming East station (which takes 1hr) and then the number 21 minibus from Yiliang to Jiuxiang (1 hour). The scenic area was beautiful. I don't regret making the journey. It was a wonderful natural...More

  • TheOExpress

    Reviewed 31stJuly2017

    The boat ride is perfectly pleasant, if pedestrian and it's true that many of the caves have been unnecessarily tarted up with coloured lights. But no amount of needless safety helmets or fairy lights can detract from the wonderful natural sights: the gorge, the enormous...More

  • mylee2013

    Reviewed 25thAugust2014

    Huge and beautiful cave, the cave located in a valley, to access the cave, you need to go down by steps, there is no wheelchair access. The cave was decorated with lights, very clean and well maintain inside. Visitors can return with cable car. More...More

  • duvilla

    Reviewed 18thJuly2015

    It is best to visit the caves together with the Stone Forest as they are only 30 min apart. Taxi for both will cost you RMB 800 for the day: not cheap but we checked with other travellers and it seems to be the standard...More

  • Tantiko

    Reviewed 28thMay2019

    The route starts with a short boat ride along a narrow canyon which is largely forgettable and hardly worth the hassle of having to put on life jackets and helmets. After that it’s a short walk into the cave system itself along walkways built into...More

  • Christina C

    Reviewed 7thJuly2016

    This unique attraction provides you a nice boat ride in the deep gorge exploring beautiful lit up stalactites, stalagmites and rock pillars in the underground cave and Cixiong Waterfall. Have a cable car ride to see part of the scenic region from up high afterwards....More

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