China Guide
Guangxi and Guizhou
Zhijin Caves
Opening time: Daily 9am–5pm
Price: ¥100
Address: Near Zhijin town: 100km from Anshun to Zhijin town (3hr), then bus to the caves (40min; ¥3)
The dismal town of Zhijin sits among some gorgeous limestone pinnacles, beneath which are the astounding Zhijin Caves. The immensely impressive caves are absolutely worth the money (though commentary is in Chinese only); tours last a solid two hours and wind through untold numbers of caverns packed with grand and weighty rock formations. The inevitable coloured lighting is actually used creatively, picking out credibly named formations such as "Puxian Riding his Elephant" and "Hermit on Mountain". The last cavern, Guanghang Dong, is 240m long, 170m wide and 60m high.