Anshun · Guizhou · Place

Loong Palace Scenic Spot

China's longest illuminated water-cave system with boat entry through karst formations; inside-cave waterfall and Buddhist cave hall.

Written and signed by Marcus Yang

4.6/5RatingTicket (including boat): 130 CNY/personTicketMar–Oct: 07:30–17:30 (ticket sales stop at 17:00)Opening hours

What it actually is

A 5A karst scenic area in Guizhou's Xixiu District, 27 km from Anshun and 30 km from Huangguoshu Waterfall. Opened in 1984 with two themed zones spanning 60 km². Features China's longest water-cave system, the largest cave Buddhist hall, and the world's largest plant-character 'dragon' in rice paddies. Visitors explore by boat, on foot through karst corridors.

Editor's take

Marcus YangWritten and signed by

The verdict

Worth it as an easy add-on to a Huangguoshu Falls trip if you go in the afternoon to dodge the two-hour boat queue and treat it as a fun water-cave ride rather than the region's top cave — but if you're a serious cave person short on time, I'd skip it for Zhijin, and don't come mid-morning in peak season expecting a smooth day.

What's great

You get both a wet and a dry karst cave in one ticket — the boat ride through the water cave is the reason to come, and pairing it with the dry Tiger Cave means you're not just looking at the same thing twice.

It sits about 20 minutes from Huangguoshu Falls, so it slots into a Huangguoshu day trip cleanly. If you're already out there, coming here is a short hop, not a separate expedition.

Go in the afternoon and the queues largely vanish. One off-peak visitor arriving around 2pm waited under 20 minutes for the boat and barely queued for the second section — a completely different experience from the morning crush.

The whole loop is walkable in about 3 hours on manageable paths, with sightseeing buses to the top and a down elevator at the exit, so it's doable with older parents or younger kids if you pace it.

Worth knowing

The boat queue is the killer. In peak season and over holidays people have waited two-plus hours just to board — one holiday visitor queued for hours. If you come mid-morning in summer, budget for a long, hot wait.

The 'Second Palace' (deeper cave) section is sometimes closed with no ticket discount — you pay the full price and only find out at the gate that part of it is shut. Several visitors called this out as a rip-off.

Value is genuinely divisive. For roughly 130 CNY you get about five stops and a 3-hour walk, and more than one visitor flat-out said it wasn't worth the ticket. Set expectations accordingly.

If you only have time for one Guizhou cave, plenty of locals rate Zhijin Cave higher and say it's the better cave. Loong Palace's edge is the boat, not the cave formations themselves.

Grounded in 79+ traveller reviews. Distilled by our editors from traveller reviews on Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

Essentials

Opening hoursMar–Oct: 07:30–17:30 (ticket sales stop at 17:00)

TicketTicket (including boat): 130 CNY/person

Contact4008009998 / 0851-33661049

Rating4.6/5

Good to know

Wear slip-resistant shoes; cave paths are wet and slick

Bring snacks; the Guanyin Cave trail is 50 minutes with limited vendors

Buy the upward elevator ticket — saves climbing ten floors of stairs

Go before 9 AM in peak season; afternoon brings large tour groups

Trending now

First Palace Entry — Water Cave Boat Tour

Board a small boat for a five-minute ride into the first karst cave chamber. Colored underwater lights illuminate towering stalactites and emerald water. The boat passes beneath low-hanging rock formations, creating an immersive underground experience unique to Loong Palace.

Second Palace Entry — Deeper Cave Exploration

Accessible via a one-hour mountain trail from the Guanyin Cave area, the second Palace entry features a longer water passage with minimal artificial lighting. The cave walls retain natural karst formations and underground waterfalls. Note: may close during flood season (June to September).

Dragon Falls — Inside-Cave Karst Waterfall

The Dragon Falls cascade from the cave mouth at the entrance area — a rare waterfall dropping from inside a karst cave. The tumbling water creates continuous mist over the stone steps, producing dramatic photography conditions especially in early morning.

Guanyin Cave — China's Largest Cave Buddhist Hall

A natural karst cave repurposed as a Buddhist worship hall housing a Guanyin statue and multiple Buddhist figures. The cave ceiling opens partially to the sky, allowing sunlight to illuminate the statue at mid-morning. Visitors practice the 'call the dragon for wealth' ritual here.

Dragon Word Field (Long Zi Tian)

A 587-acre rice paddy field in the shape of the Chinese character for 'dragon', visible from a viewpoint near the visitor center. The character changes color with crop seasons — green in summer, gold in autumn. Recognized as the world's largest plant-based Chinese character.

Tiger Cave (Hu Xue Dong) — Dry Karst Cave

A dry karst cave within the Longtan Secret zone requiring an up-and-down walking route through multiple chambers. Features exposed stalactite formations, narrow corridors, and stair climbs that offer a physically engaging contrast to the boat tours.

Getting there

car27 km from Anshun (~45 min); 116 km from Guiyang (~2 h).

busLong-distance buses from Guiyang or Anshun to Longgong Town.

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