Page 13 - 18 Day China Sample

Guilin is famous for its dramatic karst landscape. The hills taper upwards like cones and form an incredible panorama when viewed from a distance. From certain vantage points, the hills appear to resemble all sorts of objects and creatures: animals, pagodas, needles, plants and it is not surprising, therefore, that the native population has bestowed the most imaginative names on them. Over 300 million years ago, this region was submerged under an extensive sea. Certain geological phenomena contributed to the formation of the landscape during the course of millions of years: folds occurred in the earth's crust, the water level subsided and erosion took its toll. Guilin has been an inspiration to Chinese poets and artists throughout the centuries. This afternoon visit Reed Flute Cave. At Reed Flute Cave you will see fantastic stalactite and stalagmite formations, artfully illuminated by multi-colored lights. A long pathway opens onto a spectacular view of Guilin. The entrance to the Reed Flute Cave (Ludi Yan) lies at the foot of Guangming Hill. It is around 600,000 years old and received its name from the reeds that hid the entrance to it until its discovery in 1956, and which were used for making flutes. From various archaeological finds, however, we know that it was once used as a place of refuge by local inhabitants. The passage through this cave is 1,640 ft. long and leads along easily accessible paths and steps past a multitude of grotesquely formed stalagmites and stalactites. The center of the cavern is known as the Crystal Palace and can accommodate up to a thousand people. A row of stones in this hall is linked with a well-known legend, the combat between the king of the apes Sun Wukong and the Dragon King which took place in the Crystal Palace. This evening enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight: Guilin Shangri-La Hotel – Horizon City View Room