Jiuxiang Scenic Area

Introducing Jiuxiang Scenic Area
Jiuxiang Scenic Area is located about 90 km from central Kunming. It is famous for its unique karst caves, mountains, rivers, deep valleys as well as minority customs and cultures. Covering an area of about 20 square kilometers, Jiuxiang is well known for its magnificent underground Karst caves frequently referred to as the Underground Stone Forest which makes Jiuxiang an important if not essential destination for the visitor to Kunming. Jiuxiang has since 1995 been a member of the International Caves Association.

Jiuxiang Scenic Area Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Jiu Xiang 九乡风景区
• Best Time to Visit: November to April
• Recommended Visiting Hours: About 3 to 4 hours
• Things to Do: Photography, Caves, Geology
• Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00
• Entrance Fee: CNY 60; CNY 30 for Chairlift
• Address: Yiliang County, Kunming, Yunnan Province

What to expect at Jiuxiang Scenic Area

Jiuxiang is inhabited by the Hui and is the ancestral home of the Yi people. These really large Karst Caves are the major attractions and are in four clusters of more than a hundred caves including Sanjiao, Dashang, Diehong and Dasha Dam Cave each with its own distinctive features all of which provide the visitor with spectacular spectacle and for this reason Jiuxiang is referred to as a Karst Cave Museum.

Jiuxiang is also home to forests of pine and camphor wood and lush and varied flora with a climate resembling Kunming. The local Yi and Hui people and their unique festivals, food and culture are an integral part of the visitors’ experience.

Jiuxiang park is probably one of the best in the world. A walk through the carefully illuminated caves will be rewarded with some spectacular sights at almost every turn. Walkways are constructed to bring visitors up close with the various formations within the cave and here are a few photos which will give visitors some idea of what they can expect to see on the way down, through the various caves and on the way out to the exit from the complex. It is definitely worth the effort and time.

Special mention must be made of the waterfall at the entrance to the third cave. It is a spectacular sight and visitors can view the waterfall from a platform on the walkway directly in front of the waterfall. The sheer power of the waterfall is truly awesome.

How to get to Jiuxiang Scenic Area
• Take a direct bus in Kunming East Bus Passenger Station to Shuanglu Hotel of Yiliang County (1-2 hours). Then take Yiliang bus No. 21 to Jiuxiang Scenic Area.
• Take a train from Kungming Railway Station to Jiuxiang North Railway Station (2 hours). Then take a taxi to Jiuxiang Scenic Area.
• Rent a car/bus from GGC to enjoy a hassle free private transfer from hotels in Kunming to Jiuxiang Scenic Area.

Additional travel advice on Jiuxiang Scenic Area
• Please wear comfortable sneakers as the paths in Jiuxiang Scenic Area are slippery and uneven.
• It always rain from May to October in this region. Please prepare an umbrella or a raincoat along with you.
• Visitors can go to the Stone Forest after visiting Jiuxiang Scenic Area. It takes 1.5 hours’ drive from Jiuxiang to Stone Forest.