UNESCO World Heritage SiteNational 5A Scenic AreaSouthwest China
Libo Xiaoqikong & Maolan Karst
荔波小七孔·茂兰兰 · Guizhou, Qiannan
Turquoise rivers, 68-level waterfalls and primeval karst forest in subtropical Guizhou.
Xiaoqikong ('Little Seven Arches') in Libo is a wonderland of intensely coloured water: an arched Qing-dynasty stone bridge, the stepped 68-tier waterfall, the dragon-claw jade water forest where trees grow in the stream, and vast underground rivers of the South China Karst. The adjoining Maolan reserve protects some of the best-preserved karst forest on Earth.
Part of the South China Karst inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (Libo component, 2007), the region preserves rare peak-cluster karst cloaked in primary forest, an ecological refuge for macaques and diverse species, now developed sensitively with boardwalks along the water.
Day-by-day routes you won't find online — now starting with an 8-day, 1,500 km loop through western Sichuan. New regions are added regularly; tell us where you want to drive next.
