Reed Flute Cave

Reed Flute Cave is located at about five kilometers to the northwest of the downtown of city Guilin. It is a brilliant cave which is marked on almost all of the travel itineraries. The name of this cave has derived from the reeds growing outside it which is used by the people to make the flutes.

Inside the water-eroded cave there is a spectacular world of many stalactites, rock formation and stone pillars which are formed by the deposition of carbonate. It is also illuminated by the colored lighting as well as the fantastic spectacle which is found in the variations along the 240 meter long cave. When you will walk on the serried stone pillars your eyes will rest on the changing spots and feel that you are in the paradise where God lives.

You can enter the cave and then take the U-turn for sightseeing route to view different spots. After that you can exit from another cave which is near to the entrance one. Your trip might be about one hour long. It is the Chinese habit for giving each formation a poetic or a legendary name like Crystal Palace, Virgin Forest, Dragon Pagoda, Flower and Fruit Mountain, etc.

For you these names require some imagination but it will be quite fun to know the story behind each of these names. You will also love to listen to the fairy and romantic tales and appreciate the fantastic formation of the stones. These stories as well as the lightning add mystery to the scenery there. There are different types of lighting inside but if you are not a professional photographer you cannot take the pictures as the light is not sufficient for the exposure.

At few spots like Flower and Fruit Mountain or Crystal palace you can have special photography at 20 yuan per picture. The inscriptions on the cave wall which are said to be poems and travelogues have derived from the Tang Dynasty and make this cave a famous tourist place. A park is also build for the cave having elegant pavilions, zigzag path, plants, bridges and ponds.