Chishui

Chishui sits on red terrestrial sandstone, part of the UNESCO China Danxia listing, and the combination of that soft red rock with heavy subtropical rain has produced a landscape of gorges, cliffs and waterfalls, the largest at Shizhangdong dropping over seventy metres in a curtain. The wet warm valleys also hold a large population of Alsophila spinulosa, a tree fern whose lineage goes back to the age of dinosaurs, protected in its own reserve where boardwalks run among trunks several metres tall. Bamboo covers much of the county, and the Sidonggou valley strings several falls along one walk.

What you actually see

• Shizhangdong falls - a curtain over seventy metres high in red rock.
• The tree fern reserve - boardwalks among ancient Alsophila ferns.
• Sidonggou - a valley walk linking several waterfalls.
• The red rock gorges - danxia cliffs and streams throughout the county.

When to go

April to October for full waterfalls and green forest; the falls are strongest after summer rain. Winter reduces the flow and is cold and damp. Weekends bring visitors from Sichuan.

Honest expectations

Sites are spread across the county and separately ticketed, needing transport between them. Paths involve long stair climbs. Rain is frequent and steps get slippery.

Nearby

Zunyi lies southeast; Luzhou is north in Sichuan.