Detian Waterfall

The Guichun river drops over a limestone shelf in a series of wide steps, and because the shelf is broad the falls spread out rather than plunging in a single line. Karst hills stand behind on both sides, which is what makes the scene distinctive: green cones, terraced water and paddy fields in front of it. The river forms the boundary with Vietnam here, where the falls are known as Ban Gioc. A viewing platform and a path run along the Chinese bank, and small bamboo rafts take visitors close enough to the base to get thoroughly wet. Flow varies enormously with the season, and outside the wet months the falls look modest.

What you actually see

• The main terraced drop - the widest section, best seen from the platform downstream.
• Bamboo raft rides - short trips to the foot of the falls, which soak everyone aboard at high water.
• The paddy fields below - the flat farmland in front of the falls, still worked with water buffalo.
• The karst hills - the cone-shaped limestone peaks that frame the whole scene.

When to go

Flow peaks in the wet season from roughly June to October, and that is when the falls justify the trip; by spring they can shrink to a few thin curtains. Autumn combines decent water with drier weather and ripe paddy in front. Morning light falls on the face of the falls, while afternoons are backlit and harsh.

Honest expectations

It is a long, winding drive from Nanning for a site most people finish in two hours. In the dry season the falls can be a genuine disappointment. The raft ride is short, charged separately and often has a queue. Sightlines from the platform are shared with a great many people at weekends and on holidays.

Nearby

The Mingshi pastoral valley and the karst country around Daxin.