Shunan Bamboo Sea

Shunan Zhuhai covers around a hundred and twenty square kilometres of hills in southern Sichuan under almost unbroken bamboo, mostly nan bamboo, dense enough that the canopy closes overhead and light on the paths turns green. Villages inside it live off the crop, cutting poles and digging shoots, and local cooking uses bamboo throughout, including dishes steamed in fresh sections. Within the forest are waterfalls, a lake, cliffs with Buddhist carvings, and viewpoints over the sea of green. A cable car crosses part of it. Scenes from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed in bamboo of this kind, which added to its fame.

What you actually see

• The bamboo canopy - green light on paths under unbroken cover.
• The viewpoints - hills of bamboo running to the horizon.
• The waterfalls - streams dropping through the forest.
• The bamboo cooking - shoots and dishes steamed in fresh sections.

When to go

April to October for warmth and shoots; spring rain brings mist through the stems, which is the classic look. Winter is cold and damp but quiet. Summer is a refuge from the Sichuan heat.

Honest expectations

The park is large with sights far apart, needing shuttle buses that cost extra. Rain is frequent and paths get slippery. Accommodation inside is simple.

Nearby

Yibin lies north; Xingwen Geopark is east.