Wanfenglin

Wanfenglin means the forest of ten thousand peaks, and the description is close to literal: a field of conical karst hills, each rising forty to a hundred metres, standing in close ranks across a plain that is farmed between them, with Bouyei villages, rapeseed and rice in the gaps. It is a fengcong landscape, cones on a shared base, distinct from the isolated towers of Guilin, and one of the largest such fields in China. A road and cycle route run through it, with viewpoints on the ridge above. Rapeseed flowering in late winter turns the ground yellow between the grey cones.

What you actually see

• The cone field - thousands of conical hills in ranks across the plain.
• The farmed gaps - fields and Bouyei villages between the cones.
• The rapeseed bloom - yellow ground beneath grey peaks in late winter.
• The ridge viewpoints - overlooks across the whole field.

When to go

March to June and September to November; rapeseed flowers around February and March, which is the most photographed season. Summer is humid and hazy. Mornings often bring mist between the cones.

Honest expectations

Entry is charged with shuttle buses extra. Haze frequently softens the view. The area is spread out and awkward without a bicycle or car.

Nearby

Maling River Canyon lies nearby; Xingyi is north.