Xiandu Scenic Area

Dinghu Peak at Xiandu is a rhyolite column rising about a hundred and seventy metres from the bank of the Haoxi river, sheer on all sides with a small pool on its flat top that gives it the name cauldron lake peak. It is among the most photographed rock formations in Zhejiang, particularly when mist lies on the river at dawn and the peak stands above it, and it has been used repeatedly as a film location. A cave temple sits at its foot, and cliff inscriptions carved by visitors over centuries cover the rock nearby. Bamboo rafts run the river below, and the wider scenic area holds valleys, waterfalls and villages.

What you actually see

• Dinghu Peak - the sheer volcanic column above the river bend.
• The river mist - dawn fog around the base of the peak.
• The cave temple - the shrine at the foot of the rock.
• The cliff inscriptions - carved characters by visitors over centuries.

When to go

March to May and September to November; mist on the river is most likely on cool mornings after rain. Summer is hot and humid. Weekends bring domestic visitors and photographers.

Honest expectations

The peak cannot be climbed. The scenic area is spread out and the various sections charge separately. Mist is unpredictable and most visits see the peak in plain daylight.

Nearby

Jinyun town is close; Lishui lies south.