Bama Crystal Palace

Bama Crystal Palace

Bama Crystal Palace is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

A magical and beautiful cave was discovered in Nase Township, Bama Yao Autonomous County, Guangxi. Inside the cave, there are oddly shaped, pure white, crystal-clear, and glittering stalactites everywhere. At that time, Wei Mingge, the then township head, named the cave “Crystal Palace.” It is located 3.5 kilometers from the township government and is easily accessible. Local villagers say that on the day the cave was discovered, one villager, exhausted, fell asleep outside the cave. Upon waking up, he noticed a cool breeze coming from a small hole nearby and guessed there might be another cave inside. After this villager and his companions chiseled open the small hole, they found a huge cave inside, with all the stalactites being crystal-like, varying in shape, dazzlingly beautiful, and truly breathtaking. Upon hearing the news, Wei Mingge, the then township head, organized township and village cadres to take turns guarding the cave entrance 24 hours a day to prevent the theft of the stalactites, while also inviting photographers to produce a special documentary about the “Crystal Palace” to boost publicity. Through these efforts, news about the Crystal Palace was reported in newspapers and on TV at the central, regional, municipal, and county levels. Notably, the story was broadcast twice on CCTV's Channel 4 and Channel 12, making a significant impact. Later, the “Crystal Palace” site was scientifically investigated, evaluated, planned, and designed by experts from the Karst Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. On July 19, 2006, the “Crystal Palace” was officially opened to the public. The site was developed with investment from Bama Longevity Geopark Development Co., Ltd. Thanks to the prompt protection by the local government of Nase Township, Bama, the vast majority of the natural attractions have been preserved in their original state.

Walking slowly along the red-carpeted path into the cave, a crystal-clear world unfolds before your eyes. It’s like an immensely spacious art labyrinth—magnificent and interconnected, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people. Looking up at the inverted crystal stalactites on the cave ceiling, they resemble colorful palace lanterns, gleaming swords, silver divine towers, rainbows arching across the sky, the Big Dipper encircling the moon, the Cowherd and Weaver Girl meeting on the magpie bridge, or even the Monkey King somersaulting through the clouds. Looking around, crystal stalactites are scattered throughout the cave like a stunning stone forest. Among them, you’ll see scenes such as dragons coiling and tigers crouching over a stone city, Li Bai raising his cup to invite the moon to compose poetry, Chang’e spreading her sleeves to fly to the moon, the Third Sister singing on a song stage, figures cultivating their spirits in various lifelike poses—it’s truly the world’s number one wonder. As you admire and savor the sights slowly, you’ll come to realize: the charm of art lies in nature, and the wonder of landscapes is found in the naturally formed artistry. Bama Crystal Palace is located in Niudong Village, Daluo Village, Nase Township, Bama County, approximately 43 kilometers from the county seat and very convenient to reach. The cave is a corridor-type medium-sized grotto, stretching over 1,000 meters in total length, with widths of 8 to 50 meters and heights of 10 to 80 meters. The cave has an extremely high concentration of negative air ions, ranging from 36,000 to 39,000 per cubic centimeter—more than ten times higher than outside, making it an ideal “natural oxygen bar.” The site can accommodate up to 300,000 visitors annually. Experts have confirmed that the stalactites in this karst cave are around 300,000 years old and are still in a growth and development phase. The twisted stones and helictites here feature forms, densities, scales, and developmental stages that are rare geological wonders both domestically and internationally.