Dalongdong Scenic Area

Dalongdong Scenic Area

Dalongdong Scenic Area is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Located 22 kilometers southwest of Shanglin County in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dalongdong Scenic Area is renowned as the "Dragon Lake Cave Heaven" and the "Waterborne Guilin."

The scenic area comprises the Dalongdong Reservoir (also called Dalong Lake) and Dalong Cave. The Dalongdong Reservoir is the only natural reservoir in China that does not require a dam, instead relying on rock barriers to contain underground water, and it ranks among the top ten karst reservoirs. It was constructed between 1958 and 1960. The catchment area covers 245 square kilometers, and the reservoir itself spans 8.05 square kilometers. With a total storage capacity of 151 million cubic meters and an effective capacity of 109 million cubic meters, the maximum discharge rate reaches 808 cubic meters per second. The lake features an irregularly winding shoreline, stretching 13 kilometers in length, over 1 kilometer at its widest point, and as narrow as 100 meters at its most constricted. There are seven spring outlets scattered across the lake, with the largest located near Shangling Village. According to local villagers, during peak water seasons, the springs can shoot more than one meter above the water surface. The lake is surrounded by clusters of uniquely shaped peaks resembling lions, carp, elephants, and more. The reflections of these rocky mountains in the water create an integrated landscape of breathtaking beauty.

Adjacent to the reservoir lies Dalong Cave, a karst cave. Inside, there are 12 viewing halls, including the Stone Lion Hall, which is eight to nine stories high and can accommodate thousands of people. The cave is rich in stalactites and stalagmites in various forms, such as stone lions, stone sheep, stone horses, stone bamboo, and stone bamboo shoots. At a perilous cliff inside the cave, there is a wide, over 20-meter diameter, bottomless round cavern that occasionally emits melodious string music-like sounds or deafening roars reminiscent of crashing waves.