Ladian Tourist Scenic Waterfall Cluster

Ladian Tourist Scenic Waterfall Cluster

The Ladian Tourist Scenic Waterfall Cluster in Jinping County is located within Mayandi Township in the eastern part of Jinping County, over 146 kilometers from the county seat. It is the most spectacular ecotourism destination among Jinping County’s tourist landscape resources. Adjacent to Hekou and extending southward like a “wedge,” it is surrounded by Vietnam on the east, west, and south. The area boasts dense vegetation and exceptionally beautiful natural scenery, earning the national reputation of a “tourism hidden gem.” In the early 1950s, the renowned lyricist Tian Han visited this scenic area and was deeply moved by its beauty, leaving behind cultural works that praised the landscapes and culture of Mayandi. The October 2006 issue featured an article and photos titled “A Place Where the Cracked Canyon Forms the National Border,” written and photographed by Wang Hongwei of the Honghe Prefecture Photographers Association. This piece introduced the little-known natural borderland waterfall canyons and the unique ethnic charm of Mayandi through a mysterious and novel narrative style, along with four images.

The entire waterfall cluster is located in the upper reaches of the Ladiver River (also known as the Wutai River) and its tributary, the Shidong River, within a short radius around the village committee of Maguantang in Mayandi Township, featuring a rare six-tiered waterfall system. Among them, there is one tier in the upper reaches of the Shidong River and five tiers in the upper reaches of the Ladiver River. The fifth tier of the Ladiver Waterfall sits at an elevation of 2,621 meters, with each waterfall dropping between 60 to over 100 meters in height and spanning more than 10 meters in width. Locally, these waterfalls are collectively called Ladian Waterfalls. The name originated when, before liberation, a farmer hid here to evade debts to a landlord but was later captured — originally called “Nade,” it evolved into “Ladian.” The county tourism bureau has built visitor access paths to the first and second tiers of the Wutai River and the base of the Shidong River Waterfalls. Upon visiting these waterfalls, you’ll see them cascading down cliffs like silver chains, with thunderous sounds at the base, misty spray, abundant fresh air, and occasional rainbows on sunny days. The surrounding riverbanks show clear signs of sedimentary rock. As the river mostly flows through densely forested areas, the water carries decaying leaves, giving the pools a tea-like color. The area is surrounded by vast primeval forests, with many nationally protected plants along the way, such as tree ferns, wild bananas, wild tea trees, wild orchids, black cardamom, thin bamboo, buttress-root trees, and vines.

Additionally, one waterfall (Biaoshuiyan Waterfall) has been discovered about 500 meters west of Biaoshuiyan Village, Zhongzhai Village Committee, on the southeastern side of Mount Wutai in the upper reaches of the Taiping River in Mayandi Township. This waterfall stands over 130 meters high. Below the waterfall, there is an artificial fish farm that cultivates rare edible fish species using the waterfall’s water flow. Currently, it raises a large number of Chinese sturgeon, rainbow trout, golden trout, and carp, which are available for visitors to taste.

Source: China Honghe Tourism Website