Banqi Karst Caves and Hot Springs

　　Banqi Karst Caves and Hot Springs are located about 45 kilometers south of the county town and approximately 2000 meters northwest of the Nanning-Kunming Railway. The cave is about 300 meters long, with a gourd-shaped area of around 5000 square meters. The entire cave is divided into six chambers, connected in a line. Inside the cave, there are milky-white, semi-transparent stalagmites and stalactites, resembling sea fans and coral reefs. Some grow from the ground, some hang from the ceiling, some float in the water, and some appear in bas-relief. Their main component is silicon dioxide, which gives them a glassy or greasy luster under the light, creating a dazzling array of colors. The Banqi Cold Spring Cave is located about 800 meters down from the train station. The curved railway bridge of Banqi just spans over the top of the cave. The cave entrance is about 20 meters high and 30 meters wide. About 10 meters into the cave, the chamber suddenly widens, with a central pillar stretching from the floor to the ceiling—this is actually one of the bridge supports of the Banqi curved bridge. There are 13 interconnected halls inside the cave. The floors of the halls are relatively flat, but the passages between them are rugged, narrow, and treacherous. The entire cave is about 2800 meters long. The walls of the various halls feature colorful stalactites, stalagmites, and draperies, while the ground is adorned with formations like the “Pillar Holding Up the Sea,” “Spirit Mushrooms,” and “Epiphyllum Flowers.” These formations come in diverse shapes, resembling layers of snow and clouds or jade trees and flowers, creating a magnificent and spectacular scene. In spring, swallows gather at the cave entrance, while bats reside inside. To the left of the cave entrance, mountain spring water flows out from a crevice in the rocks. The water is crystal clear and remains cool and refreshing even in the peak of summer, invigorating to the senses. This spring is called the Cold Spring, and the cave is named after it—the Cold Spring Cave.

　　Just a hundred meters away from the Cold Spring Cave is a hot spring, which maintains a year-round temperature of around 32 degrees Celsius. The hot spring has six springs, with the main spring forming a natural pool after the water erupts. The pool is 5 meters wide, 8 meters long, and 1 meter deep, with additional water jets emerging from various spots. Every winter, mist rises in a hazy veil around the springs.

　　Not far northwest of the Banqi Karst Caves lies a Buyi ethnic mountain village nestled in a mountain hollow.