Discover how caves in southwest China’s Guizhou Province are evolving from sightseeing attractions into adventure destinations, offering activities such as via ferrata climbing, underground paddleboarding and cave cafés.
For years, caves in southwest China were mainly places to admire stalactites and underground rivers before moving on to the next stop.
Now, many visitors are coming for something different. They are paddling through underground waterways, climbing cave walls, rappelling into sinkholes and stopping for coffee deep inside karst landscapes.
In Guizhou Province, a growing number of cave attractions are combining natural scenery with outdoor activities. The trend reflects changing travel preferences, especially among younger visitors looking for more immersive experiences.
Underground Adventures
On July 5th, visitors lined up outside Yanzi Cave in Guiding County, Guizhou Province, for a cave adventure rather than a traditional sightseeing tour.
The site makes use of the area’s karst landscape and offers activities including via ferrata climbing, rope descents, single-rope technique (SRT) rappelling and paddleboarding on an underground river. Most visits last two to three hours.
The cave has a naturally formed three-level structure. Some sections remain unexplored, adding to its appeal. Stalactites, stalagmites and other limestone formations have developed over hundreds of thousands of years, while swallows that nest there in autumn gave the cave its name.
According to a staff member in the Guiding Yanzi Scenic Area, the attraction began trial operations on May 1st and now offers different levels of activities for visitors with different interests and experience levels.
Meanwhile, other caves in Guizhou have introduced their own adventure experiences.
Lianhua Ancient Cave in Puding County officially opened on June 10th. Visitors can climb a 200-metre via ferrata route along the wall of a sinkhole before descending nearly 60 metres to the cave floor. On sunny days, sunlight shines through the sinkhole and creates dramatic light beams that have become one of the site’s best-known attractions.
Elsewhere, Shilong Cave in Qingzhen City focuses on underground waterways. Visitors paddle through caves, float in clear blue pools and experience complete darkness during guided tours.
Chang Ting, a visitor from Xi’an, said she travelled to Yanzi Cave after seeing the site on social media. “Every step felt like an adventure. It was exciting, and I was happy to pay for the experience,” she said.
Growing Demand
Operators say demand for cave adventures has grown rapidly in recent years.
Song, who has worked in cave exploration since 2018, said enquiries rose sharply in 2023. Many people contacting the company had never tried outdoor adventure activities before but wanted to experience cave exploration.
To prepare for the project, Song and technical director Zhao Fei travelled to Hungary and Spain to study cave route design, safety standards and operating practices. Construction started in September last year, and the attraction welcomed more than 300 visitors during its first eight days of trial operation.
The model is now being replicated across Guizhou.
After opening Shilong Cave in 2024, operator Qin Chuan developed Lianhua Ancient Cave and is preparing more cave and canyon projects scheduled to open in July.
According to Qin, Shilong Cave received more than 14,000 visitors in 2025 and generated revenue of over 10 million yuan, despite charging 1,280 yuan (about £130) per visitor. The attraction also limits daily visitor numbers to help protect the cave environment.
Operators say they keep development inside the caves to a minimum. Portable lighting is carried in and out each day, while natural rock formations remain untouched.
Cave Experiences
Cave tourism is also creating new businesses around these destinations.
In Xixiu District of Anshun City, a cave café beside a waterfall recorded more than 3 million yuan in revenue within three months of opening. During the May Day holiday, it welcomed about 9,000 visitors.
In Suiyang County, Shuanghe Cave has expanded beyond sightseeing. Visitors can now join cave climbing, mountain adventures and educational programmes. During this year’s May Day holiday, the scenic area received more than 75,000 visitors, up 20.2 per cent year on year.
The county has also introduced music performances, cafés, libraries, camping and hotpot as part of its “Cave Plus” tourism programme.
According to local tourism officials, independent travellers now account for around 60 per cent of visitors to the Shuanghe Cave area, compared with about 40 percent in the past.
As more projects open across Guizhou, visitors can choose from a wider range of cave experiences, from underground paddleboarding and rock climbing to cave cafés and overnight stays near some of China’s best-known karst landscapes.
Additional reporting by Economic Daily, Xinhua, The Economic Observer, GZRTV, eyesnews.
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