취룽탄

Julong Cave, set on the Ten-Mile Gallery route south of Yangshuo town, is one of the most accessible karst caves in the Yangshuo region and the only one in the area that offers both a boat ride and a walking tour within a single visit. For travelers cycling the Ten-Mile Gallery who want to add an underground dimension to the day's karst scenery, it is a convenient and photogenic stop.

Like the better-known caves of the wider Guilin region, Julong Cave was formed over millions of years as slightly acidic water percolated through the limestone, dissolving the rock and redepositing it as the stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and flowstones that fill the chambers. The interior is cool and dim year-round, with a paved walkway, atmospheric lighting, and bilingual signage pointing out the most distinctive formations, which have been given evocative names such as "Imperial Concubine's Bath," "Bright Moon over the Sea," and "Crystal Dragon Palace."

What sets Julong apart from other Yangshuo-area caves is the combination of water and walking. The visit begins with a short boat ride that carries visitors through a low, water-filled entrance passage into the main cave system, after which the route continues on foot through a sequence of decorated chambers. The transition from drifting through the dark entrance to walking among the larger stalactite formations gives the visit a more varied pace than a simple walking cave, and the underground pool reflects the formations above in a way that doubles the visual impact.

A typical visit lasts about an hour, which makes the cave an easy fit within a wider Ten-Mile Gallery itinerary. Pair it with Moon Hill, the Big Banyan Tree, and the Butterfly Spring for a relaxed full-day cycling loop, or visit it as a way to escape the heat on a hot summer afternoon, when the cool interior of the cave is one of the most refreshing places in Yangshuo. Wear shoes with good grip, as the cave floor can be damp, and bring a light layer, since the underground temperature is noticeably cooler than outside.

The cave is one small piece of the wider Guilin Karst, a component of the South China Karst UNESCO World Heritage serial property, whose geological logic is as visible underground as it is on the skyline above Yangshuo. For travelers who want to understand how these karst towers were formed, a visit to a decorated cave such as Julong is the perfect complement to a day spent cycling past the peaks themselves.