Travel Destinations: Anshun, China

Anshun is a beautiful town with a long history. She was once known as the centre for opium and tea trade, but today she is known for her production of batiks, kitchen knives and the extremely strong Anjiu brand of alcohol.

Most travellers who come here use her as a base for exploring the nearby sites and attractions especially Longgong Caves and Huanggyoshu Falls. Anshun herself doesn’t have much in the way of cultural attractions but she is well worth a visit.

When you arrive in Anshun, you will find the bus and train stations 3km and 4km south of downtown respectively. The locals set up their stalls in town and the street can get increasingly busy with shoppers that it can be a little hard to move. Despite this though, the smell of delicious baked goods will make your mouth water and make you forget about the amount of people around you.

If you want to get away from the mad crowds, take a trip to Wen Miao. This is a dilapidated Confucian temple in the north part of town but has still managed to train a charm that makes people flock to her doors. Locals will come here during the weekends to chat and drink tea.

If you wander southeast of the temple, you will come to Donglin Temple. This Buddhist temple was built in 1405 during the Ming dynasty and the monks that still reside here will make you feel very welcome.

If you wander outside the village, you will find that there are a few more things to see and do. Longguan Caves are a popular attraction, a network of winding and twisting caves about 23km south of Anshun. These caves twist through 20 hills but only a small amount of these caves are open to the public. You can take a journey through some on a little rowboat with the guides, giving you an impressive and delightful experience.

Zhijin Cave is the largest cave in China and one of the largest in the world. This makes it a good place when passing through Anshun. Situated in small village 15km outside Anshun, the cave is roughly 10km long and 150m high.

When you need to relax, take a trip to Huangguoshu Falls. The best time to come here is during the rainy season (May to October) when the falls flow so hard and fast that you can hear them from miles away. From Rhinoceros Pool below, you will see rainbows span across the sky as the mists rise up from the cascading waters, making it a truly beautiful place to view.