DISCOVERING INDIA AND THE WORLD: REED FLUTE CAVE

Get beguiled in Guilin! In the northwest of the downtown of Guilin, China lies a natural wonder called the Reed Flute Caves. One of Guilin’s most interesting attractions for more than 1200 years, the cave is above 180 million years old. Reed Flute Cave got its name from the verdant reeds growing outside it, which can be made into melodious flutes.

Why Visit Reed Flute Cave

What looks like painted rocks and crystals, are actually natural limestone (stalactites, stalagmites), in weird and wonderful shapes. The formations were created over thousands of years by dripping water with a very small amount of calcium carbonate that eventually becomes a stalagmite.

The cave is over 240 meters in length and it takes visitors approximately one hour to walk through the entire cave. A spectacular world in itself, the walk through the cave seems like being transported to a different world. Depending upon the ambiance and structures, the sections of the caves are named such as Crystal Palace, Dragon Pagoda, Virgin Forest, Flower and Fruit Mountain, etc. The strange formations can sometimes seem unworldly. Many of the formations have taken on recognizable shapes of mythological creatures, or natural images. There is one formation that even looks like Santa Claus with his sack on his back!

There are over 70 ancient stone inscriptions on the cave wall are said to be travelogues and poems derived from the Tang Dynasty.

Enter The City…

Situated on the west bank of the Li River, Guilin is one of China’s most popular tourist destinations. Guilin’s scenic vistas have been celebrated for generations by poets and painters. The Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, Deicai Mountain, Longsheng and Lijiang River are some of the other touristy sites in Guilin, apart from the Reed Flute Cave.