Jianshui Swallow Cave

From Jianshui Bus Station, I took the Yanzhidong tourist bus for 12 RMB and arrived at the scenic area in about 45 minutes. The entrance fee was 55 RMB (booked on Taobao for 48 RMB). I received a confirmation text message 20 minutes later. For lunch, I ordered Jianshui specialty stir-fried beef with grass sprouts, which was excellent. Yanzhidong lives up to its reputation as Asia's largest karst cave. The three-hour tour was fantastic and well worth the price. A must-see.

Swallows typically nest here in spring and summer, but winter was already here when we visited. Their cheerful calls were absent, leaving only the lonely river flowing, lapping against the shore. Plaques hang from the cliffs—I wonder if they were machine-aided or if someone truly possesses the skill of a gecko. One sign reads, "The No. 1 Cave in the World." It's quite impressive, so let's see for ourselves whether this reputation is well-deserved or not.

Entering the cave through the water-encircled corridor, the light gradually dims, and bizarre stalactites begin to appear under the illumination of colorful lights. A row of white stalactites, like the cascade of water from a water curtain cave, suggests the Dragon Palace lies behind it. There are dozens of famous sights like Optimus Prime, a column rising from the ground to the cave ceiling.

Continuing inward, we ascended the stone steps to the second scenic area. The stalactites here are even more diverse than the previous ones. They are as white as jade, crystal clear, and shaped like hairs, needles, and tubes; they are dangling, horizontal, vertical, slender and delicate, and bizarre in shape. They abound, capturing the essence of all karst caves, earning it the nickname "Crystal Palace." The most impressive part is the "vineyard," where the stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling are small, clustered together, and illuminated by purple light, they look like grapes.

Following the passage, you will climb to the top and then descend to the ground. Each step is wet and covered with moisture. Stone pillars, stone curtains and stone screens divide the entire corridor into several halls. Each scenic spot has a beautiful name.

At some point, I heard the faint sound of rushing water, which grew louder and louder. Following the sound, I reached the deepest part of the cave, where I could see a rushing river. A dam had been built across it, and beyond it lay a separate, oval-shaped dry cave, the essence of Swallow Cave. The stalactites dangling within the cave are a dazzling array of shapes and forms. Among the most striking are the "Swan Playing with the Toad," "Two Conchs Talking," and "Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon." Looking back over twenty years ago, these rocks were shaped just like this. Now, in my late twenties, I revisited the place with my daughter, and they remain exactly the same, seemingly unchanged for millennia. I felt a pang of envy at their near-eternal longevity.

Back then, the cave was filled with singing and dancing, filled with laughter and joy. Guests would stop here to enjoy the performances while enjoying a piece of ordinary bird's nest cake or a bowl of bland bird's nest porridge. Now, due to the pandemic, my family of three is the only visitor. All the stones can only admire their beauty, standing alone. Thinking of enduring this loneliness for a century, I feel that life's length doesn't matter; it's all about living it well.

After visiting all the attractions, we took a dragon boat down the river from the cave entrance, immersed in the magnificent caverns of Swallow Cave. We once again took in the breathtaking views along the river. Looking back on the path we had taken, we felt both familiar and reluctant to leave. We were like the swallows in the cave, deeply attached to our nests, but ultimately, we had to venture out into the vibrant world.

The dragon boat gradually approached the shore. I took a picture of the "No. 1 Cave in the World" when no one was paying attention to it, and wished that it could return to its former bustling state as soon as possible.

In the karst caves, locals will perform ancient rock climbing and bird's nest picking.

As a karst cave, Swallow Cave is unremarkable. Its characteristic is the grand spectacle of thousands of birds singing in the morning and evening. It is recommended to visit it before 9 am or between 5 and 7 pm.

The ticket is 50 RMB, and it is definitely worth the trip!

Swallow Cave is a karst cave inhabited by many swallows. Unfortunately, it was raining when we went there, so we couldn’t see the thrilling bare-handed rock climbing to pick the bird’s nest.

We watched the hanging plaque and climbing performance at the entrance of the cave. Inside the cave is a relatively wide stalactite cave with various colorful lights. It is quite cool in the cave, but the humidity is high. You can wear whatever you wear in Jianshui and there is no need to add clothes. I don’t like this kind of stalactite cave very much and didn’t take many photos, but my mother likes it very much and kept taking pictures with her mobile phone.

In the morning, swallows flock out of the cave, which is a spectacular sight. The swallow hunters are very agile and I admire them. The cave has various landscapes and the underground river is surging.

The best time to see swallows is in May, June and July. There are the most swallows in the morning and they fly away at noon. Students can enjoy half price. The tour guide is very enthusiastic.

It broke my understanding of caves. They are so big, spectacular and magical.

The experience was great. I saw millions of swifts flying in and out of the cave, and there was also a rock climbing stunt show to collect bird's nests. The tour guide's explanation service was also good. I have been to many scenic spots, but I think the guide service at Swallow Cave is the best. The service is warm and amazing. The 80 yuan ticket includes the show and the boat ride, which is worth it! I heard that there are discounts on tickets during holidays.

In the middle of July, after graduating from junior high school, I took my younger sister on a tour... Asia's largest cave? I probably never got so excited about another cave again.

Swallow Cave is located 30 kilometers east of Jianshui County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Outside the cave, there are more than 30,000 square meters of lush natural woodlands. Millions of swifts live in the cave. Every spring and summer in Honghe, Yunnan, the swallows fly like thousands of arrows, which is very spectacular.

Swallow Cave is the best-preserved, most scenically diverse, and largest karst cave complex in Northwest China. The water within the cave, caves within caves, and stalactites hanging from the ceiling offer dozens of unique attractions, creating a sense of being transported to a fairyland, a veritable "rock palace." Three large-scale karst landscapes are scattered throughout the cave, encompassing a total area of over 40,000 square meters. The water cave boasts dozens of halls and hundreds of scenic spots.

The Swallow Cave is very big, and there are people performing the cliff-picking bird's nest performance.

It's really shocking, and there's also free rock climbing... It's worth a visit if you pass by.

Swallow Cave is quite nice, with a large and spectacular interior. However, the woman selling things at the entrance was a bit naive and could not be trusted. We could have taken a direct bus from Swallow Cave to Jianshui and then to Yuanyang, but she tricked us into taking the expressway to Gejiu to make money. She then charged us 15 yuan to take us from Swallow Cave to the expressway. Then we took the bus from Gejiu Bus Station to Yuanyang, which not only cost us over 100 yuan in fares, but also wasted a lot of time. It makes me angry just thinking about it.

Jianshui Swallow Cave, a karst cave in China and abroad, is known as "the No. 1 karst cave in Asia". It includes natural woodland, dry cave and water cave, with the dry cave on top and the water cave at the bottom.

There are many peach and plum trees outside the cave, and the flowers bloom in spring. It is cool and comfortable to enter the cave in summer, and warm in winter.

--From May to July every year, millions of swifts come here to build nests. You can see the swifts leaving and returning to their nests before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

There is a square at the Zhongdong Wharf, where free folk performances are held regularly. You can also try local bird's nest porridge, the cheapest of which is about 20 yuan per bowl.

The scenic area holds the "Welcome Spring Swallow Stalactite Hanging Plaque" celebration on March 21st every year. At that time, local cliff climbing experts will hang a plaque inscribed by famous people on the top of the cave dozens of meters high without any protective measures or climbing tools.

In addition to being fond of the Confucian Temple and the Zhu Family Garden, people in Jianshui also talk about the Swallow Cave with great relish.

Swallow Cave, located 28 kilometers east of the county seat, is a natural limestone cave. In the 26th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty, a temple and stone railings were built within the cave. During the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty, local residents donated funds for its renovation. The cave boasts a myriad of stalactites, and the entrance is dotted with swallow feathers, eclipsing the sky and blotting out the sun. It is known for its "wonderful sight of the ancient cave, where swarms of swallows gather in spring."

When we arrived at the Swallow Cave, we also saw flying swallows. However, since it was not the season for collecting bird's nests, we could not see the spectacular and thrilling scenes of those rock climbers climbing barefoot to the top of the cave, which is more than 50 meters high, without any protective measures or climbing tools, and shuttling among the stalactites to collect the precious product, bird's nests. We could only take a small boat into the cave and take a quick tour along the waterway.

The difference is that the Swallow Cave in Phuket, Thailand is inaccessible, but here you can. The Thai tour guide will persuade you to buy bird's nests, but here I don't know. The air in the cave is very bad.

It is said to be the first cave in Asia. The bird's nest inside is very delicious and cannot be bought anywhere else.

It's just a cave, and it's quite large. As for swallows, I didn't see a single one. The guide said they come in the spring, but with so many tourists, how could they possibly fly in? There were also lots of bats. So I just went for the rock climbing and the cave.

If you haven't been to the cave, it's worth a visit. The scenery is great, and the ticket includes a guide. I'd like to remind everyone that when you get to Jianshui Bus Station, you must take the special bus to Swallow Cave. The fare is 12 yuan, and there are clear signs on the bus body. It goes directly to the cave entrance and runs every hour. Because the bus station's buses are trying to grab passengers, after you buy your ticket, someone will be extremely enthusiastic to help you check your ticket. Don't trust them. Their bus will drop you off at the highway entrance to Swallow Cave. If you take this bus, you have to cross the highway and then transfer to another van, and you have to pay another fare that is more expensive than the special bus.

The cave consists of two levels. The upper cavern is enormous, opening into a collapsed sinkhole. The interior is a hall-shaped karst cavern, dotted with stalagmites, pillars, and stalactites. Originally, a three-story pavilion existed within the cave, with a tree piercing the hallway, earning it the nickname "An Arrow Piercing Three Towers." This was later destroyed. The lower cavern rises over ten feet, its ceiling densely packed with stalactites. A subterranean river, the Lujiang River, flows into the cave for seven or eight kilometers. The dim light within the cave is home to numerous swallows, earning it the name Swallow Cave. Peach and plum trees abound outside the cave, and their blossoms bloom in spring, adding to the cave's beauty. The cave offers a cool and pleasant coolness in summer, while in midwinter, it overflows with warmth, a hallmark of Swallow Cave. After the Hujiang River, after damming its way out, it enters the limestone mountains, where its waters appear and disappear, creating a myriad of underground caves, subterranean rivers, and surface rivers.

Nature is a unique sight. Imagination is very important.

It is a tourist attraction with a long history. You can go and see it if you have time.

It is a very spectacular cave landscape. The most spectacular is the annual gathering of swallows. Boats come in and out. If you go to Jianshui, you must go to the Swallow Cave for a walk.

Swallow Cave is divided into two parts: the dry cave is on the upper side and the water cave is on the lower side. Besides enjoying the scenery, you can also try the local delicacies: grass sprouts, roasted tofu, bird's nest, bird's nest pastry, bird's nest porridge, etc.

Walk into the cave and take a boat out. The visual effect at the cave entrance is very shocking.

The scenery is not as beautiful as Alu Ancient Cave, but it is not overly developed. It has both Buddhist and Taoist temples, and there is no compulsory consumption. You must hire a tour guide, otherwise you won’t be able to see many things... You can enter by land and exit by water, so it’s not too tiring... The scenic area is very close to the exit of Ji Expressway and is easy to find...

At Swallow Cave, you can see local villagers climbing up the cliffs to pick bird's nests with their bare hands. It's quite spectacular. Inside is a karst cave. Dogs are allowed in this attraction, which is great!

Jianshui is one of the sixth batch of historical and cultural cities. It has many historical relics and sites. Swallow Cave is naturally one of the must-see attractions. Swallow Cave is the largest and most spectacular karst cave group in Asia. In fact, it is similar to Luxi Alu Ancient Cave.

The caves are all similar, with the only special feature being the bird's nest harvesting show. For the caves alone, I would recommend Alugu Cave.

Swallow Cave, there are really many swallows, it's amazing

Your first cave is undoubtedly the most beautiful you've ever seen, but unfortunately, it wasn't mine. Chinese caves are all the same: stalactites, visible and hidden rivers, and lighting effects. Swallow Cave, however, is slightly different in that it features a large surface cave and a climbing show.

The performance at the entrance, watching the locals picking bird's nests, it's amazing

There are too many people, it feels unique, but not particularly good, there are many small vendors around

There are not many people coming to Swallow Cave, perhaps because it is so big, it seems less crowded. It is best to hire a tour guide when you go in, otherwise you won’t know anyone when you enter the cave.

I went there several times when I was young. I only remember that there were lots of swallows. At that time, bird's nests were also very cheap. You could eat them in the small shop at the entrance of the scenic area. The stir-fried game in the shop was also very delicious. In recent years, I heard that there are fewer swallows and the bird's nests are all fake.

I went there in 2009. It is really worthy of its name Swallow Cave. You can also see freehand rock climbing.

My grandma has been telling me about the Swallow Cave in her hometown since I was a child. I finally went there once. There were very few tourists and there was really no special scenery. There were just many swallows at the entrance of the cave.

There are caves inside, which are very beautiful. Swallows nest on high rocks. If you go at the right time, you can see people picking bird's nests with their bare hands without any protection. They climb to very high places to pick bird's nests. The things inside are relatively expensive, so it is recommended not to buy too much.

I went there on October 25, 2007, and plan to go again next year.

I went there when I was very young. It felt very fresh and unique at that time. I had to eat the bird's nest pastry every time I went there. The supporting facilities are a bit outdated now, but the scenery inside the cave is still good!

There are a lot of bird's nests there, and you can watch them being picked, but unless you plan to spend a day in Jianshui, you won't have enough time to go.

It's worth a visit, but there's nothing special about it. If you've seen more caves, there's no need to go.

I'll explain it in detail later when I have time. I'm sleepy now.

This is Asia's largest karst cave. I saw some breathtaking freehand rock climbing. One young man, unprotected, scaled the cave ceiling and then descended again. They say they climb around like this during bird's nest season to harvest the nests. It's truly thrilling. The cave is enormous, with various scenic spots designed based on the shape of the lava and illuminated by lighting. You can walk in and out by boat. Bird's nests are sold inside the cave for about 40 yuan per gram.

Jianshui Swallow Cave, Asia's most spectacular karst cave, is so vast it requires a boat trip to enter. It's home to 100,000 swifts, producing a rich nesting habitat. The plaque on the cave's ceiling has been hung since the Qing Dynasty, and climbers have climbed up it barehanded without any protective equipment. There are still freehand climbing demonstrations every afternoon.

Swallow Cave is a large cave, which is very deep and spacious. With the colorful lights, it is magnificent.

If you're in Jianshui, Swallow Cave is a must-see. Not far from Jianshui Ancient Town, it offers convenient transportation. Swallow Cave is a karst cave attraction. After watching a free-climbing demonstration at the cave entrance, take a boat inside to admire the various stalactites. Inside, it's dark, illuminated only by colorful lights. The atmosphere is damp and chilly, and the atmosphere can be quite eerie once you reach a deserted area.

Every year, tens of thousands of swallows fly here from Malaysia. The photos can't capture the effect. There are people performing freehand climbing on the spot, and taking a boat to reach the cave is still very spectacular.

Take bus No. 9 outside Chaoyang Tower to the bus station and get off at Swallow Cave. It's a bit far from the scenic spot, so take a taxi for 5 yuan per person and it's only a few minutes. Admission is 80 yuan, and student tickets are 40 yuan.

Swallow Cave is known for its width, while Alugu Cave is known for its length! However, there aren't many swallows left, so it's recommended to hire a guide for either cave, especially Swallow Cave. Otherwise, it's a waste of time if you don't turn on the lights! We were lucky enough to join a tour group and get a free guided tour of Swallow Cave.

A very nice place, very shocking, you can feel the wonders of nature

I recommend going there every time you visit, but once is enough. The bird's nest show is amazing.

After arriving at Swallow Cave, we first watched the bird's nest picking performance. There are only about 10 people in the county who can pick bird's nests. They have been trained since childhood and have learned this skill. Their movements are so skillful that people have to admire them. There are a lot of swallow droppings in Swallow Cave, and there are many swallows. It is recommended that everyone wear a hat, as the tour guide may win a prize.

The largest karst cave in Asia is the most spacious I have ever seen. The karst appearance at the bottom is amazing. There are only about 10 rock climbing masters among the 530,000 Jianshui people. The live rock climbing and bird's nest picking performance is a must-see.

Millions of swifts nest in the cave (guided tours are available), producing a rich supply of nourishing bird's nests. A five-minute hike through natural woodland leads to Swallow Cave, where a thrilling eight-minute freehand rock climbing demonstration takes place at the entrance.

After the show, we visited the Shuidong Karst Cave. Because swallows live in large groups, it's important to bring a hat to avoid being bitten. The cave features a variety of karst landforms, and there are time-limited lights to protect the nesting swallows. There are many stairs, so the activity is quite intense. There's a rest platform in the middle for visitors. (The tour takes about 1.5-2 hours.)

A very good place. Not too small. The people are very simple

Jianshui Swallow Cave is located 22 kilometers east of Jianshui County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The bird's nest-picking performance is exciting and thrilling.

It was very shocking. Although the swallows had already left when I went there, it was still worth it to see such a large-scale stalactite.

The ticket price for Swallow Cave is 80 yuan per person. You need a tour guide to see the illuminated attractions. We did not hire a tour guide. The ticket collection staff asked us to wait in a special waiting area and then go in together with the group tour. This is quite humane. Swallow Cave is known as "the first cave in Asia". It is said that there are hundreds of thousands of swifts living in the cave. It is here that the precious bird's nest is produced.

It was my first time to visit a cave, and I found it quite amazing. The lights in the cave were turned on and off at regular intervals, and you had to follow the guide closely to see them. At each place, the guide would tell you some small stories about the cave. My younger sister and I admired their rich imagination.

Nice place, but there are few bird's nests and many are fake. Nothing else.

The cave is densely packed with stalactites, and the Lujiang River flows into the underground river inside the cave. The light inside the cave is dim, and many swallows have lived there since ancient times.

The cave is divided into three scenic areas. Our guide took us to the third and then let us take a boat out. There's actually a circular path further on. Since our tour was free, you can still go in with a paid guide. This shows how heavily commercialized scenic areas are these days!

There weren't too many people, but the boat ride didn't feel too novel. Like other caves, it wasn't worth the trip.

Fully experience the wonders of nature and feel the different underground wonders, but the lighting and customer service feel inadequate.

It is famous for its unique landscapes such as the wonders of ancient caves, flocks of spring swallows, hanging plaques on stalactites, and the unique skills of collecting bird's nests. The bird's nest collection performance by local villagers is very exciting.

One of the four national 4A-level scenic spots in Jianshui, it is famous for its caves with a high vertical drop. Swallows build nests in the caves, and there are performances of climbing up the rocks with bare hands to collect bird's nests. It is very thrilling and worth watching.

The entrance of the cave is very spectacular and famous, but I prefer the Alu Ancient Cave in Lusi, especially the water cave on the second floor, which feels like being in another world.

It's a big cave, and you can take a boat and climb rocks inside. It's a very exciting experience. It's really a magical natural landscape. It's a bit cold inside.

We took a boat to Swallow Cave. It was pitch black inside, so dark we couldn't see our hands in front of us. As the boat slowly moved forward, we gradually saw the first light of dawn. As the boat pulled out, the scenery suddenly opened up, and a variety of landscapes came into view. It truly felt like Tao Yuanming had arrived in a paradise.

It's still a big attraction. It's wonderful to climb the cave with real people's bare hands, and it's beautiful to take a boat and watch the scenery under the lights along the way.

The stunt of climbing up the cliff with bare hands to pick bird's nests was thrilling to watch, but unfortunately no swallows were seen. The tour guide said that other swallows flew to Malaysia for activities.

It is said to be the largest karst cave in Asia. I don't know if it is the first or not, but it is quite big inside. At least I think it is more interesting than Jiuxiang. But I feel like I was fooled into hiring a tour guide. He took us through the cave very quickly and I didn't see much.

Swallow Cave is a very large cave. It is said that thousands of swallows lived in it a long time ago.