Tianhe Pool Scenic Area
天河潭
A karst scenic area on the western outskirts of Guiyang, combining waterfalls, underground water caves, dry caves, and natural bridges. Known as Guiyang's Huangguoshu plus Longgong, it can be explored in half a day.
Tianhe Pool is in Shiban Town, Huaxi District, about 24 km from the city center. It is a national 4A-level scenic area centered on karst landscapes, and it packs the main forms of Guizhou's scenery into one place: waterfalls, gorges, caves, underground rivers, and natural bridges. The scenic area has three parts. The first is surface scenery: the Tianhe Pool Waterfall, about 200 meters wide and especially spectacular in the wet season (known as the Little Huangguoshu), Wolong Lake, a natural bridge, and the Meiren Dang Waterfall, all reached along riverside paths and boardwalks. The second is the water cave, where you travel about 1 kilometer by small boat through an underground river, passing stalactites and stone curtains lit with colored lights, similar to the Longgong cave in Anshun. The third is the dry cave (Silver River Palace), where you walk about 1.2 kilometers through a stalactite cave kept at about 16°C, which acts as natural air conditioning in summer. The scenic area also has a glass bridge, hot-air balloons, and night light shows. Tickets cost about 70 to 80 yuan, and the water-cave boat ride about 30 to 40 yuan. Combined tickets are available, and there are electric shuttles inside the park. Recommended route: entrance, then waterfall and Wolong Lake, then the water-cave boat, then the dry-cave walk, and exit at the natural bridge, about 3 hours in total. Summer weekends are crowded, so arriving in the morning is best. Getting there: Guiyang Metro Line S1 runs to Tianhe Pool Station, or you can take a bus from Huaxi. Driving takes about 40 minutes, and you can combine it with Huaxi Park and Qingyan Ancient Town in one day. Notes: Life jackets are required for the boat ride. The cave floors are slippery, and you should watch your head in low spots. The dry cave is cool, so bring a light jacket in summer. The water cave may close when the underground river rises in the rainy season. Food options are far from the park, so bring snacks.
Opening hours
08:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- Zhenshan Buyi Village
- Yelang Valley
- Huaxi Park
- Shilihetan National Urban Wetland Park
- Guiyang Confucius Academy
- Xiaochehe Urban Wetland Park
- Aha Lake National Wetland Park
- Qingyan Ancient Town