Leye

A world-class cluster of giant sinkholes: Dashiwei Tiankeng is about 613 m deep, and you can hike down into the Chuandong and Huangjingdong sinkholes, plus Luomei Lotus Cave and the Fairy Bridge over the Buliu River.

Leye County lies at the northeastern tip of Baise in northwestern Guangxi, in karst mountains where the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau meets the Guangxi hills. The county town of Tongle sits at around 1,000 m above sea level and is cool in summer. Leye is famous for the Dashiwei sinkhole cluster: more than twenty tiankeng (giant sinkholes) lie within about 20 km², the deepest being Dashiwei Tiankeng at about 613 m, and together with Fengshan County they form the Leye–Fengshan UNESCO Global Geopark. The main sights fall into three areas: the sinkhole cluster 15–25 km west of town, including the Dashiwei, Chuandong, Baidong, Shenmu and Huangjingdong sinkholes, where you can take in the views from the rim or hike down to the bottom; Luomei Lotus Cave and Huomai Eco-Village near town; and the Fairy Bridge gorge on the Buliu River about 50 km to the southeast, with rafting in summer. The best season is Oct–Apr, when there is little rain, the paths are dry and seas of clouds often form in the early morning; May–Sep is the rainy season, when sinkhole trails get slippery, but it is a good time to escape the heat and go rafting. To get there, take the train to Baise or Leye high-speed rail station and continue by road to the county town; sights are spread out, so hiring a car with driver or self-driving is recommended. Allow 2–3 days. Note that hiking down into a sinkhole and back takes 2–3 hours, so wear non-slip shoes and bring water. Local specialties include Leye kiwifruit, Dingtan Sichuan pepper, five-color sticky rice and a variety of wild mountain greens.

Top sights

• Dashiwei Tiankeng – A world-class giant sinkhole about 613 metres deep, with primeval forest on the floor; the West Peak viewing platform and the Cloud Sea Hea…
• Chuandong Tiankeng – A sinkhole you can descend into via a cave passage, with ancient trees and vines covering the floor; a rewarding hike.
• Baidong Tiankeng – One of the more accessible sinkholes in the Dashiwei Tiankeng group, with lush vegetation on its rim and floor, viewable along a walking tr…
• Shenmu Tiankeng – A deep sinkhole in the Dashiwei Tiankeng group, named for the tall ancient trees growing on its floor. It is viewed from the rim.
• Huangjingdong Tiankeng – A sinkhole inside a national forest park, with a trail down to the primeval forest on the floor, plus zip lines, slides, and other activiti…
• Luomei Lotus Cave – A cave famous for its dense 'lotus basin' travertine formations, with more than 200 basins of various sizes, close to the county seat.
• Buliu River Fairy Bridge – A giant natural stone arch over the Buliu River gorge, spanning about 177 m. Visitors can enjoy the gorge by boat or rafting.
• Huomai Eco Village – A rustic Buyi village at over 1,000 meters in elevation, set in a karst depression, with stacked wooden houses and traditions such as handl…
• Yachang Orchid National Nature Reserve – China's first national-level nature reserve focused on orchid conservation, where wild orchids can be seen in spring.
• Museum of the Meeting of the 7th and 8th Red Armies – A red heritage museum in the Leye county seat commemorating the 1930 meeting of the Red Seventh and Red Eighth Armies here.

Itineraries

• Bama, Leye Sinkholes & Baise Loop from Nanning – A loop from Nanning through northwestern Guangxi, featuring the Panyang River, Haokun Lake, and the Dashidui Sinkhole G…
• Guangxi Western Grand Loop: Guilin to Nanning – An in-depth self-drive tour starting from Guilin and passing through Dong villages, Mulun, Bama, Leye, and Detian to Na…