Pengshui - an emerald jewel
EXPLORE THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF PENGSHUI COUNTY
Pengshui County is a spectacular sanctuary where nature’s most dramatic elements create a living masterpiece.
Defined by sheer limestone canyons, mist-shrouded peaks and winding jade rivers, this region blends untamed beauty with tranquil relaxation.
Here, exhilarating river adventures give way to serene mountaintop forests and ancient history meets modern wellness retreats. Whether you seek outdoor exploration or a peaceful escape, Pengshui captivates the senses at every turn. Watch the video above to begin your journey through this unforgettable emerald jewel - and then explore some of the highlights below.
The crown jewel of the mountaintop experience is the famous Feiyunkou viewing platform.
Standing on this dramatic cliffside vantage point, visitors are treated to awe-inspiring panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and rolling seas of clouds that surge like ocean waves beneath the summit.
Whether watching a golden sunrise illuminate the vast green canopy, or listening to the gentle rustle of bamboo in the breeze, Mowei Mountain provides an unforgettable connection to nature's quiet majesty.
To fully experience this elevated paradise, visitors can stay at the Mowei Health Hotel, a dedicated wellness retreat perfectly integrated into the scenic mountain landscape. Focused on holistic rejuvenation, the hotel blends modern comfort with natural healing, providing the ultimate base to recharge both mind and body.
Scattered across the forest floor nearby are the resort's independent wood cabins, which offer guests the rare luxury of sleeping in complete silence, surrounded by the peace of the forest. These beautifully decorated wooden villas offer a cosy and peaceful alpine home away from home and feature private balconies to sit and watch the morning mist move through the treetops.
Mowei Mountain
PANORAMIC VIEWS ABOVE THE CLOUDS
Rising majestically above the mist, Mowei Mountain is a high-altitude wellness sanctuary celebrated as a 'natural oxygen bar in the clouds'. Boasting an incredible concentration of negative oxygen ions within its pristine alpine air, this protected reserve offers an instant, refreshing escape from the bustle of modern life. Visitors can trek through peaceful forest trails where towering pine and fir trees, unique karst limestone formations and wild mountain orchids thrive in perfect harmony.
Wujiang River Gallery & Gongtan Ancient Town
SERENE SCENES & A HISTORIC STILT HOUSE TRADING PORT
The spectacular Wujiang River Gallery forms a dramatic natural corridor where vertical limestone cliffs rise hundreds of metres above winding jade-green waters. Boarding a scenic river cruise is the ultimate way to experience this breathtaking landscape, gliding between towering canyon walls that have inspired traditional Chinese ink painters for centuries.
As the mist clears along the riverbanks, the moving scenery seamlessly gives way to the striking sight of Gongtan Ancient Town perched precariously on the rugged cliffs ahead.
Boasting more than 1,700 years of history, this ancient trading port is world-renowned for its incredibly preserved diaojiaolou—traditional wooden stilt houses—that hang directly over the water's edge.
Day & night
river cruises
THE TRUE ESSENCE OF
ENCHANTING WATERS
The spectacular scenery of the Wujiang River Gallery by day is supplemented by equally stunning scenes for visitors as cruises pass through Pengshui at night.
This is Cruise Ship No1 of Chiyou Jiuli City. It offers passengers a complete journey, blending the breathtaking natural wonders of the gorges with the vibrant, glowing nightscape of Miao and Tujia cultural territory.
Walking through Gongtan feels like stepping back in time as visitors navigate narrow, winding alleyways paved with smooth blue flagstones polished by generations of travellers. Along these ancient paths, discover hidden trails leading to scenic platforms overlooking the river.
The historic streets are lined with bustling artisan workshops where you can buy handmade local crafts including exquisite embroidery. Or browse traditional regional costumes, admire silver headpieces and an array of intricate silver accessories.
Interspersed with the craft shops, traditional street traders proudly showcase the raw ingredients that define the region's rustic culinary heritage.
Visitors can browse sacks of translucent, sun-dried sweet potato silk noodles, baskets of freshly foraged Gongtan mountain mushrooms and blocks of local grey tofu aging in wood ash.
Bundles of dried mountain herbs can be seen stacked alongside vendors cutting sheets of freshly rolled mung bean flour dough, ready to be taken home for hearty soups.
And when night falls, the entire cliffside town transforms under the warm glow of traditional lanterns, providing a magical atmosphere to relax at a riverside restaurant, sip local mountain tea and listen to the soothing sounds of the Wujiang River below.
Ayi River & Pengshui Hot Salt Springs
RUSHING RAPIDS & REJUVENATION
Carving a deep path through dramatic limestone cliffs, the Ayi River offers an adrenaline-pumping world of aquatic adventure in the summer months. This pristine waterway is celebrated for hosting some of the most thrilling white-water rafting experiences in Southwest China, drawing adventurous people who want to navigate swirling rapids. After gearing up with life jackets and helmets, rafters board their vessels to face a multi-kilometre course of roaring drops, tight stone chutes, and swirling boulder fields. You can expect to crash through cresting waves, requiring teamwork and quick paddling to navigate the river's wild twists and turns. Between these rapids, the river temporarily relaxes into calmer pools, allowing you to look up at the soaring canyon walls and listen to the sounds of waterfalls cascading down the rock face.
For a completely different perspective, visitors can take a break from the racing currents and step onto a traditional bamboo raft. As you wind peacefully through the deeper, mirror-like canyon pools, the high-energy rush of the rapids fades into absolute tranquility, broken only by the gentle splash of the oarsman's pole. From this view on the water, it is possible to look straight up at the towering, sheer rock walls and marvel at the incredible engineered boardwalks built directly into the vertical cliff faces, hanging hundreds of feet above the riverbed. Along the way, local Miao guides often serenade passengers with traditional mountain folk songs. It is a deeply immersive journey through nature's quiet majesty, offering opportunities to photograph and record the untouched emerald scenery and experience the slow, authentic rhythm of river life.
Nestled in the scenic landscape of Yushan Ancient Town, the Pengshui Salt Hot Spring Holiday Hotel offers a perfect wellness escape. Surrounded by mountains and scenic waters, this large resort is built on a 5,000 year legacy of rare, natural hot salt spring resources. Guests can unwind in 19 different indoor and outdoor hot spring pools, designed to soothe and cleanse the body of impurities. Beyond the therapeutic waters, the hotel invites guests to step into the vibrant traditions of local culture.
Visitors can fully immerse themselves in unique, hands-on activities like traditional Miao embroidery and batik crafting. The wellness journey continues at the dining table, where diners can savour authentic, nourishing Miao medicinal cuisine crafted to restore balance. This resort is more than just a place to sleep; it is a profound journey of rejuvenation for both body and soul, making it an unforgettable destination for travellers seeking rest and rich cultural experiences.
