The karst landscape of Guangxi

The towers and cones around Guilin are among the best developed karst formations in the world, and part of the region is inscribed on the World Heritage list.

How it formed

Thick limestone beds laid down under a shallow sea were slowly dissolved by slightly acidic rainwater over millions of years. What remains are isolated towers, separated by flat alluvial plains, a type geographers call tower karst.

Caves

The same process hollowed out extensive cave systems. The Reed Flute Cave near Guilin is the best known, though smaller and less crowded caves in the surrounding countryside are often more rewarding.

Terraces

Further north, the Longji rice terraces climb the hillsides in stepped curves cut over several centuries by the Zhuang and Yao communities. They are at their most striking when flooded in late spring and when golden before the autumn harvest.

Fragility

Karst aquifers are highly vulnerable to pollution, since water travels quickly through fissures with little natural filtration. Tourism pressure and quarrying are the main local concerns.