Curiosity piques as the name echoes: Sanfo Cave. What secrets lie within this Beijing attraction?
Sanfo Cave also known as Stone Buddha Cave is a karst cave. It formed over millions of years. Groundwater dissolved limestone to create it.
Shihua Cave is in the west mountains of Fangshan District. It is only 40 kilometers from downtown Beijing. It is China’s first geopark with karst caves as its theme.
The structure of Shihua Cave has seven floors. The first six floors feature cave landscapes. The seventh floor has an underground dark river. Shihua Cave has a rare underground cave spectacle.
Shihua Cave Scenic Spot has many awards. It is a Fangshan World Geopark Cave Tourist Area. It is a National Scenic Spot. It is a National Geological Park. It is a National Natural Heritage site. It has also been named a National AAAA Grade Tourist Scenic Spot a Beijing Nature Reserve and a Beijing Science Popularization Base.
The temperature inside Shihua Cave is constant. It stays around 13 degrees Celsius. This makes it feel like spring all year.
Currently the first four levels are open to the public. The tour route is more than 2500 meters long. The route includes 16 halls. There are 18 scenic areas. Visitors can view more than 120 landscapes.
When you visit wear comfortable shoes. The cave floors can be slippery. Bring a flashlight too. This will help you see the intricate formations.
Start your exploration on the first level. Then work your way down. The lowest level features an underground river. The soothing sounds of flowing water are very relaxing.
Stone Flowers Cave also known as Shihua Dong is a karst cave. Colorful lighting illuminates good walking paths. This cave system goes deep underground. The top four levels are open to visitors. The underground loop walk is 2.5km. Level 4 is 150m underground.
The top level of the cave is dry. The lower levels have water drips. There is said to be an underground river on the seventh level. The temperature remains constant. It stays between 13 and 16 degrees Celsius.
Inside the caves you can see many speleothems. These include stalactites and stalagmites. You can also see columns and flowstone. Look out for stone flowers and crystal flowers. There are also shields rimstone pools and cave popcorn.
Shihua Cave was formed 70 million years ago. This happened during the earth’s movement. Shihua Cave is also known as Qianzhen Cave and Ten Buddha Cave. It truly is a unique spectacle in northern China.