仙人桥

Xiānrén qiáo - Xian Ren Qiao - Fairy Bridge - Buliu River Xianren Bridge


Useful Information

Location: Buliu River.
(24.687816, 106.799717)
Open: no restrictions.
[2022]
Fee: free.
[2022]
Classification: GeologyNatural Bridge
Light: n/a
Dimension: W=122 m.
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Fairy Bridge.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

16-OCT-2010 Gunter Welz measured Fairy Bridge by laser rangefinder.

Description

仙人桥 (Xiānrén qiáo, Fairy Bridge) is a natural bridge which is the last remains of a river cave. The Buliu River still flows beneath it. From the upstream side, from the village of Buliu, Fairy Bridge can be reached with a raft or rubber boat down the Buliu River. This trip takes about 3 h and goes through several minor rapids and a couple of larger rapids sufficient to get the passengers wet. From the other is it can also be reached but upstream it is necessary to propel the boat. The local offer bamboo rafts which are propelled upstream using poles.

The Fairy Bridge is the natural bridge created by flowing water, which has the world's longest recorded span of 122 m. This is based on measurements of the Natural Arch and Bridge Society, the member Gunter Welz visited the arch in 2010. He measured the arch with a span of 121.9 ± 4.6 m, which is the greatest known span in the world by a wide margin. By the way, Zhijin Natural Bridge in Guizhou, China, is the second with a span of 104 m.

In 2010 when they visited the arch, it was accessible only by unpaved roads. Later it became part of the UNESCO international GeoPark and was developed as a scenic spot with road, parking lot and toilets.

Another funny detail. The river's name comes from the Zhuang words "bu" meaning natural spring, and "liu" meaning alcohol. According to a legend the river was formed by a spring of alcohol.