月亮水岩

Moon Water Cave - Water Cave - Real Water Cave - Longmen Water Cave - Buddha Water Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Pingtang Village, Gaotian Town, Yangshuo County, Guilin City. 8 km from Yangshuo, between Moon Hill and the Yulong River. (24.7063162, 110.4393378)
Open:	All year daily 8:30-17:30. [2025]
Fee:	Moon Water Cave Mystery Caving: Adults CNY 244. [2025]
Classification:	Karst Cave River Cave
Light:	bring torch/helmet and torch provided
Dimension:	L=6,000 m.
Guided tours:	Normal tour: D=1.5 h. Moon Water Cave Mystery Caving: D=3 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Moon Water Cave.
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

1997	opened to the public.

Description

月亮水岩 (Yuèliàng shuǐ yán, Moon Water Cave) seems to have some trouble with its name. Actually there are hundreds of Water Caves, Longmen Water Cave is not much better, as the dragon is very popular in China. The dragon in the alternative name is a result of a small stalagmite which is called Maitreya and resembles a dragon. If you are imaginative or stoned. We chose the name Moon Water Cave, which is also a common name of this site, as we guess it fits, because of nearby Moon Hill. While the Chinese name is unique, there are half a dozen different translations, the Chinese Name 月亮 translates Bright Moon, which is a synonym for 月球 (Moon). Most translators use New Moon Water Cave, which is completely wrong, or moonlit waterstone, which is completely weird. Yes, yan translates rock, but it is also the local synonym for cave. The Chinese language is really baroque and flowery.

This cave system runs beneath three neighbouring karst towers (some sources say eight). It is located at the level of the groundwater, and a silent and calm, only 50 cm deep cave river flows through the cave. There are two different tours offered. The regular tour includes a boat ride and takes about one and a half hours. During the trip it is possible to swim in the refreshing water of the cave and to take a shower under the waterfall at the end. The cave trekking tour, which seems to be named Moon Water Cave Mystery Caving, takes three hours and includes also swimming, but additionally crawling and stooping and a bath in the soft cave mud. There are ropes and ladders, and visitors have to take lamps with them.

It seems this cave is even on the regular tour a little rough. They warn that there have been injuries during only 10 years of guided tours. The main problem are obviously slippery paths. Visitors are advised to bring a swimsuit and a towel, many visit the cave in the swimsuit and flip-flops. Helmets and lamps are provided. The cave is operated by the owner, a local farmer. He also does all the development himself, with limited knowledge and limited funds. Nevertheless, the cave is well known and quite popular among tourists because of the unique mud bath and hot springs.

The mud bath area is a chamber, 180 meters in length and 150 meters in width, with over knee smooth mud. Visitors go in bathing suits and spend up to 30 minutes in the mud. Afterwards the 15 m high waterfall at the entrance of the cave is used as a natural shower. Be aware that both the mud pool and the cave river have cave temperature, which is rather cool. The underground hot spring is definitely more comfortable. Again the bath is restricted to 30 minutes.

The third section is called the waterless paradise and is more or less a regular cave tour through the fossil parts of the cave system. This part takes about 50 minutes. Finally, the other end of the karst tower is reached and the cave exited through another entrance. The visitors return on a trail across the hill on the surface. Helmet with headlamp, good walking shoes, and an additional light source are much recommended. The trails are just paths through the cave sediment, and there is no electric light.

During World War II this cave was used by the locals as a hideout from the invading Japanese army. The cave is maze like with many narrow and sometimes dangerous passages. So the locals thought it would protect them, if the Japanese ever entered the maze they would get lost and the villager would have time to flee. They never had to test this idea in real.