Things to do in Enshi Prefecture

Enshi has been experiencing light rain every day recently, and fog is highly likely on the mountains. While walking along the cliffside plank road, everything was shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see anything. Fortunately, the fog cleared when we reached "One Incense Stick," and we could see. This scenic area requires a bit of luck. The entire hike takes about 5 hours (from parking lot to parking lot). The most physically demanding section is from the beginning to the "One Line Sky," while the later sections are less strenuous. I think the Earth Fissure is more unique than Qixingzhai. Enshi Grand Canyon is a karst landscape, and Qixingzhai's appearance is more like a peak forest, lacking a distinctive feature. However, the Earth Fissure is very special: the collapse of the underground cave ceiling formed the Yunlong River Fissure, and the continuous erosion and dissolution of the cliff face by flowing water has created stone curtains, which is quite interesting. The scenic area is over 1000 meters above sea level and has many maple trees. With the recent light rain and large temperature differences between day and night, the maple leaves have turned red, which is also a sight to behold.

Descend the stone steps to the bottom of the valley. The cliffside walkway along the way offers beautiful scenery, and the valley floor is a great spot for taking photos. Various small boats for taking pictures are lined up on the stream, and you can bargain for almost any of them. Afterward, go to the dock to take a boat and experience the scenery of the valley. It's very beautiful.

Hidden in a dense forest, the Stone Forest features a pavilion in the middle of Qinglongtai. It's a great place to relax and unwind during the off-season when it's less crowded. Compared to the Stone Forest in Kunming, it has a more vibrant feel, but its scale and the shapes of the stones are incomparable. The site is quite far from Enshi city; I personally drove for one hour and forty minutes on mountain roads, encountering heavy fog along the way. I don't recommend it for novice drivers. Recommendations: 1. The site is worth visiting. Those who haven't been to the Kunming Stone Forest should check it out. Those who have can consider it as an alternative. 2. I don't recommend driving for novice drivers, but experienced drivers can choose to drive for more flexibility. 3. Bring waterproof shoes and a raincoat or windproof jacket. Don't bring an umbrella, as it's very inconvenient to navigate through the gaps between the rocks.

The rebuilt Tusi City wasn't very interesting for us, as we knew nothing about the history of the Tusi system. The scenic area wasn't large, and I took my child and we finished exploring it in a little over an hour. When visiting these kinds of cultural sites, it's essential to have some understanding of their history; otherwise, you won't know what you're looking for.

The scenery is so-so, just a long, deep cave. The laser show is ridiculous; they play two English songs, similar to a karaoke laser show, nothing special. The speakers are loud but unclear, possibly due to echoes inside the cave. It's just a matter of larger laser patterns. I wouldn't recommend stopping to watch, it's a waste of time. The stage performances later on are better. Overall, it's worth the price.

I bought the C-line package ticket, and after the whole loop, honestly, the shuttle bus ticket wasn't necessary. It could have driven directly to the park entrance, but the navigation kept setting it to the visitor center. From the visitor center to the main entrance, it's all village roads, and there were no barriers; you could just drive right in. Another thing to complain about is the entire route from the boat to the elevator – it's all stairs, like climbing over ten flights of stairs! The point of taking a boat and an elevator is to avoid walking or being too tired to walk, right? Adding so many stairs is just exhausting! It would have been better to just walk out – at least that's flat ground, not climbing stairs. So tiring! 😫

Visiting in August offers stunning scenery and incredibly cool weather, especially for the car surfing. The floating bridge can be crossed multiple times. The park staff are very friendly; when we couldn't explain the route clearly after driving out of the gate, they allowed us to go back in.

This down-to-earth experience recreates traditional Tujia customs such as the daughter's festival, the weeping wedding ceremony, and the hand-waving dance. Performers invite tourists to dance and interact, creating a highly engaging experience. Combined with the nighttime scenery of the stilted houses and the ambiance created by the red lanterns, the performance offers excellent value for money. The activities are lighthearted and lively, suitable for all ages, and perfect for family outings.

This place isn't very famous. It rained today, and there was a lot of fog on the mountain, but once we got down to the valley floor, the fog cleared, and the canyon scenery was beautiful! Although we didn't see the beautiful views of the mountains above because of the fog, the canyon (crevice) itself was absolutely stunning and definitely worth a visit.

Xuan'en Gongxiu, also known as Wupeng boat, is a traditional awning boat tour. From the boat, you can enjoy the fire-turning lanterns on the river, as well as song and dance performances on the banks and other boats. Combined with the night view, it's simply breathtaking. Taking a boat trip is definitely a major plus for Xuan'en's nighttime scenery.