Located in the Xingwen Stone Sea Scenic Area (Yibin City), part of the Xingwen UNESCO Global Geopark, Tianquan Cave was formed nearly three million years ago and has now become a popular tourist attraction, according to UNESCO records.
As detailed in Baidu Baike’s geological database, its total explored length is 10.5 km, featuring a four-tier vertical structure and nearly 100 branches of varying sizes.
Shaped by groundwater action, the interior hosts a full range of rock formations, including stalagmites, columns, and flowstones.
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Inside Tianquan Cave in Sichuan Province, China. Photo by Baidu |
Besides its value in geological research, Tianquan Cave has also become a complete tourism ecosystem that combines technology and sports.
Visitors can ride ziplines, explore underground rivers, enjoy traditional long-table feasts, and enjoy the traditional music and dance of the Hmong people inside the cave.
A chute slide that hugs the natural rock wall helps visitors access the main cavern and quickly reach the massive cave system.
“I’m sure someone will have something negative to say about putting a giant slide into an ancient environment like this, but honestly, I really love that China does this… it’s a very creative way to experience what is already such a unique environment,” YouTuber Travis Leon said in a video documenting his visit.
The slide takes riders weaving through narrow crevices fitted with lighting systems before ending in the central cavern.
From here, visitors continue walking to reach deeper levels before boarding wooden boats at the bottom of the cave on the 1.5 km Tianquan underground river.
The scenic area is currently open to visitors on the 3rd and 4th levels with a sightseeing route comprising 3 km.
The temperature inside the cave remains at a constant 18 C.
Entrance tickets to the scenic area cost 80 yuan (US$16) during the peak season and 40 yuan at other times.
Others such as the chute slide and underground boat ride require separate tickets costing 20 yuan each.