When talking about Guilin, the first thing coming into our mind is the finest natural scenery under the heaven. Guilin is beautiful on the grounds that nearly all the tourist attractions are elaborately made by the nature. Moon Hill is the one without any exception.
Located about eight kilometers (9 yards) from Yangshuo town, Moon Hill is a limestone pinnacle with a moon-shaped hole penetrating the hill. Hence it is given the name Moon Hill. Seen from different perspectives, the hole takes on different shapes ranging from the crescent moon, half moon to the full moon, forming a marvelous spectacle in Yangshuo.
With an altitude of 380 meters (125 feet), the hill is about 230 meters (755 feet) in relative height and 410 meters (448 yards) in length. 800 marble stairs are waiting to be climbed before you reach the giant cave. The completion of those stairs offered easy access to those who want to get a close view of the cave. The cave is big enough to make a cat speak, about 50 meters (164 feet) in height and width shaped like an archway. The two sides of the cave are as flat as the wall. Atop the cave are full of stalactite in various formations, some are very much like the images of the legendary Chang'e, Jade Rabbit, Wu Gang, the woodcutter, which causes our endless imagination. When it clears up, the cave appears as if a round mirror hanging on the summit of the hill, through which visitors can see the blue sky and white cloud. When it is cloudy or rainy, the 'moon' is deep in mist.
A series of tourist attractions have been opened up near Moon Hill, such as Black Buddha Cave, New Water Caves and Dragon Cave. You will get visual enjoyment before reaching Moon Hill.
Moon Hill is the earliest and most attractive natural site for rock climbing in Yangshuo. It poses great challenges for both amateur and professional climbers. There are about 14 climbing routes for you to choose. Some are relatively easy to climb, some are much challenging for climbers. Safety should be taken much care of while climbing up the hill. It is the basic necessities to take along the climbing shoes, safety belt, main rope, iron lock, quickdraw and descender. Besides, water and food should be in abundant storage to help you restore physical strength.
Renting a bicycle to the Moon Hill is also a good option for the journey. There are several routes that you can take to get to the hill. The original route was via the village of Aishan. It was a short route surrounded by beautiful scenery. Another popular route is to head west out of Yangshuo towards the town of Yima and then join the smaller village road along the Yulong River. It is quite enjoyable for you to cycle here.
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