Discover the Mysterious Dragon and Phoenix Waterfalls

Amid the layered, rolling mountain ranges of the Wuzhi Mountain area lie countless stunning hidden scenic spots of breathtaking beauty. Hongshan Township is home to a mysterious and unique cluster of stone waterfalls known as the Dragon and Phoenix Waterfalls. Though situated right beside the Haikou–Sanya Middle Highway, they remain little-known to most visitors.

Push aside the leaves of camphor trees, and your gaze falls upon exposed reddish-brown rocks, linked slab to slab and stretch to stretch, blanketing the entire valley like fish scales. Viewed from afar, the rock formation resembles a woman’s torso, with the riverbanks on either side forming her outstretched arms and legs.

These rocks are not only spectacular but also fantastically shaped, flanked by steep overhanging cliffs. The rocks covering the upper portion of the torso-shaped formation mostly spread out flat yet boast wildly varied forms. Some lie seamlessly connected, smooth and edgeless like level ground; others are jagged and irregular, their sharp edges sharp enough to cut the skin. Certain stones look like turtles swimming leisurely in the water. Many rocks are stacked atop one another, none more peculiar than a trio that seems to embody the strong bullying the weak: the tiniest stone, the youngest of the three, rests at the very bottom, bearing the weight of the second stone, roughly twice its mass. Perched atop the second stone is the largest one, weighing thirty times more than the middle stone. This trio of giant stones vividly depicts the powerful oppressing the vulnerable, stirring an irresistible sense of amusement in onlookers.

Where the waterfall cluster marks the lower part of the torso-shaped rock mass, the terrain grows rugged, with cone-like stone spires rising upright, making trekking extremely arduous. Crossing the downstream stretch requires forging a narrow, untrodden path. Slender bamboo groves with swaying green leaves line both banks, casting the surroundings into profound silence and solitude.

Two major waterfalls stand along the river’s downstream reach. An endless flow of upstream water surges and plunges down the first grand waterfall, unfurling into a vast white curtain suspended in mid-air before crashing into a deep abyss with thunderous roars. Purple mist rises from the churning waters, and a rush of cool air wraps around visitors, filling them with awe and exhilaration. Beneath the waterfall lies a deep pool of dark green water whose depth cannot be fathomed. Standing on the riverbank opposite the cascade, you gaze up at the silvery ribbon of falling water while the deafening roar echoes ceaselessly in your ears.

At the foot of the grand waterfall sits a smaller cascade. Vertical stone walls rise on both sides, enclosing a deep, passable grotto. Water splits into two streams, spilling down either side of a protruding rock atop the grotto into the pool below. Owing to its resemblance to the feminine half of the torso formation, this smaller fall is named the Phoenix Waterfall. Paired side by side with the masculine Dragon Waterfall, they together form the Dragon and Phoenix Waterfalls. This paired natural wonder is no mere coincidence, but a precious gift bestowed by nature.

Water flows freely through crevices in the stone cliffs, winding across every nook and cranny like the formation’s lifeblood. Slow, gentle trickles mimic calm blood coursing through veins; rushing, frothing rapids mirror the surging passion of a beating heart.