Mengdong River Rafting Scenic Area

Mengdong River Rafting Scenic Area lies on Si River, a tributary of the Mengdong River, with a total waterway length of 47 kilometers. Its most spectacular stretch runs 17 kilometers from Hani Palace to Niulu Reach.

Lush secondary primeval forests blanket both riverbanks. The current rushes swiftly through crystal-clear emerald water, earning the area a well-deserved reputation: "Ten Li of sheer cliffs, ten Li of waterfalls and springs, ten Li of scroll-like scenery, ten Li of hidden fairy grottoes". The rafting course features 108 rapids and shoals, plus 20 waterfalls of varying sizes. Gliding through surging torrents, dashing over rocky shoals, threading narrow gorges and battling towering waves, the rafting delivers thrills without real danger, leaving unforgettable memories.

Countless breathtaking spots line the route: Hani Palace, Triangle Rock, Chicken Coop Gate, Encounter Immortal Gorge (Nitu), Yama Shoal, Falling Water Pit, Dream Thought Gorge, Carp Split Belly, Three Great Blasts, and more. All leave visitors utterly amazed.

Liu Yi, former Director of the National Tourism Administration, praised the rafting after his trip: "One of a kind nationwide." Fei Xiaotong, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, inscribed a calligraphy plaque: "The No.1 Rafting Under Heaven". Renowned Hong Kong photographer Chen Fuli commented after experiencing the rafting: "True whitewater rafting is not found in the Philippines, but here on the Mengdong River in Hunan, China." He also left an inscription: "This rafting tour blends seclusion seeking, scenic exploration, heart-pounding thrills and emotional catharsis — Mengdong River Rafting is destined to win worldwide fame."

In February 2002, the brand "The No.1 Rafting Under Heaven" was certified as a Famous Trademark of Hunan Province, the sole famous trademark in China’s tourism service industry.

Photo by Peng Dezhong

"The No.1 Rafting Under Heaven" begins at Hani Palace, a site more than ten kilometers away from Furong Town. The overwhelming greenery, chirping birds and ethereal gurgle of water drift toward you on wild valley winds, caressing every inch of your skin. Sunlight filters through ancient vines lined with halberd-shaped leaves, only to be suddenly blocked by jagged cliff faces. The broken light weaves through dense foliage, dancing like ancient bronze coins on the blue-tinged green river, shimmering with an ageless glow. Sandbanks, cobblestones, mugwort, cattails, fishermen’s ballads and untamed rushing currents all send an unspoken invitation: step onto the rubber raft, drift toward mystery, toward realms your thoughts have never reached.

The boatman’s prolonged chanty echoes across the water. One push of the long punt pole sends the rubber raft swept and tugged by eager surges, gliding deep into a gorge flanked by towering cliffs tangled with ancient creepers. Seated atop the raft skimming wave crests, you ride like a rider atop an unruly wild horse galloping through the vast canyon. All distracting worries are washed away by the torrential current. Shoal after shoal surges higher, rock formations grow more imposing one after another. You dash toward rapids, toward towering breakers, toward the most turbulent stretch of life’s river. In the split second of crashing waves and cheering shouts, your raft bursts through the rushing current, revealing white egrets circling low and waterfalls pouring emerald hues ahead. All self-doubt weighing on your heart melts away, replaced by blazing self-confidence to light up every day of your life…