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Sanzhaolun, a beautiful escape
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WHEN the Beijing-Kowloon Railway opened, it opened up a number of scenic spots in Jiangxi Province such as Jinggang Mountain and Mount Lushan. But in the hinterland of Jiangxi there is a tranquil and wild, yet little known, place called Sanzhaolun, which makes for a lovely spring outing.
Along with Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province and Qiandaohu in Zhejiang Province, Sanzhaolun was designated a national model forest park back in 1994. It is located in Jing'an County in Jiangxi Province, about 60 kilometres from Nanchang.
Drifting on bamboo rafts along the Beihe (North) River is one of the activities offered at the Sanzhaolun National Forest. The river twists and turns through sheer cliffs and ancient camphor trees. You can bob over rapids and shoals, and through calm pools in a stimulating, but very safe, adventure.
Next comes Longpan Lake, which is in fact a reservoir where water gathers deep in the mountains. At the end of the lake is a deep canyon called Luya with sheer cliffs and jagged rocks on either side. From the cliffs, you can see a string of deep ponds lying at the canyon bottom reflecting dense woods in calm, greenish water.
In Luojiaping, at the heart of the forest, the mountains are even taller and the forests denser. There are more streams and on the bigger ones rubber dinghies are available to braver visitors.
Scattered in the Luojiaping area are numerous and unique scenic spots. The Guanyin Rock is a huge rock towering into the sky. Waterfalls appear every 100 to 200 metres. Among them, the most interesting is Xiannuyu (Shower Taking Fairy), which is 30 metres high and three metres wide. Below it is a 1.7-metre-high natural rock in the shape of a naked young woman. Water falls exactly on the rock.
The Huxiao (Tiger Roaring) Gorge is a quiet and twisting gorge full of fascinating scenes. Precipices and overhanging rocks loom over the sheer banks. In the middle section, a rock shaped like a monkey's face almost seems ready to start calling to passers-by. Lower down, Hutou (Tiger Head) Rock resembles a fierce tiger with a gaping mouth stretching towards the river.
In the valley log cabins and bamboo huts are built for holidaymakers. Though rustic, they have all the necessary facilities.
Tips for travellers
Transport
There are regular flights and trains into Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi Province, from Shenzhen.
Long-distance buses run from Nanchang Railway Station to Jing'an County daily.
Minibuses are available from the county town to various scenic spots, and there are cars for hire.
Accommodation
There is the Jing'an Hotel in Jing'an, and the Nanling Holiday Village in Luojiaping. Both have rooms with a bathroom, starting from 80 yuan.
Captions
1. The Luya Gorge boasts jagged rocks, green pools and dense forests.
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