Karst landscape · Guizhou
Libo Karst Forest
荔波喀斯特
Forested cone karst on the edge of the Guizhou plateau
The Libo karst in southern Guizhou is one of the finest examples of forested cone and tower karst in the world, where green limestone hills, deep sinkholes, underground rivers and clear pools lie under continuous subtropical forest. Together with the Maolan nature reserve, it was inscribed in 2007 as part of the South China Karst World Heritage site.
- UNESCO World Heritage (natural), South China Karst · 2007
- UNESCO biosphere reserve (Maolan) · 1996
- National nature reserve (Maolan)
- National scenic area
Key facts
Overview
Libo county lies on the southern slope of the Guizhou plateau, where it descends towards the lowlands of Guangxi. Here the limestone has been dissolved into thousands of steep conical hills (fengcong) separated by closed depressions and sinkholes, and the whole landscape is covered in forest rather than bare rock — a rare survival in densely populated southern China.
The World Heritage property comprises the Libo cone karst and the adjoining Maolan National Nature Reserve. Visitors mostly see two developed valleys, Xiaoqikong and Daqikong, where rivers emerge from and disappear into the karst, forming chains of turquoise pools, waterfalls and flooded forest.
How the landscape formed
Libo sits in a transition zone between the high plateau and the lowlands. Rivers flowing off the plateau have cut down into the limestone, and dissolution along fractures has produced the classic sequence of South China karst: cone karst on the upper ground, tower karst with isolated peaks in the lower valleys, and underground rivers connecting them. The forest cover, rare on karst elsewhere, keeps a thin soil in place and slows runoff. Tufa deposits build small dams and falls in the rivers, and many streams flow partly underground, surfacing in springs and vanishing into sinkholes.
Highlights
Xiaoqikong
小七孔
A valley named after a small seven-arched stone bridge of the Qing dynasty, with chains of pools, tufa falls and flooded forest.
Seven-arch bridge
小七孔古桥
The old stone bridge over the Xiangzhang River, once on the trade road between Guizhou and Guangxi.
Water Forest
水上森林
A stretch where the river flows shallowly over rock among trees, walked on stepping stones.
Laya waterfall
拉雅瀑布
A fall that pours from the side of the valley directly onto the path, wetting passers-by.
Daqikong
大七孔
A gorge with a great natural arch, the Heavenly Bridge, and caves where the river passes underground.
Maolan
茂兰
The national nature reserve east of Libo, with the largest primeval karst forest in the region and its funnel-shaped forested sinkholes.
Plants and wildlife
The Maolan karst forest is one of the largest and least disturbed evergreen forests on limestone in the subtropics. Plants here are adapted to thin, alkaline, often dry soils on steep rock, and the sinkholes and valleys create a patchwork of microclimates. The forest harbours many endemic plants and a rich fauna.
Plants
Karst forest
喀斯特森林
Evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forest growing directly on limestone hills.
Orchids
兰科植物
Many species, including rare slipper orchids that grow on the limestone.
Handeliodendron
掌叶木
A rare tree of the karst forests of Guizhou and Guangxi.
Wildlife
Rhesus macaque
猕猴
Common in the forest of the karst hills.
Forest musk deer
林麝
A small, secretive deer of the karst forest.
Culture and legend
Libo is home to Buyei, Shui (Sui) and Yao communities. The Baiku Yao, known for the white trousers of the men and for granaries raised on stilts, live in the Yaoshan area, and the Shui people keep their own script, used in ritual texts. Villages stand in the flat-floored valleys between the karst hills, surrounded by paddy fields.
Baiku Yao
白裤瑶
A Yao group of Libo and neighbouring Guangxi, named after the men's white knee-length trousers.
Shui people
水族
A Kam–Tai people concentrated in southern Guizhou, with the Shui script for divination and ritual.
History
Qing dynasty (1644–1912)
Seven-arch bridge built
The bridge carried the road between Libo and Guangxi across the Xiangzhang River.
1980s
Maolan nature reserve
The karst forest was placed under protection and later raised to a national nature reserve.
1996
UNESCO biosphere reserve
Maolan joined the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
2007
UNESCO World Heritage
Libo was inscribed with Shilin (Yunnan) and Wulong (Chongqing) as the South China Karst; Shibing in Guizhou was added in 2014.
Through the seasons
Spring
Mild and green; the rivers fill with the spring rains and the pools turn turquoise.
Summer
Hot and wet, with the fullest waterfalls; the shaded valleys are pleasant, but flash floods can close paths.
Autumn
Clear water and settled weather make October and November the best months.
Winter
Mild, with lower water and fewer visitors; the pools are at their clearest.
Routes and ways in
Xiaoqikong valley
Paths and boardwalks run past the seven-arch bridge, the Water Forest, Laya waterfall and the lakes upstream; reserve buses link the sections.
Daqikong gorge
A quieter gorge walk to the Heavenly Bridge arch and river caves.
Maolan karst forest
Trails in the experimental zone of the reserve lead through karst forest and into forested sinkholes; guided visits recommended.
Practical notes
- Paths in the Water Forest are wet and uneven; wear shoes that can get wet.
- Libo has a small airport and a high-speed rail station, with road links to Guiyang and Duyun.
- The Xiaoqikong area gets very busy on public holidays; weekdays are quieter.
- Swimming and fishing in the pools are prohibited.
Cities to start from
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- South China Karst — UNESCO World Heritage Centre (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- Maolan — Man and the Biosphere Programme — UNESCO (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- Guizhou Provincial People's Government — Guizhou Provincial People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
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