Three Days Immersed in Chishui: Danxia Meets Waterfalls, Cuisine Wrapped in the Flavor of Life

Chishui is known as the "City of a Thousand Waterfalls." After personally walking 20,000 steps in three days, I finally understood that the beauty here is hidden in every surprising step—the red cliffs reflecting flying waterfalls, bamboo seas surrounding ancient towns, and even the air carrying the fresh scent of bamboo shoots. On the first day, head straight to the core attraction, Chishui Grand Waterfall, which has a wilder charm than Huangguoshu. Put on the raincoat you bought in advance and dive into the water curtain cave; the mist lashes your face, the roar of the waterfall fills your ears, and looking up you see water crashing down the red cliffs. Amid the white waves, two rainbows appear, and every photo you take looks like a masterpiece. In the afternoon, visit Sidonggou, where a 4-kilometer plank road connects four tiers of waterfalls. Tree ferns shade the sky, sunlight filters through the leaves creating dappled patterns, making you feel like you’ve stepped into the Jurassic era. On the way, I met an aunt selling bamboo tube rice, freshly cut nan bamboo filled with glutinous rice and cured meat. When split open, the aroma bursts out, and eating it with mountain spring water tastes naturally sweet. On the second day, soak in the bamboo sea and breathe in fresh oxygen. Climb the Guanhailou Tower for a distant view: 1.31 million acres of nan bamboo form a green ocean, morning mist floats like gauze among the trees, and occasionally an egret flies by—every snapshot is wallpaper-worthy. In the afternoon, stroll to Bing’an Ancient Town, cross the swaying iron chain suspension bridge, and climb the steep bluestone paths that are tough on the legs but hide the most authentic local life. Eat grilled tofu at a stilted riverside building; the owner, a native of the ancient town, grills while saying, “Our tofu tastes best dipped in chili made from Chishui River water.” The tofu is crispy outside, tender inside, wrapped in spicy sauce, paired with a bowl of icy bayberry soup—spicy, satisfying, and refreshing. Stay overnight in a guesthouse in the ancient town; open the window to the Chishui River, fall asleep to the sound of flowing water, and even your dreams taste sweet. On the last day, rush to Foguangyan and finally understand why it’s called the "Crown of Danxia." The curved red rock cliffs shimmer golden in the sunlight, a waterfall hangs from the cliff top, and standing on the Lotus Platform you can take a magical photo that looks like you’re holding the Milky Way in your hands. While hiking, I met an old man selling bamboo root wine; he said the wine must be buried under bamboo roots for three years to become mellow. A sip is strong yet sweet, and he gave me a tree fern leaf bookmark as a gift. Before leaving, enjoy a full bamboo feast in the city: bamboo fungus stewed with black-bone chicken is incredibly fresh, cold bamboo shoots are crisp and refreshing, and even the rice is steamed in bamboo tubes—I devoured three big bowls. The beauty of Chishui can’t be understood by just a quick visit: it’s the wet surprise when passing through the water curtain cave, the aroma of grilled tofu on the ancient town’s stone paths, the speechless awe before the Danxia cliffs. There’s no excessive commercial noise here, only the gentle collision of nature and culture. When leaving, I kept thinking about bringing my parents next time, eating bamboo tube rice with cured pork trotters again, and seeing the breathtaking red cliffs reflecting waterfalls once more.