Admiring the marvellous Jiulong Waterfalls near Luoping in the Yunnan Province of China.
Ask me four years ago if I had ever heard of Luoping or the 9 Dragons Jiulong Waterfalls and the answer was no! But here I was complete with a multiple entry visa for China on my 8th or 9th visit to the country checking out an awesome array of waterfalls in a natural forest and park area about 20 kilometres from the town of Luoping. I wasn’t expecting much to be honest so imagine my surprise when I saw the most spectacular series of waterfalls since my visit to Iguazu Falls in Argentina! It really was stunning.
In front of the main Shenlong Waterfalls at the epic Jiulong Waterfalls in Yunnan Province, China
How to get to Jiulong Waterfalls near Luoping, Yunnan Province
OK there are no trains or regular bus routes serving this National Park at present so you need to be on the ball to get out to it. Speaking and understanding Chinese will help immensely. I didn’t see any other non-Chinese people on my entire time in and around Luoping so it’s really off the beaten track, but that’s not to say if you’re foreign you can’t somehow find a way on your own. My first tip would be to stay in Luoping City. Ask around at the hostel for tours that include both the Jiulong Waterfalls and the excellent Yellow Canola Fields.
While doing the Jiulong Waterfalls, be sure not to miss the incredible view of the amazing Yellow Canola Fields nearby, subject to the time of year you are visiting.
Here’s how myself and my girlfriend (fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin) got there.
– We stayed in the village of Jin Ji Cun, near Luoping
– We got a local mini-bus from Jin Ji Cun out to another village for 5RMB (I have no idea of the name of the second village, nor does it have any English writing anywhere)
– We got a shared mini-car from that village directly to the entrance to the Jiulong Waterfalls, also known as the 9 Dragon Waterfalls for 10 RMB
So a total of 15 RMB from Jin Ji Cun to Jiulong Waterfalls, the journey time was around 45 minutes in total give or take waiting around for buses etc.
Getting in a shared car/mini-van to the Jiulong Waterfalls in Yunnan Province, China.
How much does it cost to visit the Jiulong Waterfalls Near Luoping in Yunnan, China?
The entrance ticket per person was a hefty 75 RMB. This is dear by China standards and was a bit of a shock, but believe me it’s worth it once you get inside the park and see the waterfalls. By the way that’s just over $12 US Dollars so yes, expensive for China!
A ticket for the Jiulong Waterfalls costs a whopping 75 RMB these days – but it’s worth it!
What is there to do at Jiulong Waterfalls?
The main attraction is the massive group of waterfalls known as the 9 Dragons Waterfalls and topped off by the Shenlong Falls, the biggest ones of the group. However there are a few things to see and do there. I’ll split this into point form to make it easier for you:
1. Get a Cable Car to the Top
I’m not normally this lazy on my travels, but we were rushed for time and besides I had never been on a Chinese Cable Car before so we took the quick way up. It costs 6 RMB to get to the top. We walked back down though you can also get the Cable Car back down if you want. Quick and easy ride to the top. Walking up would only take maximum half an hour! Great views which leads us to point number 2…
The only foreigner around – waiting on the cable car to the top.
2. Admire the views of the Jiulong Waterfalls and Countryside
This is the highlight – admiring the views of the amazing Jiulong Waterfalls and the surrounding countryside from the top. It’s stunning and it’s off the beaten track. It was so good we stayed a long time at the top taking in the fantastic landscapes and countryside. I could post 100 photos here, but one will suffice – I have to recommend it – on my travels this was just a sensational moment, made so much better by the fact I was with my girlfriend and it’s not a popular tourist attraction for the non-Chinese. Immense.
The immensity of the view from the top over the Jiulong Waterfalls and nearby hills and valleys.
3. Hiking
There are a load of easy hikes and walks you can do – with easy guided maps and directions. I don’t know if camping overnight is an option, but if you’re a hardcore traveller for the outdoors then you could ask around!
An easy hike at the Jiulong waterfalls – lots of hikes and walks in and around the area!
4. Eating
It’s China and it’s Yunnan, so you have endless random food stalls all over the place as well as restaurants at the entrance. For something different try the Sweet Coloured Rice which I featured on my Friday’s Featured Food section recently.
Trying the sweet coloured rice on the walk up to the Jiulong Waterfalls in Yunnan Province, China.
5. Ride on Some Vintage Chinese Boats
You can get up close and personal to the Shenlong Waterfall on these vintage Chinese boats. A real travel experience!
Take a ride on some vintage Chinese boats at the Jiulong Waterfalls near Luoping in Yunnan Province, China.
I’ve pretty much covered everything there for you to see at the actual Jiulong Waterfalls site itself. You can do it as a day trip by the way as it doesn’t take long. We had seen and done everything we wanted in a matter of hours.
I’ll leave your wandering hearts with some of my videos from the marvellous 9 Dragons Jiulong Waterfalls near Luoping in Yunnan Province, China:
Eating Sweet Coloured Rice at 9 Dragons Waterfalls:
Hi Jon!
Is there any backpacker / cheap hostel near Jin Ji Cun? So I can reach the waterfall n also Screw Tin easily (I think)
Since you hired a shared minivan, is it no public transport to go to waterfall, isn’t it?
Thanks
“It’s not just about the destination, but the journey”
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Hi Makan,
Thanks for the comment. We stayed in a local house/hotel – it’s on the main street in Jin Ji Cun and hard to find, just ask around with the locals using a “sleeping action” as they don’t speak English anywhere. We didn’t hire a minivan, not sure where you read that?? The only way to get there is by using public transport, all minibuses – you pay when you get on and again having a knowledge of Chinese or a friend that speaks Chinese is a big help. Safe travels. Jonny