Guizhou Free Travel (Huangguoshu Waterfall, don't choose the wrong time to visit)

March 26th, cloudy, suitable for visiting Huangguoshu Waterfall. I. Heading Straight to the Scenic Area The carpool driver picked me up from the hotel as scheduled, and after gathering everyone nearby at 8:40, we set off in a 9-seater van. Taking the highway, the driver claimed to be an experienced tourism professional who had worked at Huangguoshu Waterfall. As we approached the attraction, the driver shared some tips about Huangguoshu, some correct, some not, which were still somewhat helpful for those who didn't do detailed travel planning. Upon arrival at the Tourist Service Center, the driver offered to buy tickets for us, claiming it would only take five minutes for the whole car, and indeed it did, without any additional service charge. Perhaps he makes his money from ticket kickbacks. After purchasing tickets, the driver dropped us off at the entrance of the scenic area and informed us of the return gathering time. If you need to return early or late, just inform the driver in advance, and he will arrange another vehicle. II. Brief Description of the Scenic Area At 9:30, we entered the scenic area by facial recognition, as Huangguoshu Waterfall does not require ID cards for entry. Following the guide, I chose the route: Main Waterfall - Steep Slope Pond - Tianxing Bridge. 1. Main Waterfall The scenic area is located at the top of the mountain, and upon entering, one should not take the escalator immediately but walk downwards. There are directional choices for descending, but both lead to the Water Curtain Cave. Visiting Huangguoshu Waterfall in March is bound to be disappointing due to the small water flow and lack of grandeur. The upside is that there's no need to queue for the Water Curtain Cave, and even raincoats are unnecessary. After the Water Curtain Cave, you reach the bottom of the mountain. You can take the escalator or walk up. I chose to walk, completing a full loop without retracing my steps. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the top of the escalator. Returning to the scenic area's vehicle pick-up point requires passing through a long commercial street, which is a trap! The pick-up point upon exit is not at the entrance; you have to walk a long stretch of road outside the scenic area to circle back to the entrance pick-up point. 2. Steep Slope Pond Not much to say here; the introduction makes it clear that it's a more leisurely small scenic area. The Journey to the West theme within the scenic area is quite rich, and it's nice to walk and look around slowly. 3. Tianxing Bridge According to online guides, I directly took the lower section, which took a 15-minute walk against the flow to reach the entrance. How is this different from completing the upper section before the lower? However, there are now no checkpoints for directly entering the lower section, so no need to outwit security. Even during the dry season, the scenery of the lower section is worth seeing, especially Tianxing Cave and the Silver Chain Falls. After completing the lower section, you can choose to take the cable car to the end or walk. I tried walking for everyone; it's a flat path with a short uphill section, not very challenging. But here I suggest taking the cable car during the off-season and walking during the peak season to avoid queues. Taking the shuttle bus back to the second section's entrance, you have to walk the same long path back to the transportation vehicle's pick-up point, another pitfall! III. Return Trip At 16:00, as per the agreed time, I boarded the vehicle at the scenic area entrance, and surprisingly, I was the last one to return. On the way back, the driver can drop you off at Anshun West Station, with the final stop being Anshun Station. I saw some tourists leaving their luggage in the vehicle, which is a good strategy for catching a high-speed train. Continuing to stay in Anshun at night, I rested well, preparing for tomorrow's Zhijin Cave. IV. Conclusion: 1. Using the carpool group method to visit Huangguoshu Waterfall is feasible, and the service is not bad. 2. If it's not for free admission, visiting Huangguoshu Waterfall during the off-season is not quite worth it. 3. For Tianxing Bridge scenic area, either choose not to go or complete the entire route; there's no need to go out of your way to only do the lower section. Doing only the upper section is worse than not going at all, as it's just a hassle and a waste of energy and time. 4. It's often said that completing a full tour of Huangguoshu Waterfall scenic area is very physically demanding, but it's not as exaggerated as claimed; anyone who exercises regularly can complete it smoothly.