Break into the "Emerald Wonderland" in December! Complete 3-day, 2-night recharge guide for Tongling Grand Canyon, Guangxi

📍Destination Overview Tongling Grand Canyon is hidden in Jingxi, Baise, Guangxi, about 1 hour by high-speed train plus 1 hour by car from Nanning. It’s a “natural air conditioner” at the China-Vietnam border. The average temperature in December is 18-24℃; you’ll want sunscreen during the day and a blanket at night. The canyon is 3.8 km long with a vertical drop of 188 m, featuring Tongling Waterfall (168 m), the highest single-drop waterfall in Asia. The mist mixed with negative oxygen ions hits your face like a free facial SPA💦. 🗓️Best Travel Time November to February is the dry season. The waterfall remains powerful, but the mountain roads are not slippery, and leeches are gone. Photographers can catch the “Tyndall light”🌤️. The best part: airfares and accommodations are slashed in half! Round-trip flights from Beijing to Nanning in December with taxes are just 600+, and I caught Ctrip’s Wednesday Member Day deals, 200 cheaper than the off-season. 🚗Simple Transportation ① Fly to Nanning → rent an electric car at the airport (first day free on Ctrip🚗) → take Nanyou Expressway then Hena Expressway (the most beautiful highway section!) → Tongling Grand Canyon parking lot, total 2.5 hours. ② Take high-speed train to Baise Station → taxi 50 minutes, fixed price 120 yuan. The driver will happily act as a part-time guide, telling stories about the Zhuang ethnic group’s “March 3rd Festival,” more interesting than GPS. 🌟3 Must-Visit Spots 1️⃣ Tongling Waterfall It takes only 30 minutes to descend to the canyon bottom. The plank walkways are all anti-slip wood, so you can walk steadily even in board shoes. In December, mist plus sunlight means rainbows are always present. Arrive before 10:00 AM for fewer crowds and front lighting—no filter needed for portraits. 2️⃣ Underground Dark River & Karst Cave Behind the waterfall is a karst cave tunnel, accessible with just a phone flashlight, about 10 minutes long. The stone walls are shaped by water into a “green screen,” perfect for photos like scenes from “The Lost Tomb.” ⚠️ The cave temperature is 5℃ cooler than outside, bring a light jacket. 3️⃣ Ancient Stone Pile Sinkhole Climb another 20 minutes forward, and suddenly a “skylight” opens up. The 300 m diameter sinkhole looks like God stepped on it. At the entrance grow wild cyatheas (living fossils from the dinosaur era) with leaves bigger than your face. Check with Baidu before touching—don’t be reckless🙅‍♂️. 🍜Jingxi’s Local Flavors Put aside “Guilin rice noodles” for now; Jingxi locals start their morning with a bowl of “Suan Ye Fen”: rice noodles + pickled radish + secret yellow skin sauce, 7 yuan for a full bowl. At the next table, a Zhuang grandma adds two spoonfuls of fermented chili sauce, making my mouth water. For lunch, try “Canyon Family” farmhouse restaurant. Top 3 dishes: ① Banana Leaf Grilled Fish (Swordbone fish 48 yuan/jin, freshly caught and grilled, skin blistered and crispy) ② Wild Vegetable Omelet (Vietnamese coriander + free-range eggs, so fragrant neighbors want to share the table) ③ Glutinous Rice Balls (black glutinous rice + mung bean paste, perfect hiking snack) At night, check out “Liang’s Roasted Pig Eyes” in Jingxi city. The pig eyes burst with juice... not for the faint-hearted, but locals say “eat what you need,” so I trusted it🤣. 🛍️Souvenirs to Buy and Avoid ✅ Zhuang brocade coin purse: 10 yuan each, woven live by grandmas, the brighter the color, the more authentic. ✅ Jingxi Big Fragrant Glutinous Rice: 2.5 yuan/jin, steaming it at home fills the house with aroma. My mom now buys rice by the bag. ❌ “Tongling Dendrobium” in the scenic area priced at 298 yuan, same product in city herbal shops is 68 yuan, don’t get scammed. 🏠Accommodation Guide The only lodging at the canyon entrance is “Tongling Mountain Villa,” rated 4.7 on Ctrip. I booked a “Waterfall View Room” for 238 yuan, with a balcony facing the waterfall and the sound of water lulling me to sleep at night. Breakfast included with unlimited rice noodles. If you want to save money, stay in Jingxi city at “City Convenience,” 120 yuan, spotless and glowing clean, 5 minutes walk to the night market, so fragrant you won’t want to leave. 💰Expense Breakdown Round-trip flight 600 + car rental 180 + fuel 120 + 2 nights accommodation 358 + tickets 96 + food and drinks 200 = 1554 yuan. No skimping on myself, and I even bought two bags of glutinous rice. ⚠️Last 3 Honest Tips 1. The canyon has a big temperature difference between morning and night in December. Short sleeves + windbreaker are safest; don’t bring a down jacket to save suitcase space. 2. Waterfall mist = natural humidifier. Remember to put your phone in a waterproof bag. I saw a 13Pro take a shower firsthand. 3. Jingxi border is only 30 km from Vietnam. With your passport, you can detour to Mong Cai for a bowl of “Locomotive” rice noodles. Visa on arrival is $15. If you have time, go for it!