First Impressions of Xiaoqikong

I had heard about Daqikong and Xiaoqikong for many years, but it wasn't until this trip to Libo that I learned it's called the Xiaoqikong Scenic Area. Xiaoqikong Scenic Area is a national nature reserve located in the southwest of Libo County, Qiannan Prefecture, Guizhou Province. The scenic area covers a total area of approximately 46.4 square kilometers, and its name originates from the Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge, built in 1835. The regular admission ticket for the scenic area is CNY 170, which includes a CNY 50 fee for the sightseeing bus. Seniors aged 65 and above only need to purchase the CNY 50 sightseeing bus ticket. The scenic area is vast, with main entrances in the east and west. The terrain is higher in the west and lower in the east. Touring from the West Gate to the East Gate is less strenuous and suitable for elderly visitors. If you enter from the East Gate, take the sightseeing bus to Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge, then transfer to another sightseeing bus heading to the West Gate; the journey to the West Gate takes 30 minutes. Walking from the West Gate eastward, you'll also feel like you're heading downhill. The first attraction is Wolongtan (Wolong Pond). The water in Wolongtan is beautiful; under the sunlight, the lake appears to have different colors due to varying depths. An arched concrete dam forms the Wolongtan Waterfall. Due to the drought this year, the water volume is low, so the waterfall isn't very spectacular. When boarding the sightseeing bus at the Wolongtan stop, we followed the crowd and didn't choose to go to Yuanyang Lake. As a result, when we reached Cuigu Valley, we realized we would have to backtrack to visit Yuanyang Lake. So, we had to give up on visiting Yuanyang Lake and Tianzhong Cave. The Cuigu Valley attraction mainly features a wetland area and a waterfall. Due to scarce rainfall this year, the waterfall isn't very impressive. Additionally, Cui Lake is an important rest stop, and visitors on a day trip usually choose to have lunch here. After lunch, we took the sightseeing bus to the Water Forest attraction. The highlight of this attraction is a stream flowing through the forest. Although the sun was shining brightly, walking in the forest by the stream was cool and very pleasant. This walking section is 1 km long and leads to the Guibeishan sightseeing bus stop. From Guibeishan, we took the bus to Shishang Forest (Forest on the Rocks). The Shishang Forest attraction is an area where trees grow on rocks. From here, it's a 1.6 km downhill walk to the Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge, where you can then board a sightseeing bus. This 1.6 km trail follows a stream, and you'll encounter many waterfalls of various sizes along the way. As we walked, a white column of water suddenly appeared, gushing out horizontally – this is the Duanqiao Feipu (Broken Bridge Flying Waterfall). The waterfall is quite spectacular and attracts many visitors who stop to admire it. The scenic area created this waterfall by channeling small mountain streams together and constructing an outlet resembling a broken tree trunk. Laya Waterfall is arguably the most magnificent waterfall, with a large volume of water and a beautiful formation. Almost every tourist passing by stops to take photos. The Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge is located on the Xiangshui River. Built in 1835, the bridge is 25m long, 1.8m wide, and 4m high. It was an important trade and transportation route from ancient Qiannan to Guangxi. The ancient bridge has an arched structure, exquisite design, and fine craftsmanship. The number of tourists visiting the Xiaoqikong Ancient Bridge far exceeds those visiting Daqikong. On May 2, Xiaoqikong Scenic Area suspended May Day holiday bookings due to a surge in visitors. The enduring popularity of this scenic area is attributed to three main factors: clear streams, fresh air, and a pleasant climate. Of course, the scenic area's facilities and services are also excellent, such as affordable ticket prices, an ample supply of sightseeing buses, good road quality, and so on.