Lijiang Gudong Scenic Area

This guide to Lijiang Gudong Scenic Area near Guilin follows what Chinese state television once called the touchable waterfall, a cascade fed entirely by underground springs, which is why staff hand out straw sandals and string iron chains for visitors to climb straight up its middle. Before the climb, it follows a bamboo raft crossing where a woman on the bank sings the part of Liu Sanjie, a Zhuang singer from local legend. You'll hear how the water's steadiness made the climb possible in the first place, and what happens if you answer her verses. Listen for the suspension bridge swaying above the gorge near the top.