Benxi Water Cave is known as the longest underground karst cave with water in the world. Comprising a dry cave and a water cave, it’s famous for a magnificent karst landscape.
The entrance of the cave takes the shape of a crescent, with four red Chinese Characters “Ben Xi Shui Dong” (meaning Benxi Water Cave) inscribed on the upper part. Entering the cave, visitors see a large guest-greeting lobby that can accommodate more than one thousand people. The right side of the hall leads to a 300-meter-long (330 yards) dry cave. Numerous stalactites in different shapes and sizes protrude from the roof and walls. At the end of the cave there is a bottomless pool.
After visiting the dry cave, visitors return to the guest-greeting lobby. Passing through a corridor, they arrive at a dock where they can take a boat to start their water cave journey. Stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes such as lotus lamp, long sword, crocodile’s head, corn tower, rhino, elephant, leaning tower and snow mountain are scattered on both sides of the winding underground river. The cave maintains a temperature of 12 °C (54 °F) all year round, so visitors need to wear an overcoat in the cave, which is offered for free use.