Yunbing Mountain Scenic Area is located in Suocheng Town, Lanshan County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, at the northern side of the middle section of the Nanling Mountains, the junction of Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, about 35 kilometers away from Lanshan County and about 180 kilometers away from Yongzhou City. The scenic area covers a total area of 120 square kilometers. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction, featuring "sea of clouds, ice formations, bamboo forests and grotesque rocks". The average altitude is 1,200 meters, and the highest altitude is 1,825 meters (Sanfen Stone). The scenic area has facilities such as a tourist service center and Yunbing Homestay, which can accommodate 800 visitors and 200 guests for accommodation at the same time. It has the longest high-altitude glass plank road in southern Hunan (1.2 kilometers in total length) and a 1,500-mu bamboo forest landscape belt.
History and Culture
The Nanling Mountains where Yunbing Mountain is located was a migration route for the ancestors of the Yao people. The scenic area retains the ruins of a thousand-year-old Yao village, with more than 20 existing stone house foundations, which are proved to be the settlement of the Yao people in the Tang and Song dynasties. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was an important post on the ancient business road between Hunan and Guangdong. So far, a 3-kilometer-long bluestone ancient road is preserved, on which the hoof prints of mule and horse transportation in those days are left. The scenic area is named for its perennial cloud and mist and remarkable ice formation landscape in winter. It was officially developed as a Scenic Area in 2017 and is now an important ecological tourism and folk culture experience place in southern Hunan.
Main Attractions
Sanfen Stone
With an altitude of 1,825 meters, it is the highest peak in the scenic area, named for the three stones standing side by side at the top of the mountain. Climbing to the top can overlook the landform at the junction of Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. When it is cloudy and misty, it is like a fairyland. The one-way climbing is about 4 kilometers, taking 2.5 hours.
High-altitude Glass Plank Road
With a total length of 1.2 kilometers, it is suspended on the cliff at an altitude of 1,100 meters, 2 meters wide, and the drop from the valley is 300 meters. The plank road runs through the bamboo forest and grotesque rock landscapes, and is equipped with 5 viewing platforms, among which the "Sea of Clouds Platform" is the best place to watch the sunrise and sea of clouds.
Thousand-year-old Yao Village Ruins
Covering an area of about 50 mu, it has existing relics such as stone walls and stone mortars, showing the life scenes of the ancestors of the Yao people. The fragments of pottery jars found in the ruins have been identified as more than 1,200 years old, which are important physical materials for studying the migration history of the Yao people.
Bamboo Forest Secret Realm
With an area of 1,500 mu, it is mainly composed of phyllostachys pubescens, among which there are varieties such as moso bamboo and square bamboo. The negative ion concentration in the bamboo forest reaches 80,000 per cm³, and a 1.5-kilometer bamboo plank road is set up. The average temperature in summer is 5-8℃ lower than that outside the mountain, making it a summer resort.
Ice Formation Wonder
Formed due to low temperature and rainy weather in winter (December-February of the following year), it is mainly distributed in the area above an altitude of 1,000 meters. The longest ice formation can reach 3 meters, which is crystal clear and a rare natural landscape in southern Hunan.
Hunan-Guangdong Ancient Road
The bluestone road is 1.5 meters wide, and 3 kilometers are existing. Along the way are ancient post ruins, stone bridges, etc. The ancient road was once an important commercial road from southern Hunan to Guangdong, and still retains relics such as "Jieguan Pavilion" and "Horse-tethering Stones".
Delicacies
Lanshan Blood Duck
A famous special dish in Yongzhou, made of local linen ducks. When slaughtering, the meat is wrapped in duck blood and fried with chili and ginger. It is dark red in color and fresh and tender in taste, with a per capita consumption of 40-60 yuan.
Yao Family Eighteen Stuffed Dishes
A traditional food of the Yao people. Ingredients such as tofu, chili and balsam pear are hollowed out and filled with meat stuffing for steaming. There are 18 practices in total, such as "tofu stuffing" and "eggplant stuffing", with a per capita consumption of 30-50 yuan.
Bamboo Shoots Fried with Smoked Pork
Made of fresh bamboo shoots in Yunbing Mountain and local smoked pork, the bamboo shoots are crisp and the meat is fragrant. It is a special dish in the scenic area, with a per capita consumption of 30-40 yuan.
Yao Family Rice Wine
Made by fermenting glutinous rice, with an alcohol content of 15-20 degrees, it is sweet and mellow, and has nourishing effects. It is sold at 20-30 yuan per catty and can be tasted in Yao village homestays.
Ciba (Glutinous Rice Cake)
Made by manually beating glutinous rice, it can be eaten with sugar or honey. It is soft and sweet, and is sold in the scenic area at 5-10 yuan per piece.
Admission Tickets
The ticket price is 80 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "云冰山" in WeChat to get the latest news or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
It is open throughout the year from 08:30 to 17:00 every day (stopping admission at 16:00). In the winter ice formation period (December-February of the following year), if there is rain and snow weather, the glass plank road may be temporarily closed, subject to the announcement of the scenic area.
Tour Routes
One-day tour: After arriving in the morning, take the traffic vehicle to the Bamboo Forest Secret Realm and hike the bamboo plank road for 1 hour; then go to the high-altitude glass plank road to experience and take photos for 30 minutes; have lunch in the scenic area restaurant to taste Lanshan Blood Duck and Bamboo Shoots Fried with Smoked Pork; in the afternoon, visit the Thousand-year-old Yao Village Ruins and Hunan-Guangdong Ancient Road, and finally climb the Sanfen Stone Viewing Platform (those with insufficient physical strength can omit the climbing trip). Before returning, buy special products such as Yao Family Rice Wine at the tourist service center. Two-day tour: The itinerary on the first day is the same as above. On the second day, go to the "Sea of Clouds Platform" in the early morning to watch the sunrise (05:30-06:00 in summer, 06:30-07:00 in winter), then hike to visit the ice formation landscape (in winter) or visit the surrounding streams and waterfalls, and return in the afternoon.
Transportation
- Self-driving: From Yongzhou City, drive along the Erguang Expressway → Xiarong Expressway, get off the expressway at the Lanshan Exit, and turn to S322 Provincial Road to the scenic area, with a total distance of about 180 kilometers and a driving time of 2.5 hours; from Guangzhou, drive along the Qinglian Expressway → Erguang Expressway, with a total distance of about 350 kilometers and a driving time of 4 hours.
- Shuttle bus: There are shuttle buses directly to the scenic area at 09:00 and 13:00 every day in Lanshan County, with a fare of 15 yuan and a journey of 50 minutes; the return time is 11:30 and 16:00.
- Tourist chartered car: The one-day round-trip chartered car fee from Yongzhou City is about 600-800 yuan per car, including the driver and fuel cost.
Must-Visit Attractions
- High-altitude Glass Plank Road: The longest cliff glass plank road in southern Hunan, with a suspended height of 300 meters. It is recommended to visit in the morning to avoid the peak flow of people.
- Sanfen Stone Viewing Platform: At an altitude of 1,825 meters, climbing to the top can overlook the landscape at the junction of the three provinces in 360 degrees. The best viewing time is in the morning and evening.
- Ice Formation Wonder (winter): Mainly distributed along the way from the bamboo forest to Sanfen Stone. The ice formations are the most spectacular in January. It is recommended to carry non-slip shoes and warm clothes.
Tour Tips
- The best tourist seasons are April-May (new green bamboo forest), October-November (clear autumn weather) and December-February (ice formation landscape). Pay attention to heatstroke prevention in summer and prepare down jackets and non-slip shoes in winter.
- Shoe covers are required for the glass plank road (provided free of charge by the scenic area). Tourists with hypertension and heart disease are advised to experience it with caution.
- Wear hiking shoes when hiking Sanfen Stone, carry 1.5 liters of drinking water and energy foods (such as chocolate), and the round trip of climbing takes about 5 hours.
- Respect the local customs when visiting the Yao village ruins, and do not touch the cultural relics and ruins casually.
- Pay attention to the official WeChat public account "Yunbing Mountain Scenic Area" in advance to get real-time weather and plank road opening information.
Notes
- Running and jumping are prohibited on the glass plank road, and carrying sharp objects is prohibited to avoid scratching the glass.
- Open fires are prohibited in the scenic area. Smoking should be in the designated area, and do not carry fire when hiking.
- Some sections are icy in winter. Follow the guidance of the staff and avoid going to unopened areas alone.
- There are many mosquitoes in the bamboo forest area. Carry mosquito repellent in summer; the plank road is wet and slippery in rainy days. It is recommended to wear waterproof shoes.
- Mobile phone signals are weak above 1,500 meters above sea level. It is recommended to travel in groups and inform family members of the itinerary in advance.