Lying 18km to the east of Zhaoqing City, Mountain Dinghu ranks first of the four famous mountains in Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces. It is among the first group of China's nature reserves and the first group of designated scientific research stations of the UN “Man and Natural Biosphere”. Known as the “green gem on the Tropic of Cancer”, the mountain boasts of peaks rising one higher than another, ancient towering trees, flying waterfalls, fresh air, various birds and colorful flowers, Since ancient times, it has been a tourist attraction and a Buddhist sacred place.
Mountain Dinghu is known as a living nature museum and a green treasure house. With abundant plant species, it is home to over 500 species of high-class plants, including 23 rare species in imminent danger under state protection. It is also home to various kinds of animals, including 178 species of birds and 38 species of animals, 15 species of which are under state protection.
Mountain Dinghu has been well-known for its deep and serene gorges, cold and clean waters, major scenic areas; Heavenly Brook-Qingyun Scenic Area includes the Hundred Buddha Cave, Green Trees Surrounded by Clouds, Flying Waterfalls of the Dragon Pond, and Double Rainbows, etc.; the Dinghu-Tianhu Scenic Area boasts the Black Dragon Playing Pearls, Dragon Mother Borrowing a Vessel, Exploring the Heavenly Lake, and so on; and Yunxi-Laoding Scenic Area has the traces of bottle gourds, Water Curtain Cave, Dragon Hidden in the Ancient Pond, White Clouds Embracing Ancient Trees, etc.
Going sightseeing in Mountain Dinghu, tourists may take a boat tour on the lake, walk through the forests, climb up a cliff, appreciate waterfalls and go swimming, thus fully enjoy the scenery of the great nature.
Sure, beauty does not only mean outward appearance but also the inside. Mountain Dinghu holds all the advantages of the other famous mountains and rivers together. It owns the elegance and sheer slopes of Mountain Huashan, the grandeur and splendor of Mountain Taishan, the exotic trees and rare grasses of Mountain Huangshan, the sudden appearance of the Yellow Fruiter Waterfall and the centuries-old history of the Qingyun Temple, and more.
There are countless very impressive Scenic Spot. It must be pointed out that the water in Mountain Dinghu is very beautiful.
Because the mountain sides were so steep, as the brooks tumbled down from the cliffs, they formed a waterfall. At the bottom, naturally formed pools, deep and serene, looked like dark jade with their deep blue water.
Among all the waterfalls, the biggest and most vigorous one is the Flying Waterfall. A sheet of water, about 30 meters, flies down from the mountain and the whole valley is showered with small water drops and it is really refreshing. The pool below the waterfall is about 20 square meters, and the water is glittering and translucent-so clear that you could see the sand and stones at the bottom. This is certainly the best place for taking photographs.
Climbing upwards from Flying Waterfall, there is the Dinghu (meaning “tripod caldron lake”) Scenic Spot. It was once named Top Lake, which means “the lake is on the top of the mountain”. The three peaks around the top of the lake are just like a caldron on a tripod so that's how it got the name Dinghu. Seen from the banks, the whole of Dinghu is like a piece of jade or an emerald lying glittering in the valley. There's a detached island in the center of the lake, like a blemish on the jade. On the island there is a Vowing Temple. You can only reach the island by boat and that will cost you 20 yuan, which includes the entry ticket to the Scenic Spot Adventure park.