Li Dan
IF you thought that all a volcanic eruption left behind was devastation haunted by a dead silence, you obviously haven’t been to Leiqiong Geopark.
One of six world geoparks recently named in China, Lei-qiong Geopark covers Huguang Rock in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, Shishan Park in Haikou, Hainan Province, and Weizhou Island in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Though separated by the Qiongzhou Strait today, these geographic features were all formed thousands of years ago after mass volcanic eruptions.
Huguang Rock
Located 18 kilometers southwest of downtown Zhanjiang, Huguang Rock covers an area of 4.7 square kilometers, with rainforests surrounding the only maar lake in China.
The lake, 446 meters deep and covering 2.3 square kilometers in the shape of a heart, has 420-meter-thick volcanic mud at its bottom. It was formed between 120,000 and 160,000 years ago.
Four small hills formed by volcanic ashes around the lake are home to thick virgin forests, nearly 100 bird species and scores of other animals. The water level appears to be constant all year round, and the lake is extremely clear thanks to the forests and untainted environment.
On a piece of rock facing the lake, three Chinese characters “Hu Guang Yan,” or “Lake Scenery Rock,” inscribed by Song Dynasty (960-1279) minister Li Gang, are visible.
East of the lake there is the Lengyan Temple, built more than 1,000 years ago during the Sui Dynasty (581-618), whose main building is housed in a natural volcanic cave.
Shishan Park
Formed by volcano clusters, Shishan Park, 15 kilometers southwest of downtown Haikou, capital of South China’s Hainan Province, is situated in a well-known dormant volcanic zone, which was quite active until 10,000 years ago.
Covering an estimated area of 108 square kilometers in Shi-shan and Yongxing townships, the park has 40 volcanoes and more than 30 lava tube caves.
Some of these volcanoes have volcanic vent lakes while some are covered by a mixture of glowing volcanic gravel and cinder. And some cone-shaped volcanoes have huge craters with terraced inner walls.
The Fairy Cave, extending 1,200 meters long, has got its name from the legend of a Taoist monk who ascended to heaven after years of meditation in the cave. The Fire Dragon Cave, whose exit is shredded by ancient trees, contains lava rocks of different shapes.
Local villages, with a long tradition of houses made from basalt, and other traditions drawn from their volcanic surroundings, are scattered throughout the park. Village paths, walls, basins and even bowls are made using dark gray lava rocks. It is impressive to see the smooth and seamless exterior walls of the houses, all built using stones. Once inside, you can see sunlight penetrating through the cracks on the uneven walls.
Villagers take advantage of the fertile volcano-ash soil and farm in the craters, creating a charming pastoral scene. But most of the local youths have left for better job opportunities in urban areas, leaving their parents and grandparents behind in the ancient villages.
In contrast to the rocks and stones, farms and hundreds of hectares of well-preserved tropical pristine forest account for more than 70 percent of the total land area. One ancient banyan tree has grown to cover more than 600 square meters, and rare plants can be seen along the creeks.
Weizhou Island
Located 36 nautical miles southeast of Beihai City, Weizhou Island is the biggest and youngest volcanic island in China.
Covered in verdant forests, the 25-square-kilometer island resembles a piece of emerald floating on the blue ocean when seen above. Black volcanic rocks, instead of white sands, contrast with a vast blue sea, producing a profound beauty like an oil painting with strong colors. A Catholic church on the island built using rocks and corals dates back to the 1800s.
Li Dan
IF you thought that all a volcanic eruption left behind was devastation haunted by a dead silence, you obviously haven’t been to Leiqiong Geopark.
One of six world geoparks recently named in China, Lei-qiong Geopark covers Huguang Rock in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, Shishan Park in Haikou, Hainan Province, and Weizhou Island in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Though separated by the Qiongzhou Strait today, these geographic features were all formed thousands of years ago after mass volcanic eruptions.
Huguang Rock
Located 18 kilometers southwest of downtown Zhanjiang, Huguang Rock covers an area of 4.7 square kilometers, with rainforests surrounding the only maar lake in China.
The lake, 446 meters deep and covering 2.3 square kilometers in the shape of a heart, has 420-meter-thick volcanic mud at its bottom. It was formed between 120,000 and 160,000 years ago.
Four small hills formed by volcanic ashes around the lake are home to thick virgin forests, nearly 100 bird species and scores of other animals. The water level appears to be constant all year round, and the lake is extremely clear thanks to the forests and untainted environment.
On a piece of rock facing the lake, three Chinese characters “Hu Guang Yan,” or “Lake Scenery Rock,” inscribed by Song Dynasty (960-1279) minister Li Gang, are visible.
East of the lake there is the Lengyan Temple, built more than 1,000 years ago during the Sui Dynasty (581-618), whose main building is housed in a natural volcanic cave.
Shishan Park
Formed by volcano clusters, Shishan Park, 15 kilometers southwest of downtown Haikou, capital of South China’s Hainan Province, is situated in a well-known dormant volcanic zone, which was quite active until 10,000 years ago.
Covering an estimated area of 108 square kilometers in Shi-shan and Yongxing townships, the park has 40 volcanoes and more than 30 lava tube caves.
Some of these volcanoes have volcanic vent lakes while some are covered by a mixture of glowing volcanic gravel and cinder. And some cone-shaped volcanoes have huge craters with terraced inner walls.
The Fairy Cave, extending 1,200 meters long, has got its name from the legend of a Taoist monk who ascended to heaven after years of meditation in the cave. The Fire Dragon Cave, whose exit is shredded by ancient trees, contains lava rocks of different shapes.
Local villages, with a long tradition of houses made from basalt, and other traditions drawn from their volcanic surroundings, are scattered throughout the park. Village paths, walls, basins and even bowls are made using dark gray lava rocks. It is impressive to see the smooth and seamless exterior walls of the houses, all built using stones. Once inside, you can see sunlight penetrating through the cracks on the uneven walls.
Villagers take advantage of the fertile volcano-ash soil and farm in the craters, creating a charming pastoral scene. But most of the local youths have left for better job opportunities in urban areas, leaving their parents and grandparents behind in the ancient villages.
In contrast to the rocks and stones, farms and hundreds of hectares of well-preserved tropical pristine forest account for more than 70 percent of the total land area. One ancient banyan tree has grown to cover more than 600 square meters, and rare plants can be seen along the creeks.
Weizhou Island
Located 36 nautical miles southeast of Beihai City, Weizhou Island is the biggest and youngest volcanic island in China.
Covered in verdant forests, the 25-square-kilometer island resembles a piece of emerald floating on the blue ocean when seen above. Black volcanic rocks, instead of white sands, contrast with a vast blue sea, producing a profound beauty like an oil painting with strong colors. A Catholic church on the island built using rocks and corals dates back to the 1800s.
Transportation
It takes around seven hours and 250 yuan (US$31.2) to go by bus from Shenzhen to Zhanjiang, with a stopover in Foshan for lunch.
As a few expressways link the two cities, it is convenient to drive there yourself. People can also undertake the six-hour train journey to Zhanjiang. It takes a little more than two hours to go from Zhanjiang to Beihai by expressway, from where you need to take a boat to Weizhou Island.
From Zhanjiang, the Guangdong-Hainan Railway takes you to the next destination — Haikou. There is also a ferry service for cars across the Qiong-zhou Strait. You can fly back from Haikou to Shenzhen.
In Zhanjiang and Haikou, buses shuttle between local railway stations and major scenic spots. There are also taxis and rickshaws.
Food and lodging
Zhanjiang is especially famous for its fresh seafood like lobsters and abalones. Another well-known dish is the original-flavored chicken, dipped in boiling water and cool water in turn until it is cooked. The dish is eaten accompanied by a special local ginger and soy sauce. Vegetarian restaurants in the Huguang Rock area are also recommended.
A must-have in Haikou is the Shishan mutton, either cooked in a hotpot or roasted. The mutton is especially tender because goats graze on pastures grown out of volcanic ashes.
It is easy to find a three-star hotel room charging between 200 and 300 yuan in Zhanjiang and Haikou, except during major national holidays like the Spring Festival.
Handicrafts made from volcanic rocks and pearls serve as souvenirs from the journey.
