Alu Ancient Cave (阿庐古洞) is a remarkable and spectacular group of underground limestone caves. The entire scenic area is characterized by ancient forests and interdependent mountain-water landscapes, with the beauty of the cave’s interior being truly unparalleled. Outside the caves, Alu Park features buildings that showcase unique ethnic characteristics.
The Alu Ancient Cave complex is vast, with a well-developed tourist route centered around three caves and one river: Luyuan Cave, Yuzhu Cave, Biyu Cave, and Yusun River. These attractions are arranged in a three-tiered layout, making them a rare wonder among the world’s caves.
Alu Ancient Cave encompasses all structural forms of karst caves, which can be roughly divided into three types: hall-type, palace-type, and canyon-type. The hall-type caves are imposing, the palace-type caves are magnificent, and the canyon-type caves are winding and secluded. The formations within the caves are incredibly lifelike and varied, enhanced by translucent stalactites and mesmerizing lighting, creating a surreal feeling as if one is wandering through a painting.
Travel Information about Alu Ancient Cave
Ticket and Opening Hours
Ticket Price: 85 RMB; Tour guide fee: 80 RMB.
Opening Hours: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit is from March to April and from September to November, when the climate is pleasant and the scenery inside the cave is at its most beautiful.
Access to the Scenic Area
Location: At the foot of Alu Mountain, 5 kilometers west of Zhongshu Town, Luxi County, Honghe Prefecture.
Transportation: There are direct buses from the Kunming Eastern Passenger Station to Luxi. Alu Ancient Cave is not far from Luxi County Town, accessible by Bus No. 1 or a taxi, with a travel time of about 5 minutes.
Attraction Rating
- Cultural: ★ ★
- Features: ★ ★ ★ ★
- Leisure: ★ ★ ★ ★
- Beauty: ★ ★
- Romance: ★ ★
- Thrill: ★ ★ ★
Legend of Alu Ancient Cave
“Alu” means “the tiger cave with a flat grassland in front” in the Yi language. According to legend, Alu was the name of a tribal chief from an ancient Yi tribe, one of the Thirty-Seven Barbarians of Yunnan during the Song and Yuan dynasties. Alu Ancient Cave served as the cave dwelling for the Alu tribe.
During a period of tribal warfare, Chief Alu led nine generals and many men and women from Wucao to Yangmei Mountain. Unexpectedly, they were blocked by a vast ocean below the mountain, forcing them to stop and rest. Suddenly, enemy troops arrived. While Alu resisted the attackers, he sent nine generals and eighteen young women to cut down trees and build floating bridges to cross the sea. However, during the construction of the last bridge, the nine generals and eighteen young women tragically fell into the ocean. By the time Alu drove off the enemy and reached the seaside, the waters had receded, and the nine generals and eighteen young women had transformed into Nine Peaks and Eighteen Caves. From then on, the Alu tribe settled in the Nine Peaks and Eighteen Caves, which led to the naming of “Alu Ancient Cave.”
Highlights of Alu Ancient Cave
Luyuan Cave
Luyuan Cave gets its name from the spring that flows out from the cave at the southeastern foot of the mountain. The cave is hall-like in structure and extends 700 meters, comprising more than ten halls of varying sizes and shapes. The halls are interconnected by narrow paths, and the cave forms a network-like distribution, winding and twisting like an underground maze, featuring a variety of karst landforms.
The first hall inside is called the Colorful Clouds Hall. Its ceiling resembles a large yurt, with the rock surface weathered into patterns reminiscent of colorful clouds, hence the name “Colorful Clouds Welcoming Guests.” As you proceed further, you’ll encounter various geological features of the karst landscape, including stone waterfalls, stone pillars, stalactites, stone draperies, stone columns, stone flowers, and stone beads.
Yuzhu Cave
Yuzhu Cave is a palace-style karst cave composed of more than ten halls of varying sizes and shapes, with the largest hall measuring over 70 meters in length and more than 30 meters in width, showcasing its grand scale. The entrance is adorned with hanging stalactites that resemble curtains, featuring unique and intriguing shapes.
The main attractions in Yuzhu Cave are its sparkling stalactites and stone pillars. The most representative feature is the Heaven-Supporting Jade Pillar, which stands 8 meters tall and has a diameter of approximately 0.3 meters. It rises directly from the ground to support the ceiling of the hall, maintaining a uniform thickness, resembling an artificially carved dragon pillar that holds up the entire hall. Other notable sights within the cave include Tangxian Hall, Welcoming Guests from the Azure Sea, Tengu Gazing at the Moon, Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, Dragon King Mustering Troops, and the Natural Grand Mural.
Yusun River
Deep within Yuzhu Cave lies Yusun River, an underground river stretching over 800 meters. The water in Yusun River is crystal clear, allowing one to see the riverbed, where fish occasionally swim by, seemingly unfazed by passing boats. The presence of fish in such an underground river is already astonishing, but what is even more remarkable is that these fish are completely transparent, resembling glass, making their bones and internal organs visible.
The water in Yusun River is as clear as a mirror, and the river is dotted with numerous stone pillars. Among them stands a particularly straight stone pillar, measuring about 20 to 30 centimeters in diameter and rising 2 to 3 meters above the water surface, famously known as the “Stabilizing Needle of the Sea.” The river is filled with scenic spots, and gliding along in a small boat feels like drifting through a painting, captivating visitors and making it hard to leave.
Biyu Cave
Biyu Cave is a gorge-style deep cave that extends continuously without large halls, measuring a total length of 720 meters. It is named for the jade-like color of the stalactites within. One of the remarkable features of Biyu Cave is that the stalactites not only have unique shapes but also produce celestial sounds. When gently tapped, they emit resonant, powerful tones or crisp, clear sounds, showcasing the impressive artistry of nature.
Another captivating aspect of Biyu Cave is that its stalactites differ from those in other caves; they are pure white and translucent. The most distinctive sight in the cave is a crystal made of pure magnesium carbonate, exhibiting a bluish-white hue. This precious crystal, known as the “Jade Hairpin,” is regarded as the treasure of the cave.
Visitor Guide for Alu Ancient Cave
Accommodation Options
When visiting Alu Ancient Cave, most travelers stay in the nearby town of Luxi, where accommodation options are convenient and varied. There are both star-rated hotels and smaller inns available at reasonable prices, with four-star hotels costing around 300 yuan.
Fuding Hotel (福鼎大酒店): Located near the entrance of Alu Ancient Cave Scenic Area, this hotel features a quasi-four-star configuration and offers dining services to the public.
Luxi Jiayu Hotel (泸西佳昱呈酒店): Situated at No. 99 Alu Avenue, this hotel provides convenient parking, is clean and hygienic, and offers affordable rates while being close to the attractions.
Luxi Yazhiz Hotel (泸西雅致酒店): This is a French-style boutique hotel with a pleasant environment, complete facilities, and proximity to the scenic spots.
Local Cuisine
After visiting Alu Ancient Cave, be sure to try the local lamb soup pot, a dish that locals eat almost daily. There are many restaurants in Luxi County specializing in lamb soup pots, all of which offer great flavors. It’s important to arrive before 5 PM, as the lamb is freshly slaughtered daily, and if you arrive too late, the lamb may be sold out, having been devoured by locals who love this dish.
On Luxi Old Street, you can also enjoy local snacks such as Kang Family Cold Rice Noodles (康家凉米线), Zhu Family Sand Cake (朱家沙糕), Rui Family Mixed Sugar (瑞家杂糖), and Buckwheat Cake with Honey (荞粑粑蘸蜂蜜). Many of these Luxi specialties have a history of over a hundred years. In the summer and autumn, nearly every snack shop offers cold chicken rice noodles, known for their delicious and unique flavors.