Shilin Stone Forest

Honestly, we did not expect to enjoy Shilin Stone Forest as much as we did.⁣

At an eye-watering 300yuan (£32.91) we were thinking about giving it a miss, especially as the weather was so bad yesterday. ⁣

This morning we woke up to bright blue skies again, which reinvigorated our desire to visit the forest.⁣

We took hundreds of images. I wonder if it looks a little bit boring from the pictures on Instagram – just one stone formation after another? It is exactly that, but trust us, it’s spectacular.⁣

The chiselled rock formations were striking against the perfect blue skies. The park is immaculate and it was so warm we spent most the day in a t-shirt.⁣

We were lucky I think, because some reviews online suggest that it’s a tourist-hell but today it wasn’t. We had much of the forest to ourselves. The first parts were quite busy, but it seems people choose not to climb the stairs 🤷🏽‍♀️ – that’s the best bit.⁣

On this occasion, you get what you pay for, this forest is so well looked after and they’ve managed to turn a natural forest into a tourist attraction without taking away its beauty. The pathways are clear and well kept, the translations are brilliant and it’s not littered with cafes and signage. Unlike most attractions the paths will take you amidst the limestone formations. We had to squeeze and wriggle our way through small gaps between rocks. It felt authentic and didn’t leave us longing to break any rules to get close to nature.⁣

I think that’s one of the best attractions we’ve been to yet. Have you visited an attraction that surprised you?⁣