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A tall red rock tower rising at a bend in a green creek, with dark trees on the left bank and white cloud in a blue sky behind

Fujian · Red Cliffs and a Lake in Northwest Fujian

Taining Danxia (泰宁)

Sheer red sandstone cliffs and towers rising from a green reservoir lake in Taining County, in the Wuyi Mountains of northwest Fujian.

Quick Facts

The Short Version

What it isA scenic area of red sandstone cliffs, gorges and lake in the Danxia landform
WhereTaining County, in the northwest of Fujian, the northernmost county-level division of Sanming
GeologyTaining is one of the sites of China Danxia, a World Heritage property, and its area is a UNESCO Global Geopark in the Asia Pacific network, certified in 2004
Time neededA full day, much of it on the water
TerrainBoat travel on the lake and creek, with walks and steps
ListedA national 5A scenic area

Why Go

Red Rock Over Green Water

1. A Danxia landscape

Danxia is the name for landscapes of red sandstone eroded into cliffs, towers and gorges. Taining is one of the sites grouped together as China Danxia, and its walls rise straight from a green lake, so a boat is the natural way to see them.

The cliffs are layered in pink and brown, with trees and bamboo clinging to ledges and rock towers that stand alone at bends in the water.

2. By water

A route through the lake and the creek runs between the cliffs, passing sheer walls with caves and hollows cut into their bases. The pictures show how close the walls are to the water, and how the colours change with the light.

Taining County sits in the Wuyi Mountains, and the whole area is a good counterpart to the Danxia sites of Guangdong, Hunan and Guizhou.

A huge pink-red sandstone cliff face streaked with green growth rising from the lake, with trees at the base and sky above
A sandstone wall rising from the water.
A close view of a wide red sandstone wall with a vertical fault line and a hollowed cave at its base, above calm water
A wall with hollows cut into its base.
A narrow gorge between red cliffs and green forest, with a distant sandstone tower in the centre and bright sky above
A gorge between the cliffs.
A forest-covered ridge with a pink sandstone cliff on its upper slope above the lake edge, with orange soil at the water's edge
A forested ridge with a red cliff above the lake edge.
A wide lake with green rounded hills in the distance under a blue sky and a small tour boat at the right
The open water of the lake.

Practical

Things Worth Knowing

Go by boat

The cliffs are seen to advantage from the water, so keep time for the lake and creek.

Choose a clear day

Colour and reflections need light. Mist can be atmospheric but hides the tops.

Pair with other Danxia sites

Chishui in Guizhou, Mount Danxia in Guangdong and Langshan in Hunan belong to the same group.

Allow travel time

Taining is in the hills of northwest Fujian and is a longer trip from the coast.

Nearby

Other Stops on the Same Trip

Where to Base

Sanming (三明)

Taining is in the northwest corner of Fujian, administered from Sanming. It is reached by rail and road from Fuzhou and Nanping, and many visitors stay in Taining town for a night.

Give the lake a full day, go on a clear day, and think of it as one site in the wider group of red-rock landscapes in southern China.

Photo Credits

Related

Keep Exploring Sanming

Attractions in and around Sanming

Routes and day trips from Sanming

Plan a Fujian Route That Includes Taining

Share the travel dates and interests, and our local team will build the route around Taining, with Wuyi and the Fujian hills.

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