New Boat Tour Debuts at Huangyan Grottoes

During the May Day holiday, Huangyan Grottoes launched a dreamlike boat tour, debuting as a scenic highlight.

Visitors entering the grottoes were met with a cool breeze as boats glided onto calm waters, revealing a surreal light-and-shadow world. The oars rippled the mirror-like surface, setting the rock wall reflections dancing, while winding waterways connected hidden marvels: mineral-seeped stone, shaped over millennia, formed natural murals like clouds drifting across ancient walls.

“It's like rowing through history's pages—completely different from land,” said Shaoxing tourist Wang Chen. “Every stroke unveils a new painting.”

These grottoes, ancient stone-quarrying relics dating to the Tang Dynasty, supplied materials for ancient architecture. Skylights and accumulated water transformed them into a labyrinth of pools, where the journey weaves through narrow passages and sunlit ponds, each turn a surprise.

“A slow poem on thousand-year-old walls,” marveled Zhang Chenhan, a child documenting the tour.

Gone were the echoes of ancient chisels, replaced by the gentle rhythms of paddles. Shielded from noise, visitors floated in a light tapestry, lost in the grottoes' mysteries. This blend of history and tranquility has made the grottoes a must-visit, proving ancient relics can thrive through modern exploration.