A Guide to Detian Waterfall, Guangxi

Getting There:

Many people will come from Nanning by bus to get to the Detian Waterfalls. I did a different option, as I was staying in the Mingshi Scenic area and traveling solo. The difficult thing is the transportation: there are not any public buses or even reliable Didi from Mingshi. Best to arrange cars with your hotel (which is what I did) or even rent a car yourself and drive! It’s about a 40 minute drive from Mingshi to the Tourist area where you buy tickets. From there, you’ll take a bus 10 minutes to the waterfall.

Attractions:

1. Detian Falls on the China / Vietnam border in Guangxi. Absolutely stunning! (CNY 115/pp for the entrance fee plus the sightseeing bus)
2. Take a boat ride close to the falls (CNY 30/pp for the bamboo rafting)
3. Ride the “Magic Carpet” up to the Glass Walk for a great view over the whole area. (CNY 68/pp)
4. Enjoy Vietnamese coffee or snacks at the various shops around.

Hotels:

I stayed in the Mingshi scenic area at the Kongshan Xiaozhu Hotel (大新孔山小筑酒店) for 2 days, then stayed at the Mingshi Mountain Hotel for 2 days.

Some people choose to stay close to the Waterfall area, and there are lots of hotels and shops around so it’s also a good choice.

Food & Restaurants:

There are many restaurants, Vietnamese coffee shops, and snack options around the tourist center, the hotel areas, and the Detian Waterfall area itself.

Important notes:

Bring your passport to Detian Waterfall! On the drive there from Mingshi I was stopped at a border security point, and needed to show my passport to the officer (all was fine though). I also needed to show my passport for buying a waterfall ticket - your ID is linked and printed on your ticket. I went to the ticket counter because the mini program on WeChat didn’t support entering a passport. #detian #guangxi #china