Luoyang / Longmen Grottoes

The Longmen Grottoes feature Buddhist sculptures from the Northern Wei and Tang dynasties and are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I was very excited to visit, and the Luosena Buddha was indeed breathtaking.

However, the overall travel experience was not very satisfying. I purchased an audio guide, but it merely read out the text on the signs. I spent 30 RMB on it.

I have used audio guides at other attractions before, and none were as disappointing as this one. I also found the signage within the scenic area unclear, and the stops for the shuttle buses were not clearly marked. The overall travel experience was subpar. Before entering the scenic area, there was a commercial street, but very few shops were open.

Overall, there weren’t many visitors, possibly because it rained in Luoyang in the morning. The closed shops might also be related to the rain. Regardless, I feel there’s still a lot of room for improvement…

Post by Lee Lee Sam | Oct 22, 2025