The charm of Guizhou lies mainly in the province's southeast and southwest and is highlighted by the Huang Guoshu Waterfalls and "red" revolution-themed tours.

But not many people know that northern Guizhou contains a mysterious place like a natural emerald studded in southwest China. It is called Chishui.

There are hundreds of various sized and shaped waterfalls in Chishui. The waterfalls are called "dong" by the locals, literally meaning "opening," to describe how they hang on the cliffs in the valley.

The famous Sidonggou Valley means "a valley with four openings" and is 17 km from Chishui. It features four exceptionally beautiful waterfalls of varying heights.

About 37 kilometers from Chishui, the Shizhangdong scenic spot is a beautiful valley where visitors can enjoy a multi-stepped waterfall and a wide variety of ferns and some exotic plants unknown to most people. Because it is well-covered in thick virgin ferns, Chishui's magic had not been unveiled to the world until it was discovered in 1986. Be prepared for the thundering roar of the waterfalls as you approach Shizhangdong. You will find its magnificent rip currents pouring down like writhing dragons or galloping horses.

China's Danxia landscape has recently been added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List. Danxia refers to a landform that consists of a red bed of land and steep cliffs. While you are in Chishui, you will find this typical land mass stretches for as long as 1,000 kilometers. The Wuzhufeng and Red Stone scenic zones are two representatives among the countless number of natural attractions in the area.

In Wuzhufeng, a visit to Foguangyan is highly recommended. Foguanyan means "cliff under Buddha's ray." It is an arched Danxia stone cliff 234 meters high and 1,000 meters long. It is shaped like a giant opened book and looks like beautiful rosy clouds under the sunshine. A waterfall hangs in the middle of the cliff like a white ribbon dancing inside the red book.

At Red Stone scenic zone, red cliffs, green forests, silver waterfalls and tranquil brooks are frequently seen in the wild valley. Endless arrays of brooks and waterfalls lead you through a natural frescoed corridor. Years of erosion have etched different patterns into the surface of the red cliff.

Compared to the well-known bamboo sea in southern Sichuan Province, the bamboo forest park in Chishui has its own essence. About 40 kilometers east of Chishui, you will find a brand new world with tranquil bamboo groves spreading all over the land and streams murmuring at your feet. When the wind blows, the park is like a sea of green waves.

Jinshagou, literally meaning "gold sand valley," is 40 kilometers from Chishui and is the first national reserve for spinulose fern trees. Having existed since the Jurassic Period (about 1,800 million years ago), the trees are rare, subtropical, woody ferns. They are well-known as living fossils of the ancient plants of that period. It is a pity that Steven Spielberg didn't consider Chishui for shooting his blockbuster film "Jurassic Park" since the spinulose trees are exactly as they were during the dinosaur era.