Snowy Jade Cave is a national 4A attraction located in the Long River Scenic Area 12km from downtown Fengdu Chongqing, and is the youngest karst cave to be developed for tourism in China. The length of tunnels inside the cave reaches a total of 1644 meters, with 1166 meters being accessible for public viewing.
The name of Snowy Jade was chosen after the stalactites inside, which have been praised as being 'white as snow and pure as jade' in appearance. Since the cave was opened, it has been awarded the titles of a popularization base and observation station for Chinese speleological science, and the 'most beautiful tourist cave in China' by the magazine China National Geography.
Inside the cave, four main landscapes offer some of the world's most spectacular examples of speleological features, such as the basin of speleothem that resembles miniature coral towers and the rare four-meter high 'Penguin' shield, the 'White Masion' where stalactites and stalagmites meet halfway.
Professor Elcay Hamilton Smith, an international expert on karst natural heritage and chairman of the World Natural Heritage Conservation Union, praised the attraction as ‘One of the most beautiful caves I have ever seen, and I have visited over 10,000 caves around the world.'
Inside the cave, there are dozens of unique landscapes and other natural features, including the four world-class wonders that have been identified by Chinese and foreign experts, such as the ‘Snow Jade Penguin,’ a rare speleothem that stands 4 meters high, .and the ‘Coral Flowers' which form the largest flat basin of miniature crystal towers known to the world.
At present, the Snowy Jade Cave has been approved as a national AAAA scenic spot, but is now striving to join the 'Southern China Karst Project,' and has applied for the status of world natural heritage.
Following two years of development and over 10 million yuan of investment when Snowy Jade Cave was first opened in April 2004, the scenic spot has received more than 1 million tourists from home and abroad, and has received great praise from across society.