While traveling in Guizhou province, a region renowned for its expansive and stunning karst landscapes, tourists often find themselves exploring, or en route to, a magnificent cave, a unique sinkhole, or a mystical underground river.

During a visit to the province in mid-September, two friends and I made a decision to steer clear of the well-trodden paths and popular attractions and instead focus on exploring sites that are lesser-known to tourists, accessible, and offer cheap or even free admission. We visited five karst attractions during our five-day trip. Of them, two were truly impressive!