Longyuwan National Forest Park

Longyuwan National Forest Park is located in the mountainside of Mountain Funiushan which is to the southwest of Luoyang. It has a viewing area over 60,000 mu (9,884 acres) with 12 scenic areas and 218 spots of interest. The forest park opened to the public in May of 1994 and was praised as the first National Civilized Forest Park of Henan Province in 2001. One year later, it was listed as the National AAAA Tourist Spot by China National Tourist Office. This  is an ideal place for summer vacations as the highest temperature in summer is just 21°C (69.8°F) and the average annual temperature is 12°C (53.6°F). Recently, its abundant natural resources have attracted millions of visitors.

As the Longyuwan National Forest Park enjoys a temperate and pleasant climate, it is rich in vegetation. Its forest coverage is as high as 98.5%. There are 25,000 mu (4,118 acres) of Japanese larches which have been planted since 1978. So, the park is also known as a natural oxygen bar. There are over 1,900 kinds of plants as well as 400 varieties of wild animals and insects here. Amongst them, 42 plants and 48 wild animals are under the state protection. Apart from that, it is also known as 'a treasury of herbal medicine' in the Central Plains of China (the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River) for many plants with high herbal value can be found here, too. Also, visitors can taste the special local products there, such as walnut, Chinese chestnut, Chinese gooseberry and potherb.

There are many places of interest to visit in the Longyuwan National Forest Park:
 

Jijiaojian Peak, which looks like a rooster's head has an altitude of 2,219 meters (7,280 feet), and is the highest peak on Funiushan Mountain. It is famed as the No.1 Peak in the Central Plains of China. In May, when looking down from the Jijiaoshan Peak, visitors can see the mountainside is covered with 200 mu (33 acres) white and red azaleas. It is now the largest azaleas garden with probably the finest flowers of their kind in China.
 

The pond in Longyuwan National Forest Park takes its name from the legend which says that a black dragon took bath here. The Heilong Pond rushes down the mountain in two steps and forms a pool of swirling green water on each level. The waterfall coursing from the pond has a drop of more than 34 meters (112 feet), and makes a deafening sound. Beside the pond, there is the Black Dragon King Temple, where the villagers pray to God for rain. Also there are Sun Pond, the Yueya Pond (crescent pond) and the Xingguang Pond (starlight pond). They connect with each other to form a circle.
 

In an ancient story, it is a dragon's bathing place. It is said that after the dragon had a bath, it grabbed the rock from the bank as it climbed out of the pool, leaving the scratches by its claws on the rock. Visitors can still see the scratches on the rock beside the pool.

Other places worthy of mention in Longyuwan National Forest Park are the Hongluo Temple, the Leida Rock and over 20 dells. Each and every one has a unique style and is well worth seeking out when visiting the area.
 Take a bus from Luoyang Bus Station close to Luoyang Railway Station to Miaozi. It departs at 5:20, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00. After arrival, take a taxi to the park.

Entrance Fee	CNY120 including the sightseeing bus ticket. CNY55 for the sightseeing bus. Children between 1.2 and 1.4m (3.9 - 4.6 feet) can enjoy a half-price ticket. Free for children under 1.2m.
Opening Hours	8:00 - 18:00