Shuanglong Cave
Shuanglong Cave, the Double Dragon Cave, is a karst cave on the southern slopes of Jinhua Mountain, about 8 kilometres north of central Jinhua. Plenty of Chinese caves have coloured lights and odd shaped rocks. This one has a way in that people remember. To pass from the outer cave to the inner cave you lie flat on your back in a small boat and are pulled through a water channel where the rock ceiling sits only about 30 centimetres above the water.
Many Chinese visitors know the cave before they arrive. The writer Ye Shengtao described a visit in an essay on two caves of Jinhua, and an abridged version under the title of the Shuanglong Cave became a lesson in primary school Chinese textbooks.
The outer cave and the boat
The outer cave is a big open chamber of about 1,200 square metres, according to Chinese Wikipedia, cool after the walk up and with old inscriptions carved into its walls. A stream flows out of the inner cave along its floor. At the back the ceiling comes down almost to the water, and this is where the boats wait.
The boat ride is short. You lie back, keep your head down and your hands inside, and the staff move the boat through the low passage. English Wikipedia gives the clearance as around 30 centimetres. It is a tight and slightly thrilling passage, though an easy one. Anyone with a strong fear of enclosed spaces should think about it first.
The inner cave
The inner cave is larger, about 2,000 square metres by Chinese Wikipedia's figures. Folds in the rock on the walls are said to look like two dragons, which gives the cave its name, and English Wikipedia says stalactites at the entrance resemble dragon heads. The chamber is full of stalactites and stalagmites under coloured lighting, with paths leading past formations that the guides name after animals and immortals.
Binghu Cave and the other caves
From Shuanglong, steps climb to Binghu Cave, the ice pot cave, reached by stone steps, with an underground waterfall inside. Chinese Wikipedia calls it the largest waterfall in a cave in China, and travel listings put the drop at about 20 metres. Its spray keeps the air cold, so bring a layer even in summer. Taoyuan Cave is nearby. The Xianpu Cave, in the Lunv Lake area, has a waterfall that Chinese Wikipedia gives as 73 metres tall and calls the highest cave waterfall in the world. These are the scenic area's own superlatives and are hard to check, so take them as a guide to scale.
Huang Daxian and Jinhua Mountain
Jinhua Mountain is a Taoist mountain. The Huang Daxian Ancestral Palace in the Lunv Lake area honours Huang Chuping, the immortal worshipped in Hong Kong as Wong Tai Sin, who is said to have come from these hills. The Jinhua Guan Taoist temple stands near the caves and the Zhizhe Temple is on the way up. The whole Shuanglong scenic area covers about 80 square kilometres and became a national 5A scenic area in 2024.
Tickets and hours
Jinhua Bendibao lists the adult ticket at 80 yuan. A 2026 notice from the scenic area says the ticket is valid for seven days and that the official WeChat account, Jinhua Shuanglong Scenic Area, is the main place to buy it. The ticket windows on site keep a limited number of tickets for those that need checks in person, such as student and senior tickets, so buy online before you go on busy days.
Bendibao gives two sets of hours. The Shuanglong Cave area, including Shuanglong, Binghu and Taoyuan caves and Jinhua Guan, opens from 8:00 to 17:10 in the peak season of April to October and on public holidays, and from 8:30 to 16:40 from November to March. The Lunv Lake area, with the Huang Daxian palace and the Chaozhen and Xianpu caves, opens from 8:10 to 17:00 in peak season and 8:40 to 16:30 in the low season. The phone number is 0579 82598016. Check the day's notice before travelling.
Getting there
Bendibao's 2026 holiday guide gives these routes. From Jinhua station, take bus Y3 to the Shuanglong visitor centre or a taxi of about 20 minutes. From Jinhua South, take the light rail to Jinhua station and then bus Y3, or the light rail to Bayi South Street and then BRT1 to the Jinhua Mountain visitor centre. A taxi from Jinhua South takes about 30 minutes. Other city buses include Y5 and 315.
Pairing it
The cave fills a morning. Combine it with Zhuge Bagua Village for a full day, or spend the next day at Hengdian World Studios.
Frequently asked questions
Is the boat ride safe for children?
Most children manage it, since everyone lies flat and staff handle the boat. Ask on the day about any age rules.
How long does the visit take?
Two to three hours for the Shuanglong Cave area. Add two hours for the Lunv Lake area.
What should I wear?
Non slip shoes and a light jacket. The caves are cool and wet underfoot.
Sources
Facts in this article were checked against the following sources, retrieved 22 October 2026.
- 双龙洞, Chinese Wikipedia
- Shuanglong Cave, English Wikipedia
- Jinhua Bendibao, Shuanglong scenic area listing
- Jinhua Bendibao, Shuanglong May Day 2026 guide
- Jinhua travel guide on this site
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown in each caption.