Tianhetan With Kids: Boats, Caves and a Shorter Exit for Tired Legs

At Tianhetan, splitting up for part of the visit worked well for all five of us. Our eight-year-old son wanted to explore the cave with my wife and me. Our five-year-old daughter and my father-in-law, who was nearly seventy, took the short way out. We could enjoy the longer walk without asking them to tackle all the stairs.

We visited on 7 August 2026, during our week in Guiyang. I wanted the children to experience some of China’s rivers and mountains without turning the whole outing into a long hike. At Tianhetan we could ride a bamboo raft, take a boat through a cave, explore another cave on foot and see waterfalls, all in one visit.

Tianhetan worked well for our family: there were boats, caves and waterfalls, and we could choose how much cave walking to do. Our route began at the northwest gate, also called the north gate. After the boat ride through the cave, some of us took the roughly fifty-minute walk with stairs while the others used the roughly three-minute shortcut. The thing I would change next time is buying tickets ahead of time to avoid the long queue at the ticket office.

Get the entrance and the ticket sorted before the outing

We combined the metro with rides booked through the Didi app or the Didi mini program in WeChat to reach Tianhetan and return to Guiyang. With five passengers, we generally requested two cars: my father-in-law travelled with one child, while my wife and I travelled with the other. We entered the same destination for both rides so both cars would take us to the same place. Budget for two fares and agree where to meet for the journey home before anyone goes off to do different activities. If you need a child seat, arrange it in advance rather than assuming the car will have one.

For this outing, we set our destination to Tianhetan’s northwest gate, also called the north gate — 天河潭景区西北门（北门）. From there we walked through Tianjie — 天街, a street of shops, to the entrance where our tickets were checked.

We had not bought tickets online beforehand, so we joined a long queue to buy them. You can buy tickets ahead of time by searching for 天河潭 in WeChat and opening the ticket-booking mini program. That is what I would do next time. Check which activities your ticket includes before paying. Booking ahead deals with the ticket purchase; it does not remove the queues for the boats.

If you are coming by metro, a resort announcement published by Guizhou Radio and Television (in Chinese) lists S1 Tianhetan station and exit A1, as well as several road entrances. Transport information checked on 30 September 2026. This is general access information, not walking directions from the station to our starting point at the north gate.

Our route, in order

Northwest gate (north gate) → Tianjie shopping street → ticket check → bamboo-raft ride → boat ride through the water cave → cave walk or short exit → Wolong Waterfall → Wolong Lake and Baibu Bridge → exit.

We visited during China’s busy summer school holidays, so we took the route in reverse, starting with the boats and caves and leaving the waterfalls until later. The aim was to avoid the biggest crowds and spend less time queuing for each activity. Follow the signs and staff instructions when you visit, as the available routes and boat services can change with conditions.

First, the bamboo raft

After admission, we followed the signs towards the water-cave boats. First came a separate bamboo-raft ride. We could sit back and enjoy the green banks and small bridges before heading underground.

We wore life jackets for the raft ride; follow the crew’s instructions for fitting them and boarding.

Then, a boat into the water cave

We transferred to another boat for the underground section. Our ride lasted about twenty minutes. The change from daylight to coloured cave lighting held the children’s attention; rock formations appeared above and beside us as the boat moved through the passage.

The children were absorbed in what they could see from the boat. There was more cave to explore after landing, but that part would be on foot.

Choose the fifty-minute cave walk or the short exit

After the boat ride came the dry cave, Yinhe Palace — 银河宫, which you explore on foot. It felt naturally cool, a welcome change from the summer weather outside, but the longer route had plenty of stairs going up and down.

Those times are approximate. We have not confirmed whether the short exit is step-free, so ask staff if avoiding stairs is essential. Agree where to meet before splitting up, rather than relying on phone reception underground.

Wear comfortable shoes with good grip for the longer route. There is plenty to look at in the cave, so remind children to watch the steps too. Keep your hands free where possible and take the stairs slowly. If anyone is already tired after the boat ride, choose the short exit before starting the longer walk.

Waterfalls and a lake to finish

After the dry cave, we headed downhill to Wolong Waterfall. Water cascaded over wide rock ledges, and we could get close enough to feel the spray. After seeing the caves from a boat and on foot, it was lovely to come out into the open and see the falls.

We continued beside the clear green water of Wolong Lake, crossed Baibu Bridge and walked on to the scenic-area exit. Take your time on the stepping stones and keep children close: the water is right beside your feet.

Who I would take on this outing

I would choose Tianhetan for children who enjoy boats and caves, and for a family happy to split up for the longer walk. If anyone dislikes enclosed spaces or needs a step-free route, find out more about the cave sections before booking.

I would give Tianhetan its own day again. Between the boat queues, cave walk and time by the lake, we had plenty to do. We went to Qingyan for the town wall and market streets the following day. Our full Guiyang itinerary shows how we fitted both into the week.