Longmen Grottoes, must visit site in Luoyang

It is truly a magnificent sight to visit one of China’s best historical site. A UNESCO World heritage site, the Longmen Grottoes 龙门石窟 is rich in thousands of grottoes, countless of Buddhist statues and inscriptions. Separated by Yi River, one can witness thousands of Buddha inscription and statues on both sides of the river. Longmen Grottoes Scenic area is divided into 4 sections: Caves in the Caves on the West Hill, Caves on the East Hill, Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan (Bai Juyi’s Tomb). The highlights are the caves located in the West hill. One can easily hike up to the cave and the best moment to capture the site is after sunset when the lights are lit-up. To visit the site in the evening, it is recommended to book in advance. I went there in the late afternoon almost to the closing time for daytime visit. I hired a tour guide and she suggested that I continue to stay on until sunset. I realised that many people are doing the same and hanging around the Fengxian temple to capture the evening shots. To go to the west hill and Xiangshan, you will need to cross the bridge to the other side.