14 Days in Jingpohu

Shuttle in from Mudanjiang, about 1.5 hours, then the falls — near 25 metres tall and 40 metres wide over columnar basalt, cliff dives in summer afternoons, 100 CNY combined ticket.

1. Diaoshuilou Waterfall

The lava-dammed lake formed around 10,000 years ago; it stretches about 45 kilometres north to south, covers nearly 90 square kilometres and passes 60 metres deep — today's boat works the Dagu and Xiaogu bays.

1. Jingpo Lake (Mirror Lake)

Out to Chengqiang Lazi and Pearl Gate, where stone fortress walls run along the cliffs above the water — bring binoculars for the gulls that stack up on the ledges.

1. jingpohu lake south line

About 50 kilometres northwest, craters several hundred metres across and past 100 metres deep hold old red pines; the full caldera circuit with the geology hall takes most of a day.

1. jingpohu underground forest

The canyon below the waterfall follows columnar lava walls, rapids and footbridges; lunch on cold noodles and rice wine in the Korean-Chinese village by the gate.

1. jingpohu jingbo valley

The walled capital of the Bohai kingdom stood from 698 to 926 AD; first-batch national protection came in 1961, and the temple's stone lantern rises near 6 metres over its courtyard.

1. jingpohu bohai ruins
2. jingpohu xinglong temple

The county seat's riverside lanes lead to Xiangshui's basalt-slab paddies, where the rice's roots sit on stone warmed through the afternoon — the origin of the local stone-slab rice.

1. jingpohu ningan town
2. jingpohu xiangshui paddies

A driving or cycling day along the east shore bays and fishing hamlets — low-key coves, jetties and drying nets, with the water always in view.

1. jingpohu lake east loop

An honestly labelled neighbouring-city day — Mudanjiang's riverside and the memorial sculpture on the bank, then the railway town of Hengdaohezi, built along the line laid between 1897 and 1903, its fan-shaped engine shed still showing 15 doors.

1. jingpohu mudanjiang day

Another honest neighbour day across into Yanbian — Dunhua's Liuding Mountain park holds a seated Buddha 48 metres tall, about two and a half hours by road from Mudanjiang; return to the lake in the evening.

1. jingpohu dunhua day

Honestly seasonal — from December to February the frozen lake hosts net hauls on the ice, and the frozen falls carry an evening light-up; in green months, swap this for a north-shore cycling loop instead.

1. jingpohu winter fishing

A slower return to the volcano field — short side trails off the main circuit, the small lava-tube mouths and the lookout ridges most day-trippers skip.

1. jingpohu underground forest

A second, slower look at the capital ruins in morning light, then a farm lunch among the stone-slab paddies at Xiangshui before packing.

1. jingpohu bohai ruins
2. jingpohu xiangshui paddies

One last walk to the falls at first light — the quietest hour of the whole trip — then the 1.5-hour shuttle back to Mudanjiang for trains or flights home.

1. Diaoshuilou Waterfall