7 Days in Jingpohu

In from Mudanjiang by shuttle, about 1.5 hours, and start at the falls — near 25 metres tall, 40 metres wide, cliff dives in summer afternoons and a 100 CNY combined ticket.

1. Diaoshuilou Waterfall

The lake runs about 45 kilometres north to south, covers near 90 square kilometres and passes 60 metres deep; today's cruise works the bays around Dagu and Xiaogu islets.

1. Jingpo Lake (Mirror Lake)

Roughly 50 kilometres northwest, collapsed craters several hundred metres wide and past 100 metres deep shelter old red pines; walk the caldera circuit and the geology hall at the entrance.

1. jingpohu underground forest

At Bohai town south of the lake, the capital of the Bohai kingdom stood from 698 to 926 AD; first-batch national protection came in 1961, and the temple keeps its stone lantern near 6 metres tall.

1. jingpohu bohai ruins
2. jingpohu xinglong temple

Ning'an is the county seat that administers the lake; its riverside lanes lead out to Xiangshui, where rice grows on thin soil over basalt slabs warmed by the lava beneath.

1. jingpohu ningan town
2. jingpohu xiangshui paddies

Below the waterfall, the lava canyon trail follows the river through columnar rock and rapids; the Korean-Chinese village by the gate serves cold noodles and rice wine for lunch.

1. jingpohu jingbo valley

A last slow walk along the south-shore cliff lines — Chengqiang Lazi's walls are visible from the water side — then the shuttle to Mudanjiang for afternoon trains.

1. jingpohu lake south line