🏛️ 5A National Attractions
Last verified 30 Jun 2025
Luoyang's prefecture hosts five 国家5A级 scenic areas — the joint-highest tally for any inland Chinese city. They fuse Buddhist stone art, Daoist cloud-sea peaks and subterranean limestone wonderlands into one blockbuster loop.
1 Quick Metrics
Total 5A sites
5 
Joint-highest for inland cities
Landscape mix
UNESCO grotto art • granite canyon • alpine forest • Daoist summit • karst cave
Diverse terrain types
Entry-fee range
¥65 (Jiguan Cave) – ¥120 (Longmen Grottoes peak season)
Varies by season and site
Core opening hours
08:00 – 17:30 (mountain/canyon) · 07:30 – 18:30 (grottoes, summer)
Extended in peak seasons
Real-name QR required
Longmen Grottoes only (WeChat "龙门石窟预约" mini-program)
Other sites no reservation needed
2 Why It Matters
1500 years of capital art — Northern Wei through Tang artisans left 110 000 Buddha carvings at Longmen, making it a must-see alongside Dunhuang and Yungang. 
Funiu Mountain trilogy — Baiyun, Laojun and Longtan slot canyon sit within 60 km of one another, showcasing central China's most photogenic granite, waterfalls and cloud-sea ridges.
Adventure spectrum — From elevator-assisted cliff walks to 30 °C stalactite caverns, the five sites cover four seasons of hiking, rafting and cave touring without leaving Luoyang prefecture.
3 Pro Tips
1
One-day grotto pass – buy Longmen combo (grottoes + Xiangshan temple + Baiyuan Garden) in the app; arrive before 09:00 for best light on the main Vairocana.
2
Funiu 3-in-1 ticket – many hotels in Luanchuan sell ¥265 bundle for Baiyun Mtn, Laojun Mtn cable car & Jiguan Cave—ask reception.
3
Canyon timing – Longtan Grand Canyon sees sunbeams inside its red-sandstone crevice 11:00–13:00; bring waterproof shoes.
4
Altitude hack – Laojun summit sits at 2 219 m; pack a wind-shell even in July and ride cable-up, hike down (≈ 3 h).
4 The Full 5A List
🏛️
UNESCO Buddhist caves · Luolong District
Longmen Grottoes / 龙门石窟景区
110 000 statues, 2 300 caves; ¥120; 07:30–18:30; real-name QR 
🏞️
Granite gorge · Yiyang County
Longtan Grand Canyon / 龙潭大峡谷景区
12 km slot canyon, turquoise pools, glass cliff-walk; ¥90; 08:00–17:00 
⛰️
Alpine forest & cloud-sea · Songxian County
Baiyun Mountain Scenic Area / 白云山景区
2 219 m summit decks, sunrise "Sea of Clouds", summer 20 °C; ¥80 entry + cable
🏔️
Daoist peak · Luanchuan County
Laojun Mountain / 老君山风景区
Golden-roofed Lao-jun Pavilion on crag ridge; ¥100 + cable ¥80; winter rime forests
🕳️
Karst cave · Luanchuan County
Jiguan Cave / 鸡冠洞景区
1 ½ km illuminated chambers, constant 18 °C; ¥65; open year-round