荔波小七孔一日 · 碧水与水上森林

小七孔景区离荔波县城约半小时车程。进园先买票和观光车票：景区是一条线（东门—西门），两头都有门，从哪头进都能玩完，观光车在中间各站停。早饭在门口或县城吃：荔波酸汤粉、米粉、糯米饭、牛肉粉，酸汤是贵州的招牌味，酸辣开胃。今天走水多，穿速干的衣服、能下水的凉鞋或洞洞鞋，带一套换的衣服放车上。

Xiaoqikong is about half an hour from Libo county town. Buy admission and the shuttle ticket on entry: the reserve is a single line from east gate to west gate, and you can start from either end, the shuttle stopping at each point between. Breakfast at the gate or in town: Libo sour-soup noodles, rice noodles, glutinous rice, beef noodles — sour soup is the Guizhou signature, tart and appetising. Today means water, so wear quick-drying clothes and sandals or river shoes, with a spare set left in the car.

小七孔的名字就来自这座桥。桥是清代道光年间修的，七个桥孔，石砌，不大，但位置极好：桥下是碧得发亮的水，两岸是密密的树，桥身上爬满青藤和蕨类，看着像从水里长出来的。拍照的人排队，想拍空桥就赶早。桥下的水浅，天热有人在水边玩水。往上游走几步就是拉雅瀑布。这一段是经典的「到此一游」机位，别错过。

The reserve takes its name from this bridge, built in the Daoguang reign of the Qing, seven arches of stone, not large but perfectly placed: bright green water below, dense trees on both banks, the parapet overgrown with vines and ferns as if the bridge grew out of the river. There is a queue for photographs; come early to get it empty. The water beneath is shallow and hot days bring bathers to the edge. A few steps upstream lies Laya Falls. This is the classic shot — do not miss it.

拉雅瀑布就在步道边上，水从山崖上直直落下来，落点离路面很近，人从旁边走过去，水雾能扑到身上，夏天走这段特别凉快。瀑布水量看季节，雨后最壮。栈道有一段紧贴瀑布，湿滑，栏杆扶好。喜欢拍照的在这儿能拍到「人在水帘边」的画面。怕湿的绕旁边的小路走。

Laya Falls drops straight down beside the path, landing close to the walkway so that anyone passing gets a faceful of spray — a welcome coolness in summer. Its volume follows the season, fullest after rain. A stretch of boardwalk runs hard against the fall, wet and slick; hold the rail. Photographers get their 'person beside the water curtain' shot here. If you would rather stay dry, take the small path around.

这一段是整条河最美的地方之一：河水顺着层层叠叠的岩阶往下走，一级一级都是小小的跌水，从头数到尾有六十八级，所以叫这个名字。水是绿的，跌下来变成白的，绿白交替，一路铺下去，走栈道就是一路看着这条「水梯子」。栈道沿着河走，坡度平缓，走走停停一个多小时。这段可以下水踩两脚（在允许的地方），水很凉。

This is one of the loveliest stretches on the river: the water stepping down over ledge upon ledge of rock, each tier a small fall, sixty-eight of them from top to bottom, which gives the name. The water is green, the falls turn it white, green and white alternating the whole way down — follow the boardwalk and you are walking beside a staircase of water. The boardwalk follows the river on a gentle gradient; an hour or more with stops. In the permitted spots you can step in; the water is very cold.

石上森林是一片奇怪的林子：树不长在土里，就长在裸露的岩石上，根须顺着石缝钻下去，把石头箍住，树冠却长得又高又密。这是喀斯特地貌的样子——土层薄，树只能抓住石头活。沿线有小卖部和简餐：糯米饭、烤肠、方便面、玉米，中午就在景区里吃，别指望大餐。夏天蚊虫多，备驱蚊水。

The Forest on the Rocks is a strange stand: the trees grow not in soil but on bare rock, roots drilling down the cracks and gripping the stone while the crowns rise tall and dense. This is what karst does — the soil is thin, so the trees hold on to the rock to live. Kiosks along the way sell glutinous rice, grilled sausages, instant noodles, corn; lunch is inside the reserve, so do not expect a feast. Mosquitoes are plentiful in summer — bring repellent.

水上森林是这一天的招牌体验：河床上一排排的树长在水里，水从树根间流过，人在水中的石墩上一步一步走过去，两边是树干，脚下是流水，走一段就明白为什么叫「水上森林」。石墩有的间距大，走的时候看脚下、别跳，鞋要防滑、能下水，最好干脆穿凉鞋。水深到小腿，夏天走这一段最舒服，注意别滑倒、别踩空。人多时排队慢慢过。

The Forest in the Water is the day's signature experience: rows of trees standing in the riverbed, the stream running between their roots, and you crossing from stone to stone among the trunks with the water underfoot — a few steps and the name explains itself. Some stones sit a fair distance apart, so watch your feet and do not jump; shoes should be grippy and able to get wet — sandals are best. The water comes to mid-calf, and in summer this is the most comfortable walking of the day; just do not slip or tread in the gaps. When it is busy, queue and cross slowly.

翠谷瀑布不像别的瀑布是一股水，它是一整片水顺着宽宽的岩面铺下来，面积大、坡度缓，白花花地挂着，形状像一条裙子，所以也叫「白裙子瀑布」。水声没有大龙湫那种轰隆，是哗哗的一片。栈道从瀑布侧面经过，能贴着水走一段。人不多的时候，这儿比拉雅安静，适合慢慢看、慢慢拍。

Cuigu is not a spout of water like other falls but a whole sheet laid down a broad rock face — wide, gentle in gradient, hanging white and shaped like a skirt, which earns it the nickname 'the White Skirt'. The sound is not the boom of a single drop but a broad hiss of water. The boardwalk passes along its flank, close enough to walk beside it. When it is quiet, this is calmer than Laya — good for lingering and shooting slowly.

卧龙潭是这条河汇成的一个深潭，水色比其他地方更深、更暗，绿得几乎发黑，所以有种神秘感。潭面很静，四周是山和树，倒影整整齐齐。可以坐船在潭上转一圈，也可以玩一段漂流（看季节和开放情况），从水上再看一遍两边的山。傍晚的光斜下来，潭水颜色最浓，是拍照最好的时候。玩完坐观光车出园。

Wolong Pool is where the river gathers into a deep basin, its water darker and deeper than anywhere else on the route, green shading almost to black, which gives it its air of secrecy. The surface lies still, the hills and trees around it reflected cleanly. You can take a boat out for a circuit, or a drift in season, seeing the banks again from the water. In the low evening light the colour is at its densest — the best time to photograph it. Then take the shuttle out of the reserve.

荔波县城的晚饭是贵州味：酸汤鱼（番茄或米汤发酵的酸汤煮鱼，酸辣鲜，贵州招牌）、腌酸菜、樟江河鱼、荔波烤香猪（本地小香猪烤得皮脆肉香）、布依族糯米饭。酸汤鱼一般按斤点，先问价。吃辣不行的提前说「少辣」或「不要辣」。吃完在县城走一走，樟江边的夜市也热闹，可以喝碗冰粉解辣。

Dinner in Libo town is Guizhou cooking: sour-soup fish (fish in a broth soured by fermented rice water or tomato — tart, hot and fresh, the provincial signature), pickled vegetables, Zhang River fish, Libo roast suckling pig (local small pigs roasted to crisp skin and fragrant meat), and Bouyei glutinous rice. Sour-soup fish is usually priced by weight — ask first. If you cannot take chilli, say 'less chilli' or 'no chilli' up front. Afterwards walk the town; the night market by the Zhang River is lively, and a bowl of ice jelly cuts the heat.