Karst and Heritage Tourism

The various surface and underground terrains and processes resulting from the dissolution of soluble rocks by water (mainly groundwater) are called karst or karst.

The karsts (karsts) included in the World Heritage List by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee include South China Karst (South China Karst) (China), Phong Nha-Kebang National Park (Phong Nha -Ke Bang National Park (Vietnam), HaLongBay (Vietnam), Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park (Philippines), Gunung Mulu National Park ) (Malaysia), kocjan Caves (Slovenia), Caves of Ag'gtelek Karstand Slovak Karst (Slovakia and Hungary), Plitvice Lakes Country Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia), Pirin National Park (Bulgaria), The Dolomites (Italy), Mammoth Cave National Park (USA), Carlsbad Caverns National Park (USA), Desembarcodel Granma National Park (Cuba), Tsingyde Bemaraja Nature Reserve (Cuba) Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve) (Madagascar), etc.

1. South China Karst

(1) Heritage characteristics

"South China Karst" is China's first cross-provincial joint application World natural heritage projects are mainly distributed in Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi, with geographical coordinates of 25°13′15″ north latitude and 107°58′30″ east longitude, with a core area of ??47,588 hectares and a buffer zone of 98,428 hectares. It is one of the most spectacular examples of humid tropical to subtropical karst landscapes in the world.

Karst is a karst landform, which is a landform developed on carbonate rocks mainly composed of limestone and dolomite. China's karst has the characteristics of large area, complex geological evolution, diverse landforms, and rich biodiversity. Karst in southern China can be mainly divided into three regions: Yunnan Shilin Karst, Guizhou Libo Karst and Chongqing Wulong Karst, with a total area of ??146,016 hectares. This area concentrates China's most representative karst topography. The karst area in southern China accounts for 55% of the entire karst area in China.

The Yunnan Stone Forest is the only stone forest karst in the world that has been preserved and displayed in four periods: the Early Permian, the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene, the Eocene-Oligocene, and the Miocene-present. area (Liang Yongning, 2007); the Cambrian-Triassic carbonate rock deposition in Libo Karst, Guizhou reaches more than 8,000 meters. The complex geological evolution since the late Paleozoic has formed the most typical and representative cone-shaped karst landform. (Liang Yongning, 2007); Chongqing Wulong Karst completely demonstrates the development and evolution system of the entire canyon karst, including underground rivers, collapse funnels (tiankeng), natural bridges, caves, canyons and many other elements, fully embodying the characteristics of canyon karst. The evolutionary process also reflects the evolutionary history of the entire canyon karst system since the Paleogene (Xiong Kangning et al., 2008).

The Yunnan Stone Forest Karst has 889 species of plants, 42 species of mammals, 87 species of birds, 44 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 12 species of fish; the Guizhou Libo Karst has 1,532 species of plants and 59 species of mammals. There are 137 species of birds, 75 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 43 species of fish; Chongqing Wulong Karst has 558 species of plants, 46 species of mammals, 174 species of birds, 48 ??species of reptiles and amphibians, and 64 species of fish. kind.

(2) Heritage Tourism

The karst in southern China has experienced a long geological time and is an important and typical natural geographical feature and karst landform of the earth. It not only retains the ancient geological historical period Karst relics represent important and ongoing karst processes.

In the Yunnan Stone Forest, the cultural resources of the Yi ethnic group represented by "Ashima" are organically integrated with the karst natural resources, forming a unique stone forest landscape.

The Yunnan Stone Forest is both a natural scenery and a cultural scenery. The life style of the Sani people of the Yi ethnic group accompanying the stone forest has not only created a rich history and culture, but also created a colorful "Ashima" (Golden in Yi language). The folk culture and art represented by "beautiful girl", with its unique language and characters, rich poetry and legends, colorful and gorgeous national costumes, fiery and bold national songs and dances, simple and rough wrestling competitions, and unique weddings and funerals , all reflecting the cultural charm and regional characteristics of the ancient nation. The long poem "Ashima" has become a classic long narrative poem of China's ethnic minorities. It has been translated into more than 20 languages ????and is widely circulated around the world; the movie "Ashima" is well-known at home and abroad...

Libo The karst is located in Libo County in southeastern Guizhou Province and is a typical representative of the cone-shaped karst in the transition zone between the Guizhou Plateau and the Guangxi Basin. Guizhou Libo's intact ecosystem, karst primitive forest, water forest and "funnel" forest, are collectively known as the "Three Wonders of Libo". The most eye-catching landscape of Libo karst is the cone karst, and the most typical types are Fengcong karst and Fenglin karst. Libo is located on the border of Guizhou and Guangxi in southern Guizhou. It is a gathering place for ethnic minorities such as Buyi, Shui, Miao and Yao. It has a unique and rich ethnic minority customs.

The main scenic spots in Chongqing Wulong Karst include the Furong Cave, the largest cave in the world, the largest natural bridge group in Asia, and the rare Houping Tiankeng in the world. Wulong region relies on the resource advantages of karst topography to vigorously develop six major tourism industries, including eco-tourism, heritage tourism, cultural tourism, leisure and vacation, exhibition festivals and scientific expeditions and adventures. Wulong has become the largest outdoor sports base in the west: cross-country, rock climbing, gorge crossing, caving, rafting, etc. The annual Wulong International Outdoor Mountain Sports Open has become a happy camp for outdoor enthusiasts.

In 2007, South China Karst was included in the World Heritage List by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a natural heritage.

2. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

(1) Heritage features

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park The park is located in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam, with geographical coordinates of 17°32′14″ north latitude and 106°09′05″ east longitude, covering an area of ??85,754 hectares. The formation history of the karst landforms in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park originated from the Paleozoic Era (about 400 million years ago) and is the oldest karst area in Asia. Due to the huge tectonic changes it has undergone, the karst landscape of this park is extremely complex and has many typical geomorphological features. This vast area, stretching all the way to the border with Laos, is dotted with numerous caves and underground rivers within 65 kilometers of spectacular rock formations.

(2) Heritage Tourism

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is the oldest karst landform in Asia. The cave is deep and wide, and the stream in the cave is clear. The scenery in the cave is wonderful, with colorful stone walls and strange stalactites. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is the product of geological processes. It provides a large amount of evidence for the history of earth evolution in this area, and is of great significance for people to understand the topography and geographical development history of this area. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has become a famous tourist attraction in Vietnam.

In 2003, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was included in the World Heritage List by the United Nations World Heritage Committee as a natural heritage.

3. HaLong Bay (HaLongBay)

(1) Heritage features

Halong Bay is located in Quang Ninh Province in northern Vietnam, with geographical coordinates of 20°53′60″ north latitude. Longitude 107°05′60″ east, covering an area of ??150,000 hectares, including about 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone dissolved rock pillars. Due to the steep terrain, most of the islands are uninhabited and untouched by humans. Extraordinary biological influences add to the area's outstanding natural beauty.

Halong Bay Scenic Area is divided into three small bays. On the vast blue sea, limestone islands are dotted with towering rock pillars and strange-shaped stalactites and stalagmites. There are thousands of species of fish in Halong Bay, and mammals, reptiles and various birds also live on the island.

(2) Heritage Tourism

Halong Bay is famous for its magnificent and beautiful scenery. Islands of various sizes are scattered in Halong Bay in an orderly manner, which is a wonder. Halong Bay has rich geological tourism resources and is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Vietnam (Phuc, 2008). Every year, Halong Bay attracts millions of tourists for sightseeing.

In 1994, Ha Long Bay (HaLong Bay) was included in the World Heritage List by the United Nations World Heritage Committee as a natural heritage, and it was expanded in 2000.

4. Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park

(1) Heritage Features

Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park Hong Kong Underground River National Park is located in the Palawan Province of the Philippines, with geographical coordinates of 10°10′00″ north latitude and 118°55′00″ east longitude, covering an area of ??5,753 hectares. This national park is famous for its limestone karst landforms and underground rivers. One of the characteristics of rivers is that they flow directly into the sea, and the lower reaches of the river are affected by tides. This area is also an important biodiversity reserve. The park includes a complete "mountain and sea" ecosystem, as well as some of Asia's very important forests.

(2) Heritage Tourism

Puerto Princesa (Puerto Princesa) is the capital of Palawan. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located approximately 81 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princesa City (Maac-Aguilar, 2008). Mount St. Paul, the highest point in the park, has an altitude of 1,028 meters. More than 90% of the park's landforms are made up of the sharp Kloster limestone ridges surrounding Mount St. Paul. The main landscape of the park is an 8.2-kilometer-long underground river and some caves, which are lined with spectacular stalactites, stone pillars and stalagmites (Maac-Aguilar, 2008). The Puerto Princesa Underground River was established as a national park in 1971. As a long and narrow island in the southwest of the Philippines, Palawan is attracting more and more tourists with its karst landscape and unique underground rivers. Its underground river park is world-famous.

In 1999, the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park was included in the World Heritage List by the United Nations World Heritage Committee as a natural heritage.

5. Gunung Mulu National Park

(1) Heritage features

Malaysia’s Gunung Mulu National Park is located in Sarawak The Island of Borneo in the State of Sarawak, with geographical coordinates of 4°07′59″ north latitude and 114°55′00″ east longitude, covers an area of ??52,864 hectares and is famous for its biodiversity and karst landforms. It is famous as the most valuable tropical karst area in the world. The park contains 17 vegetation zones with more than 3,500 species of vascular plants. The park has an unusually rich variety of palm trees, with 20 genera and 109 species known. The park is located on the 2,377-meter-high sandstone peak of Mount Muru. The developed caves are at least 295 kilometers long, with magnificent landscapes and millions of bats inhabiting them. The Sarawak Cave, 600 meters long, 415 meters wide and 80 meters high, is the largest cave in the known world.

(2) Heritage Tourism

Mount Muru is 2,377 meters above sea level. The park is characterized by grotesque mountains and peaks, as well as unparalleled cliffs and canyons. There is also the largest underground cave in the world. Dozens of caves are connected to each other and are called "underground labyrinth" by geologists. Mount Muru National Park was established in 1974 and officially opened to the public in 1985. With the world's largest cave, green jungle, unique animals and plants, and inaccessible mysterious islands, Mount Muru National Park has become a paradise that attracts explorers and nature lovers. Mount Muru National Park attracts thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year (Hussain et al., 2008).

In 2000, Gunung Mulu National Park was included in the World Heritage List by the United Nations World Heritage Committee as a natural heritage.

6. Skocjan Caves (kocjan Caves)

(1) Heritage characteristics

The Skocjan Caves are located in the Karst of the Republic of Slovenia The lowest point of the Bifka Valley on the plateau is about 52 kilometers southwest of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Its geographical coordinates are 45°40′00″ north latitude and 14°00′00″ east longitude, covering an area of ??413 hectares. This special limestone cave system in Slovenia includes a collapsed sinkhole with a depth of more than 200 meters, an underground passage about 6 kilometers long, and many waterfalls. It is a wonder on the karst plateau and is the largest and longest in the world. One of the caves. This site is located in the Kras area (originally translated as karst, from which the term "karst" in geology originated). It is one of the famous places in the world for studying karst phenomena.

(2) Heritage Tourism

The Skocyan Cave is one of the largest and longest caves in the world. It was discovered in 1818 and opened to the public in 1926. The temperature in the cave is constant all year round, staying at about 8 degrees Celsius. It was formed by long-term dissolution of limestone formations by the undercurrent of the Beefka River. Some of the stalactites and tall stalagmites hanging high in the cave are like huge gemstone flowers, with ice crystals and pure jade; some are like Santa Claus with a charming smile; some are like an army descending from the mountain, or like birds spreading their wings, they are colorful and varied, and the scenery is stunning. For spectacle.

Some caves in the Skocyan cave series are as deep as 230 meters. There are stalactites, stalagmites and underground rivers in the caves, showing the evolution of karst terrain. Here, with the Skocyan Cave as the center, the Skocyan Geopark was established, and cartoon-style educational brochures and tour guides were also compiled.

The four main caves of Shkotsyan Cave are the Glory Hall, the Curtain Hall, the Crystal Hall and the Concert Hall, among which the Concert Hall is the most spectacular. It is a large cave with a height of 40 meters and an area of ??about 3,000 square meters, shaped like a towering palace. The cave has excellent acoustics and can accommodate nearly 10,000 people. A cave concert is held here at least once a year.

In 1986, the Skocjan Caves (kocjan Caves) were included in the World Heritage List by the United Nations World Heritage Committee as a natural heritage.

7. Caves of Aggtelek Karstand Slovak Karst (Caves of Aggtelek Karstand Slovak Karst)

(1) Heritage features

Aggtelek The cave and Slovak Karst are located at the junction of southern Slovakia and northern Hungary, across the hilly terrain of the southern Carpathian Mountains. The geographical coordinates are 48°28′32″ north latitude and 20°29′12″ east longitude. The core area is 56,650 hectares and the buffer zone 86,797 hectares. This is the only world natural heritage site in Hungary and Slovakia. The complex and changeable rock formations and 712 caves distributed in a limited area constitute a typical temperate karst system. As an extremely peculiar combination of tropical and glacial climates, it is possible for people to study the geological history of this area for millions of years.

(2) Heritage Tourism

The Agtelek Cave was first listed as a scenic protection zone by the Hungarian Department of Environment and Nature Protection in 1978, and was later listed as a protected area through legislation in 1985. It was reclassified as a national park; the Slovak Karst was listed as a scenic protected area by the Slovak Ministry of Culture in 1973. Both were included in the "Man and the Biosphere Program" by UNESCO in 1977 and 1979 respectively.

Research on the Agtelek Cave and Slovak Karst began very early. In 1794, the world's first cave map was drawn based on surveys of the site. Nowadays, many scientific research and educational institutions, including some universities, come here to conduct research in related fields.

The Agtelek Cave and Slovak Karst are world-famous for their unique karst terrain and natural and biological formations. Their value is difficult to judge from the perspective of scientific research or art appreciation. Estimated. Every year, countless tourists come here in an endless stream.

In 1995, the Caves of Ag'gtelek Karstand SlovakKarst (Caves of Ag'gtelek Karstand SlovakKarst) were included in the World Heritage List by the United Nations World Heritage Committee as natural heritage, and were expanded in 2000.

8. Carlsbad Caverns National Park

(1) Heritage Features

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the United States It is located at the foot of the Guadalupe Mountains in Eddy County, New Mexico, with geographical coordinates of 32°10′00″ north latitude and 104°22′60″ west longitude, covering an area of ??18,926 hectares. The park consists of more than 80 caves, of which the Lechuguilla Cave is 477 meters deep and 133 kilometers long. There are approximately 800 species of drought-tolerant shrubs growing in this area. More than 94 species of fungi in more than 30 genera have been recorded in Lechuguilla Cave. It is also home to 64 species of mammals, 331 species of birds and many reptile species.

The Carlsbad Caverns are a karst terrain network composed of more than 80 caves that have been discovered so far. It is large and varied, and contains many exquisite minerals. It presents an "underground laboratory" of geological and biological processes and provides complete information for geologists to study the process of geological structures.

(2) Heritage Tourism

The Carlsbad Caverns were formed in the Permian period 280 million to 225 million years ago. Rainwater seeps into the cracks in the limestone of Guadalupe Mountain, dissolving the soft rock and carving out tunnels and caves, leaving behind minerals that form various shapes. Especially the Agave Cave, where you can study the process of geological changes.

In 1995, Carlsbad Caverns National Park was included in the World Heritage List by the United Nations World Heritage Committee as a natural heritage.

9. Mammoth Cave National Park

(1) Heritage features

Mammoth Cave National Park in the United States is located in Kentucky. The coordinates are 37°11′14″ north latitude and 86°06′11″ west longitude, covering an area of ??21,191 hectares. It is the largest natural cave group and underground corridor in the world, and is also a typical representative of limestone landforms.

This national park and its more than 560 kilometers of underground corridors provide habitat for a variety of plants and animals, including some endangered species.

(2) Heritage Tourism

The Mammoth Cave National Park was established in 1941. Cave tours are open year-round (except Christmas), and activities include hiking, exploring, fishing, horseback riding, rafting, etc. Mammoth Cave is an incredible natural miracle that challenges mankind's traditional understanding of the natural world. The towering stone pillars, narrow passages and open caves make people marvel at the uncanny craftsmanship of nature. Within the scenic area, hikers will find themselves wandering in a vast and stretched space, surrounded by a geological landscape of underground lakes and canyons, waterfalls and streams, narrow corridors and arched domes. The "Travertine Tour" and "Cave Tour" in the scenic area allow visitors to truly appreciate the mysteries of earth science.

In 1981, Mammoth Cave National Park ( Mammoth Cave National Park is included in the World Heritage List by the United Nations World Heritage Committee as a natural heritage.

10. Desembarcodel Granma National Park

Grama’s Desambalco National Park is located near Cruz in southeastern Cuba, with geographical coordinates of 19°53′00″ north latitude and 77° west longitude. 38′0″, covering an area of ??32576 hectares. The park has rising submarine platforms and still developing karst topography and landforms. It has spectacular platforms and cliffs, as well as some of the most primitive and impressive western landscapes. The cliffs of the Atlantic coast show examples of landforms, physical geographical features and geological evolution processes of global significance

(2) Heritage tourism

De Sambalco National Park in Granma. Not only is it rich in natural resources, it also has many cultural sites. Granma's Desambalco National Park rarely receives tourists, and it is estimated that no more than 1,000 tourists (including domestic and foreign) visit the park every year. All are well trained to better serve visitors

In 1999, Granma's Desembarcodel Granma National Park was listed as a natural heritage by the United Nations World Heritage Committee. "World Heritage List".