Sky Trails and Cloud Kisses: The Hike to Ximatan

#discoverchina #dali #naturalwonders #prettyskies Cangshan doesn’t whisper—it calls, and I answered with each step through its floating world. From the base to the heights, the Cangshan hiking trail is a masterpiece drawn in fog, pine, and silence. Each bend revealed valleys draped in clouds, like silk laid out across a jade table. Birds darted between branches, wind murmured ancient secrets, and slowly, the modern world disappeared behind me. Then, just as the sky cleared, Ximatan came into view—a still, sacred pool tucked between the peaks. No tour groups. No noise. Just a mirror to the heavens. I filled my bottle with glacier-chilled water, sat by the edge, and watched the mist dance across the surface. This wasn’t just a hike. It was a portal—nature’s quiet rebellion against the noise of daily life.