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Five-Colour Pool, Sichuan, China
The 'yellow dragon'
This striking Sichuan feature is called the Five Colour Pool, but in truth it's part of a nearly 700-pool palette containing countless colours. With its apex above the 3,300-metre elevation mark, this travertine terrace system spills over a 3-kilometre stretch of the deep gully known as Huanglong ('yellow dragon,' for the pools' resemblance to a scaly beast slithering down the valley). One of the most striking and extensive sites of its kind, Huanglong has been recognised as a World Heritage Site since 1992.
The 'yellow dragon'
This striking Sichuan feature is called the Five Colour Pool, but in truth it's part of a nearly 700-pool palette containing countless colours. With its apex above the 3,300-metre elevation mark, this travertine terrace system spills over a 3-kilometre stretch of the deep gully known as Huanglong ('yellow dragon,' for the pools' resemblance to a scaly beast slithering down the valley). One of the most striking and extensive sites of its kind, Huanglong has been recognised as a World Heritage Site since 1992.
A bit deceptively, this system of 693 ponds in seemingly infinite shades is called the Five-Colour Pool.
© SW Photography / Digital Vision / Getty Images 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :