Feihong Pagoda at the upper part of Guangsheng Temple. Photos by Zhang Wei / China Daily

A local tour guide told me that I came at the right time, because the rainbow only lasts from 10 am to 2 pm, when there are good weather conditions.

Locals say you must climb down into the Dragon Cave to see the waterfall in its best light. The cave is more than 10 meters deep and led me spiralling down to the bottom of the waterfall.

I was more interested in the cave itself. It was cramped and dark, and the deeper I went down, the damper it got. Water seeped through the walls. When I finally got to the bottom, I could barely stand straight and had to bend over.

Another highlight of the scenic spot were some old men dressed in typical folk costumes that included a sheepskin vest, red belt and a white towel wrapped around their heads. They led a donkey and encouraged tourists to take pictures with it.

After a short lunch break, I spent rest of the day visiting the Dingcun village in Xiangfen county and Jin Kingdom Museum in Quwo county. The village is home to typical residential houses of Shanxi from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

I was taken aback by the chariot and horse tomb at the Jin Kingdom Museum. The tomb features a range of chariots used for different purposes during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC). Horses were scattered across the ground with arrows through their legs.