Guizhou's 'floral capital' offers luxury camping

Local authorities in Qianxi, Guizhou province, have invested 42 million yuan ($5.8 million) in Huaduli, or "floral capital", a 6.7-hectare tented hotel resort on the edge of a cliff, hundreds of meters above the Wujiang, a tributary of the upper Yangtze River.

"It is the largest camping site in Guizhou, with some of the best facilities and views on offer," said Jin Li, vice-president of Guizhou Shanshui Culture and Tourism, the company that has invested in the site, and which oversees day-to-day operations.

To cater to deep-pocketed visitors in search of a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life, operators have ensured that sophisticated touches abound: the 22 tent suites come with smart toilets, automatic mahjong tables, walnut furniture, barbecue grills and an exclusive sightseeing stand that offers breathtaking views of the canyon and the spectacular, red-painted Yachihe Bridge a few kilometers away.

The suspension bridge, which was opened in 2016 as part of a broader effort to curb isolation-induced poverty, has an east-west span of 1.2 kilometers, and casts a slender shadow on the surface of the river 434 meters below. It is the fifth-highest bridge in the world, a major tourist draw and a point of national pride.

"Every tent in the camp comes with its own views. When mist rises from the Wujiang River, it either fills the gorge or floats up to the edge of the cliff, making the camp feel like a heavenly paradise. At night, the moon seems to perch on the opposite cliff," Jin said.

Recreational activities like paragliding, helicopter trips and luxury yacht rides are also available at costs ranging from a hundred to thousands of yuan per person.

Located 70 kilometers from Guizhou, and 115 kilometers from urban Bijie, the once-isolated spot is now accessible via a bullet train station and a sightseeing highway, and has become a destination for short-distance tours.

Local officials said that Huawu draws visitors from nearby provinces like Sichuan and Yunnan, thanks to its improved transportation network.