The 5th Li Bai International Adventure Tourism Festival, organized by the Anhui provincial tourism administration and Ma’anshan municipal government, will be held April 24 to April 25 in Ma’anshan.

Surrounded by lakes and mountains, Ma’anshan is a picturesque city located at the southernmost lower reaches of the Yangtze River and adjacent to Nanjing, the capital city of Jiangsu province.

In Dangtu county, located just west of the city, there is a memorial hall to the famous Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai at the foot of Blue Mountain. Li, for whom the festival is named, is said to have been the first adventure tourist in China and visited the place many times during his lifetime.

The festival features various action-adventure events, including an iron man triathlon, a music camp, a forum and a bonfire party. The iron man triathlon consists of a bike race, rowing and foot race, and has been registered at the trademark office of the State Administration for Industry & Commerce of China.

The annual adventure tourism festival, first held in 2007, has become a promotional brand for Ma’anshan’s tourism industry. The festival attracted 40,000 last year. The triathlon alone attracted about 2,000 participants representing 300 outdoor club teams from more than 20 regions of China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

The city’s rich natural attractions such as Caishi Rock and the Putang scenic area have also made it an emerging destination for adventurous backpackers.

By Shi Qian and Audrey