Photo shows a brief "traffic jam" on a rock wall as climbers wait their turn at an outdoor activity base in Longcun village, Yangshuo county, Guilin city, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People’s Daily Online/Lei Qijun)
"Please hold on鈥攖here’s a bit of a traffic jam on the cliff wall," called out a climbing coach at an outdoor activity base in Longcun village, Yangshuo county, Guilin city, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
As he helped 8-year-old tourist Xiao Yezi (nickname) into her safety gear, the coach, known by his colleagues and tourists as Amu, patiently explained the usage of safety devices, "Keep both carabiners fastened to the safety cable at all times. Never hook them to the same line."
Meanwhile, he comforted tourists who were asking about the "traffic conditions" of the rock-climbing facility, named Feilada.
Apparently, the scorching afternoon sun did not deter tourists who were eager to try this popular and thrilling cliff route.
As 20 tourists inched along the steel footholds and cables, navigating their way up the limestone cliff, more than 10 were queuing up at the foot of the mountain to embark on their adventure.
Photo shows a rock-climbing facility, named Feilada, at an outdoor activity base in Longcun village, Yangshuo county, Guilin city, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People’s Daily Online/Lei Qijun)
Since summer vacation recently kicked off across China, Guilin has entered its peak tourism season. This year, the city is offering more than just its iconic karst landscapes鈥攊t’s becoming a national hotspot for outdoor sports and adventure tourism.
Feilada, a transliteration of the Italian term "via ferrata," refers to a climbing system made up of metal rungs, handrails, and safety cables installed on rock faces, allowing beginners to experience vertical ascents safely and confidently.
This globally popular outdoor activity has taken off in China in recent years, especially among young people. Thanks to social media and travel influencers, Yangshuo has become a household name among enthusiasts of the activity.
Xiao Yezi and her family had traveled from Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, just for this.
Photo shows a beautiful view of Longcun village, Yangshuo county, Guilin city, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People’s Daily Online/Lei Qijun)
Her aunt led the climb with two children, while her mother stayed below, capturing every moment. "I want my child to build courage through outdoor exploration," said her mother. "It helps them grow stronger when facing future challenges."
The young adventurer crossed tightropes, single-log bridges, ladders, and zip lines, soaring over forests, fields, and rivers.
"It was amazing!" she exclaimed afterward, saying that she was a little scared when the rope swayed, but once she focused on her steps, she forgot about the fear.
The view from the top was even more beautiful, she noted.
"Many don’t realize that Yangshuo is seen as a ’holy land’ for rock climbers," said a staff member of the Yangshuo bureau of culture, radio, television, sports and tourism. "It’s not only the birthplace of natural rock climbing in China, but also the location where China’s national standard for outdoor climbing sites was established last year. The introduction of Feilada has made the sport more accessible to a wider audience."
The reason Yangshuo leads the trend lies in its mountains and rivers. Its unique karst terrain features dense karst peaks, lucid, winding rivers, and stunning underground caves, forming a vivid three-dimensional landscape that changes with every step.
Today, Yangshuo is not only a scenic destination, but also a premier hub for outdoor sports. The county currently boasts over 60 open climbing areas and more than 1,200 climbing routes, attracting over 100,000 visitors and climbing enthusiasts each year.
Photo shows a cliffside caf肁9 built into the mountain at Bajiaozhai Scenic Spot in Ziyuan county of Guilin city, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People’s Daily Online/Lei Qijun)
Amu, the climbing coach, is one of many who’ve found a new life in Yangshuo. Now in his early 30s, he left a job in a major city to live among the mountains. He works at the outdoor activity base while developing new climbing routes.
Despite the repeated practice and exhaustion, a successful attempt gives him an incomparable sense of accomplishment, according to Amu.
"Climbing puts me in a state of flow鈥攆ully focused, with a clear sense of purpose. Surrounded by Yangshuo’s stunning scenery and fresh air, I feel both uplifted and at peace," he explained.
China’s social media platforms are filled with stories like Amu’s. More and more young people are spending weekends or holidays hiking, cycling, caving, rafting, or climbing, turning away from traditional sightseeing tours in favor of immersive, active experiences.
"Expanding outdoor tourism and diversifying tourism products, business forms, and settings is key to the transformation of Guilin’s tourism industry," said Zhang Xiaolin, dean of the School of Outdoor Sports at Guilin Tourism University.
Guilin is undergoing a major transformation in its tourism industry.
The city’s plan for growing into a world-class tourism city, which calls for deeper cultural-tourism integration and higher-quality consumption, was approved by the central government during China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period.
Guilin is picking up pace toward that vision.
This year, the city released a plan for cultural tourism renewal, aiming to promote a more youthful and international city image while developing new tourism scenarios and business forms.
Scenic areas across the city have acted on the call of the municipal government, launching innovative and appealing tourism experiences.
Tourists capture the view of sunlight with Tyndall effect in a karst cave in Jinzhong Mountain tourist resort, located in Yongfu county, Guilin city, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People’s Daily Online/Lei Qijun)
In the Bajiaozhai Scenic Spot in Ziyuan county of Guilin, cliffs feature everything from stargazing campsites to cliffside caf肁9s, karaoke bars, and movie facility. After a day of mountain climbing, visitors can spend the night surrounded by nature’s white noise.
At Jinzhong Mountain tourist resort in Yongfu county, Guilin, a karst "skylight" has become a trending attraction. Tourists wait for the perfect beam of "Tyndall light" to snap their dream photo.
"As the demand from young travelers grows, Guilin’s natural endowment gives it a unique edge," said Wu Lin, a tourism management professor at Guilin Tourism University.
"To convert Guilin’s scenic ’traffic’ into meaningful ’appeal’ for young tourists, we must embrace product innovation, strengthen the fun factor, create lasting memories, and improve the visual shareability of experiences," Wu said.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0709/c98649-20337860.html