Height of attraction: Guizhou bridge is a magnet for thrill-seekers

When standing on a bridge 625 meters in the air, flanked by steep karst cliffs and a roaring river far below, the last thing most people would consider doing is to throw themselves off it.

But in Southwest China's Guizhou province, that is exactly what many visitors are doing.

At the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, thrill-seekers are lining up for the world's highest bridge bungee jump, while others come simply to take in the view, sip coffee above the canyon and visit one of China's newest travel landmarks.

"The jumping alone was enough to sweep away my worries," said visitor Wang Dezhi, who had just completed the jump on Monday morning. After being pulled back onto the bridge, he kissed a medal stamped "625", a souvenir given to those who completed the leap.

Recently named one of Time magazine's 100 greatest places of 2026, the bridge was built as part of the local expressway network, but has quickly become an attraction in its own right.

Visitors can walk through a corridor to a glass viewing hall at the bridge's midpoint, then step onto a rail-free edge walkway for a bigger thrill. For the most daring, there is bungee jumping and a BASE-jumping platform.

"As soon as I jump, I am free," said extreme sports enthusiast Julian Astor Asdurian Bidogia, one of the first to make a BASE (an acronym for building, antenna, span and earth) jump from the bridge during the 2025 International High Bridge Extreme Sports Invitational Tournament in September.

Since its opening, the site has drawn growing crowds. During this year's nine-day Chinese New Year holiday, the bridge service area received more than 300,000 visits and over 70,000 vehicles, according to local media data.

For many travelers, though, the appeal is not adrenaline but scale.

Visitors explore a glass viewing hall at the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou province on Sept 28. LIU CHAOFU / FOR CHINA DAILY

The bridge's 1,420-meter-long main span stretches between two mountain peaks, often rising through the mist that hangs over Guizhou's mountains like a dragon in the clouds. Its deck stands roughly the height of two Eiffel Towers stacked above the water.

"This looks impossible," said Canadian YouTuber Daniel Dumbrill when he saw the bridge in full. "I'm not an engineer, but I would imagine this is amazing even for engineers."

Dumbrill traveled to the site by motorcycle and stayed in the nearby Huajiang village, a traditional Bouyei ethnic village closest to the bridge. From his guesthouse bed, he could see the bridge crossing the canyon.

As more visitors arrive, the communities around the bridge are transforming too. Hundreds of restaurants and guesthouses have opened, and young residents who once left are returning to run inns, cook dishes and serve travelers seeking a rural escape.

For others, the bridge offers a quieter experience.

The easiest and most popular way to get there is to drive yourself. Visitors can stop at the Yundu service area, which has a viewing platform, before taking a sightseeing elevator into the bridge's interior.

In the cafe near the bridge's midspan, coffee comes with a view that city rooftops cannot match.

"This is the first time I've been inside a bridge, and it's an unmatched viewing experience," said Asa Cheng, a 65-year-old visitor from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, after lying on the glass floor and looking down at the river and settlements below. "It is a little thrilling, but just right for me."

For Bidogia, the extreme sports enthusiast, the bridge is more than a spectacle.

"When I fall, I become part of nature," he said. "When I walk on this bridge and jump from it, I become part of engineering wisdom."

As the sun sinks into the canyon and visitors sit on the glass platform with cups of coffee, the bridge becomes more than a mere crossing. In Guizhou, it has become a destination, an experience and a new way to see the landscape itself.

Travel tips

Via the expressway, drive or hail a car to the Yundu service area in Zhenfeng county, Guizhou province, which also serves as the visitor center. Parking and entry to the service area are free with advance reservation via the WeChat mini-program of the Huajiang Canyon Bridge Tourism-integrated Service Area.

Access to the bridge itself requires a ticket, which can be booked through the same miniprogram or purchased on site if available. Standard admission is 99 yuan ($14.50). Opening hours are 9 am to 5 pm.

In peak season, reservations up to 15 days in advance are recommended for both tickets and parking.