WALK THROUGH THE SKY
Test your mettle with China’s highest glass bridges and skyways
The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass- bottom bridge
Opened to the public on Sunday, this bridge hanging between two cliffs in the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, Central China’s Hubei Province, has set the record for the longest and highest glass- bottom bridge in the world.
Spanning 430 meters over a dizzying drop of approximately 300 meters, the 6- meter- wide skywalk ensures that the least possible damage will be done to the region’s natural scenery while providing an unforgettable view when tourists look down – that is, if they dare.
With its height advantage, the management for the glass bridge has plans to beat out the Macau Tower by providing the world’s highest bungee jump. Additionally, visitors can look forward to watching fashion shows in the air as the bridge can also serve as a runway and can hold as many as 800 people at once, according to its designer, Israeli architect Haim Dotan.
The glass skywalk in Longgang National Geological Park
Stretching out from a cliff at an amazing altitude of 1,010 meters above sea level in Longgang National Geological Park, Southwest China’s Chongqing, the 26.68- meter horseshoe- shaped glass- bottom skywalk was opened to the public in April of 2015. It broke the world record by exceeding the well- known Grand Canyon Skywalk in Arizona by a full 5 meters. It offers a dazzling glance at a 718- meter drop through its glass floor.
The Tianmenshan skywalk
Coming in at 60 meters in length and 1,400 meters above the ground, the glass- floor skywalk in Zhangjiajie Tianmenshan National Park, Hubei Province, is known as the “Eastern Skywalk.”
Opened in 2011, the 1.6- meter- wide platform stretches out from the side of Mount Tianmen. Before stepping onto the skywalk, visitors are required to put on shoe covers to keep the glass bottom clean. While walking along the path, taking in the beauty of the cliffs is just a matter of turning your head.
One of the earliest glass walkways in China, the Tianmenshan skywalk has attracted tens of thousands of visitors looking to test their mettle since its completion. Pictures featuring tall and muscular men crawling or clutching the cliff face as they move along have gone viral on a number of social media platforms.
The musical Shiniuzhai National Geopark glass skywalk
The first to combine music with nature, the Shiniuzhai National Geopark glass skywalk in Hunan Province was opened on May 27, 2015. It immediately became a hot topic due to one added element – it can sing.
Pressure sensitive sensors buried in the glass floors activate when tourists step onto the skywalk playing up to 70 different musical notes. Imagine composing a nice tune while standing on a 180- meter- long walkway 300 meters above the ground.
The Baishi Mountain glass walkway
Visitors flocked to the glass walkway at Baishi Mountain in Laiyuan county, North China’s Hebei Province, upon its completion in 2014. The 95- meter- long see- through path located on the side of the cliff 1,900 meters above ground is still the highest cliff side pathway in China.