Published : 24/10/2025
What is it like to drink coffee perched on a hundred-metre cliff?
Across China, a wave of unique spaces blending into natural wonders has emerged. These are not just cafés or bookshops, but serene escapes where you can find your moment of peace in stunning landscapes.
Join us as we explore these surprises hidden in the mountains and rivers!
Guangxi's cliffside bookstore
In the Mianhua Sinkhole scenic area (棉花天坑景區) in Luocheng County in Guangxi, lies a magical cliff bookstore. This bookstore, built on the edge of a 326-metre-deep sinkhole, opened in May 2025 and quickly became an trendy photo spot.
The design of the cliff bookstore is highly distinctive, which uses a large amount of glass and wooden materials, making it both modern and natural.
The most special feature is that when standing inside the bookstore, you can see the sinkhole beneath your feet through the glass floor.
Looking out from the bookstore, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Guangxi's typical Karst landscape, with continuous mountain ranges often shrouded in clouds and mist, as if you were in a fairyland.
No wonder many visitors who have been there in person say it is like the hidden scripture library from a Chinese martial arts novel.
Starting from the evening, the warm yellow lights of the cliff bookstore turn on, illuminating the sinkhole and the starry sky.
At this time, sitting by the window, reading a book whilst gazing up at the starry sky and enjoying the tranquil moment, is believed to be exceptionally pleasant.
Read more: Exploring world's first quarry hotel in Shanghai
Yandang Mountain's cliffside coffee where brews meet the abyss
What does it feel like to drink coffee 100 metres up in the air? Come to the Yandang Mountains (雁蕩山) in Wenzhou, and you will find the answer.
On the cliff face of the Fangdong scenic area (方洞景區) in the Yandang Mountains in Wenzhou, there is a café integrated with the mountain rock.
This is not just a place for savouring coffee, but also a viewing platform suspended in mid-air.
You can walk along the suspended walkway, pass through the Silver Cliff Sky Corridor, and arrive at this recreational space on the cliff.
In the café, you can sit in a space on the Fangdong cliffs, savouring freshly ground coffee while overlooking the rolling mountain range below and the scattered villages in the distance.
If you bring a drone camera, you can even capture the café perched on the cliff from afar, creating a stunning visual impact. This experience of enjoying coffee within a 100-metre cliff face is surely both thrilling and romantic.
Read more: China's deepest lake gets its water "from the sky"?
Huzhou's waterfall coffee: From quarry to creativity
For our final stop, we arrive at Anji County in Huzhou City, also located in Zhejiang Province. Here, a unique space is "embedded" in a canyon.
It features a flowing waterfall, a café, and a concert hall, exuding a Southeast Asian vibe.
In the 1970s, this area was originally a limestone quarry, facing severe problems like damage to the mountain, river pollution, and dust-filled skies. In 2003, Yucun village decided to completely close the quarry and began the long process of ecological restoration.
Today, the quarry has been transformed into a leisure space full of ingenious designs. The seating is scattered by the water and under the rocks, blending perfectly with the surrounding natural scenery.
As you stroll along the newly restored mountain path, the roar of the waterfall fills your ears, the rich aroma of coffee drifts to your nose, and a magnificent, expansive mountain view opens up before you, allowing you to instantly leave all your troubles behind.
Now that you've seen these tranquil retreats tucked away among spectacular landscapes, isn't it time to plan your next trip? Pack your bags and go experience them in person!
Travel Information
Guangxi Hechi Cliff Bookstore
Address: Inside the Mianhua Sinkhole Scenic Area, Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County, Hechi City, Guangxi
Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00 (Scenic Area opening hours)
Wenzhou Yandang Mountain Cliff Café
Address: Inside the Fangdong Scenic Area, Yandang Mountain, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province (Navigate to Yandang Mountain Tourist Service Centre)
Opening Hours: 9:00-16:30 (Last entry at 16:00)
Huzhou Anji Waterfall Café
Address: Inside the Yucun Mine Pit Site, Anji County, Huzhou City
Opening Hours: 8:30-21:00