Travel / news
Cliffside Cafés Sprout Across China's Mountain and Cave Landscapes
From mountain caves in Guizhou to a via ferrata cliff in Fujian, China's newest coffee spots are built into dramatic natural settings, drawing tens of thousands of visitors.
At the Yandang Mountain range in Zhejiang, an award-winning café by Slow Coral Design is embedded into the rock face, featuring a glass viewing platform that projects outward. The design offers visitors a dramatic perspective over the surrounding peaks while they sip their drinks.
Guizhou, a province with an estimated 42,800 cave entrances, has seen a surge of coffee outlets opening within its karst landscapes. One example, XIU Coffee in Xiangbahu Village, Xiuwen County, recorded 40,000 visits from its opening in August 2025 through December of that year.
Farther east, Gushi Cliff Coffee in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, takes the concept to vertigo-inducing levels. Located on a cliff face with ocean views, it is reachable only via a via ferrata, a protected climbing route. The 398 RMB (about 60 USD) entry price includes insurance, photography, equipment rental and a professional coach.
The rise of these adventurous cafés reflects China's rapidly expanding coffee culture, where unusual locations and experiences are becoming as important as the beverage itself. Social platforms like Xiaohongshu have fueled demand for visually striking destinations, pushing operators to think beyond standard urban storefronts.