Into China's dreamscape beyond the clouds

Zhangjiajie is emerging as a must-see destination for global travelers, Xu Lin and He Chun report.

Against the backdrop of towering, otherworldly sandstone pillars and peaks at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Hunan province, a group of inbound tourists stands transfixed, their eyes soaking in the sweeping, mist-shrouded landscape.

The park is a core part of the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. These surreal karst formations and peak forests are said to be the inspiration for the floating Hallelujah Mountains in director James Cameron's Hollywood blockbuster, Avatar.