All Aboard Beijing's 'Flying Saucer' – If You Dare
If you have a head for heights, then Beijing has a new challenge for you: the world’s largest (and perhaps scariest) glass-bottomed viewing platform has opened at the Shilinxia Scenic Area.
The platform, dubbed “the flying saucer,” is a circle of glass and metal jutting out over a 1,300-foot drop. At 107 feet, 50 percent longer than the Grand Canyon Skywalk. To make it both light and safe, the same titanium alloys were used as in aircraft construction. The numbers and technology are impressive then, but only pictures really capture the extraordinary and terrifying views from the platform:
The Shilinxia Scenic Area is located 80 kilometers northeast of the city center, in Pinggu District. To get there by car, take the Jingping Highway to Pinggu, then follow the signs. Alternatively, you can get the 852 bus from Dongzhimen to Pinggu Bus Station, where you change for a local bus (number 25) to Shilinxia.
See more pictures of the Shilinxia before you head out by clicking "Read more" below.