The sky cinema inside the Oriental Salt Lake Resort. (Photo provided to China Daily)
The Oriental Salt Lake Resort in Jintan, Jiangsu province, looks a little like Zhejiang's touristy Wuzhen, but with a regal and religious touch.
It was like time travel when we set foot at the Oriental Salt Lake Resort.
A giant Taoist stone sculpture and an extensive rugged stone wall greeted us at the resort that is located at the foot of the Taoist holy mountain Maoshan in Jintan, Jiangsu province.
Soft and smooth Taoist music wafts through the air adding to the atmosphere.
It is late in the afternoon when we arrive here in late November.
We are awestruck as we explore the resort walking along the stone slab-paved roads.
The road gradually takes us to buildings that overlook each other and small lakes.
Yellow lights shine on gates, pavilions, inns and museums that wear an ancient look, making for a magnificent view.
The area somehow looks a little like Zhejiang province's tourism hotspot Wuzhen, yet with a regal and religious touch.
Further away, stretches of dark green mountains hug the resort.
The resort, when completed, will cover an area of 27.8 square kilometers at a cost of nearly 10 billion yuan ($1.45 billion).
The first phase (66.7 hectares), which was opened to the public in March, has integrated the mountains, water, and local tea and food resources.
The resort has already logged approximately 1 million visits since its inauguration.
"Self-drive visitors are the biggest group so far," says Yang Guozhong, head of the Jintan tourism bureau.
The resort is an hour's drive from Nanjing and two hours from Shanghai.
"Most of them (visitors) typically spend two days here, getting in touch with nature and soaking up Taoist culture," says Yang.
Accommodation is priced from 600 yuan ($87) to a little more than 1,200, with breakfast for two and entrance fees.
Here, visitors can practice tai chi, enjoy organic food and take trips to villages nearby.
