Once a playground for elite Chinese and wealthy foreigners, the Mogan Mountains in East China are now regaining their former popularity with visitors, thanks to a combination of overseas investment and local know-how. Erik Nilsson and Yan Yiqi report from Deqing, Zhejiang province.

When South African national Grant Horsfield sought an escape from the pressures and pollution of China's metropolises, the stressed-out Shanghai resident never imagined that in achieving his goal, he would also found a getaway that would transform a mountain range in Zhejiang province into a destination for high-end ecotourism.

The travel industry that has since flourished on the bamboo-plumed peaks of the Mogan Mountains is now acclaimed as a model of environmental protection and architectural preservation - and as a way of bringing big bucks to small settlements.