The fascinating ghost village that's become a popular tourist attraction
An abandoned fishing village in China has become a popular tourist destination after it was taken over by nature.
Abandoned places always feel mysterious. Whether the houses have fallen into disrepair or it's not clear why the original residents left, they can feel a little like a ghost town.
In China, the abandoned fishing village of Houtouwan on Shengshan island, has recently become a tourist attraction due to its overgrown buildings.
The remote village once had a population of 3,000 people but now it's completely deserted leaving the past difficult to imagine.
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Houtouwan is located on Shengshan island which is part of the Shengsi Archipelago, off the coast of eastern China. It was once a thriving fishing village with a population of around 3,000 people.
Houtouwan's residents started to leave the village in the 1990s because of its remote location. It was tricky for people to reach the mainland and some were struggling for work opportunities.
In 2002, Houtouwan was officially depopulated and the remaining village was merged into another nearby village. After it was left abandoned, lush greenery quickly started to take over the buildings.
In 2015, photos of the mysterious abandoned village went viral on social media and Houtouwan started to attract a surge of tourists. Officials on Shengshan island were worried by the sudden influx with one reported as saying the village "wasn't equipped" for tourists.
Houtouwan steadily prepared itself for tourists and a viewing platform opened in 2017 while visitors are able to hike around the village if they pay a small fee. As with all abandoned places, people need to be careful of decaying structures.