Inside ‘ghost’ island swallowed by nature that’s now a TikTok tourist attraction – & why old residents return every day

THIS is an abandoned fishing village that after being left to the mercy of mother nature, has been given a new lease of life thanks to TikTok.

China’s Houtouwan has drawn adventurers to explore the desolate area that was formerly home to 3,000 people.

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Houtouwan looks like it comes straight out of a Tolkien book[/caption]

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The area has been completely reclaimed by vines and vegetation[/caption]

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Houtouwan is a few miles away from Shanghai, on a remote island[/caption]

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The gorgeous village is nestled on a mountainous island[/caption]

Perched on stunning hills in China, the once thriving fishing community of Houtouwan has been abandoned for decades.

The Shengshan island is part of an archipelago consisting of 400 islands around 64km east of Shanghai.

Nicknamed the “ghost village”, most locals left the scenic area in the 1990s to pursue work in large cities – leaving the area desolate.

Workers would have to tirelessly travel to and from the mainland which was an incredibly long commute which affected residents’ quality of life.

The emigration out of the now-abandoned island began in the 1990s and by 2002, it was completely desolate.

After its abandonment, lush green vines began creeping up houses and in through the windows.

Incredible scenes of the city reveal entire buildings covered in lush green ivy after being abandoned.

Now ex-residents return every day to their former homes to greet tourists and sell bottled water.

In 2015, images of Houtouwan went viral online, encouraging backpacking thrill-seekers to explore the abandoned island.

Since then, it’s become a hot destination for TikTokers and influencers, who are headed to the town to take dramatic photos.

The “Tolkien-esque” town has wowed those online, and some thrill seekers opt to explore the abandoned homes – despite being warned not to.

One influencer who visited the village shared glam photos of her in a white dress with a red parasol amongst the abandoned buildings.

Another TikToker shared a video of her viewing the abandoned area from a crumbled balcony.

But a viewing platform opened in 2017 to accommodate just how many tourists were coming to see it and to keep visitors safe.

The new wave of tourists has also boosted the company’s economy, as up to 90,000 visitors came in 2021 alone.

Hundreds of visitors now come on a daily basis to explore Houtouwan and see the lush greenery from the pathways.

Similarly tucked away in a corner of Turkey lies an abandoned village whose residents were forced to leave after ghost sightings.

The town of Kayaköy was once a lively and integrated community of Greek–Turkish people but was left to rot by locals some 100 years ago.

It has now become a true ghost town that sits empty except for tour groups visiting the historical place that failed to stand the test of time.

Most of the houses in the city have now lost their roofs and their collapsed walls sprout with vegetation.

The ruins of houses, churches and other buildings can be found in the city, which was once home to thousands of people before they left the town.

The eerie streets have been left behind, with people able to wander from building to building and have a glimpse at the lives of those who used to live there.

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Overgrown vines and trees have reclaimed the area[/caption]

AFP or licensors

It has been abandoned since 2002[/caption]