Cliff road connects isolated Shanxi village to tourist hotspot

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A 1,526-meter-long road built along cliffs has connected isolated Shenlongwan Village in north China's Shanxi Province to the outside world.

Decades ago, villagers in Shenlongwan in the depth of the Taihang Mountains had to climb flights of steps along cliffs, or were forced to detour through eight towns, to reach Changzhi City.

To link the isolated village to the outside world, local villagers started constructing a road in 1985, which was completed after 15 years of painstaking efforts.

Since the cliff road was put into service in 2000, the unique landscape of Shenlongwan Village has attracted a growing number of visitors, especially calligraphic, photographic and painting enthusiasts. Many villagers who worked outside have returned to help develop local tourism and offer tourists rural home-stay services.

At the end of 2015, Shenlongwan villagers had shaken off poverty thanks to the tourism boom driven by the road. The village received 300,000 visitors in 2017 with tourism revenue amounting to 50 million yuan (7.72 million US dollars).

Buildings used for farm tourism in Shenlongwan village on June 12. /Xinhua Photo

Cars run along a cliff road in Shenlongwan village, Shanxi Province, June 13. /Xinhua Photo

A truck on the cliff road brings goods to Shenlongwan village, June 13. /Xinhua Photo

A visitor in Shenlongwan scenic area, June 13. /Xinhua Photo

Source(s): China Daily