35 Stunning Abandoned Places Around the World You Can Still Visit

24. Houtouwan, China: The Village Devoured by Nature

Once a bustling fishing village on Shengshan Island, part of China’s Zhoushan archipelago, Houtouwan has since been transformed into a living work of art by nature’s hand. Abandoned in the 1990s due to economic decline and its remote, difficult-to-access location, the village has since been overrun by lush vegetation. Today, ivy cascades over rooftops like green waterfalls, trees burst through doorways, and every alleyway is a tangled jungle of vines and stone. The result is a surreal, almost fairytale-like fusion of architecture and wild flora that has drawn global attention from photographers, filmmakers, and curious travelers. Despite its remote location, Houtouwan is increasingly accessible via guided tours from nearby Gouqi Island or by foot for those willing to hike through rugged terrain. The village serves as a powerful visual metaphor for the resilience of the natural world and the impermanence of human settlements—a place where silence thrives and time seems to stand still under a canopy of green.