China’s Hidden Paradise: They Spent 20 Years Building a Water Road
Hello everyone, welcome to my channel This time, I came to a hidden paradise in Yangxin County, Huangshi City, Hubei Province. It’s hard to explain exactly where it is, because it’s right in the middle of a lake Luckily, thanks to this one road, I was able to ride my motorcycle in. It’s hard to imagine how the villagers built this nearly 3-kilometer-long water road — but their hard work over the past couple of decades speaks for itself According to the local villagers, this place has been around for over a hundred years. Their ancestors lived here too. But in the past, there were no roads — the only way to get in or out was by boat They say even folks from the nearby town had no idea this place existed. Getting here means taking countless turns and winding through thick layers of forest It’s mid-June now, and with all the rain we’ve been getting lately, the water level has gone up quite a bit. A lot of the fishermen who went out earlier still haven’t made it back. With the limited technology they have, the village roads have started to crack, but it doesn’t stop people from using them See that? The villagers are building a boat made out of bamboo to make it easier for them to go out The people in the village are really friendly. They were really interested in my gear while I was filming, and in the evening, they even invited me to try some local dishes They’re planning to build two boats soon because the fishing ban is about to end The village has many lotus ponds that help them earn extra money by selling lotus pods, lotus roots, and even lotus leaves, which are used in traditional medicine Have you noticed there aren’t many people here? According to the villagers, most of the young people don’t come back. This place is pretty isolated, and the young just can’t stand it. But the older folks don’t want to leave — they want to spend their whole lives here The villagers said the roads have been built and repaired many times, but they keep getting damaged. So, big vehicles aren’t really welcome here The front is the village, and the back is where most of the residents gather “Who would have thought the village is in the middle of the lake? It’s really amazing.” Many houses only have the basic structure because no one lives there. To save costs, they choose not to renovate until there’s a need. There’s also a small lake in the middle of the village. Electric bikes are the most convenient way to get around here. It takes about 40 to 60 minutes to ride to town for supplies. Most of the houses here are treated for corrosion because they’re so close to the water. There are some houses scattered by the lake with great views, but it’s not a good spot. During the flood season, this area often gets flooded by the lake. Sorry for waking it up, haha! You can see that every household plants some vegetables and fruits at their doorsteps! It’s a Chinese tradition—they really like being self-sufficient. The villagers said this road has been flooded several times, so the lakeside embankment has been raised multiple times. Is this a farming area? Like for fish and frogs? According to the older residents, only a few dozen people live here now, mostly elderly. Because the place is so hidden and hard to find, almost no outsiders ever come—so they were really surprised by my visit. See that island in the distance? It’s the villagers’ place to relax. They go there to cut wood and make things they need. It’s also where their ancestors are buried. They built a road connecting the island — it’s like their little paradise. Since there are many graves around here, I didn’t explore too much. Now, follow my aerial view and let’s enjoy this beautiful and hidden paradise together! If you enjoyed this video, please give it a like and subscribe — thank you so much!
What is it like to live in a hidden paradise in the middle of a lake?
Hi everyone! This time, I traveled to Yangxin County, Huangshi City, in Hubei Province. I accidentally discovered a small island in the middle of a lake, where people have been living for over a hundred years!
According to the local villagers, they used to rely on small boats to return home. But to make life easier, they spent 20 years building water roads that connect the island to the mainland. Now, they can finally ride motorbikes or bicycles across.
The village is extremely secluded—you have to drive through dozens of winding turns before you even see the road leading to the island. Even many locals have no idea this place exists. It’s truly a hidden paradise.
Life here is peaceful and isolated from the outside world. Very few outsiders ever visit, so when I arrived, the villagers were quite surprised—but also very warm and welcoming. That evening, they even invited me to stay for dinner and enjoy their local specialties. I’m truly grateful!
00:00 Intro
00:30 Waterway to the village
03:58 Villagers build bamboo boats
06:05 Lotus pond
09:06 Village residential cluster
15:08 Beautiful lakeside scenery
20:00 Leading to Leisure island
22:10 Most beautiful aerial view
14 Comments
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湖北，千湖之省~
how they build water way among lake….that is not easy/not ususaly/can't think by many people…..
more good to build independent economic people….because the international Economic will be inside the Dead of Economic Prof Dr Paul Romero book 1998,if the economi on Earth can't cure/rebuild like Global Economic China but freemarket just by US….and make Tariff war
미국이 부러져도 한국 주가 지수는 잘 가네요
Thanks Travel East for sharing your excursion to water island. The bamboo boat is sturdy for fishing and relaxing in the lake. The road on the lake may be on bamboo pile foundation. The brick houses are large and multi storey to resist flooding. The courtyard with greens and flowers is pretty. Folks are wealthy as they have farmland, ponds , for self-sufficient life and large lotus lakes. Thanks for your hard work. God bless you ❤🐕🌺🌻🪷😊❤
Hvala☀️☀️
Ciao. E' immenso questo lago, davvero grande….bellissimo!! (Il lago più grande d'Italia è il Lago di Garda, con una superficie di circa 370 km²…questo sarà il quintuplo se non di più 😅), è affascinante la vita di lago. Un abbraccio dalla Toscana ❤
Um povo de fé, coragem, resiliência isto é natural neles e eles aceitam e seguem. Obrigado amigo por mais um rico vídeo.
Increíble, maravilloso! Gracias 🌷
Love how so many Chinese households try to be as self-sufficient as possible growing their own food. Beautiful island and homes.
Очень интнресное и немного грустное видео!🎉Спасибо вам за ваш труд,за то,что взяли нам с собой посмотреть на живущих в раю счастливых людей❤Мира всем,счастья и здоровья!Быть добру❤🎉❤
IT WAS QUITE SURPRISING TO SEE HOW CALM THE WATERS THERE REMAINED WITH THE WIND BLOWING SO HARD,
I love this village. I'm interested in infrastructure, especially water. Where does drinking water come from and what happens to wastewater?
湖北阳新竹溪州村