Come with me on a journey to discover a cave village in China. YES! an actual village built into a cave. But who lived there? And why did they leave. Find out.
Mike Okay discovers an abandoned cave village in China, camps overnight among bats and ghost stories, and learns the history of the Tuja people.
Join Mike Okay as he braves slippery mountain trails, curious locals, and a curse-laden cave to explore an abandoned Tuja village built into a cliff. With bats overhead and ghost stories in the air, he camps overnight in a place frozen in time. The reward? A breathtaking view and a profound connection to a vanishing way of life.
Come with me on a journey to discover a cave village in China. YES! an actual village built into a cave. But who lived there? And why did they leave. Find out. enjoy, mike x
Overnight in an Abandoned Cave Village in China's Chongqing Mountains
Mike Okay takes us on an intriguing adventure to a hidden cave village in China that has been abandoned for three decades. This is no ordinary village—it's actually built into a cave! The editor finds the mystery compelling: who were the inhabitants, and what drove them to leave? The video captures the haunting beauty of this lost community, inviting viewers to ponder the stories behind the empty stone homes. A must-watch for travel enthusiasts and history buffs alike.
Attractions in this video: Cave Village, Abandoned Cave Village, Tuja Ethnic Village
In this episode, editor Mike Okay ventures into the mountains of central China to find a long-abandoned cave village. The journey begins with a mix of anxiety and excitement—Mike has faced espionage accusations on recent travels, so a drive to clear his head sets the tone. Along the way, he encounters a local kid wielding a butterfly knife who just wants a photo, and another boy with a translation watch that bridges the language gap. These small interactions highlight the warmth and curiosity of the rural Chinese people, even as Mike admits he has no exact location for the cave.
After navigating bus ticket mix-ups and a motorbike ride up a single-lane mountain road, Mike finally reaches a remote village. A local family cooks him rice and tofu, and a helpful woman arranges a ride. The trek down slippery, rain-soaked stairs is treacherous—he loses his lighter and phone, but the reward is breathtaking. Emerging into a vast cave, he sees a waterfall pouring off the cliff and a cluster of ancient stone houses. “This might be the craziest view I’ve ever seen,” he exclaims.
The cave village, listed as a historical building in Lichuan in 2004, was home to the Tuja ethnic minority for generations. A local explains that everyone left more than 20 years ago to find work in cities. Mike sets up his tent under the dry cave roof, but the atmosphere turns eerie. An old man warns of a curse—Chinese zombie ghosts appear at midnight. Adding to the dread, hundreds of bats roost in the ceiling, and Mike nervously googles the risks of bat guano fungus.
Despite the fear, he enjoys a surprisingly good meal, drinks to calm his nerves, and reflects on the Tuja people’s self-sufficient lifestyle. They had pigs, vegetable plots, and a community of 40–50 people living completely off the land. The 21st century made such isolation inconvenient, leading to abandonment. Mike sleeps poorly but wakes to a stunning morning, grateful for the privilege of experiencing this forgotten place. He muses that the cave is reclaiming itself, and one day it may become a tourist attraction—but for now, it’s a hauntingly beautiful relic of a vanishing way of life.
