Dongluo village: From backwater to world's Best Tourism Village

Nestled among the famed raised-field wetlands of Xinghua in Taizhou, Jiangsu province, Dongluo village has been named one of the world's Best Tourism Villages by the UN World Tourism Organization.

Once known locally as the "bottom of the pot" for its low-lying, flood-prone terrain, Dongluo village relied entirely on boats to transport rice and wheat. Today, stone-paved lanes wind past preserved grey-brick cottages and a 1953 auditorium that still serves as the village's social heart.

Duotian, or raised-field, is a unique landscape in Xinghua. [Photo/WeChat account: tztour]

The turnaround began with Jiangsu's rural vitalization initiative, which introduced a tripartite model pairing government infrastructure with private capital and village coordination. Planners deliberately resisted over-commercialization. The historic auditorium was structurally reinforced, but its red-brick facade was retained; traditional architecture was preserved rather than replaced.

The 1953 auditorium still serves as Dongluo village's social heart. [Photo/WeChat account: tztour]

Tourism now offers year-round appeal — from spring rapeseed flowers to autumn crab feasts — and has redefined local livelihoods. Villager Luo Baofang converted her home into a farmhouse inn, while her son returned from migrant work to join a local tourism firm. Young entrepreneurs have opened cafes and studios, blending local taro and grapes into specialty drinks. The "Bashiba Cang" brand markets Xinghua rice and hairy crabs nationwide.

Xinghua's "Bashiba Cang" brand specialties. [Photo/WeChat account: tztour]

With third-phase construction underway, featuring new guesthouses and lakeside walkways, Dongluo is extending its reach. What began as a water-locked farming hamlet has become a national model of integrated agricultural, cultural and tourism development.