Viral ‘Edge of Earth’ Cliffs in Southwest China Close Permanently to Tourists

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Longtou Mountain is a famous tourist spot on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau in China. It is nicknamed the ‘Edge of the World’ due to its spectacular cliff-like sides that drop dramatically into a sea of clouds.

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On August 28, local authorities announced the indefinite closure of the scenic area to tourists to prevent further environmental damage to its grasslands.

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The measure is a response to a recent surge in tourism to the area. After photos of Longtou Mountain went viral on Chinese social media last year, flocks of tourists started driving and camping along the cliffs.

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[{"selector":"#anim-33029530-6202-4543-9984-97b7161f9bda","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9435ac0-092f-41e9-aae7-4a6b5c301279","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1685cf0-1098-4751-b5d8-7f848038e16a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8af5a890-3cd1-4de5-8414-fb33c242b087","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Longtou Mountain is an example of the negative impact of mass ‘ viral tourism ’ in remote areas, and its closure has sparked debate on the importance of promoting sustainable tourism. For more travel content, click ‘ See More ’ below. See More