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The couple stands on the edge of the sheer limestone cliff.
More than 100 metres (328ft) beneath them is a lost world of ancient forests, plants and animals. All they can see is leafy tree tops and hear is the echoes of cicadas and birds bouncing off the cliffs.
For thousands of years, this “heavenly pit” or “tiankeng”, in Mandarin, was unexplored.
People feared demons and ghosts hiding in the mists which swirled up from the depths.
But drones and a few brave souls who lowered themselves into places untouched since dinosaurs roamed the Earth have revealed new treasures - and turned China’s sinkholes into a tourist attraction.
Two-thirds of the world’s more than 300 sinkholes are in China, scattered throughout the country’s west - with 30 known tiankeng, Guangxi province in the south has more of them than anywhere else. Its biggest and most recent find was two years ago: an ancient forest with trees reaching as high as 40m (130ft). These cavities in the earth trap time, preserving unique, delicate ecosystems for centuries. Their discovery, however, has begun to draw tourists and developers, raising fears that these incredible, rare finds could be lost forever.
www.bbc.com
More than 100 metres (328ft) beneath them is a lost world of ancient forests, plants and animals. All they can see is leafy tree tops and hear is the echoes of cicadas and birds bouncing off the cliffs.
For thousands of years, this “heavenly pit” or “tiankeng”, in Mandarin, was unexplored.
People feared demons and ghosts hiding in the mists which swirled up from the depths.
But drones and a few brave souls who lowered themselves into places untouched since dinosaurs roamed the Earth have revealed new treasures - and turned China’s sinkholes into a tourist attraction.
Two-thirds of the world’s more than 300 sinkholes are in China, scattered throughout the country’s west - with 30 known tiankeng, Guangxi province in the south has more of them than anywhere else. Its biggest and most recent find was two years ago: an ancient forest with trees reaching as high as 40m (130ft). These cavities in the earth trap time, preserving unique, delicate ecosystems for centuries. Their discovery, however, has begun to draw tourists and developers, raising fears that these incredible, rare finds could be lost forever.
China's sinkholes: Tourist boom threatens ancient forests
These caves were unexplored for thousands of years, protected by swirling mists and terrifying tales.
www.bbc.com
