Village full of delightful surprises

"They've kept some of the traditional Chinese architecture, but certain aspects of the village are very advanced," Saminirina Dinatahina Princia from Madagascar said.

"They even have express delivery, mobile payments, banks ... almost everything there is in big cities."

Slater Rhea, a musician from the United States, said he had been to many parts of China, including villages in Hunan province, but Shibadong village was very well developed compared with anything he had seen before.

"I was shocked to see that not only is there a paved highway through the mountains to come here, but also, the internet and cellphone service here is excellent... Even though I'm out in the country, I don't feel that I'm far away from civilization."

On the bus ride to the village the group gasped at the scenic beauty they saw. The village sits in the mountains, and this day it was masked by a thin layer of cloud.

"It reminds me of Madagascar, because its scenery and the local lifestyle are quite similar to the small village where I lived as a child," Saminirina said. "Greenery everywhere, fresh unpolluted air."