Tracts of rapeseed blossoms grow in terraced fields in Nanling village, Sangzhou town, Ninghai county, Ningbo. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

Formerly an isolated mountainous village, Nanling village in Ningbo's Ninghai county has emerged as a popular tourism destination.

This stark change is a result of the 2017 expansion of Yu'nan Road, which spans about 11 kilometers in Sangzhou town, which administers Nanling. The road, with its widest part reaching 7 meters, can accommodate 50-seater buses.

The improved connectivity to outside of the village has brought prosperity to Nanling. Throngs of visitors are attracted to admire the tracts of rapeseed flowers in the village.

During the peak season, there are tens of thousands of tourists and thousands of cars a day at most, according to Lu Sudi, who runs a homestay in the village.

Villagers have also greatly benefited from the tourism boom. One such example is Zhang Sihua, who erects a stall and sells baked potatoes braised with soy sauce to tourists during the annual rapeseed flower festival. She said that she can earn up to 4,800 yuan ($738.5) a day from selling baked potatoes.

Official data shows that Sangzhou town welcomed 550,000 tourists in 2019, generating over 12 million yuan in tourism revenue. 

A tea garden in Nanling village, Sangzhou town, Ninghai county, Ningbo. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

Tracts of rapeseed blossoms grow in terraced fields in Nanling village, Sangzhou town, Ninghai county, Ningbo. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]