This cliffside ancient village in Changzhi offers summer coolness and a 30-meter waterfall—you won’t want to leave after coming

Shanxi is going crazy! This cliffside ancient village in Changzhi offers summer coolness and a 30-meter waterfall—you won’t want to leave after coming. Who understands! In summer, if you want to find a cool and uncrowded place, you scroll through the whole internet only to find either crowded beaches or overly commercialized ancient towns, until I discovered Hongni Village in Changzhi—a cliff village deep in the Taihang Mountains, with stone houses covered in moss and a 30-meter waterfall crashing down from a sheer cliff. The average summer temperature is 25°C. After staying one night, my kid directly shouted, “I don’t want to go back to the city!” Before setting off, a friend poured cold water on me: “What’s fun about Shanxi in summer? It’s just all historical sites!” But as soon as I entered the core area of the ancient village, I was completely proven wrong. Underfoot were polished stone slabs, flanked by old stone houses with roofs layered with stone tiles, like the houses were wearing “armor.” Passing by the village ancestral hall, the carved wooden door was still clearly visible, sunlight streaming through the window lattice, even the dust carried a sense of history. The best part was walking in the alleys—no car horns, only the slow chatter of villagers and roosters crowing. That kind of tranquility is ten times more comfortable than “squeezing in for oxygen” at popular tourist spots! Before I could recover from the village’s slow pace, I stopped dead in my tracks when I reached Hongni Waterfall—on a cliff over 30 meters high, the water flowed down like a white ribbon, the mist splashing on my face instantly dispelling the summer heat. I originally wanted to stand back and take photos, but my kid pulled me toward the trail below the waterfall, saying, “I want to touch the water!” A reminder: the stone slabs get very slippery when wet, so be sure to wear non-slip shoes. My kid almost slipped but caught himself just in time. Standing under the waterfall, looking up as the water “crashed” down overhead, the roar was so loud that you had to shout to talk. That kind of shock is way more thrilling than watching videos! Early the next morning, I climbed to the viewing platform and finally understood what a “fairyland view” means. Standing on the platform looking down, the entire Hongni Village lay nestled in the mountain hollow, stone houses arranged neatly, the Hongni Waterfall hanging like a silver ribbon on the cliff, and the distant Taihang Mountains layered with a thin mist. I quickly took out my phone and snapped over ten photos, all of which needed no editing. After posting them on social media, the comment section was full of “Where is this?” Even friends who usually don’t like to comment asked for the location. Honestly, this trip to Hongni Village was even more surprising than I expected—no entrance fee, no commercial snack streets, just an original ancient village and a spectacular waterfall. It’s perfect for summer cooling, and at night you can stay in a guesthouse and fall asleep listening to the insects. The only thing to note is that the village roads are narrow, so if you drive, it’s best to park at the village entrance and not drive further in. Stop hesitating about where to go in summer! This hidden route deep in the Taihang Mountains lets you see ancient villages, enjoy waterfalls, and stay cool—offering great value. Friends who have been, come comment and tell me which amazed you more, the waterfall or the ancient village? If you haven’t been, save this guide now. If you want the address of the guesthouse I stayed at with the amazing view, comment “Want guesthouse” and I’ll send it to you privately!