01. Surreal Island in Zhejiang
The sea and beach carries people’s imagination for romance. From the past to today, the history of mankind is just a drop in the ocean. However, to all mankind, we share a memory vast as ocean, in terms of conquering it. People are always curious about the unknown. And the ocean always fascinates us by its bizarre world. With many coastal cities and a coastline of over 6,000 kilometers, Zhejiang is rich in sea and islands. Sail out for an unforgettable experience.
ZHOUSHAN ISLANDS
The Zhoushan Islands are the largest archipelago in China. More than ten thousand years ago, there were still undulant coastal hills. With the rise of sea level, the mountains became islands, and more than I,390 islands were scattered like pearls in the vast sea. Tourism in Zhoushan is full of fun. You can enjoy the sea, taste unique sea food, swim and worship Guanyin. There are more than I,000 spots for natural landscapes, Buddhist culture and fishing custom. The beautiful natural scenery and pleasant climate here make Zhoushan Islands a famous island tourist resort sought after by visitors at home and abroad.
A HOME TO THOUSANDS OF ISLANDS
Zhoushan Island is the main island of Zhoushan Islands. It is named after its boat-like shape. The highest point – Huangyang Point – is 503.6 meters above sea level. On the southeast side of Zhou shan Island, there is the world-famous fishing port – Shenjiamen Fishing Port , which is China’s largest of its category and the import and export harbor of sea products. Shenjiamen Fishing Port, along with Callao Port in Peru and Bergen Port in Norway, makes “World ‘s Top Three Fishing Ports.”
SHENGSI ISLANDS
Shengsi Islands are located in the northern part of Zhoushan Islands, composed of 394 small islands with many strange and unusual reefs. The most famous spots within Shengsi Islands are Jihu Sand Beach and Nanchangtu Sand Beach. Thanks to the long distance from the land, these are the best destinations for swimming.
DONGJI ISLAND
Dongji Island is located at the eastern end of Zhoushan Islands, hence named as “Dongji”, meaning the end of east. With fishermen inhabiting here, it is the most typical island with sea scenery and fishing custom in the entire Zhoushan Islands. Local constructions are built according to the terrain, like a mirage when seen from distance.
NANJI ISLANDS
Nanji Islands, located in Pingyang County, Wenzhou, are composed of 52 islands of different sizes. Seen from the air,the whole archipelago resembles a running muntjac, which gives the archipelago its name. Nanji Island is the main island and also the biggest one. It is one of China’s national marine nature reserves for its abundant marine resources. It is listed as “Top Ten Islands in China” for its wonderful natural scenery including winding coastline, capes and bays, elegant mountains. spectacular stones, fascinating beaches, blue water and green plants.
KINGDOM OF SHELLFISH AND ALGAE
The Nanji Islands are also known as the “Kingdom of Shellfish and Algae.” When the cold water south ward and the warm current north ward meet here, the bait on the sea floor is brought to the surface by the vortex. Shells and algae of different climate zones can be found here. For this reason, this place is listed in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves .
DASHA'AO
Dasha’ao is a rare shell sand beach in the world. The soft white sand is gift to people by time and nature. Dead shells are washed ashore by tidal waves and shattered into sand grains, piling over the entire beach day after day. Finally, a natural beach extending to the crystal-clear sea is created. When the wind blows, the waves beat on the beach rhythmically. Feeling the soft sand and the touch of waves barefoot, it is the moment of pure joy.
YUSHAN ISLANDS
The Yushan Islands are located at the southeastern tip of Xiangshan in Ningbo, Zhejiang. There are sub-islands called South Yushan and North Yushan which attracts most visitors. Since the Yushan Islands are situated in the deep-sea area and near the high seas, the entire islands are like a giant pillar standing in the crystal-clear water or a glamorous emerald under the sky. The Yushan Islands are also one of the only four special marine reserves in Zhejiang. Surrounded by grass and flowers, with waves beating against the reefs and seagulls singing afar, it is pleasant to spend a leisure sunny day here.
THE FIRST FISHING AREA IN ASIA
Located in the north and south ocean current intersection belt, Yushan Islands benefit a lot from the luxuriant fish resources, known as “the first fishing area in Asia”. Each year, sea fishing enthusiasts across the world come here for the annual sea fishing competition. In this vast sea area, there are Groupers that live here all year round, but also migratory fishes including the valuable fish species widely recognized by the community of international sea fishing enthusiasts, such as sea breams and sea brasses. Among the collision of sea water and reefs, people communicate with the ocean through their fishhooks. Meanwhile, it also provides a good opportunity to calm the mind and return to nature.
02. Qinhuangdao in Hebei
In the northeast of Hebei Province , Qinhuangdao borders the Bohai Sea in the south and lies at the foot of Yanshan Mountain in the north, with an area of 7,812 square kilometers and a population of 2.83 million. Qinhuangdao has jurisdiction over three districts, namely Haigang, Shanhaiguan and Beidaihe, and four counties, namely Funing, Changli, Lulong and Qinglong. It is a natural frozen-free harbor and a famous tourist attraction. During the Beijing Olympic Games, the football preliminaries were held in Qin huangdao. While watching the football games, tourists can also appreciate the picturesque scenery of this seaside city.
03. Beidaihe in Hebei
Beidaihe is a famous summer resort, backing on to Lianfeng Mountain, and facing the boundless sea. Beidaihe boasts a favorable environment, with undulating hills covered by green pine and cypress trees; exquisite hotels and villas are hidden in the green hills. With smooth sand beaches and blue sea, Beidaihe is an ideal natural bathing beach. Newly developed Nandaihe and Golden Beach have become another two ideal destinations.
Transport
Trains from Beijing Railway Station to Qinhuangdao include D3, D227 and Y509. Train Tl 1 from Beijing to Shenyang, and train T225 from Beijing to Dalian pass Shanhaiguan. Long-distance buses go from Zhaogongkou in Beijing to Qinhuangdao regularly.
Car drivers may drive along Beijing-Ton g zhou Expressway to Tongzhou, and then they may travel along Beijing-Harbin Expressway to Yanjiao in Hebei Province, then along No. 102 national highway to Qinhuangdao. Or they may drive along Beijing-Shenyang Expressway from Sifangqiao to Qinhuang dao, and tum to the south at the crossroad at Beigang Town to Haigang District.
Accommodations
Qinhuangdao and Beidaihe are famous tourist and summer resorts of China , with advanced tourist facilities. Their hotels and restaurants meet demands of different tour ists. However between July and September every year, accommodations are sometimes running sho rt.
Special Local Products
Aquatic products, shells, pearl ornaments and Xiaoyang pears.
04. Huiquan Bathing Beach in Qingdao
Located in Huiquan Bay in Qingdao, it is also known as No. 1 Bathing Beach, with fine sands and clear water. In summer, the crescent-shaped bathing beach is crowded with people, with blue skies, golden sand beaches, and white sailing boats on the vast sea.
05. Songlan Mountain Resort in Ningbo
A National 4 As Tourism Area, it is a top comprehensive beach tourism sort in Eastern China to offer integrated services of leisure, entertainment, holiday making and conferences. The 12-kilometer-long sightseeing highway between the mountain and sea sets off the resort’s winding shoreline, presenting a breath-taking view of islets, sandy beaches, harbour and capes, dotted with fringing reefs.
06. Niangniang Beach in Shanxi
This is an island shaped like an inverted English letter “T”. It is situated in the course of the Yellow River in the north of Hequ County. Nestling among various luxuriant trees, such as peach, plum, apricot and Chinese flowering crab apple, the houses here present an idyllic picture . When spring comes, the isle exhibits a scene of enchanting beauty with lovely birds singing and flowers giving forth their fragrance, cows lowing and dogs barking, and dozens of rowboats shuttling their oars. During the summer and autumn, tourists can see the farm houses dotted in the res plendent trees and surrounded by rippling water. It is a particularly charming sight.
The Niangniang Beach, as the platform of the river center, is only a few meters higher than the surface of the river itself. However, the catas trophic flood peaks, which frequently emerged in history, have never actually overflown, hence the legend saying that when the river rises the beach grows higher.
Transport: Take a taxi from Hequ County.
07. Tianyahaijiao Scenic Zone in Hainan
On the southwestern seashore of Sanya City, Tianya Haijiao means the “‘edge of Heaven and the end of the sea,” where the misty surface of the sea fuses with the sky. Several huge rocks stand by the South China Sea, with the inscriptions meaning “Edge of Heaven,” “End of the Sea,” “Pillar of the South Heaven” and the “south Heaven Judged by the Sea.” Tianya Haijiao has recorded the historical tragedies of demoted officias in ancient China, and witnessed lots of inscriptions, poems and essays written by ancient and modern scholars; hence it has become a famous legendary tourist attraction in Sanya. In the scenic zone, tourists can find the seawater bathing ground, terraces for people to go fishing, lots of marine dinghies, the “Igniting Terrace,” “Pavilion for Overlooking the Sea,” “Pavilion for Commemorating Su Dongpo” and a multi-layer tourist attractions consisting of zigzagging and secluded paths. Here tourists can appreciate the picturesque natural scenery and do swimming in the sea. The “Tianya Material Village,” “Tianya Ramble Zone,” ”Tianya Art Gallery,” “Tianya Ethnic Folklore Garden” and the statues of the famous historical personages stand in the scenic zone, showing the mergence of the modem architectural features and the classical gardens, which will make tourists enjoy themselves so much as to forget to go home.
08. Bird Island & Sand Island in Qinghai
Bird Island
The Bird Island in the northwestern part of Qinghai Lake is home to tens of thousands of migratory birds. It consists of two isles. Haixishan, also known as Xiaoxishan, in the west, is the place where more than 100,000 bar-headed geese, black-headed gulls, brown-headed gulls and other birds build their nests every April. In the birds’ breeding season, the isle is covered with eggs, thus its another name: Egg Isle. Haixipi Isle is one kilometer from the Haixishan Isle. It is known as the Cormorants’ Isle because most of the birds living on it are cormorants. The two isles, collectively called Bird Island, are the most densely populated “birds’ paradise” in the world. Flying birds can block the sun, creating a spectacular view over Qinghai Lake.
Sand Island Scenic Area
Sand Island is a small island in the eastern part of Qinghai Lake. It is a sand dune that had risen above the lake water level. Sand Island and the sand dunes on the eastern shore present a unique desert view by Qinghai Lake. The Sand Island Scenic Area is not only a swimmers’paradise but also offers sport programs such as beach motorcycling, sand sliding, camel riding and beach volleyball. In recent years Qinghai Province has held an annual international sand sculpture festival in the area.