Student Budget Island Travel Guide

——Including Movie Filming Spots, 2025 Pitfall Avoidance Guide, Student Budget Tested

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📅 Itinerary Planning (High Cost-Performance Loop)

Day 1: Artistic Bay · Light and Shadow Feast

• Morning: Nanmen Bay Film Location Check-in

◦ Must-Do: Navigate to "Nanming Academy" to shoot the panoramic rooftop scene from the movie "The Left Ear," rent an electric scooter to ride along the coast (3 RMB/hour), at low tide rush to Nanyu’s double-sided sea, walk to the green and white lighthouse to shoot the proposal scene from "Your Wedding."

◦ Hidden Spot 📸: Colorful houses contrasting with the bay, use the "Xingtu-Carmel" filter to instantly transform into Santorini!

• Afternoon: Wind Moving Rock Wonder + Guan Di Temple Blessing

◦ Touch the "World’s Number One Strange Rock" (contact area only palm-sized!), walk the coastal boardwalk, draw lots at Guan Di Temple (600 years of continuous incense burning).

• Overnight: Nanmen Bay Seaview Homestay (Recommended "Island Hotel," 150 RMB per person, open the window to see the sea and hear the waves).

Day 2: Mountain and Sea Wonders · Sunrise Exclusive

• Early Morning 5:00: Jinluan Bay Mirror Sunrise

◦ Enjoy the exclusive sea and sky reflection! Drone location at Golden Bauhinia Square to shoot the "Mirror of the Sky" masterpiece (summer sunrise around 5:30).

• Morning: Su Feng Mountain Island Road Speed Ride

◦ Rent an electric scooter (80 RMB/day), rush to the blue popular bridge + Yanya Village cliff reefs (stand on the reef at low tide to shoot the dark style "Shipwreck").

• Afternoon: Maluan Bay Sea Fun

◦ Experience windsurfing at the National Sailing Base (80 RMB/hour), lie on the jelly sea sand beach and drink coconut water.

• Night: Tongling Night Market Street Food Tour (Oyster omelet + Cat congee + Four-fruit soup, 30 RMB per person to eat until you can barely walk).

Day 3: Secret Exploration · Fishing Village Life

• Morning: Fishbone Sandbank Tidal Wonder

◦ Check tide tables 👉 Best on lunar calendar days 8 and 23 (visible 9:00-15:00), aerial shoot the fishbone-shaped sandbank (rent a drone at the entrance for 100 RMB/time).

• Afternoon: Aojiao Village Windmill Sea + Wujiao Bay Black Sand Beach

◦ Climb the viewing platform to shoot windmills and Four Beasts Islets, explore volcanic rock caves; avoid crowds and rush to Wujiao Bay National Forest Park to shoot lonely reef rocks + forest tunnel masterpieces.

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🌟 Top 5 Must-Try Experiences (Locals Certified)

1. Nanmen Bay Bioluminescent Algae

◦ Summer exclusive! Blue light waves in July-August, more visible after 23:00 on the dark coast (Safety tip: Do not enter the water).

2. Night Squid Catching

◦ Go out with fishing boats (100 RMB per person), use headlamps to lure transparent squid, freshly boiled with dipping sauce so fresh it will blow your mind.

3. Colorful Butterfly Bay Fairy Tale Train

◦ Ride the seaside small train like in Miyazaki’s films (30 RMB per person), shoot the "Mirror of the Sea and Sky" cloud sea from the tower top.

4. Guan Di Cultural Festival

◦ Held in August 2025! Watch parade formations, fireworks, and fire dragons (free admission, book accommodation one month in advance).

5. Jiuxian Mountain Water Exercise Platform

◦ Climb the Zheng Chenggong military training site, overlook the panoramic view of the town and bay, ancient banyan trees provide a super healing atmosphere.

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🦞 Food Must-Haves List (50 RMB per person to become legendary)

Category Legendary Shops Must-Eat Formula
Seafood Stalls Tongling Town "Wanglai Seafood Stall" Boiled squid + steamed balang fish (CCTV certified)
Oyster Omelet Nanmen Bay Night Market Stall 3 with double eggs! Served with sweet chili sauce + pickled radish
Roast Pork Tendon Ling Tongling People's Market charcoal-grilled pork net oil rolls, paired with pineapple to cut greasiness
Four-Fruit Soup Little Wife Sweet Soup (Tuanjie Road) with taro balls + grass jelly, iced smoothie base
Hidden Gems Xixiang Fast Boat Seafood Feast 150 RMB all-inclusive: freshly caught on board + barbecue

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💡 2025 New Practical Tips

• Transportation Hacks:

◦ Xiamen → Yunxiao Station High-Speed Rail (1h), turn right out of the station to take Dongshan Route 15 (10 RMB direct to Nanmen Bay);

◦ Island tricycle bargaining mantra: "5 RMB down to 3 RMB, if not, walk away immediately" (tested effective).

• Accommodation Rankings:

◦ Cost-effective: Nanmen Bay Homestay (100+ RMB per person, listen to waves at night)

◦ Luxury: Jinluan Bay "Haisong Wooden House" (detached villa, wake up to mirror sand beach views)

◦ Niche Choice: Yanya Village Cliff Stone House (book one month in advance!)

• Pitfall Avoidance Triple Strike:

❶ No aerial shooting at Fishbone Sandbank = wasted trip! Leave one hour before high tide;

❷ Seafood stall anti-overcharge mantra: "Ask price before ordering, check bill at checkout";

❸ Prepare plenty of aloe vera gel from July to September! UV index is extremely high, reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.

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The romance of Dongshan Island is the bioluminescent waves of Nanmen Bay 🌌, the smoke from fishing boats returning to port, the moment you bite into juicy squid 💥. This island, quieter than Xiamen and cheaper than Sanya, is waiting for you to unlock 256G of appetite and photo album!

Guide data source: Zhangzhou Culture and Tourism Bureau 2025 announcement + on-site verification