The most beautiful island in China, a must-visit once in a lifetime

Romantic journey to the Pearl of the East China Sea 🌊 Nanji Island is one of the top ten most beautiful islands in China, selected by China National Geography.

✨ Trip Highlights
· Encounter the rare shell beach: Walk barefoot on the world’s rare shell beach—Dashao Bay, and feel the unique sensation of fine sand grains covering your feet.
· Breathtaking mountain and sea views: At Sanpanwei, enjoy both cliff meadows and the vast East China Sea; this is the best spot on the island to watch the sea.
· Fishing village life and seafood feast: Experience traditional fishing village life at Houlong Village and taste freshly caught and cooked seafood.
· Chase the magical blue tears: From April to July, you have the chance to encounter the amazing blue bioluminescence on the beach at night.
🚢 How to get to the island
Nanji Island is mainly connected to the mainland by ferry, with two main piers to choose from:
You can go to Aojiang Pier from Wenzhou Longwan Airport or Pingyang Station. Follow the "Nanji Passenger Tourism" WeChat public account to book tickets. The ferry ride takes about 2 hours, with multiple daily departures.
You can also go to Ruian Port Passenger Pier from Ruian High-Speed Rail Station. The speedboat ride takes about 1.5 hours.

🏝️ Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and beach experience
· Morning: Take a boat from Aojiang or Ruian Pier to Nanji Island, check into a hotel or guesthouse.
· Afternoon: Head to Dashao Bay Beach, which has an 800-meter-long shell beach with fine soft sand and clear water, perfect for swimming, beach volleyball, or shell collecting.
· Evening: Watch the sunset at Mazuo Bay, an excellent spot for sunset viewing.
Day 2: Sunrise and island tour
· Early morning: Go to Sanpanwei to watch the sunrise over the sea, the best sunrise viewing spot on Nanji Island.
· Morning: Explore the Sanpanwei scenic area, admire the natural grasslands and rock formations like the Monkey Worshiping Guanyin.
· Afternoon: Rent an electric bike on Rainbow Road for a circular island ride to enjoy coastal scenery.
· Evening: If visiting between April and July, look for the blue tears at Dashao Bay or stargaze by the sea.
Day 3: Fishing village culture and return
· Morning: Visit Houlong Fishing Village to experience fishing village culture.
· Noon: Enjoy a seafood feast featuring local specialties.
· Afternoon: Pack up and take the boat back.
🏞️ Sanpanwei Scenic Area
· Features: The best place on the island to watch the sea and sunrise, with natural grasslands and unique rock formations.
· Recommended visit time: Early morning for sunrise, about 3-4 hours for the full tour.
· Photo spots: Monkey Worshiping Guanyin, Wangfu Rock, natural grasslands.
· Tips: It’s cooler in the early morning, bring a jacket; wear comfortable, non-slip shoes.
Dashao Bay Beach
· Features: A world-rare shell beach with fine, soft sand and crystal-clear water, ideal for beachcombing and water play.
· Recommended visit time: 2-3 hours, preferably morning or evening to avoid strong sunlight.
· Activities: Swimming, beach volleyball, shell collecting.
· Tips: No swimming allowed after 6:30 PM; the last bus from Dashao Bay back to Sanpanwei is also at 6:30 PM.
Mazuo Bay
· Features: An excellent spot to watch the sunset and enjoy the sea ranch scenery.
· Recommended visit time: One hour before to after sunset.
· Photography tips: Bring a telephoto lens to capture fishing boats against the sunset.
Houlong Fishing Village
· Features: The largest fishing village on Nanji Island, preserving traditional fishing village life.
· Recommended visit time: 1-2 hours.
· Experience: Explore the fishing village atmosphere.
🦀 Food and Accommodation
Must-try dishes
Nanji Island is famous for seafood, don’t miss:
· Large yellow croaker: tender meat, best steamed.
· Swimming crab: the fattest in season.
· Mussels: extra large, fresh and sweet.
· Clams: perfect with beer.
Recommended restaurants
Hai Zhiyuan Fisherman’s Home: near Dashao Bay.
Wanghai Lou Seafood Stall: next to Sanpanwei scenic area.
Island food stalls: choose the busier ones.
Accommodation options
· High-end:
· Azure Acacia Resort Hotel: centrally located on Nanji Island, convenient transportation.
· Lost·Houlong Cave Hotel: unique cave design, each room faces the sea, but prices are higher.
· Mid-range:
· Houlong Fisherman’s Home: experience fisherman's life, good value.
· Dashao Bay Guesthouse: convenient location near main attractions.
· Practical tip: Accommodation on the island is limited, book in advance.
⚠️ Practical Tips
Best season: May to October for the bluest sea, but avoid typhoon season.
Essentials:
· Sunscreen: strong UV rays by the sea, bring sunscreen, hats, sunglasses.
· Mosquito repellent: many mosquitoes on the island.
· Comfortable shoes: suitable for walking.
· Some cash: some places may not accept electronic payments.
❌ Customs taboos:
· Fishermen avoid saying words like "flip," "down," or "bad luck."
· When eating, avoid tapping chopsticks on bowls or sticking chopsticks upright in rice bowls.
📷 Photography tips:
· Sanpanwei: shoot sunrise early morning, use side backlight for hair light effect.
· Dashao Bay: shoot before 10 AM or after 4 PM to avoid harsh light.
· Mazuo Bay: arrive before sunset to capture silhouette shots.