Dongfushan Island is located at the eastern end of the Zhoushan Islands. Compared with the lively Miaozihu Island, here there are more charming mountain and sea views and a more pure fishing village atmosphere. It is also a great place to watch the sunrise. Dongfushan Island is not large. However, due to the limited ferry schedules, one must stay on the island for at least one night. Usually, one will arrive at Dongfushan Island at noon on the same day. After settling accommodation and having lunch, start to play lightly. Early the next morning, get up to watch the sunrise on the sea in the east of the motherland. After a short rest, take the ferry to continue playing on Miaozihu Island and then return. The journey to Dongfushan Island is rather tortuous, but it is very worthwhile. You need to take a boat from Banshengdong Wharf in Shenjiamen to Miaozihu Island, and then transfer to a small boat to go to Dongfushan Island (the small boat takes about half an hour and costs 30 yuan per person). Along the way, you can clearly feel the change of scenery. The seawater gradually turns blue from the initial turbidity. What’s more interesting is that you can see a clear boundary of seawater colors. When getting off the boat, many shopkeepers are picking up people and soliciting customers at the pier. Most inns on the island are about 5-15 minutes’ walk from the pier. It is recommended to stay in an inn close to the sea and at a high terrain, so that the view is better and you can see the sea from the room. Near the sunshine observation platform near the pier is a good place to watch the sunrise. The sea sunrise on Dongfushan Island is accompanied by a lighthouse on the reef. In the distance is Xifushan (reclining Buddha on the sea). Nearby with lights are Qingbang Island and Miaozihu Island. The scenery is quite spectacular. There is a tent area nearby the observation point. You can bring your own tent to camp. At present, there is no public transportation on the island. Except for a cement road winding up the mountain leading to the top of the mountain troops, most of the others are stone step mountain roads. Therefore, basically, walking is the way to play on Dongfushan Island. Of course, you can completely eat seafood here, stroll around the fishing village, and watch the waves crashing on the shore. But Dongfushan Island is indeed a place that is very worthy of hiking around the island. This is a’stone island’. There are a large number of abandoned stone houses everywhere on the island, which is a unique scenery other than the sea view on the island. Hiking is roughly divided into two routes. One is to climb up along the cement road. After about 40 minutes, pass a small pavilion. Continue to go up for about 5 minutes and encounter the Baiyun Stone Cave. Choose the stone path next to it and go down for about 5 minutes to reach the Baiyun Palace. Continue to go down along the stone path for half an hour, and then come to the Elephant Trunk Peak at the eastern end of the island. The scenery here is very spectacular. The whole route takes about 4 hours round trip. The other route is relatively easy. Opposite to the cement road, follow the path in front of Yunwu Mountain Villa and go north around the sea. It takes about half an hour to reach the Dashuwan Stone House Group. Continue walking forward. After about 15 minutes, you will come to the Baodao Cave. The locals call this place the ‘hidden troop cave’. The scenery nearby is also very beautiful. This section of the road takes about 2 hours round trip. Sea fishing is also one of the pleasures of traveling to Dongfushan Island. Most amateur sea fishermen will rent fishing rods and fish on the pier and on the reefs.
For avid sea anglers, chartering a boat to the Four Sisters Islands can cost a few thousand yuan. However, catching seafood is not as easy as it seems. If one lacks the necessary knowledge of sea fishing, it is advisable to dine on seafood directly at the fishing households. For those who have some success, a processing fee can be paid to have the catch prepared by local stores. If fishing is not one’s forte, collecting shells and catching crabs along the shoreline during the evening low tide can also be quite interesting.
The island is open all year round, 24 hours a day. Essential tips: 1. Dongfushan Island has two beaches, one at the entrance of Yunwu Villa and the other at Dashuwan. Both are pebble beaches and not suitable for swimming. 2. Due to the unpredictable maritime weather, ferries to and from the island may be subject to cancellations or delays, so it is crucial to check the weather forecast before departure. 3. During peak seasons and weekends, tickets and accommodations are often in high demand, so remember to purchase tickets and make reservations in advance. Some inns on the island may be closed during the off-season, so it is important to confirm with the operators in advance; most offer a pick-up service from the pier. 4. Hiking around the island is quite physically demanding, with some steep areas and abundant roadside weeds. It is recommended to wear long pants, appropriate footwear, and to bring skincare products. 5. There is a significant temperature difference between day and night on the island, with the sea breeze being quite chilly at night. It is suggested to bring a windproof jacket.
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