Live Your Best Lives
Good news, good news! Last night, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism officially announced that #interprovincial travel will no longer be managed in conjunction with risk areas#. Interprovincial tourists will need to present a nucleic acid test result within 48 hours to travel on interprovincial transportation. This means our distant place is back!
Image @People's Daily
Speaking of distant places, You Xiaoxia couldn't help but mention this truly stunning spot on the Chinese mainland. Located at 16° north latitude, it boasts a year-round temperature of 26°C and 30,000 square kilometers of azure waters. Named "China's Most Beautiful Island" by National Geographic China, it has attracted countless people over the past few years, yet their dreams remain unfulfilled.
Everyone loves this "secret place on the sea". The water is bluer than that of the Maldives and the underwater world is richer than that of Palau. However, it is only open to Chinese citizens. No matter how rich you are, other people cannot go there!
Photo@Documentary "Secret Magic Grass"
Such a special place is none other than my country's Xisha Islands. Far from the hustle and bustle, nestled at the southern tip of China, it truly boasts a "few people and beautiful scenery" location.
In fact, we first encountered it in our third-grade textbooks. In "The Rich Xisha Islands," it was described as follows: "The Xisha Islands are a group of islands in the South China Sea, serving as my country's coastal defense outpost. With beautiful scenery and abundant resources, it is a lovely place."
It wasn't until 2013 that the islands were unveiled for the first time. The unique route to the Xisha Islands not only restricts nationality but also has special age requirements. It is said that only 0.01% of the population has ever visited this sea.
Everyone who has been there says that it is "the most beautiful blue in China". The few tourists, the pure and romantic glass sea, the soft "white jade beach" and the gorgeous "coral flowers" are enough to make people feel excited at first sight!
Xisha coral reefs ▲Photo@documentary "Secret Land Magic Grass"
Once, all this beauty was only in the eyes and mouths of others, but now! Your opportunity has arrived! Xisha cruises have fully resumed service! We will also be issuing an "Invitation from the South China Sea" to take you to China's unforgettable sea and sky!
"After returning from the Paracel Islands, I no longer see the sea. From then on, Maldives is just a passing tourist destination."
There are always people who say that if you haven’t been to the South China Sea, you don’t know how vast the ocean is, and if you haven’t been to the Xisha Islands, you don’t know how magical the ocean is.
The Xisha Islands, now accessible to tourists, are China's most beautiful unexplored marine territory. Centered on Yongxing Island, the seat of the Sansha Municipal Government, the Xisha Islands comprise 22 islands and seven sandbars, boasting glassy seas, colorful corals, and rare pink sand beaches.
Among them, Quanfu Island, Yagong Island and Yinyu Island are located in the Yongle Atoll of the Xisha Islands. They are also the Xisha islands that tourists can reach after the opening of cruise tourism (however, according to current policies, we can only conduct island sightseeing activities on Quanfu Island for the time being. For the other two islands, we will first look at the introduction and pictures to satisfy our curiosity).
#Uninhabited Island·Soft Sand#
Quanfu Island is an uninhabited island, 360 meters long from east to west and 240 meters wide from north to south, with an elevation of about 1 meter. It is named "Quanfu" because of its rich biodiversity, including 56 species of shallow-water reef-building corals.
The island is covered with soft sand and the surrounding water is clear and transparent. You can see the seabed with your naked eyes. Corals cover the entire seabed like blooming flowers, and fish swim freely among them.
The whole island is not big, and it only takes more than half an hour to walk around the whole island, which is very suitable for taking pictures!
On Quanfu Island, there's a passionate and solemn flag-raising ceremony. Everyone who comes here wants to be a part of this sacred moment. When the five-star red flag is raised on Quanfu Island, only excitement and pride surge within.
#Coral Reef Diving Sanctuary#
The entire island of Yagong Island is made up of small, fragmented coral reefs and shells.
Although it covers an area of only 0.01 square kilometers, it is an absolute diving paradise, attracting countless snorkeling enthusiasts.
Only about forty fishermen live here. Their huts are connected to each other, their roofs pressed with large pieces of coral and shells to prevent them from being blown away by typhoons. Various dried fish and seafood are also dried in front of and behind the houses... these are the delicacies of the sea that the fishermen have worked so hard to earn.
The rare and expensive ginseng in Xishali ▲ Photo @ Documentary "Secret Divine Herb"
But when we face the colorful natural resources, I hope we can restrain our behavior, not destroy corals, not fish indiscriminately, and take practical actions to protect this precious blue land.
#Glass Sea·The most beautiful sea water#
Half coral and half reef, Silver Island is one of the most beautiful islands in the Yongle Islands. The ecology here is excellent, and you can often see various shells, hermit crabs, and other creatures. The island is also characterized by many stranded ships, which are a great place to take pictures of various artistic and fresh photos.
The beach here is at a very low altitude, and the shallows are only about 1 meter deep. You can walk on the white beach to pick up shells, catch fish, and swim in the sea. The blue and green water and the crystal clear corals are not inferior to the snorkeling islands in Southeast Asia.
However, these islands we can reach are far less than one-tenth of all the beautiful scenery of the Xisha Islands. Some of the mysteries of the Xisha Islands still need you to uncover them yourself!
The moment you decide to go to the Paracel Islands, you are destined to have some special experiences. Go out to sea! You can’t make money on land anyway!
This place is very suitable for diving, and there are professional diving instructors who can take you through the wonderful underwater world.
Clear and unpolluted sea water, schools of small fish, and undamaged coral reefs. Whether you are diving or snorkeling, you can have a different experience!
As a sea fishing enthusiast, you will definitely fall in love with this place. The sea fishing here is different from other places. There is no need to wait at all. As soon as you put the hook, fish will be caught, such as swordfish, tuna... You can catch a lot!
The sunrise and sunset at the seaside are the most beautiful. Without any obstructions, you can see the magnificent view of the water and sky, and feel the cycle of nature!
There are no such things as peaceful days, but someone is carrying the burden for you. There are many soldiers stationed on the island, dedicating their youth to this beautiful land. Salute to them!
We must never allow the ocean, on which we depend for survival, to become a giant garbage dump. Protecting the ocean is everyone's responsibility. We must preserve the pure and romantic glass sea of the Xisha Islands!
Take a glass boat tour and see the underwater elves swimming among the colorful corals!
The Xisha Islands are currently not accessible for independent travel, so if you want to visit, you need to join a tour group. Those who like wild luxury can choose the "Xisha Sailboat", and those who want a more cost-effective option can choose the "Cruise Tour".
Photo@Documentary "Secret Magic Grass"
Currently, there are two cruise ships to choose from, the "Changle Princess" or the "South China Sea Dream", both of which require boarding at the Sanya Phoenix Island Pier!
The Changle Princess cruise ship, weighing 14,000 tons and carrying 499 passengers, debuted in 2017. It is a brand-new cruise ship built specifically for the Xisha Islands. It offers deluxe ocean-view suites, deluxe ocean-view rooms, and deluxe interior cabins, each with its own private bathroom and hot water supply.
Picture above @Xisha Tourism Express
It will be our warm "home" on the South China Sea. The cruise ship is also equipped with experienced butlers, chefs, etc., with a service ratio of 1:12, who will take good care of our food and daily life along the way.
On deck, you can enjoy sunsets, go fishing, and soak up the ocean breeze. For something a little different, there's a banquet hall, a lounge, a maritime post office, and more. Evenings feature lively song and dance performances, ensuring your time at sea is anything but boring!
The South China Sea Dream, a converted northern China cargo ship, weighs 24,000 tons and has a maximum passenger capacity of 721, making it significantly larger than the Changle Princess. The ship features luxurious VIP suites, a cinema, and a tea room.
Although the South China Sea Dream has two more room types than the Changle Princess, namely the "Sea View 6-Person Room" and the "Sea View King Room", only the Superior Sea View 4-Person Room and above are equipped with a private bathroom.
In addition, the ship is equipped with a buffet restaurant, open-air sleeping bar, cinema and other land-based entertainment facilities, all packed and moved to the ship for you! You can enjoy your leisure time at sea from morning to night!
For this trip to the Xisha Islands, we have also arranged a luxurious single/catamaran sailboat for you. You can stay on the boat throughout the trip. It is comfortable and spacious. The process of raising the sail during the voyage allows you to enjoy the feeling of riding the wind and waves!
The entire trip on board is all-inclusive of food, accommodation, and entertainment, including aerial photography, travel photography, snorkeling, sea fishing, fishing, hunting, and camping. The prices are transparent and there are no other mandatory consumption.
During this period, you can learn about maritime culture, observe and study nautical charts, and identify wind direction and ocean currents.
But the most important thing is! We have a small group! Each batch only recruits 6-8 team members, with one online butler, one team leader, one captain, and at least one sailor. This is a 1:2 service, making it a super VIP group!
Unlike visiting other islands in China, going to the Xisha Islands is not just a journey, but also a feeling. Standing on this pure land that only Chinese can set foot on, a sense of national pride arises spontaneously!
