Dongshan Island in Zhangzhou, Fujian, is the province's second-largest island, about 2.5 hours' drive from Xiamen. Since Alec Su's film Left Ear was shot here, it has become one of Fujian's most photogenic island getaways. Here is Hengtong Holiday's (+86 137 9925 4912) guide.
Nanmen Bay
The crescent-shaped bay lined with colourful houses is Dongshan's iconic image. Elderly locals fish from the sea wall and children play on the sands. This is where many scenes of Left Ear were filmed. Sunset from the sea wall is the island's most romantic moment.
Sufeng Mountain Ring Road
A blue-paved road winding around the 274 m Sufeng Mountain, with green slopes on one side and open sea on the other. The blue-and-white-railed Yanya Village Bridge is Fujian's answer to a Mediterranean coastal highway — perfect for cycling, driving and photos.
Yanya Village
An abandoned stone village halfway up the mountain where most residents have moved away. Bougainvillea spills over the walls and a quiet trail leads down to a secluded beach.
Maluan Bay
Dongshan's most developed bathing beach with 2.5 km of pale sand, clear water and facilities for swimming, windsurfing and jet-skiing.
Wenkong Temple & Wind-Moving Stone
Wenkong Temple, above Nanmen Bay, offers the best panoramic view of the crescent. The Wind-Moving Stone — a 200-tonne boulder balanced on a rock face for millennia — is the island's famous geological wonder.
Food
Try the local squid ("small tubes"), oyster omelette, oolong-smoked duck and glutinous rice sausages. We partner with transparent, fixed-menu seafood stalls to avoid price gouging.
Tour Options
Dongshan features in our 6-Day Twin-City (RMB 3,680), 5-Day Chaoshan (RMB 2,680) and 6-Day Coastal Photo Tour (RMB 2,980). Call +86 137 9925 4912.