Wuzhizhou Island, Chinese: 蜈支洲岛
Picture of Wuzhizhou Island
Wuzhizhou Island, in Haitang Bay, has an area of some 1.48 square kilometers (365.7 acres). With an irregular butterfly-like shape and a total coastline of 5.7 km (3.54 miles), the island is about 30 km (18.6 miles) north-east of Sanya City.
Wuzhizhou Island was known as Guqizhou Island in ancient times and the earliest records date from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when a temple was built to commemorate the originator of Chinese characters, Cang Jie. Following the Qing Government's fall from power, the villagers rebuilt the temple to honor the Goddess Matsu, who bestowed good fortune on the local fishermen. From 1949 Wuzhizhou Island became an important strategic defense zone. However, from the 1990s, the island began to enjoy a completely new role as a romantic place for holiday and leisure.
Picture of Wuzhizhou Island
As the island is in a tropical marine zone, the climate is temperate and pleasant all year round. It is an ideal place for vacation, winter swimming as well as entertainment. There are over 2,700 plant varieties on the island, including the tall trees and dense bushes. The eastern and southern parts of the island are hilly and two high mountains connect to form a peak about 79.9 meters (262 feet) high. In the west and north, the terrain is level. Soft white sand stretches as far as the eye can see beside a crystal clear blue sea, where protected coral reefs are rich in conches, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and tropical fishes of various colors.
Picture of Wuzhizhou Island
As well as Goddess Matsu Temple, there are many places of interest to visit including the Lover's Bridge, Sunrise Rock, the Gold Turtle Stretching toward the Sea, Lover's Island and the Life Well. The Sunrise Rock is the ideal spot from which to observe the sunrise. Apart from these natural sites, swimming pools, bars, gymnasiums and other places of entertainment are available in the northwest part of the island. For those who love extreme sports local facilities include surfing，gliding，sailing and canoeing. For relaxation there is sun bathing and sea water bathing. In addition, Wuzhizhou Island is famous for scuba diving as coral reefs and brightly colored tropical fish abound in the warm water. Currently, only a third of the island has been developed.
Picture of Wuzhizhou Island
In addition to the natural attractions of the island, tourists are certain to be pleased by the delightful catering facilities here. In the south of the island there are the Buffet Lunch Restaurant, the Pirate Bar, the Seafood Pool and the Chinese Restaurant all providing excellent food. The Summer Western Food Restaurant in the east corner and the Winter Western Food Restaurant in the west corner of the island also offer a choice of delicious food. Local caught lobsters, prawns, crabs, conch, sea cucumbers and jellyfish will make your mouth water! Furthermore, this island is rich in fruits; bananas, coconuts, mangos and other tropical fruits are plentiful and inexpensive.
For those who want to spend a night on the island, Wuzhizhou Island Holiday Center offers 81 Guest Rooms with a choice of perfect facilities. Onshore Wooden Cabin and the Presidents' Villa on the southern seashore, and other rooms located in the inner island, such as Deluxe Mountain Room and Sea-view Wooden Building are all very pleasant. Furthermore, all the rooms have views of the fine scenery of the island.