Pingtan Island
平潭
Fujian’s largest island, with sea-eroded rock formations and stone-house fishing villages, and “blue tears,” bioluminescent glows that shimmer along the shore at night. The mainland point closest to Taiwan is just 68 nautical miles away.
Pingtan Island (Haitan Island) lies in the sea southeast of Fuzhou. It is Fujian Province’s largest island and the point on the mainland closest to Taiwan’s main island, with Houyan Island only 68 nautical miles from Hsinchu, Taiwan. The Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone was established in 2009. Since the Fuzhou–Pingtan Railway opened in 2020, the trip from Fuzhou Railway Station to Pingtan Station takes 35 minutes by high-speed train, making it one of Fuzhou’s most popular island routes. Main attractions include Beigang Village, a creative village of converted stone-house guesthouses with a valley where “the stones sing”; Tannan Bay and Longfengtou seaside beaches for swimming; Xianren Well, a sea-eroded sinkhole; the Changjiang’ao windmill fields for sunsets and windmills; Houyan Island for the “68 Nautical Miles” photo spot and rocky reefs; General Mountain; and self-drive routes around the island. From April to August, and especially in May and June, you may see “blue tears” on summer evenings at Tannan Bay, Longfengtou and other beaches, where breaking waves glow blue with bioluminescent algae. This requires darkness, a rising tide and southerly winds, so check the local blue tears forecast before you go. Most island attractions are free. Xianren Well, General Mountain and a few others cost about 30–50 yuan. For transport, take the high-speed train to Pingtan Station, then rent a car, hire a driver or take a bus. Driving around the island is the most convenient option. There is also a direct bus from Fuzhou to Pingtan, a trip of about 2 hours. A plan of one night and two days, staying in a guesthouse in Beigang Village or Tannan Bay, works well. Note that sea winds are strong, and it feels very cold in winter and spring. Blue tears cannot be booked and depend on luck, so do not pay high prices for “guaranteed” tour packages. Typhoon season may close boats and sites. Confirm seafood prices with the vendor, which are market rates, before ordering.
Opening hours
Open all day (individual sites approx. 08:00–18:00)
Nearby sights
- Junshan Mountain
- Longfengtou Beach (Pingtan)
- Beigang Village, Pingtan
- Sanshiliujiao Lake
- Pingtan Northern Ecological Corridor & Changjiang'ao Wind Farm
- Aoqian Taiwan Town
- Haitan Ancient City
- Keqiutou Site Museum