Fuzhou [Pingtan] – A Dreamy Blue Island

🌟 Pre-Trip Checklist • Documents: ID card is a must! Students remember to bring your student ID for discounts at some attractions~ • Clothing: In summer, bring beautiful dresses, swimsuits, and sun-protective clothing; add a light jacket at night (it’s windy by the sea). In spring and autumn, wear sweatshirts and long pants; in winter, prepare a down jacket. • Sun Protection: Sunscreen SPF50+, sun hat, sunglasses, arm sleeves; Pingtan has very strong UV rays, getting tanned is on me! • Others: Power bank, camera, mosquito repellent, stomach medicine (seafood might upset your stomach), and cute hair accessories (for better photos!). 🚗 Transportation Guide 🌍 External Transportation • High-speed train: From Fuzhou/Xiamen Station to Pingtan Station, about 1.5-2 hours. Choose a window seat to enjoy the healing view of the cross-sea bridge! • Self-driving: From Fuzhou, take the Fuping Expressway, about 2 hours direct. The route features windmill fields and stunning blue seas. • Airplane: Fly to Fuzhou Changle Airport first, then take the airport shuttle bus to Pingtan (1.5 hours, 70 RMB) or a taxi for about 200 RMB. 🛵 Island Transportation • Electric scooter: Highly recommended! 80 RMB/day, rent one with 150 km range for ultimate freedom around the island (recommended app: “Xiao Dian Lu Huan Dao”). • Car rental with driver: 4-6 people carpool, 200-300 RMB/day, driver also acts as a guide, perfect for lazy family trips. • Yueba Bus: Book via the WeChat public account “Guoyun Yixing,” 5 RMB/3 km, suitable for short trips (e.g., county town to Longwangtou). 🏨 Accommodation Recommendations 🌅 Beigang Village Artsy Homestays • Singing Stones: A trendy homestay renovated from stone houses, rooftop terrace with sea views is amazing, plus DIY shell crafts experience. • Yue Jilan Cuo: Instagram-style infinity pool homestay, rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea, photos look like Santorini. 🌌 Changjiang’ao Sunset Sea View Rooms • Xiaonan Feng Homestay: Designer homestay on the cliff, every room is a sea view postcard, falling asleep to the sound of waves is super healing. • Changjiang’ao Sea View Homestay: 3-minute walk to the beach, balcony views of sunset and windmill fields together, breathtaking beyond words! 🏙️ Convenient Hotels in the County Town • Pingtan Seaview Impression Hotel: Newly opened in 2025, 10-minute walk to Jinsha Bay, some rooms offer distant coastline views, very cost-effective at around 100 RMB per person. • Hotels near Longfengtou Beach: Cluster of budget hotels, right by the beach, ideal for staying during the blue tears peak season. 🌊 Must-Visit Attractions 🌄 Northern Romantic Route • Northern Ecological Corridor: Free! F7 glass walkway + cliff road, sea breeze blowing while cycling, every shot looks like a scene from a Studio Ghibli animation. • Changjiang’ao Windmill Fields: Visit at dusk! Sunset dyes the beach golden, white windmills turning, like a fairy tale world. • Xianren Well: 22 RMB ticket, sea erosion caves + black reef rocks are stunning, perfect for shooting dark moody photos on cloudy days. 🌅 Southern Healing Route • Tannan Bay: Free! Super fine sand, lounge on lazy sofas drinking coffee by day, watch the blue tears at night (June is off-peak, don’t believe “guaranteed” claims). • Houyan Island: 38 RMB including sightseeing bus, closest point on the mainland to Taiwan (68 nautical miles), red road + cliff sea views, very meaningful check-in spot. • Elephant Trunk Bay: Free! At low tide, the “sea sandbar” is magical, aerial shots look like an elephant’s trunk, remember to check tide tables before going. 🌌 Secret Exploration • Jingsha Black Sand Beach: Free! Volcanic stones + black sand beach, wear black, white, or gray for “Little Iceland” style photos, cave photo spots are super cool. • Dongxiang Island: Free (30 RMB boat ticket), a niche fishing village, catch seafood, eat fresh seafood, stay in stone houses, experience the purest island life. 🍜 Food Map 🦐 Seafood Feast • Liushui Town Pier: Fishing boats return at 3 PM, buy the freshest seafood and find stalls to cook it, about 50 RMB per person to eat until full! (Tip: watch out for plastic bag water exchange scams). • Lanyue Local Seafood: Old brand in the county town, must order salt and pepper mantis shrimp + steamed grouper, soup is so fresh you’ll lick the plate. 🍢 Specialty Snacks • Tanji Fried Buns: 2 RMB each, thin skin and big filling, perfect dipped in sweet chili sauce! Pair with 4 RMB seafood tofu soup, a breakfast staple. • Chenma Oyster Omelette: 4 RMB each, crispy outside and tender inside, oysters so fresh they drip juice, freshly fried by street vendor auntie, super fragrant. • Shisanmei Salty Food Shop: Local favorite since childhood! “Shilaiyunzhuan” (salty rice cake), “Tianchang Dijiou” (sweet dumplings), “Bazhen Fried Cake,” sticky and chewy Pingtan flavors. 🍹 Desserts & Drinks • Fresh Juice Bar: Near Longwangtou, Pingtan Island signature juice cups, super cute for photos! Recommended mango smoothie + coconut jelly. • Tangmo Chaxi: Fujian specialty milk tea, “Red Salt” and “Muli Fu” flavors are safe bets, a must-have while shopping. 📸 Photo Tips • Blue Tears: Go to Tannan Bay/Changjiang’ao from 9 PM to 2 AM, use a phone tripod for long exposure shots, turn off the flash to better capture the glowing waves. • Stone Houses: Colorful houses + fishing boats in Beigang Village, wear light-colored clothes, sit on rooftops or alleys, instantly become the heroine of an artsy film. • Windmill Fields: Shoot silhouettes against backlight at Changjiang’ao, or use a wide-angle lens to capture the windmill clusters, like stepping into a Dutch fairy tale. ⚠️ Pitfall Guide • Attraction Warnings: Haitan Ancient City is a man-made commercial street with expensive goods; Taiwan Town is basically a ghost town, don’t waste your time. • Spending Warnings: Seafood stalls around scenic spots tend to overcharge, choose places with many locals first; be rational in cultural shops, prices are a bit high. • Transportation Warnings: Don’t take unlicensed cars at the high-speed train station, Yueba or ride-hailing apps are safer; when renting electric scooters, check battery and brakes, record a vehicle inspection video as proof.