Dalian Changhai丨A Letter from a Northern Island
I finished reading a book by Olga Tokarczuk in the ocean of China's northern mainland, and wrote my lover's name on the beach of a small island at sunset. The island's name is 'Haxian Island', and like all the other islands of Changhai County, it floats quietly between the sky and sea of Liaodong. China is so vast that everyone is ignorant. Before going to Dalian Changhai County, I never knew there was such a romantic coastal border county on the Liaodong Peninsula. 'Suddenly I heard of a fairy mountain in the sea, a mountain in the void and mist'—it felt like a scene from 'Song of Everlasting Regret' suddenly discovered by me. Here, I send this letter from a northern island for you all to receive.
Introduction to Dalian Changhai County
Changhai County is a 1.5-hour drive from Dalian Zhoushuizi Airport. It consists of five towns: Dachangshan Island, Xiaochangshan Island, Guanglu Island, Zhangzi Island, and Haiyang Island, totaling 252 islands of various sizes. Only Dachangshan Island and Xiaochangshan Island are connected by a bridge; travel between other islands requires taking a ferry.
How to get to Changhai County?
Changhai County has a small airport on Dachangshan Island. The small planes have a luggage limit of 10kg, few flights, and are heavily affected by weather. So the most recommended way is to land at Dalian Zhoushuizi Airport and then head to Changhai County. From Dalian Airport to Changhai County, you can go to Dalian North Station and take a bullet train directly to Pikou Station in Changhai County. If you find the transfer troublesome, a taxi costs about 240 yuan.
Which ports to use for going to the islands?
On the mainland of Changhai County, there are two ports for departing to the islands: Pikou Port and Xingshutun Port. Pikou Port is the main port used by locals and tourists, with many sailings, so no need to worry about tickets; it's closer to Dachangshan Island. Xingshutun Port is a small port with fewer sailings, but it's closer to Guanglu Island; tourists heading to Guanglu Island take less time departing from Xingshutun Port.
How to buy ferry tickets?
Tickets from Pikou Port can be purchased through 'Dalian Pulandian District Pikou Port Affairs Company'. For ferries between islands, we usually ask the hotel or homestay owner about sailing times after 5 PM, then buy tickets at the station the next day. Because the ferries are affected by wind and waves, actual departure times vary daily and are announced after 5 PM the previous day. There are fewer sailings on small islands, so you must pay attention in advance. For example, on Haxian Island, there are only 2-3 outgoing boats per day; if you miss them, you have to stay another night.
Haiyang Island is the farthest island from the mainland in the Yellow Sea. It is said to be the most beautiful and pristine island in the whole of Changhai County, but since the one-way ferry takes four hours and there are few sailings, we had to give it up due to limited time. If you have a chance to go to Changhai, take some time to visit Haiyang Island for me.
Dachangshan Island + Xiaochangshan Island
The airport and county government of Changhai County are both on Dachangshan Island. It is the administrative center and transportation hub of Changhai, so it's a must-pass for most tourists visiting Changhai. I guess when you pass through here, you might want to find a restaurant to feast on northern seafood like I did. You don't need to hunt for trendy restaurants; before our ferry departure, we bought some clams and mantis shrimp at the Bogang Market, walked into a random restaurant to have them cook it, and the taste was still great. Most restaurants in Changhai can process seafood for a fee.
☐ Haishan Island Hotel
Xiaochangshan Island and Dachangshan Island are connected by a bridge, so no ferry needed. We chose to stay on the quieter Xiaochangshan Island, at Haishan Island Hotel. The hotel is simple and modest, but its location is excellent—backed by mountains and facing the sea, with a blue ocean view from the room window.
☐ When a Ship Sinks into the Sea
Seeing this broken ship on the beach near the hotel, my literary-girl problem kicked in again, and this line came to mind: 'When a ship sinks into the sea, when a person becomes a mystery, you don't know why they left, just like you don't know this is the end...' I really wanted to know who owned this ship, what story happened on it, and why it was abandoned on this beach. The locals are used to this broken ship lying sideways on the beach, but for inland tourists, it's very novel. We took many photos around the ship, left satisfied, and later found that someone in my WeChat Moments had also taken a photo with it. Maybe this broken ship will become a trendy spot on Xiaochangshan Island someday.
☐ Xiaoshui Kou Forest Park
On the east side of Xiaochangshan Island, there is a small forest park. It is not large and requires no strategy, as if it's prepared for leisurely island visitors. If you get bored of the seaside, come to this forest park and stroll along the coastal wooden boardwalk, with the sea on one side and the forest on the other. Climb the observation deck to look far; on a clear day, you can see Dachangshan Island, Haxian Island, Guanglu Island, Zhangzi Island, and Haiyang Island within sight.
Guanglu Island is the closest island of Changhai County to the mainland, making travel to and from the mainland more convenient. It is the top choice for tourists and the most trendy island in Changhai, so its hotel industry is relatively well-developed compared to other islands. Without hesitation, we chose the most beautiful hotel on the island—Discovery Kingdom Guanglu Island Resort Hotel—which stands at the boundary between blue seawater and dark green vegetation, somewhat like a castle from a small European country.
The hotel restaurant, like most in Changhai County, can process seafood for a fee, and the price is reasonable. Depending on the seafood and processing method, it costs 5-25 yuan per jin. Sea urchin steamed eggs, steamed mantis shrimp, braised sea cucumber, stir-fried clams and crabs are a must. I suggest trying the local specialty buns—the islanders' buns are willow leaf-shaped, filled with scallop meat, seaweed, and other sea products. Outside this area, it's hard to find such specialty dishes.
☐ Moon Bay Beach
Turn right out of the hotel, and you'll reach Moon Bay Beach. Northern beaches are different from southern ones in temperament. There is no bright, dazzling white sand like in the south; the shore is full of reefs, so even under the scorching sun, northern beaches look somewhat gloomy, which is exactly the feeling I like. The reefs are great for taking stunning photos, but they are covered with algae, so be careful when posing. One, they are slippery; two, if you stamp your foot, the algae-eating sea roaches will scatter in panic. Girls don't need to be scared—sea roaches are not cockroaches; they are an onshore crustacean that can be used as medicine. If you watch your step, you might occasionally find crabs in the crevices of the reefs.
☐ Laotie Mountain Observation Deck
The name of this mountain on Guanglu Island is very northeastern—'Laotie Mountain'. We came out of the hotel and told the driver brother we wanted to find a high place for photos; without a word, he confidently took us here. As it turned out, Laotie Mountain Observation Deck is indeed a good place to climb high and look far. Following the boardwalk up to the pavilion, just a few steps away, the beautiful scenery of Guanglu Island is fully in view, and our hotel is right before our eyes.
☐ Mazu Temple
When I heard locals mention Mazu Temple, I looked puzzled. I didn't expect northern fishermen to worship the same deity as southern coastal fishermen. After learning, I found out that this Mazu is not that Mazu; Mazu is a 'specialty' of Guanglu Island. This Mazu is male, a local of Guanglu Island, apprenticed to Han Zhongli, and after achieving enlightenment became the protector of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. To worship him, fishermen built this Mazu Temple on the Wanghai Ridge of Laotie Mountain on Guanglu Island.
Near Mazu Temple, there is a small island called Fantuozi. We took a photo with it from a distance; it's no ordinary uninhabited island. This island is home to a large number of rare water birds—yellow-billed egrets. Ornithologists and bird photographers often travel great distances to Changhai just to climb Fantuozi and see the famous birds.
Haxian Island is a small island sandwiched between Dachangshan Island and Guanglu Island. Its tourism industry is just emerging and it's not a popular destination for travelers. Precisely because of this, the island has retained a pure innocence. Just after the peak season, the island presents a harmonious tranquility. I must remind you: if you want to experience the pristine island charm, you have to accept that public facilities and transportation are not well-developed. There are no luxury hotels, only simple and warm fishing family homestays. Sleeping in a seaside wooden cabin for a night, going out fishing with the family in the morning, lunch made from the fresh morning catch, going to the tidal flats in the afternoon to gather a full basket of conches, and strolling to watch the sunset in the evening—this is a typical day on Haxian Island. Remember to book in advance; when your boat arrives at Haxian Island port, the homestay owner will pick you up by car. On that day, our small boat from Dachangshan Island to Haxian Island stopped by Saili Island, and the whole journey took about forty minutes.
☐ Xingwang Fishing Family
Although Haxian Island is small, there are plenty of homestay options. Most of these 'fishing family inns' cost about 250 yuan per night, including three meals and transportation for activities, as well as fishing trips. Several homestays on the island have similar names; I haven't stayed at the others so can't comment, but 'Xingwang Fishing Family' has the best location—right by the sea, with the wooden cabin window facing a small island called 'Donglou' by locals. Lunch and dinner are fresh seafood caught that day, with very generous portions. For the two of us, a full table of seafood: abalone, mantis shrimp, conch, clams...
☐ The Mont-Saint-Michel of the Northeast
Every afternoon at low tide, a curved path appears on the sea, leading to the small island called 'Donglou'. As soon as I stepped onto this path in the sea, I felt a sense of déjà vu—it's just like Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France! At this time, people gathering seafood also came with baskets to accept the ocean's gifts. The uncles and aunties I met along the way carried heavy baskets of conch, seaweed, clams... I saw a blue starfish, took a photo with it, and let it go home.
☐ The Star Sinks into the Sea
Before sunset, the fishing family owner drove us to the best beach for watching the sunset. There was a small reef hill by this beach, with an abandoned small house and a stone tablet reading 'Xilaohanjiang' on top. This beach is the best spot on the entire island for watching the sunset. At sunset, the sea breeze is cool, with no stuffiness in the air. It would be wonderful to sit on the reef with your lover and quietly watch the star sink into the sea.
☐ Quiet Before Leaving
The next morning I woke up early, lay in bed reading a book, planning to leisurely wait until ten o'clock to take the homestay owner's speedboat off the island. But the owner strongly suggested taking us to see Golden Sand Beach—this is the simple pride of the locals, eager to recommend the beauty of their hometown to outsiders. Golden Sand Beach is a small beach surrounded by vegetation, feeling a bit like a private beach. In the distance, five small islands called 'Five Tiger Rocks' floated on the sea. In midsummer, it's a lively beach resort; in the early morning after the peak season, the beach is empty. The small seaside shop with its closed doors shows a gray-green color faded by long exposure to the sun. This, combined with the dark green of conifers, the blue of the distant sea, and the brownish yellow of the sand, forms a harmonious and tranquil seaside scene.
