In Pursuit of the Most Beautiful Tidal Flats: A Complete Guide to Xiapu Travel

Xiapu is located on the west coast of the Taiwan Strait, in the northeastern part of Fujian Province.

【Main Attractions】

Beichi Tidal Flats, Yangjiaxi, Xiao Hao Village, Huazhu Village, Shatangli, Dajing Castle, Liuyun Cave, Luohan River, Mangrove Forest, Mantou Mountain, Dongbi, Shajiang, Bachimen, Xiapu Dajing Beach, etc.

1. Beichi Tidal Flats

At high tide, busy boats shuttle among the nori racks, blending seamlessly with the sea, distant mountains, and islands.

At low tide, the textures of the beach gradually reveal their beauty, and fishermen move across the tiger-skin patterned flats, adding rhythm and dynamic charm to the tidal flats. The scenery of Xiapu's tidal flats is picturesque, attracting over 200,000 photographers annually.

Nets enclosed by farmers for cultivating blue crabs become a stunning landscape under the lens of photographers.

Famous for its tidal flat scenery, Xiapu has a sandy beach only at Xiao Hao, where many acclaimed works about Xiapu are created.

Xiao Hao is not strictly a tidal flat but a sand-dominated beach without fixed waterways. The freshwater streams from the mountains create new winding channels after each tide, which under various light refractions look like brilliant neon lights from a distance.

At Xiao Hao, photography can be done at any season, morning or evening; as long as there is light, there is an inexhaustible source of creativity.

Dongbi, nestled against the mountains and overlooking the sea, offers a wide view and is an ideal spot for sunset photography.

On the beach, a winding waterway, crossed by a small stream, washes out complex and varied textures. The soft lines take on a golden hue under the sunset glow, adding vitality to the colorful beach.

The photography spot at Dongbi not only captures magnificent sunsets but also scenes of fishermen fishing and mending nets, as well as graceful lines that resemble a galaxy falling from the sky.

Huazhu Village offers a commanding view where the sea and sky merge, providing an endless depth of field. In the foreground are floating buoys and bamboo poles, in the middle ground are fish raft huts, and in the distance are islands and sailing shadows—the entire scene is orderly.

Huazhu is also the best place to view the entire "Fuyao Islands," especially at sunrise, which is most magnificent. If there happens to be mist and clouds floating, the sea surface becomes misty and ethereal. The Fuyao Islands appear and disappear like a mirage, enchanting.

On the sea surface of Shajiang, rows of bamboo poles form a large S-shaped curve, with fishing boats winding through the channel.

The graceful lines formed by numerous bamboo poles planted in the tidal flats are well-arranged. During the kelp harvest season, the poles are hung with drying kelp, and fishermen maneuver small boats through the S-shaped waterway, busy at work—this scene creates a perfect picture of tidal flat scenery.

7. Dajing Beach

Dajing Beach is located in the southeastern part of Changchun Town, Xiapu County, near the landward end of the Dongchong Peninsula. It has a subtropical monsoon humid climate and is known as the "Hawaii of Fujian" and "Beidaihe of Northeast Fujian."

The beach is 3,000 meters long and over 200 meters wide, complemented by historical sites such as the Ming Dynasty ancient castle and myths and legends.

The cost of living in Xiapu is not high. For accommodation, high-end hotels range from 350 to 500 yuan, mid-range hotels from 200 to 300 yuan, and budget hotels from 90 to 180 yuan, suitable for all types of consumers.

Xiapu's cuisine is delicious! It is mainly seafood, including sword razor clams, mantis shrimp, jumping fish, cuttlefish, white shrimp, sea earth dragons, etc. These are tidal flat seafood, different in taste from deep-sea or offshore seafood, more tender and fresh!

Funing Bay in Xiapu is the only area in China that can form a sword razor clam fishery; in other words, sword razor clams are not found elsewhere. Xiapu sword razor clams have thin shells and crispy, exceptionally fresh meat, suitable for stewing, stir-frying, steaming, or boiling.

Seafood stalls and seafood restaurants in Xiapu are good places to taste sword razor clams.

Bitter snails are abundant products of Xiapu's tidal flats. The snail meat is crispy, and the tail has a bitter taste. Locals like to knock out the snail meat and stir-fry it with a bit of spiciness, creating a unique flavor.

Authentic bitter snails can be eaten at seafood restaurants and food stalls in Xiapu.

Ada Yuanxiao (sweet dumplings) are famous for their fine ingredients, delicious taste, clear soup, and white color. The outer shell is made from glutinous rice mixed with 30% polished round-grained rice, and the filling uses hind leg meat, with premium soy sauce, dried shrimp, onion oil, sugar, MSG, etc. The taste is fresh and fragrant, the texture soft and sticky, and very delicious.