Part 13 of a 33-Day Long Journey – Xiapu

As the weather in the Ningde area was quite cool, we selected only one scenic spot to visit: Xiapu's China's Most Beautiful Beach. Some say that those who discover beautiful scenery are almost always photography enthusiasts and geologists. I think that makes sense, because Xiapu is exactly that kind of place. At the right time, location, and weather conditions, you can appreciate and photograph the tidal flats and seascapes. The stunning photos taken by photographers have made Xiapu famous both in China and abroad.

On the afternoon of February 9, our family arrived at the booked guesthouse in Beiqi Village. After dropping off our luggage, we immediately drove to Dongshan in Xiaohao Village. It was a 40-minute drive, followed by a 10-plus minute walk uphill. We reached the photography spot just before 5 p.m. The road and the photography spot were much better than I had imagined. The uphill path was asphalt, with a parking lot, and then paved stone steps. At a turn, a wooden photography platform was specially built, with three levels. This was the perfect place to capture the sunset at that moment, and the sun was just about to be obscured by clouds—we caught the tail end.

While taking photos, my four-year-old grandson said something: "Grandpa, when I grow up, I'll buy you a villa here so you can watch the sunset every day!" Out of the mouths of babes—everyone around laughed.

Afterwards, we went to Dongbi Village and took a few photos at the end of the road. Later, I learned that there is a better spot for sunset photos in Dongbi.

The next morning, I got up early to watch the sunrise. The road up the mountain was asphalt, and the photography spot was very close to our guesthouse—only a 10-minute walk. It was still dark, and people gradually gathered. By the time it was getting light, there were already dozens of people, holding phones, setting up cameras, with long telephoto lenses and wide-angle lenses, all waiting for the sunrise.

The sun finally emerged from the clouds, and the crowd stirred, followed by exclamations and the sound of shutters.

Xiapu is the hometown of kelp and laver. In the shallow waters not far from shore, rows of drying kelp were densely spread. Although the weather was cold, the fishermen went out to work as usual, with fishing boats sailing out in a line against the morning glow.

The conditions at our guesthouse were decent: air conditioning, private bathroom, water heater, etc. But the meals were a bit expensive. We had dinner in the county town and prepared breakfast for the next day.

Ningde has several other well-known scenic spots, such as Taimu Mountain, Yuanyang Stream, and Baishuiyang. If I have another chance to come, I will visit them all.

Next stop: Yandang Mountain in Wenzhou, Zhejiang.