Why choose Xiushan? — A "near-sea clear stream" with few people and beautiful scenery

When Dongji Island is overcrowded and limited, and Gouqi Island’s homestay prices skyrocket ridiculously, Daishan Xiushan Island firmly establishes its identity as “clear seawater + few people and tranquility + wild fun” 🌿! After a typhoon, the sea is as blue as a spilled paint palette, and even the fine sand on the beach glows creamy — the key is it only takes a 20-minute ferry from Zhoushan, or a 1.5-hour drive, so you can claim a secret island paradise for the weekend! 🚗 Transportation Guide: Two ways to explore, each with its own wild charm ▶ Self-driving: “Speeding on the bridge, wild between islands” Drive from Zhoushan main island over the Zhoushan-Daishan Bridge, like driving on a giant sea dragon 🚘! In 15 minutes, you reach Daishan Island, then turn to Xiushan Island (15 minutes by car), with sea breeze filling the car window, even the navigation voice sounds salty and fresh~ ✨ Hidden perk: On the bridge from Daishan to Xiushan, you can capture the “sea train” illusion (stop safely on the side when traffic is light!) ▶ Ferry riders: “Slow romance in the waves” From Zhoushan Sanjiang Pier to Xiushan Pier, a 20-minute ferry ride feels like a sea roller coaster 🎢! Tickets cost about 50 yuan; it’s recommended to choose an upper deck window seat to watch the sunset dye the sea golden, so beautiful you’ll want to flood your social media~ ⚠️ Pitfall alert: Xiushan Island has no taxis! Shared electric scooters (30 yuan/hour) are the way to go; ride one along the island road, and your hair will be singing “Summer Wind” 🍃 🌴 Top Attractions: Every corner hides a “wow” moment ▶ 🔹 Blue and White Town: The island’s version of “Santorini substitute” (free) “White walls covered with green vines, turning a corner to find pale blue window frames — even the air here is macaron-colored!” The town is actually a cluster of trendy homestays but wins with few people and stunning views 📸: behind white fences are bougainvillea waterfalls, shadows on blue walls look carved by sea breeze, wear a white dress on the steps and instantly get “Greek holiday vibes”! ⚠️ Note: Only one restaurant inside, don’t expect a big meal, purely a photo and check-in spot~ ▶ 🔹 Sanjiao / Honghu / Jiuzi Beaches: Enjoy the joy of three seas (free) 🏖️ Sanjiao Beach: “Paradise for slackers” Set up a canopy by the beach, lie back and watch fishermen catch tiger grouper 🎣 (their fish are bigger than their faces!), the water is so clear you can see tiny silver fish swimming, and crabs occasionally poke their claws out of the sand as if greeting you~ 🏖️ Honghu Beach: “Water play fanatic’s delight” The only beach where you can swim! The waves are as gentle as cotton candy; bring a float board and drift on the sea watching the blue sky ☁️. The reef area near the shore hides small seafood, and if lucky, you can find spicy sea snails~ 🏖️ Jiuzi Beach: “The wild king bomb not yet open” Marked as “under construction” on maps, but the sand is as soft as walking on clouds! Walk down a wild path (watch your step), and you can have the entire coastline to yourself. At sunset, the golden sand with distant cargo ships looks like a movie poster 🎬~ ⚠️ Unified tip: None of the three beaches see the sunrise (blocked by mountains), so don’t foolishly set your alarm for 5 a.m.! ▶ 🔹 Mud Park: The “mud party” like on Running Man (admission 70 yuan) “The joy of throwing yourself into mud, who understands it!” Put on a mud suit and dive into the mud pool, like being gently embraced by the earth 🌏! Sliding down the slide splashes mud flowers onto your face; nearby are “mud tug-of-war” and “mud soccer.” After playing, wash off in the shower area and feel reborn~ ✨ Hidden gem: Next to the park is Liangmao Mountain, the ultimate sunset spot! Climb to the top to watch the orange-red sunset burn the sea, even the mud smell turns romantic~ ▶ 🔹 Ecological Wetland Park: Miyazaki’s “rice field fairy tale” (free) “Wind blowing over rice waves, windmills spinning, this is the island’s true relaxation!” West of Xiushan Township Government lies thousands of acres of rice fields, with blue sky as the backdrop and white windmills spinning in the green waves 🌾. Standing under the windmill looking up, even your hair smells of rice; come in autumn to see golden rice ears, so beautiful you’ll want to settle down! 🍤 Food Highlights: The islanders’ “seafood world” Xiushan has no trendy restaurants, but the stalls by the pier hide real skills: - Steamed grouper: freshly caught fish, steamed until tender and juicy, drizzled with scallion oil, so fresh your eyebrows will fall off 🐟; - Spicy sea snail sauce with rice balls: local grandma’s handmade spicy sea snail sauce, salty, fresh, and a bit spicy, wrapped in hot rice balls, a bite to heaven 🍙; - Steamed mussels with vermicelli: mussels plump like little moons, vermicelli soaked in broth, paired with cold beer, a summer killer combo 🍻! ⚠️ Reminder: The stalls are all hidden in pier alleys; look for “fishermen just unloading” stalls to avoid any disappointment! 🛏️ Accommodation Guide: Romance between mountain and sea - Seaside homestays: Choose homestays by Honghu Village beach, open the window to waves hitting rocks, fall asleep to the sound of waves, prices 200-300 yuan/night, great value compared to trendy islands; - Rice field cottages: Near the Ecological Wetland Park are several rural homestays, wake up to birdsong, open the window to rolling green waves, perfect for those wanting to “seclude” themselves 🌿. 📝 Nanny-level Pitfall Avoidance List (save your life) 1. Transportation: Xiushan Island electric scooters have about 40 km range, don’t run out of power halfway! There are charging stations at the pier, remember to charge first; 2. Clothing: Bring change of clothes and slippers for Mud Park, the mud is stubborn like glue; 3. Timing: The clearest seawater is 1-2 weeks after a typhoon, glowing blue; the rice fields are most beautiful in September-October, golden to breathtaking; 4. Hidden fun: Rent a fishing boat to nearby uninhabited islands (book through stall owners, 200 yuan/boat), snorkel to see small fish, full wild fun! When Dongji Island is packed with tourists and Gouqi Island’s prices soar, Xiushan Island packages “peace, wild fun, and seafood freedom” as a gift 🎁. Spend two days on the weekend, play artsy in the blue and white town, lie like a salted fish on the beach, laugh like a pig in the mud — the right way to island travel is to have a “mutual pursuit” romance with Xiushan Island 🌊