Qing'ao Bay
Sunrise.
Guwiqiie — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dust Chan 塵寞賢 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Windmemories — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dust Chan 塵寞賢 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 燕难飞 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · 水餃喵 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Windmemories — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 燕难飞 — CC BY-SA 3.0
A green, hilly island off the coast of Shantou, about 115 square kilometres, that has been a stop for sea trade on China's south-east coast since ancient times, so much that it was called «the land of mutual markets at sea»; a long bridge over the sea now links it to the mainland. Its best-known spot is Qing'ao Bay at the eastern end, a crescent of sand where visitors come to watch the sunrise, and the island carries the «Nature Gate» marker of the Tropic of Cancer. Coastal roads wind past granite rocks, quiet coves and oyster farms, the Sancong lighthouse looks down from its cliff, and in the town the old military headquarters stands in the shade of old trees. Qing'ao Bay is free, the Tropic of Cancer marker inside Huanghua Mountain forest park costs about CNY 20, and the bridge toll for cars is about 48, per visitor guides.
Sunrise.
The Tropic marker.
On the cliff.
Qing'ao Bay, eastern tip of Nan'ao Island, about 50 km by road from central Shantou, Guangdong
The island is known for seafood and oysters and halal restaurants are rare, so order fish and seafood cooked without pork; Shantou city has a few restaurants run by Muslims.