Lian Island Scenic Area is located in Lianyungang District, Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and the largest island scenic area in Jiangsu Province. The scenic area consists of East and West Lian Islands, with a total area of 7.6 square kilometers, including 4.7 square kilometers of land area and 2.9 square kilometers of sea area. It has a 17.6-kilometer-long coastline, integrating natural landscapes such as mountains, sea, forests, beaches, and islands, with the core characteristics of "blue sea, golden sand, strange mountains, and beautiful reefs". The scenic area has built major functional areas such as Dashawan Amusement Park and Suma Bay Ecological Park, equipped with facilities such as beach baths, viewing plank roads, and ecological trails. It is a comprehensive coastal tourist resort integrating coastal leisure, sightseeing, vacation, sports, and entertainment.
History and Culture
The history of Lian Island can be traced back to the Qin and Han dynasties. Due to its location on the coast of the Yellow Sea and the Haizhou Bay, it has been an important maritime transportation route and military fortress since ancient times. According to "Records of the Grand Historian", Emperor Qin Shi Huang stayed here during his eastern tour to seek immortality medicines from the sea, leaving legends related to the "Three Divine Mountains". During the Han Dynasty, Lian Island became an important node of the "Maritime Silk Road". Beacon towers were set up along the coast to defend against pirates and transmit military information. The existing ancient beacon tower site has a history of more than 2,000 years.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Lian Island was an important fishing port in Haizhou Bay. Fishermen lived here for generations, forming a unique fishing culture, including folk activities such as "sea worship" and "fishing songs". The "Fishermen's Folk Custom Museum" in the scenic area displays traditional fishing gear, fishing boat models, and fishermen's living scenes, systematically presenting the development process of Lian Island's fishing culture. In the 1980s, Lian Island began to develop coastal tourism. It was rated as a provincial tourist resort in 1999 and awarded the title of national AAAA-level tourist attraction in 2002, becoming an important coastal tourist destination in northern Jiangsu.
Main Attractions
Dashawan Amusement Park
Dashawan Amusement Park is the core coastal leisure area of Lian Island Scenic Area. It has the largest natural beach bath in Jiangsu Province, with a 1.8-kilometer-long beach and a width of 50-100 meters. The sand is fine and the sea water is clear. The average water temperature in summer is about 25°C, suitable for swimming and playing. The scenic area has more than 20 kinds of amusement projects such as water bikes, jet skis, and beach volleyball, and is equipped with service facilities such as showers, lockers, and catering. The viewing platform on the west side of the beach is 30 meters above sea level, offering a panoramic view of the entire bay, making it an excellent location for shooting sunrises and sea views.
Suma Bay Ecological Park
Suma Bay Ecological Park is located in the eastern part of Lian Island, covering an area of approximately 0.5 square kilometers. It features ecological protection and natural sightseeing, with a forest coverage rate of over 80%, and is home to various bird species such as egrets and hoopoes. Within the park, there is a 2.5-kilometer-long coastal plank road that winds through steep cliffs. Along the way, visitors can enjoy landscapes like marine-eroded landforms and bizarre reefs, among which the "Sea Oath and Mountain Pledge" reef, shaped like a heart, has become a popular check-in spot for couples. The park also preserves a group of stone carvings made by garrison soldiers during the Ming Dynasty, which record the military defense history of that time and hold high historical value.
Lian Island Underwater World
Lian Island Underwater World is located at the entrance of Lian Island, with a construction area of about 5,000 square meters. It is an indoor exhibition hall integrating marine life display and popular science education. The hall is divided into 8 areas including tropical rainforest area, coral reef area, and underwater tunnel, displaying more than 300 kinds of marine organisms such as sharks, sea turtles, and jellyfish. The underwater tunnel is 100 meters long, allowing visitors to observe the living conditions of marine organisms up close through the glass. Mermaid shows and sea lion interaction shows are performed regularly every day, each capable of accommodating 300 audiences, which are deeply loved by parent-child families.
Sea Reclamation Dyke
The Sea Reclamation Dyke connects Lian Island with Lianyungang urban area, with a total length of 6,700 meters. It is China's first offshore dyke, completed and opened to traffic in 1993, with both transportation and flood control functions. A sea viewing platform is built on the west side of the dyke, where you can watch the spectacular scene of 10,000-ton ships entering and leaving Lianyungang Port. The east side is the sparkling Haizhou Bay. When the tide is low, a large area of tidal flats can be seen, and citizens often come here to catch seashells. The monument in the middle of the dyke details the construction process of the dyke, which is an important window to understand the history of Lianyungang's marine engineering.
Food
Lianyungang Swimming Crab
Lianyungang swimming crab is a specialty of the waters around Lian Island, famous for its tender meat and plump roe. Autumn (September-October) is the best eating period. At the "Seafood Food Stalls" in the scenic area, you can taste steamed swimming crabs, spicy crabs, etc. A swimming crab weighing about 500 grams is priced at 80-120 yuan. Visitors can select fresh seafood on site and have it processed and cooked by the store.
Oriental Prawn
Oriental prawn is a famous marine treasure in China. Lian Island waters are an important producing area. The prawns are large in size, with firm meat and rich in protein. The boiled prawns in the scenic area's restaurants retain their original flavor, with about 6-8 prawns per serving, priced at 120 yuan. They are eaten with ginger vinegar sauce, which is delicious and is a famous dish at local banquets.
Cold Noodles
Cold noodles are a characteristic summer snack in Lianyungang, available at street stalls in Lian Island. Local cold noodles are made from seaweed or mung beans, with a smooth taste, served with garlic paste, vinegar, chili, and other seasonings, which is cool and refreshing. The cold noodles in the scenic area are priced at 5 yuan per bowl, with a large portion, making them a convenient snack when visiting the scenic area.
Surrounding Food
The Xugou Seafood Market in Lianyungang, 10 kilometers away from Lian Island Scenic Area, is a good place to taste seafood. There are hundreds of kinds of seafood to choose from in the market, such as mantis shrimp (30-50 yuan/jin), clam (8-10 yuan/jin), oyster (10-15 yuan/jin). You can buy them on site and have them processed at nearby restaurants, with a processing fee of about 10 yuan per serving. Dishes such as stir-fried clams and braised octopus in sauce at the "Old Haizhou Restaurant" next to the market are loved by tourists, with an average consumption of about 60 yuan per person.
Tickets
The ticket price is 50 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "连云港市连岛景区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open all year round, and the specific opening hours are adjusted with the seasons:
- April-October: 7:30-19:00 (admission stops at 18:30);
- November-March of the next year: 8:30-17:00 (admission stops at 16:30). Lian Island Underwater World is open from 9:00-17:00 (admission stops at 16:30) all year round; the Sea Reclamation Dyke is open 24 hours a day, with night lighting until 22:00.
Tour Route
Recommended one-day coastal leisure route: Arrive at Lian Island Scenic Area at 8:30 am, first visit Dashawan Amusement Park, experience jet skis, beach volleyball and other projects, go to Suma Bay Ecological Park at 10:30 am, hike along the coastal plank road, enjoy marine erosion landforms and reef landscapes, and have lunch at the "Seaside Restaurant" in Suma Bay at 12:00 pm, tasting seafood set meals.
Return to Lian Island Underwater World at 13:30 pm, watch the mermaid show at 14:00 pm, go to the Sea Reclamation Dyke at 15:30 pm, take photos at the sea viewing platform, end the trip at 17:00 pm, or stay in Dashawan to watch the sea sunset. This route is about 6 kilometers on foot, combining leisure and sightseeing, suitable for all kinds of tourists.
Transportation
- Bus: Take bus No. 33 or Tourist Line 3 from Lianyungang urban area to "Lian Island Bath" station, with a journey of about 40 minutes, ticket price 2 yuan per person; take Tourist Line 6 from Xugou Bus Station to "Lian Island Scenic Area" station, with a journey of about 20 minutes, ticket price 1 yuan per person.
- Self-driving: Starting from the center of Lianyungang, drive east along Gangcheng Avenue, turn to Haitang Middle Road, enter Lian Island via the Sea Reclamation Dyke, with a total distance of about 30 kilometers, driving time 50 minutes; the scenic area parking lot charges 5 yuan per hour, with a daily maximum of 20 yuan.
- Taxi: Take a taxi from Lianyungang Station to Lian Island Scenic Area, with a journey of about 40 minutes, cost about 60 yuan; take a taxi from Xugou to Lian Island, with a journey of about 15 minutes, cost about 20 yuan.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Dashawan Amusement Park: 1.8-kilometer high-quality beach, more than 20 kinds of water projects, suitable for coastal play, included in the combined ticket.
- Suma Bay Coastal Plank Road: 2.5-kilometer sea view plank road, where you can enjoy marine erosion landforms and strange reefs, with superior ecological environment, included in the combined ticket.
- Lian Island Underwater World: 5,000-square-meter exhibition hall, 100-meter underwater tunnel, suitable for parent-child tours, ticket price 60 yuan per person.
- Sea Reclamation Dyke: 6,700-meter offshore dyke, where you can watch port and shipping and sea views, open for free, suitable for photography.
Travel Suggestions
- It is recommended to spend 1 day for the tour. The best tourist seasons are July-August (suitable for coastal activities) and September-October (when seafood is delicious).
- Sun protection should be done when visiting in summer. Apply sunscreen and wear a sun hat, as the ultraviolet rays in the scenic area are strong; it is recommended to wear beach shoes in the beach area to avoid being scratched by shells.
- Some sections of the Suma Bay plank road are steep. It is recommended to wear non-slip sports shoes. The elderly can take the scenic area sightseeing bus (10 yuan per person).
- When tasting seafood, choose regular restaurants, confirm the price before consumption to avoid disputes; those with seafood allergies should inform the store in advance.
- To catch seashells, you need to check the Lianyungang tide table, arrive at the tidal flat on the east side of the Sea Reclamation Dyke 1 hour before low tide, and bring tools such as small shovels and buckets.
Matters Needing Attention
- Swimming in Dashawan Bath must be in the designated area, obey the management of lifeguards, and avoid severe weather such as typhoons and heavy rains.
- Picking plants and disturbing birds are prohibited in Suma Bay Ecological Park. Be careful when walking on the plank road and do not get close to the cliff edge.
- Using flash photography, feeding marine life, and touching the exhibition tank glass are prohibited in the Underwater World.
- Commodities in the scenic area are relatively expensive. You can bring your own drinking water and snacks. Littering in the beach area is prohibited, and offenders will be fined 50-200 yuan.
- There are many tourists during holidays. It is recommended to arrive before 8:30 am to avoid the peak period from 10:00 am to 15:00 pm. When parking spaces are tight, you can park on both sides of the Sea Reclamation Dyke.