Gouqi Island

Gouqi Island

Gouqi Island is located in the eastern part of the Shengsi Archipelago and is the second largest island in the group. The eastern tip of the island boasts the captivating Gouqi Beach; the southern cliffs feature attractions such as Little Western Heaven, the “Mountain and Sea Wonder” stele, Mazu Temple, Tiger Rock, Dragon Emerging from Water, and the Island Sand Stele.

Gouqi Island originally got its name from the abundant wolfberry plants that once grew all over the hills. Nowadays, it is known for cultivating various shellfish and marine algae, especially mussels (also called “dried scallops”), which have a very large annual yield. Mussel meat is delicious and rich in protein and eight types of amino acids, earning it the nickname “sea egg” and making it highly nutritious.

Hiking to enjoy sea views and tasting fresh seafood have made the island increasingly popular. There are also two stretches of golden beach, each over 600 meters long, located in the southeast and southwest of the island, which remain largely undeveloped.

Transportation

Depart from Sijiao Island, taking a boat from Xiaocaiyuan Pier in Caiyuan Town (Location: Wulong Township, at the foot of Dabeishan Mountain).

1. “Shengxiang No. 2” (full fare: 46 RMB): Departs at 7:40 AM. On odd-numbered dates, it stops at Gouqi Island en route, allowing passengers to disembark; the journey takes about three hours.

2. Speedboat “Maosheng No. 6” (ticket: 62 RMB): Departs at 3:30 PM,

arriving at Shengshan Island after one hour. From Shengshan Island, you can take a ferry (ticket: 9 RMB) that runs frequently and takes about 10 minutes; alternatively, you can rent a small fishing boat from Shengshan Island to Gouqi Island, with prices around 15–20 RMB per boat (bargaining is recommended). It’s best to take the 1 PM ferry from Gouqi to Shengshan, otherwise the next one departs at 4 PM. Locals usually travel in the morning, when ferries run hourly.

Departing from Shengshan Island:

1. Rent a small fishing boat from Shengshan Island to Gouqi Island, with prices around 15–20 RMB per boat (bargaining is recommended). It’s best to take the 1 PM ferry from Gouqi to Shengshan, otherwise the next one departs at 4 PM. Locals usually travel in the morning, when ferries run hourly.

2. A three-reef bridge connects Shengshan Town and Gouqi Township. The bridge is not long and takes just 15 minutes to walk across.

In front of Xinxin Longda Hotel in Shengshan, there is a bus to Gouqi Township with a fare of 4 RMB.

Address: Shengsi County, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province

Type: Mountainous island/peninsula

Recommended visiting duration: 2 days

Admission: Free