Baita Mountain Archipelago

Baita Mountain Archipelago

The Baita Mountain Archipelago is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Baita Mountain Archipelago is located in the southeast sea area of Qingshan Town, Haiyan County. It is the largest in area, most densely clustered, and closest to the coast (about 1.5 nautical miles) among the archipelagos in northern Zhejiang. It earned the name Baita Mountain due to a white pagoda that stood on the islands hundreds of years ago. Originally connected to the mainland, it became separated into islands after the Tang Dynasty due to coastal changes, making it a continental island.

The archipelago remains uninhabited to this day, with well-preserved natural ecology, lush vegetation, towering ancient trees, and numerous seabirds. The islands feature forests of camphor trees, metasequoia, and bamboo, with some large camphor trees requiring several people to encircle and are over a hundred years old. It blends the charm of an island getaway with the wild beauty of nature, making it ideal for tourism, leisure, and vacationing.

The Baita Mountain Archipelago stretches from southwest to northeast, approximately 2 kilometers long and 0.7 kilometers wide, covering a total area of 0.416 square kilometers. It consists of three islands and two reefs: Baita Mountain, Ma Yao Island, and Zhu Xiao Island, as well as Bei Reef and Wai Reef.

The main island is Baita Mountain, which stands 48 meters high and covers an area of about 0.2 square kilometers. It serves as a natural shelter for ships and now has a dock for tourist boats. It produces Baita Mountain Cloud Mist Tea and features natural attractions such as Lugong Rock and Couple’s Tree.

Ma Yao Island, also known as Second Mountain, is 38.04 meters high and covers an area of 0.138 square kilometers. Its shrubbery is home to wild animals such as rabbits, wild goats, and wild ducks. Natural attractions include Sky-Viewing Cave, Canyon Passage, and Strange Gully. The island hosts a large population of birds.

Zhu Xiao Island, also known as Third Mountain, is 39.01 meters high and covers an area of 0.075 square kilometers. It features natural attractions such as Wild Duck Ground, Sea-Viewing Platform, Strange Cove, and Strange Rocks. The site of the ancient Baita Pagoda is the best spot to view mirages.

Bei Reef is 6.2 meters high and covers an area of about 2,500 square meters, named for being the northernmost in the archipelago. Ma Yao Island and Zhu Xiao Island are home to tens of thousands of egrets. They have settled here for decades, making it a true bird island.

Wai Reef is 6.8 meters high and covers an area of about 500 square meters, named for being located outside Baita Mountain.

The Baita Mountain Archipelago is known for its “Three Wonders” and “Three Oddities”—namely, Strange Gully, Strange Fog, and Strange Sound for the wonders, and Strange Rocks, Strange Beach, and Strange Cove for the oddities. The Baita Mountain islands offer a picturesque setting where islands connect during low tide and separate during high tide. There are also enchanting beaches, commonly known as “Hundred-Step Golden Sands,” along with herds of goats, rabbits, pheasants, and ducks.

The islands are covered with healthy vegetation, including 65 acres of tea plantations and numerous fruit trees such as pear, loquat, and orange trees.