Nandaihe

Nandaihe

Nandaihe is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

New Attractions in Nandaihe

Cross-Sea Cableway

Designed for visitors to access the island and enjoy sea views, it stretches 1,039 meters in length, featuring a semi-enclosed double-seat cabin that operates smoothly and safely. The journey from the starting point, Juxian Pavilion, to Xianluo Pavilion on the island takes about 15 minutes, with a capacity of 560 passengers per hour. It is currently the only cross-sea cableway in China. If you’re lucky enough to ride the cable car across this cableway, you’ll enjoy breathtaking aerial views of Nandaihe’s scenic spots and island wonders.

Sea Snail Fairy

In mythology, the Sea Snail Fairy married a young fisherman named Haiwa. Not only did she adapt to life on land and diligently manage their home, but she also frequently appeared during critical moments to help fishermen in distress and protect the local community. When fishermen encountered fierce storms and couldn’t reach shore, she would calm the waves by singing a snail song while using her shell-like body to carry them safely on and off their boats. To honor her, the fishermen later built a 4-meter-tall, half-reclining statue with a human upper body and snail tail on the seashore. They often prayed before the statue for safe voyages. Today, we’ve relocated the Sea Snail Fairy statue to Xianluo Island for visitors to admire.

Xianluo Pavilion

This pavilion serves as the dwelling place of the Sea Snail Fairy. Legend has it that the Sea Snail Fairy was originally an ordinary female sea snail. After cultivating herself here for 600 years, she became immortal—hence the name Xianluo Pavilion. Located in the center of Xianluo Island, the pavilion stands 26 meters tall. Its ground floor houses the cableway turnaround station, while the top features an antique-style bell tower. Visitors can not only enjoy panoramic views of Nandaihe but also take in the scenery of Beidaihe, the Summer Capital. They can even ring the bell in the tower for good luck. The resonant chimes symbolize fortune and peace. Additionally, it’s one of the best spots to watch the sunrise. Witnessing the sun rise slowly over the horizon in the early morning is truly a rare and unforgettable experience.

Windmill Cluster

Comprising seven groups of windmills of various sizes and shapes, they are powered by the wind—the faster the breeze, the quicker they spin. Among them, the most eye-catching is the Water-Powered Oddity, which uses the difference between wind and wave force to lift water and generate motion. Its peculiar design is both whimsical and fascinating.

Sea Within the Sea

Legend says this sea was once exclusively used by the Sea Snail Fairy for bathing. After she descended to the mortal realm, no one else dared to enter, leaving the waters undisturbed and serene. The diverse marine life flourished here, infused with an otherworldly "celestial aura." People who breathe in its scent claim it sharpens their senses, while those who consume its seafood believe it extends their lifespan. Even today, the fish, shrimp, crabs, and clams here remain notably plumper, fresher in color, and richer in flavor compared to those found elsewhere. The Sea Within the Sea is now an ideal spot for fishing and savoring fresh seafood, promising not just a bountiful catch but also good fortune.

Sandaoguan (Three Passes)

The First Pass – Shimen Pass. The stone gate is both majestic and mysterious. There are gates within gates, each offering unique features. As visitors pass through, they may feel dazzled yet ultimately refreshed. The Second Pass – Mysterious Gorge. Five towering peaks rise from the ground, spaced about a meter apart, forming three narrow stone alleys for visitors to explore. Looking up from the bottom of the alley, the vast sky narrows into a thin blue line, regardless of where you look. This spectacular sight of a “line of heaven” is truly a rare marvel. The Third Pass – Seaside Plank Walk. This section is rugged and challenging. To get through, you must climb a 3-meter-high cliff and navigate a winding path along crashing waves. Though thrilling, it’s an exhilarating adventure with no real danger.

Nandaihe Coastal Leisure and Health Tourism Zone

The Nandaihe Coastal Tourism Area is located 19.5 kilometers southeast of Funing County. To the northeast, it faces the summer resort of Beidaihe across the Dai River, connected by a bridge. The coastal tourism area stretches from the mouth of the Dai River in the east to the mouth of the Yang River in the west, with a 3-kilometer-long coastline and a total area of 2.5 square kilometers. The area offers the five essential elements of global coastal tourism: ocean, beach, air, sunlight, and greenery. It’s an ideal natural destination for swimming, sunbathing, sandbathing, and airbathing.

The Nandaihe Beach features soft, level sand, gentle slopes, calm tides, with the highest tide level at 1.66 meters and the lowest at 0.66 meters—a tidal difference of about 1 meter. The water temperature is moderate, making it safe and comfortable. The seabed consists of fine, soft sand without rocks, debris, or mud. The seawater is crystal-clear and unpolluted. In July and August, the average temperature is around 25°C, exceeding 30°C only about six or seven days a year. The Nandaihe Coastal Tourism Area is a perfect natural spot for swimming, sandbathing, and sunbathing. The renowned calligrapher Zhang Zhongyu once inscribed the words “The World’s No. 1 Bath” here after visiting. Nowadays, a coastal highway runs through the area, connecting it to other famous destinations such as Beidaihe, Shanhaiguan (the First Pass Under Heaven), Golden Coast, Jieshi Mountain, and Bei’niuding. The area includes a 75,000-square-meter seawater bathing beach, with well-developed infrastructure including water, electricity, roads, and communication networks. Over 20 service facilities such as hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, and shops have been established.

(1) Sunrise Spectacle. On clear days throughout the year, you can watch the sunrise from the beach. Early in the morning, looking eastward over the sea, the surface is as smooth as a mirror.

(2) Beach Night Scene. During the day, the beach gathers men and women coming for travel and relaxation. The sounds of conversation, laughter, the ebb and flow of the tide, coupled with the golden sands, colorful flowers and trees, a variety of umbrellas, and the beautiful clothing of people, form a vibrant and colorful picture.

(3) Heavenly Horse Soaring. On Nandaihe Beach stands a roughly 10-meter-tall statue of the “Heavenly Horse,” lifelike and vivid, radiating an uplifting and aspirational spirit. The inscription on the statue describes the history of Funing County and the legend of the Heavenly Horse.

(4) Maze. Also known as the “Bagua Flower Array,” the maze is built in a European-American style. Covering an area of about 8 mu, it includes facilities such as Wanghai Pavilion, fountains, sculptures, and a general’s platform. Visitors who venture inside may easily lose their way. The structure is novel and unique, combining modern amusement equipment with elements of knowledge, appreciation, and fun, allowing visitors to gain insights while enjoying beauty and boundless entertainment.

Beiniudingscenic area

Located in the northeastern part of Funing County, it sits at an elevation of 965 meters, with the Great Wall meandering over its peak. Major attractions include:

Longtan (Dragon Pool). Adjacent to the trail leading to Beiniuding, the pool’s walls are as sheer as if cut by an ax. In summer, waterfalls cascade down the valley with tremendous force, roaring like a tiger or dragon. The pool is over 10 meters deep, with cool, crystal-clear water. On the eastern cliff of the pool is engraved the bold regular-script characters “Longquan” (Dragon Spring). Two stone steles from the Qing Dynasty’s Daoguang era stand nearby. A rainbow bridge newly erected above the pool leads to Wangyu Pavilion. To the north of the road lies a stone-built “Dragon King Temple,” reconstructed in 1985.

Baofeng Chan Temple and Qinghe Ta Temple are located 2 kilometers east of Longtan. Both temples share the same structure: a three-bay, four-room hall without beams, featuring arched ceilings, stone walls, and not a single inch of wooden rafters. Qinghe Ta Temple is on the left, and Baofeng Chan Temple is on the right. The outer wall of Qinghe Ta Temple bears a horizontal stele inscribed with “Originally built in the first year of the Yuanshi era of the Yuan Dynasty (1321), renovated in the third year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1508).” Baofeng Chan Temple was renovated in the 14th year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1501). Each temple’s interior walls are inlaid with 27 horizontal stone tablets, each about 50 cm wide and 80 cm tall, engraved with images of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, heavenly kings, and guardians. The lines are fluid, and the carvings are sharp—true masterpieces of Ming Dynasty stone engraving. In front of the main hall of Baofeng Chan Temple, two cliffs form a gateway called the “Mountain Gate.” On either side of the gate are numerous Buddhist statues of varying sizes carved into the rock face. The two temples are about 1.5 kilometers apart.

Beiniuding. After passing Longtan and walking several more miles through a green corridor covered by wild kiwi vines and grapevines, you’ll look up to see Beiniuding. The mountain path is steep. In the past, five sections of cypress wood ladders were fixed along the cliffs, with iron chains on either side. Visitors had to pull themselves up using ropes and climb the ladders like monkeys. In the 1980s, sturdy iron stairs, over 70 meters long, were installed, allowing safe ascents to the summit. Passing through the Mountain Gate and looking back, you may feel as though you’re ascending to immortality. On cloudy days, you can see clouds stretching for miles beneath your feet, resembling rolling snow or piles of cotton—rain falling from a clear sky, a phenomenon known as the “Padded Cotton World” or “Beiniuding Sea of Clouds.” On the inner wall of the gate’s south side is a horizontal stone tablet inscribed with the small characters “Taiqing Guan” (Great Purity Temple) and the large characters “Beiniuding.” Near the gate, a cliff is engraved with the words “If you don’t chant the name of Amitabha in this life, you’ve wasted your time on earth,” evoking a sense of transcendence. Behind the cliff, within a pine forest, are over ten stone stelae from the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong era, mostly merit steles. Beyond the steles are seven urn-shaped wells. Nearby, under the cliff, there’s a rectangular wooden pool with water seeping from its walls, known as the “Life-Release Pond” or “Lotus Pond,” which overflows year-round. In front of the pond lie the ruins of the Shicheng Wanghai Tower, now overgrown with dense pine trees. To the east of the stone city lies the ruins of the Guan Di Temple. Heading east from there, cliff engravings depict Lü Dongbin’s sword. Behind the temple is a beamless hall with stone walls, brick arches, a gabled tile roof, a front door, and two side windows. Inside, three wooden-carved Guanyin statues are mounted on pedestals, restored in 1985. Before its destruction, two spruce trees flanked the hall. Ten meters northeast of the hall lie the remains of a bell frame. Further northwest is the Golden Light Cave, which houses a blue stone plaque from the first year of the Xuantong era (1908), inscribed with the large characters “Golden Light Cave,” surrounded by dragon-patterned carvings. To the east is a millstone, once a tool used by monks. To the west, cliff inscriptions from the Ming Dynasty’s General Lin Tong record Buddhist prayers. From the Golden Light Cave, continue climbing to reach the summit. Here, dense forests and pine waves abound. To the north, the Great Wall winds through layered green mountains. To the south, the Bohai Sea stretches to the horizon, dotted with sailing boats.

Jade Island

It is one of China’s seven national-level marine nature reserves. Located on the southern coast of the Golden Coast in Changli County, Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province, it is surrounded on three sides—east, north, and west—by the Bohai Sea and Qilihai (a lagoon). This peninsula is characterized by alternating stretches of fine yellow sand and lush green vegetation. The island features undulating sand dunes with beautiful shapes, the highest reaching 44 meters, covering an area of about seven square kilometers, and is known as the "Great Desert of Eastern Beijing." It is a kingdom for birds, with 68 species under national key protection, such as the Black-tailed Gull. The precious Lizardfish is also found here in one of its highest distributions nationwide. The island also grows various medicinal herbs such as sand ginseng and white reeds.

In addition to admiring the unique scenery of the marine desert, the main tourist activities on Jade Island include participatory experiences such as sliding, rolling, flying, swimming, fishing, and ball games. Sliding refers to sandboarding down dunes and into sea waves; rolling means playing in an inflatable space ball; flying involves riding an entertainment parachute; swimming takes place at the beach; fishing allows tourists to catch fish using simple nets; and ball games include beach volleyball and soccer. Outdoor activities such as barbecues and campfires are especially popular among teenagers.

Jade Island is easily accessible. It is 50 kilometers from Exit 18 of the Beijing-Shenyang Expressway, the Qinglong–Funing–Changli exit, and can be reached via the Fuchanghuang Highway. It is also 60 kilometers from Qinhuangdao. Travelers can take Bus 34 to Beidaihe and then transfer to a minibus to Jade Island. The island is situated on the eastern side of the coastal highway between Qinhuangdao and Jingtang Port, with clear signage along the way.

Wild Blade Valley

Wild Blade Valley is located about 25 kilometers north of Nandaihe, near Polaris. It is a pristine, undeveloped scenic area dotted with bizarre rocks and dense woods. With picturesque landscapes, birdsong, and floral scents, this beautiful natural environment features numerous peaks resembling bamboo shoots covering the mountains. From afar or up close, the hillsides are covered with uniquely shaped stones in countless forms. As a result, Wild Blade Valley is also known as the “Stone Forest of Yan Pass.”