Lovers' Isle

Lovers' Isle

　Jinsha Island, also known as "Lovers' Isle," is a shifting islet located near the offshore waters of Wenchang's eastern suburbs. It covers an area of only about 300 acres and gets submerged during high tide, while revealing its golden sandy beach at low tide.

According to legend, long ago, a famine struck the region, forcing people to flee their homes. Upon learning of this, the heavens sent the God of Wealth carrying two bags of golden sand to provide relief. However, on his way over the sea, an eagle pecked holes in the bags, scattering two piles of golden sand—forming today’s sandy islet. Realizing what had happened, the God of Wealth, prioritizing saving lives, quickly summoned the Dragon King of the Sea to guard the area. In the sunlight, the scattered sand shimmered brilliantly, resembling a field of gold. It is also said that to help people locate the gold, the God of Wealth instructed the Dragon King to mark the spot with wooden blocks. The local residents, grateful for his kindness, preserved the wooden markers and built a temple in his honor. Since then, young fishermen and their sweethearts have favored the place to secretly pledge their love, which is why it has also come to be known as "Lovers' Isle."

The wonder of Jinsha Island lies in the fact that the sandy islet gets submerged by seawater once every month. Normally, even during the highest tides, the island is no larger than three basketball courts, and during the lowest tides, it can be as small as three football fields. Standing on the island, you’re surrounded by undulating blue waves, as if in a fairyland. The islet also shifts its position with seasonal changes and variations in water levels.

Upon setting foot on Jinsha Island, visitors are captivated by this small island, whose beauty resembles a fine oil painting. The combination of coconut groves, beaches, and fishing harbors—scenery typically common in southern China—takes on a uniquely charming character here. The interplay of sunlight and cloud shadows perfectly highlights the slender silhouettes of coconut trees; the tanned skin of fishermen mending their nets contrasts beautifully with the silver sands, reflecting a healthy glow; even the ripples left by waves on the shore and the jagged outlines of distant rocks possess a subtle, often unnoticed beauty in the details. Some visitors have remarked: at that moment, they felt an urge to lie on the beach, rest their head on the waves, and write down the entire story of their life in one breath.

As a result, Jinsha Island has become an ideal spot for traditional net-fishing leisure activities. In March 2004, Jinsha Island launched a "Fishing Village Fun" tourism project, featuring 13 interactive activities for visitors to enjoy, including large-scale trawling, small-net fishing, and using iron rakes to dig for clams.

The main activities include: (1) taking a sightseeing boat to enjoy the coastal coconut grove scenery, (2) learning about various local fishing nets and observing fishermen’s prayer ceremonies before heading out to sea, (3) large-scale trawling, (4) small-net fishing, (5) using iron rakes to dig for clams, (6) playing in shallow seawater, (7) beach volleyball, (8) mini soccer, (9) beach tug-of-war competition (with prizes), (10) wooden clog race game (with prizes), (11) enjoying the sea view from a shaded pavilion, (12) tasting freshly caught fish soup, and (13) freshwater showers.

The "Fishing Village Fun" activities on Jinsha Island allow visitors to not only take in the beautiful scenery of the region but also immerse themselves in the rich culture of the fishing community—truly a perfect embodiment of the harmony between humans and nature.