Seahorse Island Scenic Area

Seahorse Island Scenic Area

The Lufeng Seahorse Island Tourist Area is located on the southern coast of Donghai Economic Development Zone. It is an island separated from the mainland by a trench, extending from Hutou Mountain, which is part of the coastal mountain range near Wukeng Port, and faces Hutou Mountain across the sea. The silhouette of Hutou Mountain resembles a crouching tiger by the vast ocean, with its tongue extended as if drinking water — this “tongue” is the island, hence it was originally called “Tiger’s Tongue,” also known as “Lucky Island.” Although surrounded by sea on all sides, Lucky Island features diverse environments: to the east, it is separated from Hutou Mountain by a 1,500-meter-wide, 30-meter-deep trench that serves as the shipping channel for vessels entering and leaving Wukeng Port; to the north, it faces Huaixiang Holiday Resort (also known as Nanhai Manor), located 2,000 meters across the water on the shore; to the south and west are beaches stretching 3,000 meters in length and varying between 350 to 650 meters in width, forming a natural island bathing beach. With a gentle slope, the water depth reaches only 1.5 meters within 200 meters, and the seawater is clean and unpolluted. As the bathing beach lies within the urban area of Dongcheng Town, Lucheng, it is also referred to as the Donghai Bathing Beach. The entire island covers an area of approximately 2 square kilometers, featuring flat terrain, lush forests, wildflowers scattered across the ground, and a beautiful environment. Freshwater resources are abundant — one can dig a well just 5 meters deep, with the water surface only 1 meter below ground level. In recent years, fishermen often catch seahorses in the surrounding waters, with the annual catch increasing steadily. Seahorses are rare and fascinating marine creatures with unique shapes and reproductive methods — male seahorses carry and nurture their young in a specialized pouch. Seahorses have very high requirements for water quality and can only survive in specific unpolluted marine areas. To protect the island’s environment, the development project for “Lucky Island” has been named the “Seahorse Island Tourist Area.”

Across from the Seahorse Island Tourist Area lies Wukeng Port, where during the Qing Dynasty, the Wukeng Main Customs Office of the Guangdong Customs was established. It was one of the important trading ports in eastern Guangdong at the time. Under the setting sun, Wukeng Port bustled with prosperity, becoming one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Old Lufeng” — the “Wukeng Homeward Sails.” Contemporary literati described it with this poem: “At dusk the sea mist lies low, Sails are furled as evening glows. Masts lean close along the strand, Oars crisscross the tidal sand. Daytime markets vie for shellfish fare, Fishers’ cooking scents the fragrant air. A crescent moon above the bay, Boatmen watch the tides at play.” As the sun sets, the sea glows golden, and white sails dot the horizon, laden with harvest and joy. Returning fishing boats are neatly moored at the docks, smoke curls from village kitchens, and the fish market bustles with trade... When night falls, a crescent moon rises, and fishermen on shore plan their next voyage.

Though the former “Wukeng Homeward Sails” scene, immortalized by poets and scholars, was picturesque, it belongs to the past. Today’s Wukeng Port presents a modern and vibrant harbor landscape: construction has been completed to accommodate ships of up to 500 tons; sailing vessels have largely been replaced by motorboats. Wukeng Village has become a nationally recognized model of grassroots advancement, with thriving local industries, steadily rising average incomes for residents, access to sweet tap water, and gas replacing the soot of kitchen fires. What remains unchanged is the enduring beauty of the sea, and the busy homeward-bound sails under the setting sun...

The establishment of the Seahorse Island Tourist Area will inevitably give rise to modern, high-end tourism products. Nearby lies the once-glorious old attraction, “Wukeng Homeward Sails,” which evokes nostalgia and reflection, adding rich cultural depth to the heritage of the Seahorse Island Tourist Area.