Return to Zhuhai's outer islands

Wrapped around Macau and just 63 kilometers west of Hong Kong is the coastal city of Zhuhai. It is famed for its seafood and as a passage into Macau, but is also home to a dozen or so islands, just a few of the more than 100 islands that are part of the Pearl River Delta's flow into the South China Sea. 

I am returning to the outer islands after two years, to rediscover this fast-changing area.

But it does not start well.

"This is not Dongao Island," I say in Putonghua to the guard. He smiles and says, "This is Guishan island. Come back at 10:30 for the boat to Dongao." 

So original plans abandoned, I land up on Guishan Island after a 50-minute ferry ride from Zhuhai. Standing on its concrete docks it becomes clear why places like this don't make it into the tourist brochures.

Guishan Island

A basket of fish from Guishan Island.

For one, Guishan is largely a Navy island. As if to ram home the point, a guard rushes out as I accidentally wander towards some small PLA boats. He has a bright smile and directs me towards the far end of the dock where the fishmongers are.

It is a fishing port, and for RMB 8-15 I can buy a fresh perch from a nice lady who will gut it for me on the spot. I can then walk across the street to any of the half dozen seafood restaurants who will fry it up for me with rice.

But with so many fishing boats trailing rainbows of fuel in the water, this is a far cry from my first visit to these islands in 2008, when I visited a hidden beach on Wai Ling Ding island.

Wai Ling Ding

Like all ferries headed to Zhuhai's outer islands, Wai Ling Ding is reached from the port of Xiangzhou. This little burgh is accessible by taxi from Zhuhai's primary port of Jiu Zhou Gang, which has regular 70-minute ferry rides running to Shenzhen, Shun Tak Hong Kong and Macau Ferry Terminal and the Hong Kong International airport.

The Wai Ling Ding trip takes about two hours by ferry, and is well worth it. It is best to pack some picnic supplies if you'll be staying a few days and want some home comfort food.

For those that don't pack the snacks, Wai Ling Ding caters to Chinese travelers and has nice local snacks and Cantonese restaurants with fresh fish and dim sum.

Heading to Dongao

From a Zhuhai Ferry control desk, with captain, crew and VIP cabin members.

As I begin to get in line for the ferry to Dongao, a large man appears clad in fishing gear; leather, rubber, expensive poles. 

This man is cashed up and ready to fish and so are the scores of passengers bound for Dongao on a Chinese package tour. 

As I had been put on the wrong ferry initially, the attendants let me sit in first class upstairs. Leather seats ... TV with Chinese melodramas ... and views into the captain's control chamber. 

Dongao

Calm life at Dongao Harbor.

Dongao has a bay that comes together at an isthmus. I noted two locomotive-themed passenger carriers. One named “Adam,” the other “Eve,” these are aimed at marriage parties.

As I was not looking to get hitched (at least not on this trip) I headed out to the nearest beach and skipped the love trains. 

I found an extremely clean beach of golden sand facing an emerald cove populated with just a few fishing tourists and Chinese couples getting frisky on nearby rocks. 

The Dongao Make Holiday Villa is near the beach and charges RMB 260 per night for spartan yet cheery rooms. Don't expect the hotel restaurant to have every item on the menu, but they do have some quality fresh fish.

Prepping fish, Hengqing Island.

The transport trams on Dongao are infrequent so rather than sweat in the sun, I hitchhiked back with a kid on a motorbike loaded with a box of vegetables. We roared into town just in time for the boat back to Xiangzhou.

Changing fast

For all its sleepy charm, Zhuhai is changing fast. In fact, one of my favorite places in Zhuhai is gone -- the oyster farms of eastern Hengqing Island. They used to line the road and you could see Macau while chewing on savory barbecued oysters and kicking back a cold beer.

There were ducks splayed open and dried, their skeletons exposed with chopsticks.

Drying ducks.

Now, the oysters and ducks have been moved to a new location, and the area is being redeveloped for resorts.

How long before the scores of small islands reached from Zhuhai lose their rustic charm? My friends in Zhuhai tell me that the resorts are on the way in, so there isn't much time to see how it is now.

Beer and oysters, Hengqing Island.

Getting to Zhuhai's islands

To get to Zhuhai's Islands requires a trip to Xiangzhou Port. Zhuhai-based website www.deltabridges.com has all the information for getting to Xiangzhou port and around Zhuhai. Times and routes fluctuate so check the site for the latest information.

Where to stay in Wai Ling Ding
It's best to arrive in the morning and go to the police station just a block away from the port. You will have to register with them anyway when checking into any hotel.

Where to stay in Dongao
The Dongao Make Holiday Villa, tel: +86 756 885 8518 or +86 756 212 7518

Where to stay in Zhuhai outer islands
The outer islands hotels are very unpredictable and it is recommended to have a hotel on the mainland and make day trips out to the islands.

Zhuhai Holiday Inn
188 Jingshan Road, Jida
tel. +86 756 322 8888
www.holidayinn-zhuhai.com

Harbour View Hotel
47 Middle Lover's Avenue
tel. +86 756 332 9988