Weizhou Island: One Last Authentic Trip Before the Commercial Wave Hits

A Note Before We Start: Why Weizhou Island?

I'd just gotten back from Okinawa in 2019. That stretch of blue sky and turquoise sea was unforgettable, no doubt. But when I scrolled through my photo album, the images that truly made my heart skip a beat were the ones I'd taken on Weizhou Island in the fall of 2018. Not because they were perfect — but because they were imperfect in just the right way.

If you're also searching for a place that hasn't been fully "tamed" by commercialization, somewhere that still makes you excited to lift your camera instead of mechanically checking off spots, then this article might give you some real, useful insights.

This isn't a traditional travelogue. It's more of a "shooting journal." I'll walk you through the stories behind the lens, the pitfalls I stumbled into, and all those little details that only a photographer would notice.

1. Let's Get the "Bad Stuff" Out of the Way: This Place Isn't for Everyone

Let's be honest — Weizhou Island is not your standard "white sand, palm trees, crystal-clear water" tropical paradise.

The Beach? More Like a Sand-Mud Hybrid

As a volcanic island, Weizhou's beaches are a completely different beast from Sanya's. The "sand" here is incredibly dense — stepping on it feels more like walking on fine mud. Dig just a few centimeters down, and you'll hit crushed coral and volcanic rock fragments. If you're looking for a pristine stretch of sand where kids can run barefoot without a care, this place might disappoint you.

Family-Friendliness: Below Average

If you're bringing kids, be prepared. Volcanic rock is everywhere, and the reefs are sharp — definitely not barefoot-friendly. Even on seemingly flat beaches, there are hidden pebbles and stones everywhere. For toddlers just learning to walk, this place is more of an "adventure playground" where you need to keep a constant eye on them and be ready to scoop them up at any moment. It's not the kind of "resort paradise" where you can just lay down a mat and let them play for an afternoon.

2. But If You Bring a Camera: This Is Heaven

The moment I pointed my lens at Weizhou Island, all those "flaws" instantly turned into strengths.

Layered Landscapes That Sanya Can't Touch

There are no cookie-cutter beach curves here. Instead, you get volcanic reefs in every shape imaginable, steep cliffs, and mysterious tidal flats that emerge when the water recedes. As the sun sets, golden light hits those jagged rocks, creating a stark contrast with the clear seawater — you'll never get shots like this on Sanya's beaches.

Complete Creative Freedom, No Restrictions

What surprised me most was the near-total lack of shooting restrictions on Weizhou Island. Except for areas near the military garrison, you can fly a drone wherever you want. Those seemingly dangerous shooting spots? Nobody's stopping you. For any photography enthusiast, that kind of "shoot however you want" freedom is a luxury in itself.

3. A Quick Visual Guide to the Island's Shooting Locations

To help you plan your route, I've broken down the key shooting spots into zones:

Sunset Shooting Spots (West Side)

• Shiluokou (Highly Recommended): Directly facing west, with plenty of reefs and a sizable tidal flat when the water recedes. In my opinion, this is the best spot for sunset shots. Drones are welcome, and the composition possibilities are endless.
• Dishui Danping: Located at the southernmost tip, the sunset angle here is a bit off — the coastline and the sun aren't perfectly aligned. Good as a backup plan.
• Muya: Split into two levels. The upper level is on the cliff facing directly toward the sunset, but the most photogenic notch doesn't actually face west. The lower level requires descending about 60 meters of steep stairs, and once you're down, there are reefs everywhere, directly facing west. Important note: this area is close to the military garrison, so drone signals will be disrupted. Not recommended for flying.

My ranking: Shiluokou > Muya > Dishui Danping

Sunrise Shooting Spots (East Side)

• Wucai Tan (Five-Color Beach): Directly facing east, with richly colored volcanic rock and excellent layering when the tide goes out. This is the top choice for sunrise shots.
• Beike Tan (Shell Beach): You can see the sunrise here too, but the reef formations and layering aren't as impressive as Wucai Tan.

The High Point

• Eyu Shan (Crocodile Hill): The highest point on the island, offering a panoramic view of Nanwan and Moon Bay. This is the only attraction on the island that requires a ticket (don't throw away your island entry pass). There's an electric cart that runs back and forth — 20 RMB per person. The loop trail around the peninsula is fully open, so you can take your time walking and shooting. That alone is much more generous than Wuzhizhou Island in Sanya.

Unique Off-the-Beaten-Path Spot

• Zhongshiyou Pier (North Side): Virtually empty of tourists, with an incredibly long coastline. On a clear day, it has a bit of a Southeast Asian island vibe. The bridge is guarded, so if you want a full panoramic shot, you'll need a drone.

4. Getting to the Island and Getting Around: The Details You Need to Know

How to Get There?

From Beihai to Weizhou Island, the ferry takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The big boats are relatively stable, but if you hit Force 5-6 winds, the rocking can be intense — our kid threw up on the way back.

Top Recommendation: Beiyou 15 This is the only passenger boat with an open deck. If you don't have a drone and want to capture a panoramic shot of the Zhongshiyou Bridge, this is your only chance. On the way there, the bridge is on the left side of the boat; on the way back, it's on the right. Remember those directions. The third deck is a 360° fully open area, but it costs an extra 100 RMB. The VIP room on the second floor also has its own open area, but the view is limited.

No other boat types allow you on the deck, and all passenger boats have frosted glass — so forget about shooting sea views through the window.

How to Get Around the Island?

Map apps generally work here, and 4G signal is good. But here's a secret: all map distance estimates are inaccurate. The actual distance is about 1/3 to 1/2 longer than what's shown, thanks to the island's winding roads. Hiking enthusiasts, be careful with your energy budget.

There are four transportation options on the island:

1. Electric Scooter (First Choice) Rental is about 60 RMB per day, or 30-40 RMB for half a day. Can carry two adults and a 1-2 year old child. The battery lasts a full day of riding. Want to shoot sunrise? You'll need to rent it the night before, and the owner will deliver it to your accommodation. Trying to find one at 5 or 6 in the morning? Forget it. Annoying catch: Every scenic spot charges 5 RMB for parking, collected by the locals themselves. It's really irritating. If you visit 3 spots in a day, your actual rental cost becomes 75 RMB.

1. Tuk-Tuk (Good for Families with Kids) Can seat 3 adults plus luggage. Short-distance trips cost about 30 RMB round trip, longer ones 50-60 RMB. Full-day rental is around 100-120 RMB. Get the driver's number when you arrive, call them when you're done, and pay when you're back at your accommodation. Strongly recommend an older gentleman driver: 13877989716. We only used him for our last few days. He was especially careful with our kid when going over bumps and ditches — very attentive.

2. Electric Cart Seats 7-8 people, good for large families or groups. Slightly more expensive than a tuk-tuk, but harder to find on the spot. Better to save a contact number.

3. Car (Wuling Hongguang) Rental is 150-250 RMB per day. Not a huge advantage unless you want air conditioning in the summer.

One more thing: Gasoline on the island costs 10.5 RMB per liter — much higher than on the mainland. The higher transportation costs are understandable, but those parking fees are just plain annoying.

5. Accommodation and Food: Choose Your Location Wisely

Where to Stay

The owner of the guesthouse I stayed at was a freelance photographer. Besides running the inn, he also shoots weddings and family portraits. I spent 7 days chatting with him and looking at his client work, learning a lot about weather patterns and shooting spots. If you're worried I'm just shilling for him, feel free to message me privately to ask which place it is.

I strongly recommend staying on the west side — around Shiluokou or Dishui Village. It's super convenient for sunset shooting, and the food, accommodation, and transportation options are better. I don't recommend staying near Muya — it's right next to an oil refinery, the noise is terrible, and the facilities are poor.

Food Tips

The weather on the island is unpredictable. When the weather is bad and boats can't go out, seafood prices jump immediately. Prices change daily. If you're on the island during a windy period, buy plenty of seafood when the weather is good — it's a sure bet.

6. Weather: A More Reliable Way to Judge Than the Forecast

Here's what I learned from the guesthouse owner, who was a huge help:

1. Weather forecasts are basically useless — it's mainly a location issue. What you search for is Beihai's weather, but Weizhou Island is still more than 50 kilometers away from Beihai, and the island climate is completely different.
2. May to September has clear air with mostly sunny days — great for shooting. After October, temperatures drop, and the sky becomes unstable, with more cloudy days.
3. Sunset is easier to capture than sunrise (in October).
4. Wind direction is more reliable than the forecast: North, northeast, and northwest winds mean poor visibility; east, west, and south winds are much better.
5. Tides depend on the moon phase, which changes daily. Check the lunar calendar before you go.
6. The island isn't great for astrophotography — there are large fishing boats with bright lights far out at sea, causing serious light pollution.

My additions: - The Clear Sky Clock app is much more accurate than weather forecasts, with about 80% reliability within 24 hours. It's a must-have for professional photographers. - The guesthouse owner was a legend — my weather app predicted overcast all day, but he looked up at the sky and said, "The wind isn't from the north anymore. It might clear up." Sure enough, a little while later, we got a solid two hours of bright sunshine.

7. A Detailed Look at Each Spot: Worth Every Minute

Shiluokou: King of Sunsets

Directly facing west, with reefs, tidal flats, and cliffs all in one place — endless composition possibilities. When the tide goes out, the reefs are fully exposed, and there are two small sea caves that are inaccessible at high tide. Drones are welcome. If you walk south along the beach from Shiluokou for 2-3 kilometers, you'll reach Dishui Danping — they're actually part of the same stretch of beach.

Dishui Danping: The Name Is a Bit of an Exaggeration

There's definitely a lot of water seeping down from the rocks here, but if you look closely, every cliff on the island has the same phenomenon. If you're afraid of bugs or have trypophobia, be careful about getting too close to the rocks near the cliff edge — there are... well, let's just leave it at that. This spot is connected to Eyu Shan (Crocodile Hill). You can fly a drone from Dishui Danping directly to Eyu Shan.

Muya: Great for Couples and Photographers, Not for Kids

Two levels. The upper level is on the cliff with no railings. The lower level requires descending 60 meters of steep stairs — steeper than the Great Wall at Juyongguan. If you're bringing kids, just skip it. Important: The military garrison is directly to the south. If you fly your drone south, it will get shot down. Flying north won't get you shot, but signal interference is severe — my drone lost its video feed at just 5 meters altitude and less than 40 meters distance. I recommend not flying here at all. If you absolutely must, keep it within visual range at all times.

Eyu Shan (Crocodile Hill): The Only Spot That Requires a Ticket

Don't throw away your island entry pass. Once inside, you'll loop around the peninsula. Go down the cliff to the left of the lighthouse, walk along the east side all the way to the west side, and come back up to the right of the lighthouse. There's only one path — you can't get lost. The loop trail around the peninsula is fully open, so you can take your time walking and shooting. This is much more generous than Wuzhizhou Island in Sanya — on that island, tourists aren't allowed into similar sections for free.

Wucai Tan (Five-Color Beach): Best for Sunrise, But It's Luck-Based

Directly facing east. When the tide goes out, the volcanic rock shimmers with vibrant colors in the sunlight. Unfortunately, we had 5 cloudy days out of 7 on the island, so the colors didn't really show up when we visited. To make matters worse, this is where my drone had its first crash — I messed up the landing and hit the mountain. For the next two days, my drone kept flying despite being seriously damaged and having no spare propellers. The build quality was incredible.

Zhongshihua Bridge (Sinopec Bridge): The Most Unique Off-the-Beaten-Path Spot

At the northernmost tip of the island, near the pier. Almost no tourists. The water quality is excellent. On a clear day, it has a real Southeast Asian island vibe. The bridge stretches several kilometers out to sea — quite impressive. The bridge is guarded, so you can't walk on it. You'll need a drone. My drone had just crashed the day before, but it braved Force 5-6 winds and completed the mission perfectly — right after I finished shooting, the weather turned cloudy.

The Church: A Good Backup Plan for Bad Weather

Located in the center of the island. Since you're shooting a building, weather doesn't matter. I'd recommend going here when the weather is bad — don't waste good weather on it. The choir performs once at 11:30 AM and once in the afternoon (I don't remember the exact time). The church is solemn, and since I'm not religious, I just took a couple of quick shots and left.

A Final Word: Go While It's Still There

In today's world of relentless commercialization, Weizhou Island is one of the few places that hasn't been completely ruined by it yet. According to the guesthouse owner, the island's original, authentic character from 4-5 years ago is slowly fading. But even so, it's still an ideal place to escape the crowds with your kids.

I learned from chatting with the locals that the island is currently applying for 5A scenic area status. When that day comes, I can already predict what will happen — more comfortable hotels, more convenient transportation, more luxurious dining options. But at the same time, the overall environment and atmosphere will suffer irreversible damage.

So go while it's still here. Go before it turns into another Sanya.

Finally, this article is dedicated to all my photography gear — this trip to Weizhou Island was the last time they worked for me. Thank you for four years of companionship.

Key Recommendations Summary