Dongtou Island

Dongtou District of Wenzhou City is one of the fourteen island counties (districts) in the country. Now it has become normal to drive to the island, taking the 228 National Road, passing through Lingni North Embankment and "Triple Jump" to reach the main island of Dongtou. Before the Spring Festival, it's the off-peak season for tourism. There are not many vehicles on the island, and the road is smooth. There are only traffic jams in front of the farmers' market during the shopping peak. The attractions are even more deserted. Dasha Ao and Paotai Mountain are being renovated, and only Xiandie Rock is open (half price for all tickets). There are few cars in the parking lot, and it's very comfortable to stroll around the scenic spots. Facing the sea, overlooking the Banpingshan Bridge, the view is wide and the mood is relaxed. The terrain of the Guanyin Temple section is steep and difficult to walk, but there are few people. After struggling to climb up, you can see the footprints of Guanyin and the golden body stone carvings. Then walk slowly along the slope, and you can see the sea lion and the mountain turtle leaving the scenic area from a distance. There used to be a sea-viewing plank road leading to Paotai Mountain and Dasha Ao, but now it's closed, so I didn't go down. Crossing the Banpingshan Bridge, park the car and enter the Banpingshan scenic area through the visitor center on the mountain (half price for all), and the scenic area is surprisingly exclusive. The cliffs of Banpingshan are steep, the waves are surging, and the sea waves hit the shore. The scenery changes with every step. Then go down the mountain through Niangniang Cave and leave the scenic area from the visitor center under the bridge by the sea. Go straight and return to the parking lot after the beach of Jiucailuo. Navigate to the Dongtou Pioneer Women's Militia Memorial Hall, which is about 10 minutes away (part of the mountain road). The red scenic spot is free, and we have the whole place to ourselves. The exhibition hall has three floors, which narrate the history of the Dongtou Revolution and the history of the Women's Militia. The movie "Haixia" was filmed based on the prototype of the first company commander, Wang Yuexia. Now the Women's Militia has 80 people, divided into basic emergency teams, sea defense alert teams, and public opinion guidance teams. They undertake the mission of "serving in peacetime, responding in emergencies, and fighting in wartime". There are other attractions in Dongtou, such as the Sea-viewing Tower, but I didn't have time to explore them in detail before I left the island and returned.