I wasn't very excited when my friends called me to join them for a trip to the beach on weekend. I wanted to head back when we threaded our way along the crowded and noisy expressway on our way to the beach.

But the jostling chatter of the flocks of seagulls as we got close to our destination -- Feicui Island (emerald island), a newly opened coastal resort by the Bohai Sea, at the south of Golden Beach in Changli County of Hebei Province -- cheered me up.

With the hovering seagulls chanting their ode to freedom, , I began to realize that the resort might be different from the crowded popular ones I had been to in the past.

Feicui Island is actually a peninsula. Unlike well-established coastal resorts like Beidaihe, which is jammed with hotels and villas, Feicui is largely natural and unspoiled, with nothing more needed than its amazing natural scenery to draw you there.

Surrounded by sea in its north, east and west sides, the peninsula got its name from the colour of its pure and clean water which is the colour of emerald.

On the west side of Feicui Island, sand dunes stretch back to a green belt of woodland. The dunes are about 40 metres high, very common at Golden Beach but rare in other coastal areas.

Without any restaurants or hotels, the beach with its fine sand is home to only a few scattered tents. The sole buildings there are a simply-constructed toilet and a shower.

There were dozens of interesting sand sculptures on the beach. A large sand sculpture show had just finished a few weeks ago.

The breeze from the sea was variable but felt wonderful on my skin, although it gave us a bit of trouble when we tried to put our tent up. It was blown askew before we could fasten the corners in the sand.

The fine, clean sand and shallow, calm and clear water make it an ideal place for swimming. And its a great place to catch a few rays.

The joyful screams of people sliding down the sand dunes made the game even more attractive to me. Sliding down the dunes with my heart beating fast was exciting and unforgettable, and more than enough to compensate for the pain I felt later in my behind.

Visitors can also enjoy many other forms of entertainment such as horse racing, yacht racing, beach volleyball, beach soccer, kite flying or going fishing with local fishermen.

Feicui Island hasn't yet become popular among beach fans. So the picturesque views and relatively quiet beach haven't been ruined.

But the tranquility may not endure. First-timers who spend a weekend there are very likely to make it a summer heat habit.

Travel tips:

No hotels and restaurants. So a weekend stay on the soft and clean beach requires camping equipment and food. A camping spot for two people costs 60 yuan per day (US$ 7.25).

There are hotels of different quality located 10 kilometres away along Golden Beach.

A beach barbecue is served at a cost of 30-40 yuan (US$3.63- 4.84).

The shower facilities are limited. It will be a good idea to bring water to wash your face.

Suggested length of stay: two or three days.

More detailed information may be found at http://www.feicuidao.com/

To get there (with map):

By car (4-hour drive from downtown Beijing): Take the Beijing-Shenyang highway (240 kilometres), Take the Fu Chang Huang Expressway at the Qinglong exit and drive south for 51 kilometres.

Contact: 0335-2211121

Close

Today's Top News		Top Lifestyle News
+Women's job skills targeted ( 2003-08-23) +Mustard gas victim dies in hospital ( 2003-08-23) +Transplant guidelines established ( 2003-08-23) +Commentary: Improve migrant schools ( 2003-08-23) +Women's federation sets future goals ( 2003-08-23)		+Feicui Island: Fine beaches without the usual crowds ( 2003-08-23) +Qing Tombs: A reminder of the past ( 2003-08-23) +Wuling Mountains: Wonderland for trekkers ( 2003-08-23) +Back to nature in Chongming ( 2003-08-23) +Veteran artist to hold solo exhibition ( 2003-08-23)